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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.

1. McPhee Reservoir — 262 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie
2. Eleven Mile Res — 135 ft max · Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Common Carp
3. Meredith Reservoir — 6 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Saugeye, Crappie
4. Horsetooth Reservoir — 188 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie
5. John Martin Reservoir — 60 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass
6. Prewitt Reservoir — 25 ft max · Walleye, Saugeye, Crappie, Bluegill
7. Chatfield Reservoir — 60 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie
8. Pueblo Reservoir — 135 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie
9. Boyd Lake — 16 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass
10. Standley Lake — 96 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie
11. Henry Lake — 10 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Saugeye, Crappie
12. Banner Lakes #11 — 26 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
13. Union Reservoir — 28 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie
14. Boulder City Reservoir — 20 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Bluegill
15. Mack Mesa Lake — 50 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
16. Windsor Reservoir — 32 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Rainbow Trout
17. Lon Hagler Reservoir — 24 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie
18. Milavec Reservoir — 17 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Bluegill
19. Jim Baker Reservoir — 24 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill
20. Waneka Lake — 13 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Saugeye, Crappie, Bluegill
21. Berkeley Lake — 10 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
22. Rocky Mtn Lake — 25 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish

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 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: Minnesota · Michigan · Montana · Washington · North Dakota · Iowa · Indiana · Connecticut · Nebraska · Ohio · Utah · New York · Wisconsin · Kentucky · Arizona · Texas · Illinois · Kansas · Tennessee · Missouri · Delaware · New Jersey · Virginia