Trinidad Reservoir Fishing
A 843-acre Colorado reservoir in Las Animas County at 6,233 feet.
Pick for black crappiePiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0
The short version on Trinidad Reservoir
The CPW outline of Trinidad Reservoir encloses about 843 acres in Las Animas County. Elevation on the Fishing Atlas reads 6,233 feet. On the Fishing Atlas, the property is Trinidad Lake State Park. Around 2 miles separates the water from Jansen. CPW manages it out of the Southeast Region.
Expect black crappie, bluegill, brown trout, channel catfish, cutbow and largemouth bass, according to CPW. There are 2 boat ramps on its shore. Boat use on file: Motor boats (gasoline). Access is easy, pressure medium, per the atlas. Winter note: ice fishing listed as yes.
Colorado health officials list Trinidad Reservoir in a fish advisory: CDPHE advisory.
CPW Fishing Atlas 2025 layers (waterbody outline, Boatable Waters, fishing locations), Census places, retrieved October 25, 2026.
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CPW sources tie these fish to Trinidad Reservoir; others may swim there too.
CPW Boatable Waters species field, CPW state records and stocking report, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Boat ramps at Trinidad Reservoir
- Boat Ramp on Trinidad Reservoirboat ramp, CPW; Trinidad Lake State Park
- Carpios Ridge boat ramp on Trinidad Reservoirboat ramp, ANS inspection, State Parks; Trinidad Lake State Park
Where to fish from the bank at Trinidad Reservoir
- Trinidad Reservoir fishing access near Janseneasy access, stocked: catchable trout, sub-catchables and warmwater, 6,233 ft
CPW boat ramp and Fishing Atlas fishing location layers, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Storage and elevation readings for Trinidad Reservoir
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Trinidad Lake Near Trinidad, Co. | 6,175.98 ft lake elevation | Oct 27 7:30 pm |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Oct 27, 2026 8:33 pm ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
A reading well below normal can close ramps at Trinidad Reservoir.
Colorado limits that apply at Trinidad 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 10, possession 10, 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 |
| White bass, striped bass and wiper | Daily bag 20, possession 20, 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 | Daily bag 20, possession 20 | 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 |
Read the in the Arkansas and South Fork Republican drainages rows of the statewide chart for Trinidad Reservoir. The chart above is the baseline at Trinidad Reservoir; a brochure entry can override it.
Rules that change at Trinidad Reservoir
| Water as printed | Rule | Brochure |
|---|---|---|
| Trinidad Reservoir | Min. size for largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass is 15 inches long. Bag and possession limit for walleye and saugeye is 5 in the aggregate. Only 1 walleye or saugeye in the aggregate longer than 18 inches may be taken per day. | p. 38 |
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.
CPW stocking report entries for Trinidad Reservoir
Trout report entries for Trinidad Reservoir: 16 listings, ending October 16, 2026.
| Report date | What CPW lists |
|---|---|
| October 16, 2026 | catchable trout, CPW Southeast Region |
| July 10, 2026 | catchable trout, CPW Southeast Region |
| June 12, 2026 | catchable trout, CPW Southeast Region |
| April 3, 2026 | catchable trout, CPW Southeast Region |
| December 5, 2025 | catchable trout, CPW Southeast Region |
| November 21, 2025 | catchable trout, CPW Southeast Region |
| October 17, 2025 | catchable trout, CPW Southeast Region |
| May 30, 2025 | catchable trout, CPW Southeast Region |
| May 9, 2025 | catchable trout, CPW Northeast Region |
| April 4, 2025 | catchable trout, CPW Southeast Region |
| February 20, 2025 | catchable trout, CPW Southeast Region |
| December 20, 2024 | catchable trout, CPW Southeast 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.
Sizing Trinidad Reservoir up against the reservoirs nearby
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Elevation ft | Boat ramps | On the trout report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trinidad Reservoir | 843 | 6,233 | 2 | yes | |
| Lake Dorothey | 14 miles southeast | 10 | 7,618 | 0 | yes |
| Monument Reservoir | 27 miles west | 86 | 8,588 | 0 | yes |
| North Lake | 27 miles west | 105 | 8,562 | 1 | yes |
| Daigre Reservoir | 35 miles northwest | 14 | 7,058 | 0 | yes |
| Wahatoya Lake Reservoir | 35 miles northwest | 27 | 7,093 | 0 | yes |
CPW Fishing Atlas, ramp layer and stocking report, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Close to Trinidad Reservoir
Backup lakes when Trinidad Reservoir is slow
- Lake Dorothey14 miles southeast
- Monument Reservoir27 miles west
- North Lake27 miles west
- Daigre Reservoir35 miles northwest
- Wahatoya Lake Reservoir35 miles northwest
Towns that work as a base camp for Trinidad Reservoir
- Trinidad5 miles
- Walsenburg36 miles
County pages touching Trinidad Reservoir
- Las Animas Countyseat: Trinidad
Reels from Piscifun that suit Trinidad Reservoir
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Telling the species of Trinidad Reservoir apart by photo
Photo: Purefury182, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Nick Loveland, CC0
Photo: James St. John, CC BY 2.0
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Trinidad Reservoir: the questions Colorado anglers bring
Which Colorado county holds Trinidad Reservoir?
Look in Las Animas County, CPW Southeast Region, about 2 miles from Jansen.
What size is Trinidad Reservoir on CPW maps?
Roughly 843 acres, at about 6,233 feet.
Which ramp is closest at Trinidad Reservoir?
2 boat ramps, including Carpios Ridge boat ramp on Trinidad Reservoir.
What might a Colorado angler hook at Trinidad Reservoir?
CPW records show black crappie, bluegill, brown trout, channel catfish, cutbow, largemouth bass and rainbow trout.
Which limits apply at Trinidad Reservoir?
Trout, arctic char, grayling, salmon and whitefish (not kokanee): Daily bag 4, possession 8, in aggregate. The brochure adds a water-specific rule, shown above.
What does a CPW license cost for a trip to Trinidad Reservoir?
Colorado sells no separate trout stamp; a CPW fishing license covers trout ($44.87 for adult residents, $124.01 for nonresidents), and anglers 16 and older need one.
Does CPW stock Trinidad Reservoir?
CPW records 16 listings on the CPW catchable trout report (4 in 2026, 7 in 2025, 5 in 2024); latest October 16, 2026.
How far is the nearest tackle shop from Trinidad Reservoir?
Our Colorado shop list has nothing inside 30 miles.
Is Trinidad Reservoir low this year?
The water supply band above prints the USGS gauge.
Does Trinidad Reservoir freeze for anglers?
The Fishing Atlas shows ice fishing listed as yes; check ice yourself before stepping out.
Hitch the boat and head for Trinidad Reservoir
Read the limits above, then pick a ramp.