Willow Creek Reservoir Fishing
A 268-acre Colorado reservoir in Grand County at 8,134 feet.
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The short version on Willow Creek Reservoir
The CPW outline of Willow Creek Reservoir encloses about 268 acres in Grand County. Elevation on the Fishing Atlas reads 8,134 feet. On the Fishing Atlas, the property is Arapaho NRA. Around 6 miles separates the water from Granby. CPW manages it out of the Northwest Region.
Expect brown trout, cutbow, rainbow trout and trout, according to CPW. There are 1 boat ramp on its shore. Boat use on file: Non-motorized. Access is easy, pressure medium, 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 Willow Creek Reservoir; others may swim there too.
CPW Boatable Waters species field, CPW state records and stocking report, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Boat ramps at Willow Creek Reservoir
- Willow Creek Reservoir boat rampboat ramp
Where to fish from the bank at Willow Creek Reservoir
- Willow Creek Reservoir fishing access near Granbyeasy access, stocked: catchable trout and sub-catchables, 8,134 ft
More places to launch near Willow Creek Reservoir
- Sunset Point Ramp on Lake GranbyLake Granby, 4 miles east
- Stillwater Ramp on Lake GranbyLake Granby, 4 miles northeast
- Green Ridge Ramp on Shadow Mountain ReservoirShadow Mountain Reservoir, 7 miles northeast
- Hilltop Ramp on Shadow Mountain ReservoirShadow Mountain Reservoir, 9 miles northeast
- Arapaho Bay Ramp on Lake GranbyLake Granby, 10 miles east
- Williams Fork Reservoir boat rampWilliams Fork Reservoir, 16 miles southwest
CPW boat ramp and Fishing Atlas fishing location layers, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Storage and elevation readings for Willow Creek Reservoir
Bureau of Reclamation (Station cooperator) storage telemetry for Willow Creek Reservoir (station WILRESCO), recorded October 25, 2026; retrieved October 25, 2026. Provisional data from CDSS.
A reading well below normal can close ramps at Willow Creek Reservoir.
Colorado limits that apply at Willow 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 |
Read the west of the Continental Divide rows of the statewide chart for Willow Creek Reservoir. The chart above is the baseline at Willow Creek Reservoir; a brochure entry can override it.
Rules that change at Willow Creek Reservoir
| Water as printed | Rule | Brochure |
|---|---|---|
| Willow Creek Reservoir | Ice-fishing shelters must be portable. | 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.
CPW stocking report entries for Willow Creek Reservoir
Trout report entries for Willow Creek Reservoir: 8 listings, ending August 14, 2026.
| Report date | What CPW lists |
|---|---|
| August 14, 2026 | catchable trout, CPW Northwest Region |
| June 12, 2026 | catchable trout, CPW Northwest Region |
| October 31, 2025 | catchable trout, CPW Southwest Region |
| October 24, 2025 | catchable trout, CPW Northwest Region |
| June 27, 2025 | catchable trout, CPW Northwest Region |
| May 23, 2025 | catchable trout, CPW Northwest Region |
| October 25, 2024 | catchable trout, CPW Northwest Region |
| May 8, 2024 | catchable trout, CPW Northwest 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 Willow Creek Reservoir up against the reservoirs nearby
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Elevation ft | Boat ramps | On the trout report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Willow Creek Reservoir | 268 | 8,134 | 1 | yes | |
| Granby Town Pond #1 | 3 miles south | 4 | 7,877 | 0 | |
| Lake Granby | 5 miles east | 7,046 | 8,284 | 3 | yes |
| Shadow Mountain Reservoir | 8 miles northeast | 1,338 | 8,371 | 2 | |
| Grand Lake | 10 miles northeast | 486 | 8,371 | 1 | yes |
| Monarch Lake | 11 miles east | 142 | 8,345 | 0 | yes |
CPW Fishing Atlas, ramp layer and stocking report, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Close to Willow Creek Reservoir
Backup lakes when Willow Creek Reservoir is slow
- Granby Town Pond #13 miles south
- Lake Granby5 miles east
- Shadow Mountain Reservoir8 miles northeast
- Grand Lake10 miles northeast
- Monarch Lake11 miles east
Shops worth the stop before Willow Creek Reservoir
- Indian Peaks Marinamarina, Granby, 3 miles
- Highland Marinamarina, Grand, 3 miles
- Granby Bait N Tacklebait and tackle shop, Granby, 5 miles
- Beacon Landing Marinabait and tackle shop, Grand Lake, 5 miles
- Trail Ridge Marinamarina, Grand Lake, 7 miles
- Grand Lake Marinamarina, Grand Lake, 10 miles
Guide businesses near Willow Creek 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 Willow Creek Reservoir
- Granby6 miles
- Fraser17 miles
- Winter Park21 miles
County pages touching Willow Creek Reservoir
- Grand Countyseat: Hot Sulphur Springs
Reels from Piscifun that suit Willow Creek Reservoir
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Telling the species of Willow Creek Reservoir apart by photo
Photo: California Department of Fish and Wildlife from Sacramento, CA, USA, CC BY 2.0
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Photo: Eric Engbretson, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Public domain
Photo: BenitoJuarez98, CC BY-SA 4.0
Willow Creek Reservoir: the questions Colorado anglers bring
Which Colorado county holds Willow Creek Reservoir?
Look in Grand County, CPW Northwest Region, about 6 miles from Granby.
What size is Willow Creek Reservoir on CPW maps?
Roughly 268 acres, at about 8,134 feet.
Which ramp is closest at Willow Creek Reservoir?
1 boat ramp, including Willow Creek Reservoir boat ramp.
What might a Colorado angler hook at Willow Creek Reservoir?
CPW records show brown trout, cutbow, rainbow trout and trout.
Which limits apply at Willow Creek 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 Willow 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.
Does CPW stock Willow Creek Reservoir?
CPW records 8 listings on the CPW catchable trout report (2 in 2026, 4 in 2025, 2 in 2024); latest August 14, 2026.
How far is the nearest tackle shop from Willow Creek Reservoir?
Indian Peaks Marina is roughly 3 miles off.
Is Willow Creek Reservoir low this year?
The water supply band above prints Colorado Division of Water Resources telemetry.
Does Willow Creek 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 Willow Creek Reservoir
Read the limits above, then pick a ramp.