East Pass Creek Fishing
Special regulation water in Saguache County.
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Getting to know the East Pass Creek
The East Pass Creek cuts its stream channel across Saguache County. Saguache is the closest Census place to the channel, roughly 20 miles away.
The atlas marks 1 reach as regulated water, near 8.3 miles.
CPW Fishing Atlas 2025 layers (special-regulation, Gold Medal and fishing location layers), NHD flowlines, Census places, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Gold Medal and regulated reaches of the East Pass Creek
| Reach | Miles | Rule as printed |
|---|---|---|
| Headwaters / Confluence with Sheep Creek | 8.26 | rule text in the brochure |
Fish a regulated East Pass Creek reach by its own rule, not the statewide chart.
The East Pass Creek in the special regulations
| Water as printed | Rule | Brochure |
|---|---|---|
| East Pass Creek | Artificial flies and lures only. Cutthroat must be returned to water immediately. | p. 20 |
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.
Finding the East Pass Creek
No ramp or atlas location sits on the East Pass Creek; reach it from public land and road crossings with care for private banks.
Ramps a short tow from the East Pass Creek
- Dome Lakes SWA on Dome Lake UpperDome Lake Upper, 13 miles
CPW boat ramp and Fishing Atlas fishing location layers, USGS gauges, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Bag limits on the East Pass 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 |
| 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 |
On the CPW drainage map, the East Pass Creek lies west of the Continental Divide. Colorado streams stay open all year; on the East Pass Creek the bag is the variable.
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 Neighbors of the East Pass Creek
Colorado lakes in the East Pass Creek neighborhood
- Needle Creek Reservoir12 miles
- Dome Lake Upper13 miles
- Dome Lake Lower13 miles
- McDonough Reservoir21 miles
Paid guides within reach of the East Pass Creek
- ArkAnglers, LLCfishing guide, Salida
- Gunnison Valley Anglers Cofishing guide, Gunnison River, Gunnison
- High Mountain Drifters Guide Service, LLCfishing guide, Gunnison
- Jackalope Anglersfishing guide, Del Norte
Communities within reach of the East Pass Creek
- Gunnison34 miles
Creeks around the East Pass Creek
- Saguache Creek12 miles
- Cochetopa Creek14 miles
- Tuttle Creek14 miles
- Los Pinos Creek15 miles
the East Pass Creek and the counties around it
A Piscifun kit for days on the East Pass Creek
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
Telling the species of East Pass Creek apart by photo

Photo: Meine Mutter (Erlaubnis liegt vor), CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Photo by and (C)2007 Derek Ramsey ( Ram-Man ), CC BY-SA 2.5

Photo: Hardyplants, CC BY-SA 3.0

Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Planning notes for the East Pass Creek
Where would I look for the East Pass Creek on a Colorado map?
Its Colorado basin takes in Saguache County.
Is the East Pass Creek Gold Medal?
Yes, 1 reach carry their own rules.
Does a USGS station report flows on the East Pass Creek?
No gauge reports for it.
Is the East Pass Creek mostly private?
CPW maps no access here; much of it may be private.
Is the East Pass Creek flies and lures only?
1 reach carry special rules; read the reach table and brochure entry. The brochure entry reads: Artificial flies and lures only. Cutthroat must be returned to water immediately.
Can an out-of-state visitor buy a license for the East Pass 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.
Is there a fly shop near the East Pass Creek?
Every shop on our Colorado list is more than 30 miles off.
Which species does CPW list for the East Pass Creek?
Its fish are not listed.
Which Colorado town sits nearest the East Pass Creek?
Base yourself in Saguache, roughly 20 miles away.
Put the East Pass Creek on this season's list
Flows and rules are on this page; check both.

