Taylor Reservoir Fishing
A 2,041-acre Colorado reservoir in Gunnison County at 9,335 feet.
Pick for brown troutPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo of Gunnison: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY-SA 3.0
Getting to know Taylor Reservoir
Its mapped shoreline gives Taylor Reservoir close to 2,041 acres, all charted in Gunnison County. At around 9,335 feet, it is high-country water. CPW files it under Gunnison National Forest. The closest town on the Census list is Pitkin, some 16 miles away. It belongs to the CPW Southwest Region.
Its fish on the CPW roster: brown trout, kokanee salmon, lake trout, northern pike, rainbow trout and trout. Boaters have 1 boat ramp to choose from. CPW sets the boating rule as Motor boats (gasoline). The Fishing Atlas rates access as easy and fishing pressure as medium. Through the ice season: ice fishing listed as yes.
CPW Fishing Atlas 2025 layers (waterbody outline, Boatable Waters, fishing locations), Census places, retrieved October 25, 2026.
For the brown trout herePiscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel25% OFFSale $59.99 Which fish Taylor Reservoir holds
These Taylor Reservoir species rest on CPW listings and records, not a full net survey.
CPW Boatable Waters species field, CPW state records and stocking report, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Ramps CPW maps at Taylor Reservoir
- Taylor Reservoir boat rampboat ramp, ANS inspection
Fishing access points at Taylor Reservoir
- Taylor Park Reservoireasy access, stocked: catchable trout and sub-catchables, 9,335 ft
Backup boat ramps near Taylor Reservoir
- Mirror Lake boat rampMirror Lake, 10 miles southeast
CPW boat ramp and Fishing Atlas fishing location layers, retrieved October 25, 2026.
How full Taylor Reservoir is
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Taylor Park Reservoir At Taylor Park, Co. | 9,298.88 ft lake elevation | Oct 26 5:30 pm |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Oct 26, 2026 6:32 pm ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
Water rights, not anglers, set the level at Taylor Reservoir.
Fish legal to carry home from Taylor Reservoir
| Species | Bag and possession | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Trout, arctic char, grayling, salmon and whitefish (not kokanee) | Daily bag 4, possession 8, in aggregate | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
| Brook trout 8 inches or less (bonus) | Daily bag 10, possession 10 | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
| Kokanee salmon | Daily bag 10, possession 10 | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
| Walleye, saugeye and sauger | Daily bag 5, possession 5, in aggregate | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
| Largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass | Daily bag 5, possession 5, in aggregate | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
| Smallmouth bass | No bag or possession limit | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
| White bass, striped bass and wiper | Daily bag 10, possession 10, in aggregate | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
| Channel, flathead and blue catfish | Daily bag 10, possession 10, in aggregate | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
| White and black crappie | Daily bag 20, possession 20, in aggregate | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
| Bluegill and other sunfish | Daily bag 20, possession 20, in aggregate | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
| Yellow perch | No bag or possession limit | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
| Tiger muskie | Daily bag 1, possession 1; at least 36 inches long | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
| Northern pike and bullhead | No bag or possession limit | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
The drainage column of the limits chart puts Taylor Reservoir west of the Continental Divide. Waters stay open day and night all year in Colorado; the chart rows set the bag at Taylor Reservoir.
Special regulations written for Taylor Reservoir
| Water as printed | Rule | Brochure |
|---|---|---|
| Taylor Park Reservoir | Bag and possession limit for lake trout is 3. | p. 37 |
| Only 1 may be longer than 26 inches. | Gaffs and tail snares prohibited. Snagging kokanee permitted Sept. 1–Dec. 31. | p. 37 |
Special regulations as printed in the 2026 Colorado Fishing brochure (CPW, season March 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027), pp. 11 to 39, checked against CPW Chapter W-1 (as approved 13 November 2025); retrieved October 2026.
Statewide bag and possession chart, 2026 Colorado Fishing brochure (CPW, season March 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027), p. 10, retrieved October 25, 2026.
The stocking record for Taylor Reservoir
CPW logged Taylor Reservoir 27 listings on its stocking list, the newest dated September 4, 2026.
| Report date | What CPW lists |
|---|---|
| September 4, 2026 | catchable trout, CPW Southwest Region |
| August 28, 2026 | catchable trout, CPW Southwest Region |
| August 7, 2026 | catchable trout, CPW Southwest Region |
| July 24, 2026 | catchable trout, CPW Southwest Region |
| July 17, 2026 | catchable trout, CPW Southwest Region |
| July 10, 2026 | catchable trout, CPW Southwest Region |
| July 3, 2026 | catchable trout, CPW Southwest Region |
| June 26, 2026 | catchable trout, CPW Southwest Region |
| May 29, 2026 | catchable trout, CPW Southwest Region |
| May 22, 2026 | catchable trout, CPW Southwest Region |
| May 15, 2026 | catchable trout, CPW Southwest Region |
| April 24, 2026 | catchable trout, CPW Southwest Region |
CPW Fish Stocking Report (catchable trout of about 10 inches; the date is when CPW added the water to its weekly list), 2024 to October 2026, retrieved October 25, 2026. Colorado stocking.
Taylor Reservoir beside its neighbors
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Elevation ft | Boat ramps | On the trout report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taylor Reservoir | 2,041 | 9,335 | 1 | yes | |
| Pothole Lake #1 (Lower) | 7 miles north | 3 | 9,743 | 0 | yes |
| Spring Creek Reservoir | 7 miles west | 54 | 9,921 | 0 | yes |
| Pothole Lake #2 (Upper) | 8 miles north | 17 | 9,791 | 0 | yes |
| Mirror Lake | 10 miles southeast | 36 | 10,968 | 1 | yes |
| Ptarmigan Lake | 11 miles east | 9 | 12,138 | 0 |
CPW Fishing Atlas, ramp layer and stocking report, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Around Taylor Reservoir on the map
Reservoirs and ponds near Taylor Reservoir
- Pothole Lake #1 (Lower)7 miles north
- Spring Creek Reservoir7 miles west
- Pothole Lake #2 (Upper)8 miles north
- Mirror Lake10 miles southeast
- Ptarmigan Lake11 miles east
Stores that stock up Taylor Reservoir trips
- Taylor Park Marinamarina, Almont, 1 mile
- Fly Fishing Showfly shop, Crested Butte, 22 miles
- Dragonfly Anglersfly shop, Gunnison, 22 miles
- Crested Butte Anglerfly shop, Gunnison, 22 miles
- UpRiver Fly Fishingfly shop, Buena Vista, 24 miles
- Ark Anglersfly shop, Buena Vista, 24 miles
Hiring a guide for Taylor Reservoir
- Crested Butte Angler LLCfishing guide, Crested Butte
- Gunnison Valley Anglers Cofishing guide, Gunnison River, Gunnison
- High Mountain Drifters Guide Service, LLCfishing guide, Gunnison
- Dragonfly Anglers, LLCfly fishing guide, Crested Butte
Nearest towns to Taylor Reservoir
- Crested Butte22 miles
- Buena Vista24 miles
- Gunnison27 miles
Taylor Reservoir on the county pages
- Gunnison Countyseat: Gunnison
Piscifun gear to pack for Taylor Reservoir
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
Photo views of fishing water near Taylor Reservoir

Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY-SA 3.0

Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0

Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0

Photo: Sayamindu Dasgupta, CC BY-SA 2.0
Colorado anglers ask this about Taylor Reservoir
In what part of the state is Taylor Reservoir?
Gunnison County, CPW Southwest Region, about 16 miles from Pitkin.
Is Taylor Reservoir a big reservoir?
About 2,041 acres, at about 9,335 feet.
Can a trailered boat get onto Taylor Reservoir from a mapped ramp?
There are 1 boat ramp; Taylor Reservoir boat ramp heads the list.
Are trout part of the fishery at Taylor Reservoir?
Expect brown trout, kokanee salmon, lake trout, northern pike, rainbow trout and trout.
What bag limit does the CPW chart set at Taylor Reservoir?
Trout, arctic char, grayling, salmon and whitefish (not kokanee): Daily bag 4, possession 8, in aggregate. Check the special regulation rows above as well.
Is a CPW license required to fish Taylor Reservoir?
Fishing two lines at once takes the $14.24 second-rod stamp on top of the license; adult residents pay $44.87 for the license and nonresidents $124.01.
Has CPW listed Taylor Reservoir for stocking recently?
It shows 27 listings on the CPW catchable trout report (14 in 2026, 13 in 2025); latest September 4, 2026.
Which store on the list is nearest Taylor Reservoir?
Taylor Park Marina, about 1 mile away.
Who reports the water level at Taylor Reservoir?
Above: the USGS gauge.
Is Taylor Reservoir an ice fishing spot?
Its winter entry reads ice fishing listed as yes; drill test holes first.
Put Taylor Reservoir on this season's list
License prices and the full limits chart are on one page.

