Blue Catfish in Colorado
CPW limits, records and water for blue catfish.
- 10 a daylimit
- 33 lb 8.48 ozrecord
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Blue catfish in Colorado, the essentials
Colorado Parks and Wildlife groups blue catfish as catfish, covered by 1 chart row on the 2026 limits chart. For waters statewide the brochure prints daily bag 10, possession 10, in aggregate.
The weight record stands at 33 lb 8.48 oz, from Pueblo Reservoir in 2023. 7 lakes and streams on this site list it.
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| Chart row | Zone | Limit | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catfish: Channel, Flathead, Blue | Statewide | Daily bag 10, possession 10, in aggregate | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
2026 Colorado Fishing brochure (Colorado Parks and Wildlife), p. 10, retrieved October 25, 2026; the chart applies on every water not listed in the special regulations.
Colorado record weights and lengths for blue catfish
By weight
| Entry | Weight | Length | Angler | Water | County | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Catfish | 33 lb 8.48 oz | 38.5 in | Coy Bowyer | Pueblo Reservoir | Pueblo | 2023 |
Length records since 2020
| Entry | Length | Angler | Water | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Catfish | 38.75 in | Clarence Iversen | Pueblo Reservoir | 2025 |
Heritage category
| Entry | Length | Angler | Water | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Catfish | 35 in | Ben Tarver | Pueblo Reservoir |
A new length record must beat the current one, or 30 inches where no record exists (the Master Angler qualifying length).
CPW Fishing Awards and Records and the 2026 brochure pages 6 and 7, retrieved October 25, 2026.
From the plains to the peaks: water for blue catfish
Reservoirs with blue catfish
- John Martin Reservoir11,712 acres
- Meredith Reservoir5,114 acres
- Pueblo Reservoir3,363 acres
- Neenoshe Reservoir1,660 acres
- Henry Lake1,189 acres
- Nee Gronda Reservoir835 acres
- Blue Lake, Boulder County23 acres
CPW Boatable Waters and Quality Waters species fields and state record waters; largest waters first.
Fish CPW groups with blue catfish
- Channel Catfishcatfish
- Flathead Catfishcatfish
- Bullheadcatfish
Colorado shorelines within a drive of Blue Catfish
Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 3.0
Photo: Jaywm, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Hustvedt, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0
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Colorado rules and records for Blue catfish, answered
Which chart row covers blue catfish?
Daily bag 10, possession 10, in aggregate (statewide); special regulations can change it on listed waters.
Which blue catfish holds the Colorado weight record?
33 lb 8.48 oz from Pueblo Reservoir, by Coy Bowyer in 2023.
Which Colorado waters hold blue catfish?
7 water pages here list it, starting with John Martin Reservoir, Meredith Reservoir and Pueblo Reservoir.
Do local rules apply to blue catfish?
No special-regulation entry names it, so the statewide chart applies unless a water closes or limits all fishing.
How is blue catfish classed in Colorado?
Catfish on the CPW species list; the chart zones that apply are statewide.
During which months can Coloradans fish for blue catfish?
Colorado waters are open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation closes them; no entry names it.
What does a license to chase blue catfish cost?
Everyone 16 and older needs a CPW fishing license: $44.87 a year for adult residents, $124.01 for nonresidents, or $18.07 for a resident one-day license.
What length qualifies a blue catfish for a record?
Photograph it on a measuring device with a witness and release it; it must beat the current record, or 30 inches where none exists.
Line up a blue catfish trip
Any listed water has access and limits on its page.