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Big Thompson River 18 mi
Photo: G. Lamar, CC BY 2.0 
Horsetooth Reservoir 13 mi
Photo: Lvaughn7, CC BY-SA 4.0 
Estes Lake 24 mi
Photo: Sarbjit Bahga, CC BY-SA 4.0 
Carter Reservoir 26 mi
Photo: KimonBerlin, CC BY-SA 2.0
Colorado rivers
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Cache la Poudre River Fishing
Special regulation water in Larimer County.
Pick for salmonPiscifun Viper X spinning reel50% OFFSale $39.99 Photo: Wusel007, CC BY-SA 3.0
Colorado rivers
Arriving on the Cache la Poudre River: what it is like
The Cache la Poudre River, a river, drains part of Larimer County. About 11 miles separates the mapped point from Laporte.
Special regulations cover 4 reaches, roughly 21.8 miles. Walk in from Bliss SWA, Poudre River SFU and Roosevelt National Forest.
1counties
21.8regulated miles
0USGS gauges
0atlas access points
CPW Fishing Atlas 2025 layers (special-regulation, Gold Medal and fishing location layers), NHD flowlines, Census places, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Special regulations
Regulated sections of the Cache la Poudre River
| Reach | Miles | Rule as printed |
|---|---|---|
| Confluence with Joe Wright Creek / Rocky Mountain National Park boundary | 10.13 | rule in the CPW brochure |
| Upper boundary of the Big Bend campground / Confluence with Black Hollow Creek | 5.93 | see CPW brochure |
| West boundary of the Hombre Ranch (below Rustic) / Pingree Park Road/bridge | 5.07 | see the brochure entry |
| Confluence with the North Fork of the Poudre River / Upper boundary of Gateway Park (water diversion for Ft. Collins) | 0.66 | rule text in the brochure |
The atlas maps where each regulated reach of the Cache la Poudre River starts and ends; the rule itself is the brochure entry for the water.
CPW special fishing regulation and Quality Waters layers, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Public access
Access points along the Cache la Poudre River
- Bliss SWASWA, 392.9 acres
- Poudre River SFUSFU, 469.7 acres
- Roosevelt National ForestNational Forest
Public parcels on the Cache la Poudre River come from the CPW atlas property names.
CPW Fishing Atlas fishing location property names and Quality Waters access notes, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Access
Where the Cache la Poudre River runs
Expect to hike to the Cache la Poudre River; no access point is on file.
Backup boat ramps near the Cache la Poudre River
- Satanka Bay Ramp on Horsetooth ReservoirHorsetooth Reservoir, 10 miles
- Douglas Reservoir SWA on Douglass ReservoirDouglass Reservoir, 13 miles
- Inlet Bay Ramp on Horsetooth ReservoirHorsetooth Reservoir, 15 miles
- South Bay Ramp #1 on Horsetooth ReservoirHorsetooth Reservoir, 15 miles
CPW boat ramp and Fishing Atlas fishing location layers, USGS gauges, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Limits
Harvest rules for the Cache la Poudre River
| 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 |
| Channel, flathead and blue catfish | Daily bag 10, possession 10, 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 |
| 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 the Cache la Poudre River east of the Continental Divide. Statewide numbers apply on the Cache la Poudre River wherever no reach rule is posted.
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.
Statewide bag and possession chart, 2026 Colorado Fishing brochure (CPW, season March 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027), p. 10, retrieved October 25, 2026. All Colorado limits.
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Around the Cache la Poudre River on the map
Reservoirs and ponds near the Cache la Poudre River
- Seaman Reservoir5 miles
- Watson Lake, Larimer County9 miles
- Douglass Reservoir13 miles
- Parvin Lake13 miles
Stores that stock up the Cache la Poudre River trips
- BugLife Fly Fishingfly shop, Wolf Creek, 12 miles
- Bettys Bait and Tacklebait and tackle shop, Fort Collins, 14 miles
- Inlet Bay Marinamarina, Fort Collins, 15 miles
- Jax Outdoor Gearbait and tackle shop, Fort Collins, 15 miles
- St Peter's Fly Shop, 202 Remington Stfly shop, Fort Collins, 15 miles
Hiring a guide for the Cache la Poudre River
- Natural Drift Anglers LLCfishing guide, Fort Collins
- Northern Colorado Fishing Outfitters LLCfishing guide, Fort Collins
- Fly Fishing the Rocky Mountainsfly fishing guide, Estes Park, (417) 860-4175
- Sasquatch Fly Fishinfly fishing guide, Estes Park, (970) 586-3341
Nearest towns to the Cache la Poudre River
- Wellington17 miles
- Fort Collins17 miles
- Timnath22 miles
- Loveland24 miles
Rivers within reach of the Cache la Poudre River
- South Lone Pine Creek12 miles
- North Fork Cache La Poudre River13 miles
- North Fork Big Thompson River17 miles
- Big Thompson River18 miles
the Cache la Poudre River on the county pages
Piscifun
Piscifun gear to pack for the Cache la Poudre River
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In photos
A camera tour of the water by Cache la Poudre River
Photo: G. Lamar, CC BY 2.0
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Photo: Lvaughn7, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Sarbjit Bahga, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: KimonBerlin, CC BY-SA 2.0
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Answers
The Cache la Poudre River, question by question
Where in the state is the Cache la Poudre River?
It runs through Larimer County.
Does the Cache la Poudre River have special trout rules?
It has 4 reaches with special trout rules.
Is the Cache la Poudre River wadeable right now?
It is ungauged; nearby Colorado river pages carry flows.
How do Colorado anglers get down to the Cache la Poudre River?
Try Bliss SWA, Poudre River SFU and Roosevelt National Forest.
What is the trout limit on the Cache la Poudre River?
4 reaches follow their own rules, listed above.
Is a CPW license required to fish the Cache la Poudre River?
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.
How far is the nearest shop from the Cache la Poudre River?
BugLife Fly Fishing (12 miles).
Which sport fish does CPW tie to the Cache la Poudre River?
CPW publishes no species list for it.
Which town works as a base for the Cache la Poudre River?
About 11 miles away is Laporte.
Plan a float or wade on the Cache la Poudre River
Check the gauge and reach rules before you go.