Colorado lakes and reservoirs

Taylor Reservoir Fishing

A 2,041-acre Colorado reservoir in Gunnison County at 9,335 feet.

Piscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reelPick for brown troutPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 $79.99

Photo of Gunnison: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY-SA 3.0

Gunnison County

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.

2,041acres
9,335feet elevation
1boat ramps
6species listed

CPW Fishing Atlas 2025 layers (waterbody outline, Boatable Waters, fishing locations), Census places, retrieved October 25, 2026.

Piscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reelFor the brown trout herePiscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel25% OFFSale $59.99 $79.99
Species

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.

Access

Ramps CPW maps at Taylor Reservoir

  • Taylor Reservoir boat rampboat ramp, ANS inspection

Fishing access points at Taylor Reservoir

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.

Water supply

How full Taylor Reservoir is

USGS gaugeLatest readingTime (ET)
Taylor Park Reservoir At Taylor Park, Co.9,298.88 ft lake elevationOct 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.

Limits

Fish legal to carry home from Taylor Reservoir

SpeciesBag and possessionSeason
Trout, arctic char, grayling, salmon and whitefish (not kokanee)Daily bag 4, possession 8, in aggregateOpen all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise
Brook trout 8 inches or less (bonus)Daily bag 10, possession 10Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise
Kokanee salmonDaily bag 10, possession 10Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise
Walleye, saugeye and saugerDaily bag 5, possession 5, in aggregateOpen all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise
Largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bassDaily bag 5, possession 5, in aggregateOpen all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise
Smallmouth bassNo bag or possession limitOpen all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise
White bass, striped bass and wiperDaily bag 10, possession 10, in aggregateOpen all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise
Channel, flathead and blue catfishDaily bag 10, possession 10, in aggregateOpen all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise
White and black crappieDaily bag 20, possession 20, in aggregateOpen all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise
Bluegill and other sunfishDaily bag 20, possession 20, in aggregateOpen all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise
Yellow perchNo bag or possession limitOpen all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise
Tiger muskieDaily bag 1, possession 1; at least 36 inches longOpen all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise
Northern pike and bullheadNo bag or possession limitOpen 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 printedRuleBrochure
Taylor Park ReservoirBag 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.

Stocking

The stocking record for Taylor Reservoir

CPW logged Taylor Reservoir 27 listings on its stocking list, the newest dated September 4, 2026.

14listings in 2026
13listings in 2025
Report dateWhat CPW lists
September 4, 2026catchable trout, CPW Southwest Region
August 28, 2026catchable trout, CPW Southwest Region
August 7, 2026catchable trout, CPW Southwest Region
July 24, 2026catchable trout, CPW Southwest Region
July 17, 2026catchable trout, CPW Southwest Region
July 10, 2026catchable trout, CPW Southwest Region
July 3, 2026catchable trout, CPW Southwest Region
June 26, 2026catchable trout, CPW Southwest Region
May 29, 2026catchable trout, CPW Southwest Region
May 22, 2026catchable trout, CPW Southwest Region
May 15, 2026catchable trout, CPW Southwest Region
April 24, 2026catchable 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.

Compare

Taylor Reservoir beside its neighbors

LakeDistanceAcresElevation ftBoat rampsOn the trout report
Taylor Reservoir2,0419,3351yes
Pothole Lake #1 (Lower)7 miles north39,7430yes
Spring Creek Reservoir7 miles west549,9210yes
Pothole Lake #2 (Upper)8 miles north179,7910yes
Mirror Lake10 miles southeast3610,9681yes
Ptarmigan Lake11 miles east912,1380

CPW Fishing Atlas, ramp layer and stocking report, retrieved October 25, 2026.

Nearby

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

Piscifun gear to pack for Taylor Reservoir

Piscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel

Piscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFF

Sale $57.99 $79.99
Piscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel

Piscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel25% OFF

Sale $59.99 $79.99
Piscifun Carbon R1 spinning rod

Piscifun Carbon R1 spinning rod21% OFF

Sale $204.99 $259.99
Piscifun Carbon X II spinning reel

Piscifun Carbon X II spinning reel46% OFF

Sale $67.99 $124.99

Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.

In photos

Photo views of fishing water near Taylor Reservoir

Taylor River, Colorado
Taylor River 2.5 mi
Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY-SA 3.0
Clear Creek, Lake County, Colorado
Clear Creek, Lake County 21 mi
Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0
Arkansas River, Colorado
Arkansas River 27 mi
Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0
Turquoise Lake, Colorado
Turquoise Lake 32 mi
Photo: Sayamindu Dasgupta, CC BY-SA 2.0
Answers

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.