Cutbow in Colorado
CPW limits, records and water for cutbow.
- 4 a daylimit
- 20 lb 4.8 ozrecord
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Cutbow in Colorado, the essentials
Colorado Parks and Wildlife groups cutbow as trout, covered by 1 chart row on the 2026 limits chart. For waters statewide the brochure prints daily bag 4, possession 8, in aggregate.
The weight record stands at 20 lb 4.8 oz, from Spinney Mountain Reservoir in 2025. 84 lakes and streams on this site list it. Look for it in 2 special-regulation entries, the largest share in Jefferson County.
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| Chart row | Zone | Limit | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trout, Arctic Char, Grayling, Salmon, Mountain Whitefish (except kokanee) | Statewide | Daily bag 4, possession 8, 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 cutbow
By weight
| Entry | Weight | Length | Angler | Water | County | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cutbow | 20 lb 4.8 oz | 31.5 in | Zach Cooper | Spinney Mountain Reservoir | Park | 2025 |
Length records since 2020
| Entry | Length | Angler | Water | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cutbow | 28.25 in | Grant Holtschlag | Spinney Mountain Reservoir | 2026 |
Heritage category
| Entry | Length | Angler | Water | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cutbow | 33.5 in | Patrick Duke | Gunnison River |
A new length record must beat the current one, or 22 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.
Special regulations that name cutbow
| Water and section | County | Rules |
|---|---|---|
| From the base of Evergreen Dam downstream to Bear Creek Reservoir: | Jefferson | Artificial flies and lures only. Bag and possession limit for trout (except rainbow and cutbow) is 2. Rainbow trout and cutbow must be returned to water immediately. |
| Delaney Butte Lakes (North, South & East) | Jackson | Artificial flies and lures only. Scented flies or lures must be 1.5 inches or longer. Bag and possession limit for trout is 2. Brown trout 14–20 inches long must be returned to the water immediately. Rainbow, cutthroat … |
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.
How stocking fits cutbow
Stocking listings (2,425 from 2024 to 2026) record catchable trout of roughly 10 inches by water and date, not by species.
CPW Fish Stocking Report and its archive, retrieved October 25, 2026.
From the plains to the peaks: water for cutbow
Reservoirs with cutbow
- Lake Granby7,046 acres
- Eleven Mile Reservoir3,415 acres
- Pueblo Reservoir3,363 acres
- Dillon Reservoir3,345 acres
- Green Mountain Reservoir2,111 acres
- Spinney Mountain Reservoir2,002 acres
- Horsetooth Reservoir1,824 acres
- Twin Lakes Lower1,708 acres
- Wolford Mountain Reservoir1,548 acres
- Antero Reservoir1,380 acres
- Shadow Mountain Reservoir1,338 acres
- Carter Reservoir1,122 acres
- Trinidad Reservoir843 acres
- Twin Lakes Upper764 acres
- Lake John near Walden, Jackson County, 568 acres568 acres
- Douglass Reservoir522 acres
- Grand Lake486 acres
- Rampart Reservoir446 acres
- Gross Reservoir421 acres
- Clear Creek Reservoir405 acres
- Big Creek Lake Lower362 acres
- Williams Creek Reservoir332 acres
- De Weese Reservoir324 acres
- Emerald Lake, Hinsdale County282 acres
Rivers with cutbow
- South Platte RiverJefferson County
- Gunnison RiverGunnison County
CPW Boatable Waters and Quality Waters species fields and state record waters; largest waters first.
Fish CPW groups with cutbow
- Brook Trouttrout
- Brown Trouttrout
- Native Cutthroat Trouttrout
- Snake River Cutthroat Trouttrout
- Golden Trouttrout
- Lake Trouttrout
- Rainbow Trouttrout
- Splaketrout
- Tiger Trouttrout
- Arctic Chartrout
- Graylingtrout
- Mountain Whitefishtrout
Colorado shorelines within a drive of Cutbow
Photo: Jay Miller from Fly to Eleven Mile Canyon just outside Colorado Springs, CC BY 2.0
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Photo: Peter K, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0
Colorado rules and records for Cutbow, answered
Which chart row covers cutbow?
Daily bag 4, possession 8, in aggregate (statewide); special regulations can change it on listed waters.
Which cutbow holds the Colorado weight record?
20 lb 4.8 oz from Spinney Mountain Reservoir, by Zach Cooper in 2025.
Which Colorado waters hold cutbow?
84 water pages here list it, starting with Lake Granby, Eleven Mile Reservoir and Pueblo Reservoir.
Do local rules apply to cutbow?
Yes; 2 entries name it, for example From the base of Evergreen Dam downstream to Bear Creek Reservoir: in Jefferson County.
How is cutbow classed in Colorado?
Trout on the CPW species list; the chart zones that apply are statewide.
During which months can Coloradans fish for cutbow?
Colorado waters are open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation closes them; 2 special-regulation entries mention it.
What does a license to chase cutbow cost?
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.
What length qualifies a cutbow for a record?
Photograph it on a measuring device with a witness and release it; it must beat the current record, or 22 inches where none exists.
Line up a cutbow trip
Any listed water has access and limits on its page.