Green Sunfish in Colorado
Finding green sunfish, keeping them legally, and the records.
- 20 a daylimit
- 1 lb 5 ozrecord
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Green sunfish for Colorado anglers
In the Colorado species list green sunfish sits among the panfish fish; the statewide chart has 1 chart row for it. Where the chart applies (waters statewide), the rule reads: daily bag 20, possession 20, in aggregate.
The 2001 fish of 1 lb 5 oz from Gravel pit holds the state weight mark. The water pages here name it 71 times. 38 water-by-water rules in the brochure single it out, chiefly in La Plata County.
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| Chart row | Zone | Limit | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill, Hybrid Bluegill, Green Sunfish, Redear Sunfish, Pumpkinseed Sunfish | Statewide | Daily bag 20, possession 20, 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.
Biggest green sunfish in the CPW record book
Weight category
| Entry | Weight | Length | Angler | Water | County | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Green Sunfish | 1 lb 5 oz | 11.5 in | Joshua Robinson | Gravel pit | Larimer | 2001 |
| Green Sunfish | 1 lb 5 oz | 11.25 in | Justin Evans | Big Thompson Pond | Weld | 1997 |
Measured and released
| Entry | Length | Angler | Water | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Green Sunfish | 10.5 in | Ryan Nichols | Lake Taviwach #1 | 2025 |
Older Master Angler entries
| Entry | Length | Angler | Water | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Green Sunfish | 11.875 in | Vincent Gigliotti | Private Lake – Loveland |
A new length record must beat the current one, or 10 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.
Waters with their own green sunfish rules
| 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.
General brochure rules that mention green sunfish
- 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.
Pages that list green sunfish
Lakes listing green sunfish
- Pueblo Reservoir3,363 acres
- North Sterling Reservoir2,752 acres
- Jackson Reservoir2,423 acres
- Prewitt Reservoir2,192 acres
- Green Mountain Reservoir2,111 acres
- Jumbo Reservoir1,411 acres
- Carter Reservoir1,122 acres
- Ridgway Reservoir967 acres
- Boulder City Reservoir531 acres
- Kenney Reservoir336 acres
- Rifle Gap Reservoir250 acres
- McIntosh Lake243 acres
- Avery Lake229 acres
- Arvada Reservoir200 acres
- Lon Hagler Reservoir175 acres
- Sloans Lake173 acres
- Highline Lake167 acres
- Sweitzer Lake132 acres
- Seaman Reservoir128 acres
- Echo Canyon Reservoir120 acres
- Rio Blanco Lake108 acres
- Brush Hollow Reservoir96 acres
- Jumbo Annex95 acres
- Milavec Reservoir62 acres
CPW Boatable Waters and Quality Waters species fields and state record waters; largest waters first.
Colorado fish in the same group as green sunfish
- White Crappiepanfish
- Black Crappiepanfish
- Bluegillpanfish
- Hybrid Bluegillpanfish
- Redear Sunfishpanfish
- Pumpkinseed Sunfishpanfish
- Yellow Perchpanfish
Reservoirs and creeks near Green Sunfish in photos
Photo: NPS Natural Resources, Public domain
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Photo: Peter K, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0
Green sunfish in Colorado, question by question
What is the Colorado bag limit for green sunfish?
Daily bag 20, possession 20, in aggregate (statewide); special regulations can change it on listed waters.
How big is the Colorado record green sunfish?
1 lb 5 oz from Gravel pit, by Joshua Robinson in 2001.
Where in Colorado do green sunfish turn up most?
71 water pages here list it, starting with Pueblo Reservoir, North Sterling Reservoir and Jackson Reservoir.
Is green sunfish covered by any special regulation?
Yes; 38 entries name it, for example From the confluence with Hermosa Creek downstream to the state line: in La Plata County.
Where do green sunfish sit on the CPW species list?
Panfish on the CPW species list; the chart zones that apply are statewide.
Is there a closed season on green sunfish?
Colorado waters are open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation closes them; 38 special-regulation entries mention it.
Is a license required before casting for green sunfish?
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 is a length record for green sunfish entered?
Photograph it on a measuring device with a witness and release it; it must beat the current record, or 10 inches where none exists.
Find green sunfish near you
The pages above carry access and CPW rules.