Lake Trout in Colorado
lake trout under the 2026 CPW chart.
- 4 a daylimit
- 50 lb 5.6 ozrecord
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The Colorado file on Lake trout
CPW files lake trout with the trout group, and the 2026 statewide chart gives it 1 chart row. In waters statewide waters the chart sets daily bag 4, possession 8, in aggregate.
Weight record: 50 lb 5.6 oz, Blue Mesa Reservoir, 2007. Look for it on 31 water pages that list species. The special regulations mention it 13 times, led by Grand 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.
The Colorado record lake trout
On the scale
| Entry | Weight | Length | Angler | Water | County | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Trout | 50 lb 5.6 oz | 44.25 in | Donald Walker | Blue Mesa Reservoir | Gunnison | 2007 |
Length category
| Entry | Length | Angler | Water | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Trout | 41.25 in | Scott Enloe | Blue Mesa Reservoir | 2024 |
Heritage lengths through 2019
| Entry | Length | Angler | Water | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Trout | 46.875 in | Ryan VanLanen | Morrow Point Reservoir |
A new length record must beat the current one, or 32 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 lake trout limit
| Water and section | County | Rules |
|---|---|---|
| Big Creek Lake (Lower) | Jackson | Bag and possession limit for lake trout and/or splake is 3. Only 1 may be longer than 26 inches. |
| Blue Mesa Reservoir | Gunnison | Ice-fishing shelters must be portable. No bag or possession limit for lake trout. Only 1 lake trout longer than 32 inches may be taken per day. Snagging kokanee permitted Nov. 1–Dec. 31. Bag limit for kokanee is 5. … |
| Grand Lake | Grand | Ice-fishing shelters must be portable. Bag and possession limit for lake trout is 4. |
| Green Mountain Reservoir | Summit | Bag and possession limit for lake trout is 8. Snagging kokanee permitted Sept. 1–Dec. 31. |
| Lake Granby | Grand | Ice-fishing shelters must be portable. Gaffs and tail snares prohibited. Bag and possession limit for lake trout is 12, only one of which may be greater than 24 inches. Bag and possession limit for other trout species … |
| Mount Elbert Forebay Reservoir | Lake | Bag and possession limit for lake trout is 1. Lake trout 22–34 inches long must be returned to the water immediately. |
| Crystal, North Catamount & South Catamount reservoirs: | El Paso | Bag and possession limit for lake trout is 2. |
| Crystal, North Catamount & South Catamount reservoirs: | Teller | Bag and possession limit for lake trout is 2. |
| Rampart Reservoir | El Paso | Bag and possession limit for lake trout is 2. Ice fishing prohibited. |
| Taylor Park Reservoir | Gunnison | Bag and possession limit for lake trout is 3. |
| Turquoise Reservoir | Lake | Bag and possession limit for lake trout is 2. |
| Twin Lakes | Lake | Bag and possession limit for lake trout is 1. Lake trout 22–34 inches long must be returned to the water immediately. |
| Williams Fork Reservoir | Grand | Northern pike 26–34 inches must be returned to the water immediately. Use of spearfishing, archery, slingbows and gigs for the take of northern pike is prohibited. Bag and possession limit for lake trout is 8. |
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.
lake trout and the weekly stocking list
CPW posts a weekly list of waters stocked with catchable trout (about 10 inches) without naming species; 2,425 listings cover 2024 to 2026.
CPW Fish Stocking Report and its archive, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Spots across the state where lake trout show up
Ponds and reservoirs with lake trout
- Blue Mesa Reservoir9,087 acres
- Lake Granby7,046 acres
- Green Mountain Reservoir2,111 acres
- Taylor Reservoir2,041 acres
- Turquoise Lake1,756 acres
- Twin Lakes Lower1,708 acres
- Williams Fork Reservoir1,552 acres
- Shadow Mountain Reservoir1,338 acres
- Carter Reservoir1,122 acres
- Ruedi Reservoir1,037 acres
- Twin Lakes Upper764 acres
- Morrow Point Reservoir755 acres
- Grand Lake486 acres
- Rampart Reservoir446 acres
- Gross Reservoir421 acres
- Big Creek Lake Lower362 acres
- Lake San Cristobal327 acres
- Mount Elbert Forebay276 acres
- Crystal Reservoir254 acres
- Chambers Lake243 acres
- Catamount Reservoir North235 acres
- Big Creek Lake Upper111 acres
- Crystal Creek Reservoir101 acres
- Catamount Reservoir South90 acres
CPW Boatable Waters and Quality Waters species fields and state record waters; largest waters first.
Species filed beside lake trout
- Brook Trouttrout
- Brown Trouttrout
- Cutbowtrout
- Native Cutthroat Trouttrout
- Snake River Cutthroat Trouttrout
- Golden Trouttrout
- Rainbow Trouttrout
- Splaketrout
- Tiger Trouttrout
- Arctic Chartrout
- Graylingtrout
- Mountain Whitefishtrout
High-country water around Lake Trout, photographed
Photo: Jay Miller from Fly to Eleven Mile Canyon just outside Colorado Springs, CC BY 2.0
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Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Chris Light, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Jaywm, CC BY-SA 4.0
Lake trout across Colorado: common questions
How many lake trout may I keep in Colorado?
Daily bag 4, possession 8, in aggregate (statewide); special regulations can change it on listed waters.
Does CPW keep a record for lake trout?
50 lb 5.6 oz from Blue Mesa Reservoir, by Donald Walker in 2007.
Which water pages on this site carry lake trout?
31 water pages here list it, starting with Blue Mesa Reservoir, Lake Granby and Green Mountain Reservoir.
Which Colorado waters single out lake trout?
Yes; 13 entries name it, for example Big Creek Lake (Lower) in Jackson County.
Which category do lake trout fall under in Colorado?
Trout on the CPW species list; the chart zones that apply are statewide.
Can I fish for lake trout all year in Colorado?
Colorado waters are open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation closes them; 13 special-regulation entries mention it.
Which Colorado license covers lake trout?
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.
How do I submit a lake trout to CPW?
Photograph it on a measuring device with a witness and release it; it must beat the current record, or 32 inches where none exists.
Plan a lake trout outing
Open a lake or stream above and read its rules first.