2026 regulation year
Dillon Reservoir 2026 — Colorado Fishing Regulations
Colorado statewide rules apply unless overridden below.
Last updated
Dillon Reservoir carries 3 special-regulation overlays on top of Colorado's 2026 fishing rules — covering Lake trout (Mackinaw), Kokanee salmon. Verify the agency booklet before launching: in-season changes are not yet wired to this page.
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State-level special regulation
Lake trout 8 / day no min; rainbow + brown trout 4 / day combined; kokanee salmon 10 / day no min; Blue River below Dillon Dam Gold Medal tailwater designation 16 in min + 2 / day TROPHY MANAGEMENT
Source: Colorado special-water list
Per-species rules on Dillon Reservoir
Lake trout (Mackinaw) regulations →
8 / day no min (Mysis-driven fishery); kokanee salmon 10 / day no min
10 / day; angling only (no snagging authorization listed); high-elevation 9,017 ft kokanee + lake trout fishery
Official source
Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) publishes the authoritative 2026 Colorado fishing regulations. Special-regulation lakes and rivers are listed in the agency booklet — always verify before fishing.
Visit official Colorado fishing regulations →
Emergency-order channel
In-season closures, slot-limit changes, and run-count-driven harvest pauses are posted to Colorado Parks and Wildlife's emergency-order feed — check it before any Colorado trip during the active season.
Other special-regulation waters in Colorado
- Animas River through Durango
- Antero Reservoir (Park County)
- Arkansas River Leadville to Cañon City
- Bear Creek headwaters
- Big Thompson River + Eagle River + Blue River + Colorado River
- Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
- Blue Mesa Reservoir
- Chatfield Reservoir
- Cherry Creek Reservoir
- Conejos River + Animas River + Yampa River + Big Thompson River + Eagle River + Blue River + Colorado River + Gunnison River Gold Medal reaches
- Crawford Reservoir (Delta County)
- Crosho Reservoir (Rio Blanco County)
Frequently asked questions
- What special fishing regulations apply at Dillon Reservoir?
- Dillon Reservoir carries 3 special-regulation overlays that override Colorado's statewide 2026 rules, covering Lake trout (Mackinaw) and Kokanee salmon. One of them reads: "Lake trout 8 / day no min; rainbow + brown trout 4 / day combined; kokanee salmon 10 / day no min; Blue River below Dillon Dam Gold Medal tailwater designation 16 in min + 2 / day TROPHY MANAGEMENT." Every overlay on this water body is listed in full above.
- Do I need a fishing license to fish Dillon Reservoir?
- Yes. Dillon Reservoir is in Colorado, so a valid Colorado fishing license is required just as it is anywhere else in the state, issued by Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW). The special regulations on this page change the bag, size, slot, or gear rules for Dillon Reservoir; they do not waive the license requirement. Free-fishing days and youth exemptions follow the statewide Colorado rules.
- Do Dillon Reservoir's special rules replace Colorado's statewide limits?
- Only where they conflict. Colorado's statewide 2026 regulations apply on Dillon Reservoir by default; the overlays above replace the matching statewide rules for the species or gear they name, while everything not specifically overridden still follows the statewide rule. When a water-body rule and the statewide rule disagree, the water-body rule wins.
- Which species have special rules on Dillon Reservoir?
- Lake trout (Mackinaw) and Kokanee salmon have a water-body-specific rule on Dillon Reservoir, each linking to its full Colorado regulations above. Species not listed here follow the statewide Colorado limits.