Fishing

The White River National Forest has miles of streams, and beautiful lakes and ponds for you to fish... and great hunting opportunities for dusky grouse, mule deer and elk.

Permitted outfitters and guides may be hired to provide horse rental, packing , guiding and camp services. Contact our offices to find permitted outfitters.
State laws govern fishing and hunting regulations on all national forests and grasslands. Visit Colorado Parks and Wildlife for fishing and hunting licenses and regulations.

Fishing:

Colorado Parks and Wildlife manages fishing in Colorado.
Protect our waters from aquatic nuisance species: keep your boat and equipment clean
Approved lures and species harvest may vary; be sure to review regulations for the body of water you'll visit.
Not sure where to start? View the state's weekly reports to identify locations where catchable trout were recently stocked.

Hunting:

Research Hunting

Lake and Pond Fishing

The White River has several reservoirs and many lakes and ponds. Some reservoirs allow motorized boats, with varying restrictions on horsepower. A few suggestions include:

Ruedi Reservoir is a 1,000-acre reservoir 15 miles east of Basalt popular for camping, boating, fishing, and ice fishing. The White River National Forest manages five campgrounds at Ruedi. There is a boat ramp and several picnic areas.

Green Mountain Reservoir lies at the northern end of Summit County, Colorado along the Blue River near the town of Heeney. There are 6 campgrounds at the reservoir, and a 7th campground is located along Cataract Creek adjacent to Eagles Nest Wilderness and various hiking trails.

For a quieter experience, check out Trappers Lake or Sweetwater Lake:

Trappers Lake lies completely within Flat Tops Wilderness; motorized boats and wheeled carts for boat transport are prohibited. Trappers Lake is known as the "Cradle of Wilderness." The 302-acre lake contains a strain of native cutthroat trout. There are five Forest Service campgrounds nearby. Dispersed camping is prohibited within 1/4 mile of Trappers Lake and the campgrounds. Several trails bring visitors to the open meadows with dozens of lakes above the Trappers Lake basin.

Sweetwater Lake offers good fishing from watercraft (5 hp electric motors only). Shoreline access is limited due to the geography of the area. Sweetwater Campground has small sites; six sites can accommodate vehicles up to 30'.