Colorado regulations
Largemouth Bass Regulations in Colorado 2026
Colorado Largemouth Bass regulations as of 2026-05-08: Min size 15 inches long; Min size 15 inches long; Status Permitted. Sourced from CPW.
Rules (147)
Adams Co. Fairgrounds Lakes (Public Works & Mann-Nyholt Lakes)
- Min size
- 15 inches long
Akron City Lake
- Min size
- 15 inches long
Animas River — La Plata From The Confluence With Hermosa Creek Downstream To The State LineOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No bag or possession limit
Arapahoe Bend Natural Area (Bass, Beaver, Cormorant & Snapper Ponds)
- Min size
- 15 inches long
Aurora (Senac) Reservoir
- Min size
- 15 inches long
Bald Eagle LakeCatch & release
- Status
- Catch And Release
All largemouth and smallmouth bass must be returned to the water immediately
Berthoud ReservoirCatch & release
- Status
- Catch And Release
must be returned to water immediately
Big Thompson Ponds
- Daily bag
- 1 fish in aggregate
- Possession
- 1 fish in aggregate
- Min size
- 15 inches long
Blanca Wildlife Habitat Area (Blm Ponds)
- Min size
- 15 inches long
Blue Heron LakeCatch & release
- Status
- Catch And Release
All largemouth and smallmouth bass must be returned to water immediately
Boyd Lake
- Min size
- 15 inches long
Brush Hollow Reservoir
- Min size
- 15 inches long
Chartier Pond
- Min size
- 15 inches long
Chatfield Reservoir And Chatfield State Park Within Chatfield State Park, Including The South Platte River And All Ponds Within The Park Boundary
- Min size
- 15 inches long
Cherry Creek Reservoir
- Min size
- 15"
Colorado River — Garfield, Eagle, Grand, Mesa From The Confluence With The Williams Fork River Downstream To The State LineOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No bag or possession limit for largemouth bass
Connected Lake — Mesa
- Daily bag
- 2 fish
- Possession
- 2 fish
- Min size
- 18"
Crawford Reservoir — Delta
- Daily bag
- 1 fish
- Possession
- 1 fish
- Min size
- 18"
Depoorter Lake — Sedgwick
- Min size
- 15"
Dixon Lake — Larimer
- Min size
- 15"
Dolores River — Dolores, Mesa, Montezuma, Montrose, San Miguel From Mcphee Dam Downstream To The State LineOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No bag or possession limit for largemouth bass
Doty Park Lake — Morgan
- Min size
- 15"
Duke Lake — Mesa
- Daily bag
- 2 fish
- Possession
- 2 fish
- Min size
- 18"
Eagle River — Eagle From The I-70 Exit 147 Bridge In Eagle Downstream To The Confluence With The Colorado RiverOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No bag or possession limit for largemouth bass
Echo Canyon Reservoir — ArchuletaCatch & release
- Status
- Catch And Release
Largemouth bass 12–15 inches long must be returned to the water immediately.
Elkhead Reservoir
- Daily bag
- 2 fish/day
Elkhead Reservoir — Moffat, Routt
- Daily bag
- 2 fish
- Possession
- 2 fish
- Min size
- 15"
Erie Lake—BoulderCatch & release
- Status
- Catch And Release
All largemouth and smallmouth must be returned to water immediately.
Evans City Lake (Riverside Park) — Weld
- Min size
- 15"
Florida River — La Plata From The U.s. 160 Bridge East Of Durango Downstream To The Confluence With The Animas RiverOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No bag or possession limit for largemouth bass
Fort Morgan Ponds — Morgan
- Min size
- 15"
Frank Easement Ponds (North & South) — Weld
- Min size
- 15"
Golden Park Pond No. 3
- Daily bag
- 1 fish
- Possession
- 1 fish
- Min size
- 15"
in the aggregate with smallmouth bass
Golden Park Ponds No. 1Closed
- Status
- Prohibited
Possession of largemouth or smallmouth bass while fishing Golden Park Ponds No. 1 or 2 is prohibited.
Golden Park Ponds No. 1 & No. 2Closed
- Status
- Prohibited
Possession of largemouth or smallmouth bass while fishing Golden Park Ponds No. 1 or 2 is prohibited.
Golden Park Ponds No. 2Closed
- Status
- Prohibited
Possession of largemouth or smallmouth bass while fishing Golden Park Ponds No. 1 or 2 is prohibited.
Grandview Ponds
- Min size
- 15"
Grandview Ponds — Adams
- Min size
- 15"
Green RiverOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No bag or possession limit
Green River — MoffatOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No bag or possession limit for largemouth bass
Gunnison River From The Confluence With The Smith Fork Downstream To The Confluence With The Colorado RiverOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No bag or possession limit
Gunnison River, North Fork From The Confluence With Anthracite Creek Downstream To The Confluence With The Gunnison RiverOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No bag or possession limit
Hallenbeck (Purdy Mesa) Reservoir
- Daily bag
- 2 fish
- Possession
- 2 fish
- Slot min
- 12"
- Slot max
- 15"
No more than 2 largemouth bass in any bag and possession limit can be longer than 15 inches. must be returned to water immediately
Harvey Gap Reservoir
- Min size
- 15"
Haxtun City Lake (Gun Club Lake)
- Min size
- 15"
Highline Reservoir
- Daily bag
- 2 fish
- Possession
- 2 fish
- Min size
- 15"
Hine Lake
- Min size
- 18"
Holyoke City Lake (Lions Club Fishing Hole)
- Min size
- 15"
Horseshoe Reservoir
- Min size
- 15"
Hudson Town Pond
- Daily bag
- 1 fish
- Possession
- 1 fish
- Min size
- 15"
in the aggregate with smallmouth bass
Jayhawker PondsCatch & release
- Status
- Catch And Release
must be returned to the water immediately
Johnstown Reservoir
- Min size
- 15"
Juniata Reservoir
- Daily bag
- 2 fish
- Possession
- 2 fish
- Slot min
- 12"
- Slot max
- 15"
No more than 2 largemouth bass in any bag and possession limit can be longer than 15 inches. must be returned to the water immediately
Kenney ReservoirOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No bag or possession limit
Ketner Lake
- Min size
- 15"
Kingfisher Pond (Fort Collins Environmental Learning Center)
- Min size
- 15"
Koa LakeCatch & release
- Status
- Catch And Release
must be returned to water immediately
La Plata River From The U.s. 160 Bridge Downstream To The State LineOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No bag or possession limit
Lake Arbor
- Min size
- 15"
Lon Hagler ReservoirCatch & release
- Status
- Catch And Release
All largemouth and smallmouth bass must be returned to water immediately.
Los Pinos River — Hinsdale, La Plata From The U.s. 160 Bridge In Bayfield Downstream To Navajo ReservoirOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No bag or possession limit for channel catfish, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, walleye, green sunfish, bluegill, bullhead, yellow perch or crappie.
Los Pinos River From The U.s. 160 Bridge In Bayfield Downstream To Navajo ReservoirOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No bag or possession limit
Lowell Ponds
- Min size
- 15"
Mack Mesa Reservoir
- Daily bag
- 2 fish
- Possession
- 2 fish
- Min size
- 15"
Mancos River — Montezuma From The U.s. 160 Bridge In Mancos Downstream To The State LineOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No bag or possession limit for channel catfish, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, walleye, green sunfish, bluegill, bullhead, yellow perch or crappie.
Mancos River From The U.s. 160 Bridge In Mancos Downstream To The State LineOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No bag or possession limit
Martin Lake
- Min size
- 15"
Mcelmo Creek — Montezuma From The U.s. 160 Bridge East Of Cortez Downstream To The State LineOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No bag or possession limit for channel catfish, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, walleye, green sunfish, bluegill, bullhead, yellow perch or crappie.
Mckay LakeCatch & release
- Status
- Catch And Release
Largemouth bass must be returned to the water immediately.
Mcphee ReservoirCatch & release
- Status
- Catch And Release
- Slot min
- 10"
- Slot max
- 15"
Largemouth and smallmouth bass 10–15 inches long must be returned to the water immediately.
Mead PondsCatch & release
- Status
- Catch And Release
All largemouth and smallmouth bass must be returned to water immediately.
Navajo River — Archuleta, Conejos From The Oso Diversion Dam Downstream To The State LineOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No bag or possession limit for channel catfish, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, walleye, green sunfish, bluegill, bullhead, yellow perch or crappie.
North Shields Ponds — Larimer
- Min size
- 15"
North Sterling Reservoir — Logan
- Min size
- 15"
Overland Trail Pond — Logan
- Min size
- 15"
Pella Crossing Recreation Area Ponds (All Ponds) — BoulderCatch & release
- Status
- Catch And Release
All largemouth and smallmouth bass must be returned to the water immediately.
Piedra River— Archuleta From The U.s. 160 Bridge Downstream To Navajo ReservoirOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No bag or possession limit for channel catfish, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, walleye, green sunfish, bluegill, bullhead, yellow perch or crappie.
Pit D Pond — Boulder
- Daily bag
- 1 fish
- Possession
- 1 fish
- Min size
- 15"
Bag, possession and min. size for largemouth and smallmouth bass is 1 in the aggregate, 15 inches long.
Poudre Ponds No. 1 — Weld
- Min size
- 15"
Pronger Pond
- Min size
- 15"
Pronger Pond — Logan
- Min size
- 15"
Prospect Park Lakes
- Min size
- 15"
Prospect Park Lakes — Jefferson
- Min size
- 15"
Prospect Ponds No. 2 & 3
- Min size
- 15"
Prospect Ponds No. 2 & 3 — Larimer
- Min size
- 15"
Pueblo Reservoir
- Min size
- 15"
Pueblo Reservoir — Pueblo
- Min size
- 15"
Quincy Reservoir
- Min size
- 18"
Quincy Reservoir — Arapahoe
- Min size
- 18"
Red Lion State Wildlife Area
- Min size
- 15"
Rio Blanco Lake
- Min size
- 15"
Rio Blanco River From The Blanco Diversion Dam Downstream To The Confluence With The San Juan RiverOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No bag or possession limit
River’s Edge Natural Area Ponds (Bass, Dragonfly & Sandpiper)Catch & release
- Status
- Catch And Release
All largemouth and smallmouth bass must be returned to the water immediately
Riverbend Ponds No.1, 2, 3, 4 & 5
- Min size
- 15"
Rocky Mountain Lake
- Min size
- 15"
San Juan River From U.s. 160 Bridge In Pagosa Springs Downstream To Navajo ReservoirOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No bag or possession limit
San Miguel River From The Colo. 90 Bridge At Pinon Downstream To The Confluence With The Dolores RiverOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No bag or possession limit
South Platte Park (Littleton)
- Min size
- 15"
South Platte River Within Chatfield State Park
- Min size
- 15"
Sprat-Platte Lake
- Min size
- 18"
Stalker Lake
- Min size
- 15"
Stearns Lake
- Min size
- 15"
Summit Reservoir
- Min size
- 15"
Tamarack Ranch Pond
- Min size
- 15"
Thomas Reservoir
- Daily bag
- 1 fish
- Possession
- 1 fish
- Min size
- 15"
Totten Reservoir
- Min size
- 15"
Trinidad Reservoir
- Min size
- 15"
Uncompahgre River —Ouray, Montrose, Delta From The Ridgway Dam Downstream To The Confluence With The Gunnison RiverOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No bag or possession limit
Valco Ponds 4 & 5Catch & release
- Status
- Catch And Release
must be returned to water immediately
Wacker Ponds
- Min size
- 15"
Walden Ponds (Except Wally Toevs Pond)Catch & release
- Status
- Catch And Release
All largemouth and smallmouth bass must be returned to the water immediately.
Waneka Lake
- Min size
- 15"
White River — Rio Blanco From Taylor Draw Dam Downstream To The State LineOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No bag or possession limit
White River — Rio Blanco From The Confluence Of The North And South Forks Of The White River Downstream To Kenney ReservoirOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No bag or possession limit
Windsor Reservoir
- Min size
- 15"
Yampa River — Routt, Moffat From The Headwaters Of The Yampa River Downstream To The Confluence With The Green RiverOpen
- Status
- Permitted
No bag or possession limit
Yuma City Lake
- Min size
- 15"
Also known as
Largemouth Bass is also called Black Bass (Largemouth, Smallmouth, in any combination), largies. Anglers in different regions use different names for the same fish, and the rules on this page apply to all of them in Colorado.
Frequently asked questions
When is Largemouth Bass season in Colorado?
Largemouth Bass season in Colorado is set by CPW. Some zones may have specific open windows; see the rule table above.
What is the size limit for Largemouth Bass in Colorado?
Minimum size for Largemouth Bass in Colorado is 15 inches long in Adams Co. Fairgrounds Lakes (Public Works & Mann-Nyholt Lakes), per CPW. Slot limits or maximum sizes may apply in some zones.
What is the daily bag limit for Largemouth Bass in Colorado?
Daily bag limit for Largemouth Bass in Colorado is 1 fish in aggregate in Big Thompson Ponds, per CPW.
Official sources cited
- https://www.eregulations.com/colorado/fishing/special-regulations-fishing-waters
- https://cpw.state.co.us/rules-and-regulations
Reference only. Regulations change frequently, often mid-season. Always verify with CPW before keeping a catch. Last verified .