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La Plata County 40 mi
Photo: Ahodges7, CC BY-SA 3.0 
Navajo Reservoir 35 mi
Photo: Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0 
Animas River 40 mi
Photo: USEPA Environmental-Protection-Agency, Public domain 
Platoro Reservoir 38 mi
Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0
Colorado lakes and reservoirs
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Williams Creek Reservoir Fishing
A 332-acre Colorado reservoir in Hinsdale County at 8,247 feet.
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Hinsdale County
Getting to know Williams Creek Reservoir
Its mapped shoreline gives Williams Creek Reservoir close to 332 acres, all charted in Hinsdale County. At around 8,247 feet, it is high-country water. CPW files it under Williams Creek Reservoir SWA. The closest town on the Census list is Piedra, some 6 miles away. It belongs to the CPW Southwest Region.
Its fish on the CPW roster: brook trout, cutbow, native cutthroat trout, kokanee salmon, rainbow trout and tiger 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.
332acres
8,247feet elevation
1boat ramps
7species listed
CPW Fishing Atlas 2025 layers (waterbody outline, Boatable Waters, fishing locations), Census places, retrieved October 25, 2026.
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Which fish Williams Creek Reservoir holds
These Williams Creek 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 Williams Creek Reservoir
- USFS boat ramp on Williams Creek Reservoirboat ramp, universal-water ramp
Fishing access points at Williams Creek Reservoir
- Williams Creek Reservoir fishing access near Piedraeasy access, stocked: sub-catchables, 8,247 ft
Backup boat ramps near Williams Creek Reservoir
- Road Canyon Reservoir SWARoad Canyon Reservoir, 18 miles north
CPW boat ramp and Fishing Atlas fishing location layers, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Limits
Fish legal to carry home from Williams Creek 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 Williams Creek Reservoir west of the Continental Divide. Waters stay open day and night all year in Colorado; the chart rows set the bag at Williams Creek Reservoir.
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 Williams Creek Reservoir
CPW logged Williams Creek Reservoir 3 listings on its stocking list, the newest dated June 12, 2026.
1listings in 2026
1listings in 2025
1listings in 2024
| Report date | What CPW lists |
|---|---|
| June 12, 2026 | catchable trout, CPW Southwest Region |
| June 20, 2025 | catchable trout, CPW Southwest Region |
| June 3, 2024 | 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.
Compare
Williams Creek Reservoir beside its neighbors
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Elevation ft | Boat ramps | On the trout report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Williams Creek Reservoir | 332 | 8,247 | 1 | yes | |
| Emerald Lake Little | 12 miles west | 15 | 10,014 | 0 | |
| Emerald Lake, Hinsdale County | 13 miles west | 282 | 10,038 | 0 | |
| Love Lake | 15 miles northeast | 3 | 10,022 | 0 | yes |
| Ute Lake Lower Twin (#2) | 16 miles northwest | 4 | 11,794 | 0 | |
| Rio Grande Reservoir | 17 miles north | 1,078 | 0 | yes |
CPW Fishing Atlas, ramp layer and stocking report, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Nearby
Around Williams Creek Reservoir on the map
Reservoirs and ponds near Williams Creek Reservoir
- Emerald Lake Little12 miles west
- Emerald Lake, Hinsdale County13 miles west
- Love Lake15 miles northeast
- Ute Lake Lower Twin (#2)16 miles northwest
- Rio Grande Reservoir17 miles north
Stores that stock up Williams Creek Reservoir trips
- Let IT Flybait and tackle shop, Pagosa Springs, 20 miles
- PJ's Fine Bamboo Rodsbait and tackle shop, Pagosa Springs, 21 miles
- Rod & Reelbait and tackle shop, Creede, 28 miles
Hiring a guide for Williams Creek Reservoir
- Fish Creek Outfitting LLCfishing guide, Pagosa Springs
- Kaufman Team LLC DBA Williams Creek Anglerfishing guide, Pagosa Springs
- Pagosa Troutfittersfishing guide, Pagosa Springs
- Piedra River Anglers LLCfishing guide, Piedra River, Pagosa Springs
- Sport Fish Colorado LLCfishing guide, Lake City
Nearest towns to Williams Creek Reservoir
- Pagosa Springs21 miles
- Bayfield28 miles
- Durango40 miles
Williams Creek Reservoir on the county pages
- Hinsdale Countyseat: Lake City
Piscifun
Piscifun gear to pack for Williams Creek Reservoir
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In photos
Photo views of fishing water near Williams Creek Reservoir
Photo: Ahodges7, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0
Photo: USEPA Environmental-Protection-Agency, Public domain
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Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0
Answers
Colorado anglers ask this about Williams Creek Reservoir
In what part of the state is Williams Creek Reservoir?
Hinsdale County, CPW Southwest Region, about 6 miles from Piedra.
Is Williams Creek Reservoir a big reservoir?
About 332 acres, at about 8,247 feet.
Can a trailered boat get onto Williams Creek Reservoir from a mapped ramp?
There are 1 boat ramp; USFS boat ramp on Williams Creek Reservoir heads the list.
Are trout part of the fishery at Williams Creek Reservoir?
Expect brook trout, cutbow, native cutthroat trout, kokanee salmon, rainbow trout, tiger trout and trout.
What bag limit does the CPW chart set at Williams Creek Reservoir?
Trout, arctic char, grayling, salmon and whitefish (not kokanee): Daily bag 4, possession 8, in aggregate.
Is a CPW license required to fish Williams Creek 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.
Has CPW listed Williams Creek Reservoir for stocking recently?
It shows 3 listings on the CPW catchable trout report (1 in 2026, 1 in 2025, 1 in 2024); latest June 12, 2026.
Which store on the list is nearest Williams Creek Reservoir?
Let IT Fly, about 20 miles away.
Is Williams Creek Reservoir an ice fishing spot?
Its winter entry reads ice fishing listed as yes; drill test holes first.
Put Williams Creek Reservoir on this season's list
License prices and the full limits chart are on one page.