Best common carp lakes in Colorado
22 Colorado waters hold common carp. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. 20-pound freight trains in every water. Feed on shallow mud flats — sight-fish them like bonefish.
- McPhee Reservoir — 262 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #1: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 2 public access sites
- Meredith Reservoir — 6 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Saugeye, CrappieWhy #2: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
- Eleven Mile Res — 135 ft max · Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Common CarpWhy #3: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 3 public access sites
- Horsetooth Reservoir — 188 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #4: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 6 public access sites
- John Martin Reservoir — 60 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #5: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 2 public access sites
- Prewitt Reservoir — 25 ft max · Walleye, Saugeye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #6: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
- Chatfield Reservoir — 60 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #7: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 3 public access sites
- Pueblo Reservoir — 135 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #8: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 1 public access site
- Boyd Lake — 16 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #9: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 2 public access sites
- Standley Lake — 96 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #10: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 4 public access sites
- Henry Lake — 10 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Saugeye, CrappieWhy #11: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 1 public access site
- Banner Lakes #11 — 26 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #12: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
- Union Reservoir — 28 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #13: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 3 public access sites
- Mack Mesa Lake — 50 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #14: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 2 public access sites
- Windsor Reservoir — 32 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Rainbow TroutWhy #15: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 1 public access site
- Milavec Reservoir — 17 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #16: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
- Jim Baker Reservoir — 24 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #17: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
- Waneka Lake — 13 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Saugeye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #18: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
- Berkeley Lake — 10 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #19: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
- Rocky Mtn Lake — 25 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #20: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
- Boulder City Reservoir — 20 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #21: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 4 public access sites
- Lon Hagler Reservoir — 24 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #22: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 4 public access sites
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How to use this ranking
The order is a map-planning ranking, not a claim about today's fish population. It favors larger mapped waters and gives survey-backed contours a three-times data-quality boost. Agency population surveys, current regulations, access and recent conditions should make the final decision.
Compare maximum depth across 37,233 lake records · See Colorado waters with public access data
When to fish common carp in Colorado
- Spring 2–10 ft — The best sight-fishing of the year — mudding fish in warm bays.
- Summer 3–15 ft — Chum a spot and wait — carp patrol the same flats daily.
- Fall 5–18 ft — Heavy feeding before winter; find the warmest water.
- Winter 10–30 ft — Podded up in deep, slow water.
Also in Colorado: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best walleye lakes · best saugeye lakes · best northern pike lakes · best crappie lakes · best bluegill lakes · best channel catfish lakes · best rainbow trout lakes · best white bass & hybrids lakes · best yellow perch lakes · best lake trout lakes · best brown trout lakes · best brook trout lakes · best kokanee lakes · best cutthroat trout lakes · best splake lakes
Common Carp elsewhere: Ontario · Wisconsin · Minnesota · British Columbia · Québec · Michigan · Germany · Montana · New York · Saskatchewan · Lithuania · Massachusetts · Washington · Indiana · North Dakota · Iowa · Texas · Ohio · Connecticut · Nebraska · Netherlands · Missouri · South Dakota · Utah · Arizona · Illinois · New Mexico · Kansas · West Virginia · Estonia · New Jersey · Kentucky · Tennessee · Georgia · Delaware · Virginia