Grayling in Colorado
Where grayling swim in Colorado, and what to keep.
- 4 a daylimit
- 1 lb 10 ozrecord
Pick for troutPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo of Blue Mesa Reservoir: Victoria Stauffenberg, Public domain
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Grayling across Colorado: rules and records
On the CPW chart grayling counts as trout, and 1 chart row apply to it. Across waters statewide, the limit is daily bag 4, possession 8, in aggregate.
A 1 lb 10 oz catch at Lower Big Creek Lake in 2002 tops the weight table. It shows up on 6 of the lake and stream pages below. Its name appears in 1 special-regulation entries; Rio Blanco County has the most.
For the trout herePiscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel25% OFFSale $59.99 The 2026 chart rows for grayling
| 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.
The grayling marks to beat in Colorado
Certified weights
| Entry | Weight | Length | Angler | Water | County | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grayling | 1 lb 10 oz | 17.25 in | Derik Drinnen | Lower Big Creek Lake | Jackson | 2002 |
Longest released fish
| Entry | Length | Angler | Water | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grayling | 17.25 in | Theodore Spence | Bonham Reservoir | 2025 |
Heritage Master Angler lengths
| Entry | Length | Angler | Water | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grayling | 20.5 in | Chris Wylde | High Lake- Collegiate Peaks |
A new length record must beat the current one, or 15 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.
Local rules on grayling
| Water and section | County | Rules |
|---|---|---|
| Crosho Reservoir | Rio Blanco | Bag, possession and min. size for grayling is 2, 16 inches long. |
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.
Rules beyond the chart for grayling
- 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.
Stocked water for grayling anglers
The CPW stocking report names waters that received catchable trout of about 10 inches; it does not say which species went in. It carries 2,425 listings from 2024 to 2026.
CPW Fish Stocking Report and its archive, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Lakes and streams with grayling in their species lists
Lake pages naming grayling
- Pearl Lake176 acres
- Joe Wright Reservoir151 acres
- Bonham Reservoir75 acres
- North Fork Reservoir23 acres
- Kitson Reservoir18 acres
- Silver Lake, Mesa County9 acres
CPW Boatable Waters and Quality Waters species fields and state record waters; largest waters first.
More grayling neighbors on the species list
- Brook Trouttrout
- Brown Trouttrout
- Cutbowtrout
- Native Cutthroat Trouttrout
- Snake River Cutthroat Trouttrout
- Golden Trouttrout
- Lake Trouttrout
- Rainbow Trouttrout
- Splaketrout
- Tiger Trouttrout
- Arctic Chartrout
- Mountain Whitefishtrout
Photo views of fishing water near Grayling
Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 3.0
Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0
What CPW says about Grayling, in Q and A
How many grayling fit in a legal Colorado day?
Daily bag 4, possession 8, in aggregate (statewide); special regulations can change it on listed waters.
When was the Colorado grayling record set?
1 lb 10 oz from Lower Big Creek Lake, by Derik Drinnen in 2002.
What Colorado water is a good bet for grayling?
6 water pages here list it, starting with Pearl Lake, Joe Wright Reservoir and Bonham Reservoir.
Where do the grayling rules differ from the chart?
Yes; 1 entries name it, for example Crosho Reservoir in Rio Blanco County.
What kind of fish is grayling for CPW?
Trout on the CPW species list; the chart zones that apply are statewide.
When is grayling season open in Colorado?
Colorado waters are open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation closes them; 1 special-regulation entries mention it.
Does Colorado sell a special stamp for grayling?
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 catch-and-release record for grayling?
Photograph it on a measuring device with a witness and release it; it must beat the current record, or 15 inches where none exists.
Pick water for grayling
Open any water above for its ramps, species and Colorado limits.