Splake in Colorado
CPW limits, records and water for splake.
- 4 a daylimit
- 18 lb 15 ozrecord
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Splake in Colorado, the essentials
Colorado Parks and Wildlife groups splake 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 18 lb 15 oz, from Island Lake in 1976. 23 lakes and streams on this site list it. Look for it in 1 special-regulation entries, the largest share in Jackson 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 splake
By weight
| Entry | Weight | Length | Angler | Water | County | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Splake | 18 lb 15 oz | 32 in | Robin Perkins | Island Lake, Delta County | Delta | 1976 |
Length records since 2020
| Entry | Length | Angler | Water | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Splake | 20.5 in | Leslie Allee | Carter Reservoir | 2024 |
Heritage category
| Entry | Length | Angler | Water | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Splake | 32 in | Matt Snider | Horsetooth Reservoir |
A new length record must beat the current one, or 20 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 splake
| 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. |
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 splake
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 splake
Reservoirs with splake
- Horsetooth Reservoir1,824 acres
- Antero Reservoir1,380 acres
- Carter Reservoir1,122 acres
- Ridgway Reservoir967 acres
- Platoro Reservoir751 acres
- Lemon Reservoir641 acres
- Gross Reservoir421 acres
- Continental Reservoir375 acres
- Avery Lake229 acres
- Jackson Gulch Reservoir225 acres
- Road Canyon Reservoir151 acres
- Island Lake, Delta County147 acres
- Eggleston Lake Big132 acres
- North Lake105 acres
- Cottonwood Lake #196 acres
- Monument Reservoir86 acres
- Ward Lake73 acres
- San Isabel Lake36 acres
- Beaver Lake, Gunnison County27 acres
- Diamond Lake Lower14 acres
- Little Gem Reservoir11 acres
- Skyscraper Lake11 acres
- Crater Lake #3, Middle South5 acres
CPW Boatable Waters and Quality Waters species fields and state record waters; largest waters first.
Fish CPW groups with splake
- Brook Trouttrout
- Brown Trouttrout
- Cutbowtrout
- Native Cutthroat Trouttrout
- Snake River Cutthroat Trouttrout
- Golden Trouttrout
- Lake Trouttrout
- Rainbow Trouttrout
- Tiger Trouttrout
- Arctic Chartrout
- Graylingtrout
- Mountain Whitefishtrout
Colorado shorelines within a drive of Splake
Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 3.0
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Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Victoria Stauffenberg, Public domain
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Photo: Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0
Colorado rules and records for Splake, answered
Which chart row covers splake?
Daily bag 4, possession 8, in aggregate (statewide); special regulations can change it on listed waters.
Which splake holds the Colorado weight record?
18 lb 15 oz from Island Lake, by Robin Perkins in 1976.
Which Colorado waters hold splake?
23 water pages here list it, starting with Horsetooth Reservoir, Antero Reservoir and Carter Reservoir.
Do local rules apply to splake?
Yes; 1 entries name it, for example Big Creek Lake (Lower) in Jackson County.
How is splake classed in Colorado?
Trout on the CPW species list; the chart zones that apply are statewide.
During which months can Coloradans fish for splake?
Colorado waters are open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation closes them; 1 special-regulation entries mention it.
What does a license to chase splake 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 splake for a record?
Photograph it on a measuring device with a witness and release it; it must beat the current record, or 20 inches where none exists.
Line up a splake trip
Any listed water has access and limits on its page.