Williams Fork Reservoir Fishing
A 1,552-acre Colorado reservoir in Grand County at 7,807 feet.
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The short version on Williams Fork Reservoir
The CPW outline of Williams Fork Reservoir encloses about 1,552 acres in Grand County. Elevation on the Fishing Atlas reads 7,807 feet. On the Fishing Atlas, the property is Williams Fork Reservoir. Around 3 miles separates the water from Parshall. CPW manages it out of the Northwest Region.
Expect brown trout, kokanee salmon, lake trout, northern pike, rainbow trout and chinook salmon, according to CPW. There are 1 boat ramp on its shore. Boat use on file: Motor boats (gasoline). Access is easy, pressure high, per the atlas. Winter note: ice fishing listed as yes.
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 Williams Fork Reservoir; others may swim there too.
CPW Boatable Waters species field, CPW state records and stocking report, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Boat ramps at Williams Fork Reservoir
- Williams Fork Reservoir boat rampboat ramp, ANS inspection
Where to fish from the bank at Williams Fork Reservoir
- Williams Fork Reservoir fishing access near Parshalleasy access, stocked: catchable trout and sub-catchables, 7,807 ft
More places to launch near Williams Fork Reservoir
- Heeney Marina Ramp on Green Mountain ReservoirGreen Mountain Reservoir, 11 miles southwest
- McDonald Flats Ramp on Green Mountain ReservoirGreen Mountain Reservoir, 12 miles south
- Wolford Mountain Reservoir boat rampWolford Mountain Reservoir, 14 miles northwest
CPW boat ramp and Fishing Atlas fishing location layers, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Storage and elevation readings for Williams Fork Reservoir
Co. Division of Water Resources storage telemetry for William'S Fork Reservoir (station WLFRESCO), recorded October 25, 2026; retrieved October 25, 2026. Provisional data from CDSS.
A reading well below normal can close ramps at Williams Fork Reservoir.
Colorado limits that apply at Williams Fork 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 |
Read the west of the Continental Divide rows of the statewide chart for Williams Fork Reservoir. The chart above is the baseline at Williams Fork Reservoir; a brochure entry can override it.
Rules that change at Williams Fork Reservoir
| Water as printed | Rule | Brochure |
|---|---|---|
| Williams Fork Reservoir | Northern pike 26–34 inches must be returned to the water immediately. Use of spearfishing, archery, slingbows and gigs for the take of northern pike is prohibited. Bag and possession limit for lake trout is 8. | p. 39 |
| Only 1 may be longer than 30 inches. | Snagging kokanee permitted Sept. 1–Dec. 31. | p. 39 |
| From the buoy line at the Williams Fork River inlet upstream to the first Grand CR bridge: | Fishing and snagging prohibited Sept. 15– Nov. 30. | p. 39 |
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.
Colorado records caught at Williams Fork Reservoir
| Species | Category | Weight or length | Angler | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| salmon, chinook | weight | 11-0.0 (lbs.-ozs.) | Helen Eaton | 1989 |
CPW state records by weight and catch-and-release length, 2026 Colorado Fishing brochure (CPW, season March 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027), retrieved October 25, 2026. All Colorado records.
Sizing Williams Fork Reservoir up against the reservoirs nearby
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Elevation ft | Boat ramps | On the trout report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Williams Fork Reservoir | 1,552 | 7,807 | 1 | ||
| Green Mountain Reservoir | 11 miles south | 2,111 | 7,952 | 2 | |
| Granby Town Pond #1 | 14 miles northeast | 4 | 7,877 | 0 | |
| Wolford Mountain Reservoir | 15 miles northwest | 1,548 | 7,410 | 1 | yes |
| Willow Creek Reservoir | 16 miles northeast | 268 | 8,134 | 1 | yes |
| Lake Granby | 21 miles northeast | 7,046 | 8,284 | 3 | yes |
CPW Fishing Atlas, ramp layer and stocking report, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Close to Williams Fork Reservoir
Backup lakes when Williams Fork Reservoir is slow
- Green Mountain Reservoir11 miles south
- Granby Town Pond #114 miles northeast
- Wolford Mountain Reservoir15 miles northwest
- Willow Creek Reservoir16 miles northeast
- Lake Granby21 miles northeast
Shops worth the stop before Williams Fork Reservoir
- Cutthroat Anglersfly shop, Silverthorne, 10 miles
- Heeney Marina At Green Mtnmarina, Silverthorne, 11 miles
- Master Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Heeney, 11 miles
- Granby Bait N Tacklebait and tackle shop, Granby, 15 miles
- Indian Peaks Marinamarina, Granby, 19 miles
- Highland Marinamarina, Grand, 20 miles
Guide businesses near Williams Fork Reservoir
- Bucktail Chartersfishing guide, Grand Lake, (970) 380-1743
- Fishing with Bernie, LLCfishing guide, Granby
- Grand County Fishing Company, L.L.Cfishing guide, Fraser
Towns that work as a base camp for Williams Fork Reservoir
- Kremmling9 miles
- Granby16 miles
- Fraser22 miles
County pages touching Williams Fork Reservoir
- Grand Countyseat: Hot Sulphur Springs
Reels from Piscifun that suit Williams Fork Reservoir
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Telling the species of Williams Fork Reservoir apart by photo
Photo: Fabricio Cardenas, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Public domain
Photo: James St. John, CC BY 2.0
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Photo: Nick Loveland, CC0
Williams Fork Reservoir: the questions Colorado anglers bring
Which Colorado county holds Williams Fork Reservoir?
Look in Grand County, CPW Northwest Region, about 3 miles from Parshall.
What size is Williams Fork Reservoir on CPW maps?
Roughly 1,552 acres, at about 7,807 feet.
Which ramp is closest at Williams Fork Reservoir?
1 boat ramp, including Williams Fork Reservoir boat ramp.
What might a Colorado angler hook at Williams Fork Reservoir?
CPW records show brown trout, kokanee salmon, lake trout, northern pike, rainbow trout and chinook salmon.
Which limits apply at Williams Fork 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 Williams Fork 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 Williams Fork Reservoir?
CPW has not listed it on the weekly report.
How far is the nearest tackle shop from Williams Fork Reservoir?
Cutthroat Anglers is roughly 10 miles off.
Is Williams Fork Reservoir low this year?
The water supply band above prints Colorado Division of Water Resources telemetry.
Which Colorado record was caught at Williams Fork Reservoir?
salmon, chinook, weight 11-0.0 (lbs.-ozs.), by Helen Eaton in 1989.
Does Williams Fork 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 Williams Fork Reservoir
Read the limits above, then pick a ramp.