Cottonwood Creek, Mesa County Fishing
A Colorado stream in Mesa County.
Pick for salmonPiscifun Viper X spinning reel50% OFFSale $39.99 Photo of Grand Junction: Afoxland at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
The Cottonwood Creek, Mesa County, condensed for anglers
Colorado maps trace the Cottonwood Creek, Mesa County, a stream, through Mesa County. For a base, Collbran sits roughly 11 miles off.
CPW lists access at Grand Mesa National Forest. 1 mapped fishing location on it appear in the CPW atlas.
CPW Fishing Atlas 2025 layers (special-regulation, Gold Medal and fishing location layers), NHD flowlines, Census places, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Getting to the water on the Cottonwood Creek, Mesa County
- Grand Mesa National ForestNational Forest
The Cottonwood Creek, Mesa County crosses private ranches; the parcels above are where the public may fish.
CPW Fishing Atlas fishing location property names and Quality Waters access notes, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Map of the Cottonwood Creek, Mesa County
Bank access points on the Cottonwood Creek, Mesa County
- Cottonwood Creek fishing access near Collbranmedium access, 9,657 ft
Boat ramps in reach of the Cottonwood Creek, Mesa County
- Early Settlers Ramp on Vega ReservoirVega Reservoir, 12 miles
- Island Ramp on Vega ReservoirVega Reservoir, 14 miles
- Oak Point Ramp on Vega ReservoirVega Reservoir, 14 miles
CPW boat ramp and Fishing Atlas fishing location layers, USGS gauges, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Fish legal to carry home from the Cottonwood Creek, Mesa County
| 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 |
| 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 | No bag or possession limit | 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 |
For the statewide limits chart, the Cottonwood Creek, Mesa County counts as west of the Continental Divide water. For unregulated water on the Cottonwood Creek, Mesa County, read the rows above.
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.
For the salmon herePiscifun AlumiX spinning reel46% OFFSale $64.99 Within a short drive of the Cottonwood Creek, Mesa County
Further reservoirs a short haul from the Cottonwood Creek, Mesa County
- De Camp Reservoirunder a mile
- Cottonwood Lake #1under a mile
- Cottonwood Lake #2under a mile
- Cottonwood Lake #5under a mile
Tackle counters on the way to the Cottonwood Creek, Mesa County
- Walker's Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Whitewater, 22 miles
Fishing outfitters by the Cottonwood Creek, Mesa County
- Western Anglers Guide Service LLCfishing guide, Grand Junction
- Colorado West Slope Fly Fishingfly fishing guide, Grand Junction
Where to stay for a the Cottonwood Creek, Mesa County trip
- Cedaredge13 miles
- Orchard City18 miles
- Palisade21 miles
- Delta24 miles
Other moving water near the Cottonwood Creek, Mesa County
- Bull Creek3 miles
- Big Creek4 miles
- Ward Creek4 miles
- Atkinson Creek4 miles
Which county pages list the Cottonwood Creek, Mesa County
Piscifun reels and grips for the Cottonwood Creek, Mesa County
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
Reservoirs and creeks near Cottonwood Creek, Mesa County in photos
Photo: Hustvedt, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0
Colorado anglers ask this about the Cottonwood Creek, Mesa County
Which Colorado county holds most of the Cottonwood Creek, Mesa County?
Head for Mesa County.
How does CPW manage trout on the Cottonwood Creek, Mesa County?
No special reach is mapped; the statewide trout bag holds.
How much runoff is the Cottonwood Creek, Mesa County carrying today?
No flow station is on it.
Where is public access on the Cottonwood Creek, Mesa County?
Start at Grand Mesa National Forest.
Are there reach rules on the Cottonwood Creek, Mesa County?
Trout, arctic char, grayling, salmon and whitefish (not kokanee): Daily bag 4, possession 8, in aggregate.
Which CPW license do I buy for the Cottonwood Creek, Mesa County?
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 do anglers on the Cottonwood Creek, Mesa County get supplies?
Walker's Bait & Tackle, roughly 22 miles from the mapped point.
What might a Colorado angler hook on the Cottonwood Creek, Mesa County?
No species field exists for it.
Where can I find a bed close to the Cottonwood Creek, Mesa County?
Collbran sits about 11 miles off.
Spend a Colorado morning on the Cottonwood Creek, Mesa County
CPW limits and live flow sit above.