Cat Creek Fishing
Special regulation water in Conejos County.
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A quick portrait of the Cat Creek
The Cat Creek is a Colorado stream flowing through Conejos County. Supplies wait in Capulin, some 11 miles off.
1 reach, some 13.1 miles, carry rules of their own.
CPW Fishing Atlas 2025 layers (special-regulation, Gold Medal and fishing location layers), NHD flowlines, Census places, retrieved October 25, 2026.
How CPW manages trout on the Cat Creek
| Reach | Miles | Rule as printed |
|---|---|---|
| Confluence of North and South Forks of Cat Creek / Confluence with Monte Vista Canal | 13.14 | see CPW brochure |
On these Cat Creek reaches the brochure rule replaces the statewide bag.
Regulation entries on the Cat Creek
| Water as printed | Rule | Brochure |
|---|---|---|
| Cat Creek | Artificial flies and lures only. Cutthroat must be returned to water immediately. | p. 14 |
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.
CPW special fishing regulation and Quality Waters layers, retrieved October 25, 2026.
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Public land is the way onto the Cat Creek.
More places to launch near the Cat Creek
- Trujillo Meadows SWA on La Jara ReservoirLa Jara Reservoir, 10 miles
CPW boat ramp and Fishing Atlas fishing location layers, USGS gauges, retrieved October 25, 2026.
The keep-or-release rules on the Cat Creek
| 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 |
Read the east of the Continental Divide rows of the statewide chart for the Cat Creek. Outside its regulated reaches, the Cat Creek follows the statewide chart.
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.
Close to the Cat Creek
Backup lakes when the Cat Creek is slow
- La Jara Reservoir10 miles
- Kerr Lake14 miles
- Home Lake16 miles
- Mix Lake16 miles
Guide businesses near the Cat Creek
- Conejos River Anglers, LLCfishing guide, Conejos River, Antonito
- Jackalope Anglersfishing guide, Del Norte
- Wolf Creek Anglersfishing guide, South Fork, (719) 873-1414
Towns that work as a base camp for the Cat Creek
- Monte Vista14 miles
- Del Norte20 miles
- Alamosa22 miles
- Center26 miles
More streams near the Cat Creek
- Torsido Creek8 miles
- Jim Creek11 miles
- La Jara Creek15 miles
- Elk Creek, Conejos County19 miles
County pages touching the Cat Creek
Reels from Piscifun that suit the Cat Creek
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Species photos for anglers bound for Cat Creek
Photo: ColtonOrbaker, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: United States Fish and Wildlife Services, Public domain
Photo: USFWS Mountain Prairie, Public domain
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Photo: Cliff from Arlington, Virginia, USA, CC BY 2.0
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Straight answers about the Cat Creek
Which Colorado counties does the Cat Creek cross?
Maps put it in Conejos County.
What trout label does the Cat Creek carry?
CPW regulates 1 reach of it.
Has USGS installed a gauge on the Cat Creek?
No USGS station on our Colorado list sits on it.
Which public land touches the Cat Creek?
No public point appears for it.
Which CPW chart rows cover the Cat Creek?
Check 1 reach in the table above. The entry says: Artificial flies and lures only. Cutthroat must be returned to water immediately.
What does a CPW license cost for a day on the Cat Creek?
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.
Where can I buy flies near the Cat Creek?
Bring flies; listed shops are over 30 miles off.
Which species turn up in CPW sources for the Cat Creek?
CPW keeps no species roster for it.
How long is the drive from the Cat Creek to a Colorado town?
Capulin, roughly 11 miles from where CPW maps the stream.
Aim the truck at the Cat Creek this season
Reach rules change the bag; read them first.