Common Carp in Colorado
common carp under the 2026 CPW chart.
- off chartlimit
- 35 lb 5 ozrecord
Angler pickPiscifun Viper X spinning reel50% OFFSale $39.99 Photo of the species, not a Colorado water: Dezidor, CC BY-SA 3.0
The Colorado file on Common carp
CPW files common carp with the record only group, and the 2026 statewide chart gives it no chart row of its own.
Weight record: 35 lb 5 oz, Glenmere Park, 2001. Look for it on 82 water pages that list species.
The Colorado record common carp
On the scale
| Entry | Weight | Length | Angler | Water | County | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Common Carp | 35 lb 5 oz | 38.75 in | Adam Wickam | Glenmere Park | Weld | 2001 |
Length category
| Entry | Length | Angler | Water | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Common Carp | 36 in | Ryan Elliott | Valco Pond #2 | 2025 |
Heritage lengths through 2019
| Entry | Length | Angler | Water | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Common Carp | 42 in | David Torri | Denver Pond | |
| Common Carp | 42 in | David Dashnaw | 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.
Fine print on common carp
- b. Crustaceans: The following crustaceans may be possessed east of the Continental Divide: virile crayfish, waternymph crayfish, calico crayfish, ringed crayfish and Southern Plains crayfish. The following crustaceans may be possessed on either side of the Continental Divide: freshwater shrimp …p. 8
2026 Colorado Fishing brochure (Colorado Parks and Wildlife),, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Spots across the state where common carp show up
Ponds and reservoirs with common carp
- John Martin Reservoir11,712 acres
- Meredith Reservoir5,114 acres
- McPhee Reservoir4,289 acres
- Eleven Mile Reservoir3,415 acres
- Pueblo Reservoir3,363 acres
- North Sterling Reservoir2,752 acres
- Jackson Reservoir2,423 acres
- Prewitt Reservoir2,192 acres
- Horsetooth Reservoir1,824 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
- Nee Gronda Reservoir835 acres
- Union Reservoir751 acres
- Boulder City Reservoir531 acres
- Douglass Reservoir522 acres
- Boedecker Reservoir376 acres
- Kenney Reservoir336 acres
CPW Boatable Waters and Quality Waters species fields and state record waters; largest waters first.
Species filed beside common carp
- Rock Bassrecord only
- Grass Carprecord only
- American Eelrecord only
- Freshwater Drumrecord only
- Sacramento Perchrecord only
- White Suckerrecord only
- Tenchrecord only
- Longnose Suckerrecord only
High-country water around Common Carp, 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: NEIPerite, CC BY-SA 4.0
Common carp across Colorado: common questions
How many common carp may I keep in Colorado?
No chart row covers it, so check the restricted species list before keeping one.
Does CPW keep a record for common carp?
35 lb 5 oz from Glenmere Park, by Adam Wickam in 2001.
Which water pages on this site carry common carp?
82 water pages here list it, starting with John Martin Reservoir, Meredith Reservoir and McPhee Reservoir.
Which Colorado waters single out common carp?
No special-regulation entry names it, so the statewide chart applies unless a water closes or limits all fishing.
Which category do common carp fall under in Colorado?
Record only on the CPW species list; the chart zones that apply are statewide.
Can I fish for common carp all year in Colorado?
Colorado waters are open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation closes them; no entry names it.
Which Colorado license covers common carp?
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 common carp 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 common carp outing
Open a lake or stream above and read its rules first.