Mountain Whitefish in Colorado
mountain whitefish under the 2026 CPW chart.
- 4 a daylimit
- 5 lb 2 ozrecord
Pick for troutPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo of the species, not a Colorado water: Mike Cline, Public domain
The Colorado file on Mountain whitefish
CPW files mountain whitefish 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: 5 lb 2 oz, Roaring Fork River, 1982. Look for it on 6 water pages that list species.
For the trout herePiscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel25% OFFSale $59.99 Keeping mountain whitefish legally in Colorado
| 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 mountain whitefish
On the scale
| Entry | Weight | Length | Angler | Water | County | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mountain Whitefish | 5 lb 2 oz | 18.75 in | Richard Sals | Roaring Fork River | Eagle | 1982 |
Length category
| Entry | Length | Angler | Water | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mountain Whitefish | 20 in | John Whiteley | Roaring Fork River | 2023 |
Heritage lengths through 2019
| Entry | Length | Angler | Water | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mountain Whitefish | 21.5 in | Justin Edge | Roaring Fork River |
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.
mountain whitefish 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 mountain whitefish show up
Ponds and reservoirs with mountain whitefish
- Ruedi Reservoir1,037 acres
- Yamcolo Reservoir184 acres
- Bear Lake, Garfield County55 acres
Creeks and rivers with mountain whitefish
- Roaring Fork RiverGarfield County
- Eagle RiverEagle County
- Elk RiverRoutt County
CPW Boatable Waters and Quality Waters species fields and state record waters; largest waters first.
Species filed beside mountain whitefish
- Brook Trouttrout
- Brown Trouttrout
- Cutbowtrout
- Native Cutthroat Trouttrout
- Snake River Cutthroat Trouttrout
- Golden Trouttrout
- Lake Trouttrout
- Rainbow Trouttrout
- Splaketrout
- Tiger Trouttrout
- Arctic Chartrout
- Graylingtrout
High-country water around Mountain Whitefish, photographed
Photo: Peter K, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 3.0
.JPG){kind=link}
Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Steven Baltakatei Sandoval, CC BY-SA 4.0
Mountain whitefish across Colorado: common questions
How many mountain whitefish 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 mountain whitefish?
5 lb 2 oz from Roaring Fork River, by Richard Sals in 1982.
Which water pages on this site carry mountain whitefish?
6 water pages here list it, starting with Ruedi Reservoir, Yamcolo Reservoir and Bear Lake, Garfield County.
Which Colorado waters single out mountain whitefish?
No special-regulation entry names it, so the statewide chart applies unless a water closes or limits all fishing.
Which category do mountain whitefish fall under in Colorado?
Trout on the CPW species list; the chart zones that apply are statewide.
Can I fish for mountain whitefish 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 mountain whitefish?
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 mountain whitefish to CPW?
Photograph it on a measuring device with a witness and release it; it must beat the current record, or 15 inches where none exists.
Plan a mountain whitefish outing
Open a lake or stream above and read its rules first.