East Rifle Creek Fishing
A Colorado stream in Garfield County.
Pick for salmonPiscifun Viper X spinning reel50% OFFSale $39.99 Photo of Rifle Gap Reservoir: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0
The East Rifle Creek, condensed for anglers
Colorado maps trace the East Rifle Creek, a stream, through Garfield County. For a base, Silt sits roughly 14 miles off.
CPW lists access at White River 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 East Rifle Creek
- White River National ForestNational Forest
The East Rifle Creek 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 East Rifle Creek
Bank access points on the East Rifle Creek
- Rifle Creek, Eastmedium access, 7,415 ft
Boat ramps in reach of the East Rifle Creek
- Boat Ramp on Rifle Gap ReservoirRifle Gap Reservoir, 9 miles
- Boat Ramp on Harvey Gap ReservoirHarvey Gap Reservoir, 10 miles
- Oak Ridge SWA on Avery Lake near Meeker (south)Avery Lake, 15 miles
- Oak Ridge SWA on Avery Lake near Meeker (north)Avery Lake, 16 miles
CPW boat ramp and Fishing Atlas fishing location layers, USGS gauges, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Fish legal to carry home from the East Rifle 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 |
For the statewide limits chart, the East Rifle Creek counts as west of the Continental Divide water. For unregulated water on the East Rifle Creek, 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 East Rifle Creek
Further reservoirs a short haul from the East Rifle Creek
- Meadow Lake9 miles
- Rifle Gap Reservoir9 miles
- Harvey Gap Reservoir10 miles
- Sleepycat Ponds13 miles
Tackle counters on the way to the East Rifle Creek
- Timberline Sporting Goodsbait and tackle shop, Rifle, 16 miles
- Gearhead Outfitters, 205 West 6th Streetsporting goods store, Glenwood Springs, 24 miles
- Gold Medal Nets LLCbait and tackle shop, Glenwood Springs, 25 miles
- Roaring Fork Anglersfly shop, Glenwood Springs, 25 miles
Fishing outfitters by the East Rifle Creek
- Alpine Anglingfishing guide, Carbondale, (970) 963-9245
- Alpine Angling/Adventure Travel,Incfishing guide, Carbondale
- Elevated Angling, LLCfishing guide, Carbondale
- Into The Wild Kayak Fishing Adventures LLCfishing guide, Carbondale
- Scotts High Country Anglers LLCfishing guide, Parachute
- Crystal Fly Shop & Decorfly fishing guide, Carbondale, (970) 963-5741
- Harcourt Fly Fishing 3G LLCfly fishing guide, New Castle, (970) 404-1339
Where to stay for a the East Rifle Creek trip
- Silt14 miles
- New Castle15 miles
- Rifle16 miles
- Meeker23 miles
Other moving water near the East Rifle Creek
- Rifle Creek10 miles
- East Elk Creek11 miles
- White River14 miles
- Canyon Creek15 miles
Which county pages list the East Rifle Creek
Piscifun reels and grips for the East Rifle Creek
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Reservoirs and creeks near East Rifle Creek in photos
Photo: BLMUtah, Public domain
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Photo: Piper from Colorado, CC BY 2.0
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Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0
Colorado anglers ask this about the East Rifle Creek
Which Colorado county holds most of the East Rifle Creek?
Head for Garfield County.
How does CPW manage trout on the East Rifle Creek?
No special reach is mapped; the statewide trout bag holds.
How much runoff is the East Rifle Creek carrying today?
No flow station is on it.
Where is public access on the East Rifle Creek?
Start at White River National Forest.
Are there reach rules on the East Rifle Creek?
Trout, arctic char, grayling, salmon and whitefish (not kokanee): Daily bag 4, possession 8, in aggregate.
Which CPW license do I buy for the East Rifle 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 do anglers on the East Rifle Creek get supplies?
Timberline Sporting Goods, roughly 16 miles from the mapped point.
What might a Colorado angler hook on the East Rifle Creek?
No species field exists for it.
Where can I find a bed close to the East Rifle Creek?
Silt sits about 14 miles off.
Spend a Colorado morning on the East Rifle Creek
CPW limits and live flow sit above.