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Rainbow Trout
Photo: Fabricio Cardenas, CC BY-SA 4.0 
Brook Trout
Photo: James St. John, CC BY 2.0 
Largemouth Bass
Photo: Fredlyfish4, CC BY-SA 3.0 
Channel Catfish
Photo: USFWS Mountain Prairie, Public domain
Colorado trout streams
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Goat Creek Fishing
Special regulation water in San Miguel County.
Pick for salmonPiscifun Viper X spinning reel50% OFFSale $39.99 Photo of San Miguel River: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0
Colorado streams
Getting to know the Goat Creek
The Goat Creek cuts its stream channel across San Miguel County. Placerville is the closest Census place to the channel, roughly 10 miles away.
The atlas marks 1 reach as regulated water, near 6.1 miles.
1counties
6.1regulated 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
Gold Medal and regulated reaches of the Goat Creek
| Reach | Miles | Rule as printed |
|---|---|---|
| Confluence with Beaver Creek / Headwaters | 6.09 | rule text in the brochure |
Fish a regulated Goat Creek reach by its own rule, not the statewide chart.
The Goat Creek in the special regulations
| Water as printed | Rule | Brochure |
|---|---|---|
| Goat Creek | Artificial flies and lures only. Cutthroat must be returned to water immediately. | p. 23 |
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.
Access
Finding the Goat Creek
No ramp or atlas location sits on the Goat Creek; reach it from public land and road crossings with care for private banks.
Ramps a short tow from the Goat Creek
- Dan Noble SWA on Miramonte Reservoir near Norwood (south)Miramonte Reservoir, 7 miles
- Dan Noble SWA on Miramonte Reservoir near Norwood (north)Miramonte Reservoir, 8 miles
- Groundhog Reservoir SWAGroundhog Reservoir, 11 miles
CPW boat ramp and Fishing Atlas fishing location layers, USGS gauges, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Limits
Bag limits on the Goat 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 Goat Creek lies west of the Continental Divide. Colorado streams stay open all year; on the Goat 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.
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Neighbors of the Goat Creek
Colorado lakes in the Goat Creek neighborhood
- Miramonte Reservoir8 miles
- Groundhog Reservoir10 miles
- Navajo Lake11 miles
- Trout Lake19 miles
Fly shops and bait stores around the Goat Creek
- Telluride Flyfishersbait and tackle shop, Telluride, 18 miles
- Telluride Anglerfly shop, San Miguel, 21 miles
- RIGS Fly Shop & Guide Servicefly shop, Ridgway, 28 miles
Paid guides within reach of the Goat Creek
- Telluride Fly Fishers LLCfly fishing guide, Telluride
- Telluride Fly Fishing Company, Incfly fishing guide, Telluride
Communities within reach of the Goat Creek
- Mountain Village19 miles
- Telluride21 miles
- Ridgway29 miles
Creeks around the Goat Creek
- Fall Creek, San Miguel County8 miles
- Muddy Creek9 miles
- Groundhog Creek, Dolores County10 miles
- Elk Creek, San Miguel County10 miles
the Goat Creek and the counties around it
Piscifun
A Piscifun kit for days on the Goat Creek
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Know your fish
Telling the species of Goat Creek apart by photo
Photo: Fabricio Cardenas, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: James St. John, CC BY 2.0
_1.jpg){kind=link}
Photo: Fredlyfish4, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: USFWS Mountain Prairie, Public domain
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Answers
Planning notes for the Goat Creek
Where would I look for the Goat Creek on a Colorado map?
Its Colorado basin takes in San Miguel County.
Is the Goat Creek Gold Medal?
Yes, 1 reach carry their own rules.
Does a USGS station report flows on the Goat Creek?
No gauge reports for it.
Is the Goat Creek mostly private?
CPW maps no access here; much of it may be private.
Is the Goat 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 Goat 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 Goat Creek?
Drive 18 miles to Telluride Flyfishers.
Which species does CPW list for the Goat Creek?
Its fish are not listed.
Which Colorado town sits nearest the Goat Creek?
Base yourself in Placerville, roughly 10 miles away.
Put the Goat Creek on this season's list
Flows and rules are on this page; check both.