Tiger Muskie in Colorado
Where tiger muskie swim in Colorado, and what to keep.
- 1 a daylimit
- 40 lb 2 ozrecord
Pick for lake troutPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo of the species, not a Colorado water: Georg Mittenecker, CC BY-SA 2.5
Tiger muskie across Colorado: rules and records
On the CPW chart tiger muskie counts as pike, and 1 chart row apply to it. Across waters statewide, the limit is daily bag 1, possession 1; at least 36 inches long.
A 40 lb 2 oz catch at Quincy Reservoir in 1994 tops the weight table. It shows up on 20 of the lake and stream pages below. Its name appears in 3 special-regulation entries; Grand County has the most.
The 2026 chart rows for tiger muskie
| Chart row | Zone | Limit | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tiger Muskie | Statewide | Daily bag 1, possession 1; at least 36 inches long | 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 tiger muskie marks to beat in Colorado
Certified weights
| Entry | Weight | Length | Angler | Water | County | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tiger Muskie | 40 lb 2 oz | 53 in | Jason Potter | Quincy Reservoir | Arapahoe | 1994 |
Longest released fish
| Entry | Length | Angler | Water | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tiger Muskie | 42.5 in | Mike Deherrera | Spinney Mountain Reservoir | 2026 |
Heritage Master Angler lengths
| Entry | Length | Angler | Water | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tiger Muskie | 58 in | Tyler Snyder | Quincy Reservoir |
A new length record must beat the current one, or 40 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 tiger muskie
| Water and section | County | Rules |
|---|---|---|
| From Shadow Mountain Dam spillway to Lake Granby, including Columbine Bay to the Twin Creek inlet: | Grand | Fishing prohibited Oct. 15–Nov. 30. No size, bag or possession limit for tiger muskie. |
| Only 1 may be longer than 36 inches. All lake trout 26–36 inches long must be returned to water immediately. | Grand | No size, bag or possession limit for tiger muskie. Gaffs and tail snares prohibited. |
| 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 … |
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.
All Colorado special regulations
For the lake trout herePiscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel25% OFFSale $59.99 Rules beyond the chart for tiger muskie
- 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
- ■ New regulations for certain properties: ■ Colorado River (North Fork including Shadow Mountain Spillway), Grand Lake and Lake Granby: No size, bag, or possession limit for tiger muskie. See pages 15, 23 & 26. ■ Dry Gulch and Herman Gulch: Fishing now prohibited from the headwaters downstream to …p. 1
2026 Colorado Fishing brochure (Colorado Parks and Wildlife),, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Lakes and streams with tiger muskie in their species lists
Lake pages naming tiger muskie
- Spinney Mountain Reservoir2,002 acres
- Barr Lake1,725 acres
- Antero Reservoir1,380 acres
- Gross Reservoir421 acres
- Clear Creek Reservoir405 acres
- Big Creek Lake Lower362 acres
- De Weese Reservoir324 acres
- Harvey Gap Reservoir202 acres
- Lon Hagler Reservoir175 acres
- Sloans Lake173 acres
- Horseshoe Reservoir, Huerfano County165 acres
- Estes Lake156 acres
- Joe Wright Reservoir151 acres
- Quincy Reservoir127 acres
- Pinewood Reservoir92 acres
- Evergreen Lake41 acres
- Beaver Lake, Gunnison County27 acres
- Wahatoya Lake Reservoir27 acres
- Daigre Reservoir14 acres
- Rimrock Lake13 acres
CPW Boatable Waters and Quality Waters species fields and state record waters; largest waters first.
More tiger muskie neighbors on the species list
- Northern Pikepike
Photo views of fishing water near Tiger Muskie
Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 3.0
Photo: MichaelKirsh, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0
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Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 3.0
What CPW says about Tiger muskie, in Q and A
How many tiger muskie fit in a legal Colorado day?
Daily bag 1, possession 1; at least 36 inches long (statewide); special regulations can change it on listed waters.
When was the Colorado tiger muskie record set?
40 lb 2 oz from Quincy Reservoir, by Jason Potter in 1994.
What Colorado water is a good bet for tiger muskie?
20 water pages here list it, starting with Spinney Mountain Reservoir, Barr Lake and Antero Reservoir.
Where do the tiger muskie rules differ from the chart?
Yes; 3 entries name it, for example From Shadow Mountain Dam spillway to Lake Granby, including Columbine Bay to the Twin Creek inlet: in Grand County.
What kind of fish is tiger muskie for CPW?
Pike on the CPW species list; the chart zones that apply are statewide.
When is tiger muskie season open in Colorado?
Colorado waters are open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation closes them; 3 special-regulation entries mention it.
Does Colorado sell a special stamp for tiger muskie?
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.
Is there a catch-and-release record for tiger muskie?
Photograph it on a measuring device with a witness and release it; it must beat the current record, or 40 inches where none exists.
Pick water for tiger muskie
Open any water above for its ramps, species and Colorado limits.