Channel Catfish in Colorado
channel catfish under the 2026 CPW chart.
- 10 a daylimit
- 43 lb 10.1 ozrecord
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The Colorado file on Channel catfish
CPW files channel catfish with the catfish group, and the 2026 statewide chart gives it 1 chart row. In waters statewide waters the chart sets daily bag 10, possession 10, in aggregate.
Weight record: 43 lb 10.1 oz, Aurora Reservoir, 2010. Look for it on 101 water pages that list species. The special regulations mention it 43 times, led by La Plata County.
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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.
The Colorado record channel catfish
On the scale
| Entry | Weight | Length | Angler | Water | County | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Channel Catfish | 43 lb 10.1 oz | 40.5 in | Jessica Walton | Aurora Reservoir | Arapahoe | 2010 |
Length category
| Entry | Length | Angler | Water | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Channel Catfish | 40 in | David Carslay | Pueblo Reservoir | 2025 |
Heritage lengths through 2019
| Entry | Length | Angler | Water | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Channel Catfish | 42 in | John Fennell | Chatfield 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.
Colorado waters that change the channel catfish limit
| Water and section | County | Rules |
|---|---|---|
| From the confluence with Hermosa Creek downstream to the state line: | La Plata | No bag or possession limit for channel catfish, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, walleye, green sunfish, bluegill, bullhead, yellow perch or crappie. |
| From the confluence with the Williams Fork River downstream to the state line: | Garfield | No bag or possession limit for channel catfish, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, walleye, green sunfish, bluegill, bullhead, yellow perch or crappie. |
| From the confluence with the Williams Fork River downstream to the state line: | Eagle | No bag or possession limit for channel catfish, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, walleye, green sunfish, bluegill, bullhead, yellow perch or crappie. |
| From the confluence with the Williams Fork River downstream to the state line: | Grand | No bag or possession limit for channel catfish, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, walleye, green sunfish, bluegill, bullhead, yellow perch or crappie. |
| From the confluence with the Williams Fork River downstream to the state line: | Mesa | No bag or possession limit for channel catfish, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, walleye, green sunfish, bluegill, bullhead, yellow perch or crappie. |
| From McPhee Dam downstream to the state line: | Dolores | No bag or possession limit for channel catfish, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, walleye, green sunfish, bluegill, bullhead, yellow perch or crappie. |
| From McPhee Dam downstream to the state line: | Mesa | No bag or possession limit for channel catfish, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, walleye, green sunfish, bluegill, bullhead, yellow perch or crappie. |
| From McPhee Dam downstream to the state line: | Montezuma | No bag or possession limit for channel catfish, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, walleye, green sunfish, bluegill, bullhead, yellow perch or crappie. |
| From McPhee Dam downstream to the state line: | Montrose | No bag or possession limit for channel catfish, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, walleye, green sunfish, bluegill, bullhead, yellow perch or crappie. |
| From the I-70 Exit 147 bridge in Eagle downstream to the confluence with the Colorado River: | Eagle | No bag or possession limit for channel catfish, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, walleye, green sunfish, bluegill, bullhead, yellow perch or crappie. |
| From the U.S. 160 bridge east of Durango downstream to the confluence with the Animas River: | La Plata | No bag or possession limit for channel catfish, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, walleye, green sunfish, bluegill, bullhead, yellow perch or crappie. |
| Green River | Moffat | No bag or possession limit for channel catfish, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, walleye, green sunfish, bluegill, bullhead, yellow perch or crappie. |
| From the confluence with the Smith Fork downstream to the confluence with the Colorado River: | Delta | No bag or possession limit for channel catfish, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, walleye, green sunfish, bluegill, bullhead, yellow perch or crappie. |
| From the confluence with the Smith Fork downstream to the confluence with the Colorado River: | Gunnison | No bag or possession limit for channel catfish, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, walleye, green sunfish, bluegill, bullhead, yellow perch or crappie. |
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.
Spots across the state where channel catfish show up
Ponds and reservoirs with channel catfish
- Navajo Reservoir15,753 acres
- John Martin Reservoir11,712 acres
- Meredith Reservoir5,114 acres
- Pueblo Reservoir3,363 acres
- Dillon Reservoir3,345 acres
- North Sterling Reservoir2,752 acres
- Jackson Reservoir2,423 acres
- Prewitt Reservoir2,192 acres
- Green Mountain Reservoir2,111 acres
- Barr Lake1,725 acres
- Neenoshe Reservoir1,660 acres
- Boyd Lake1,575 acres
- Sanchez Reservoir1,457 acres
- Jumbo Reservoir1,411 acres
- Chatfield Reservoir1,355 acres
- Standley Lake1,230 acres
- Henry Lake1,189 acres
- Cherry Creek Reservoir881 acres
- Trinidad Reservoir843 acres
- Nee Gronda Reservoir835 acres
- Aurora Reservoir763 acres
- Union Reservoir751 acres
- Boulder City Reservoir531 acres
- Douglass Reservoir522 acres
CPW Boatable Waters and Quality Waters species fields and state record waters; largest waters first.
Species filed beside channel catfish
- Flathead Catfishcatfish
- Blue Catfishcatfish
- Bullheadcatfish
High-country water around Channel Catfish, photographed
Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0
Photo: USEPA Environmental-Protection-Agency, Public domain
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Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0
Channel catfish across Colorado: common questions
How many channel catfish may I keep in Colorado?
Daily bag 10, possession 10, in aggregate (statewide); special regulations can change it on listed waters.
Does CPW keep a record for channel catfish?
43 lb 10.1 oz from Aurora Reservoir, by Jessica Walton in 2010.
Which water pages on this site carry channel catfish?
101 water pages here list it, starting with Navajo Reservoir, John Martin Reservoir and Meredith Reservoir.
Which Colorado waters single out channel catfish?
Yes; 43 entries name it, for example From the confluence with Hermosa Creek downstream to the state line: in La Plata County.
Which category do channel catfish fall under in Colorado?
Catfish on the CPW species list; the chart zones that apply are statewide.
Can I fish for channel catfish all year in Colorado?
Colorado waters are open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation closes them; 43 special-regulation entries mention it.
Which Colorado license covers channel catfish?
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.
How do I submit a channel catfish to CPW?
Photograph it on a measuring device with a witness and release it; it must beat the current record, or 30 inches where none exists.
Plan a channel catfish outing
Open a lake or stream above and read its rules first.