Cherry Creek Reservoir fishing conditions · Colorado

Today 1 pm to tomorrow 10 amWalleye

The bite peaks at 68.

Right now: 60 for walleye, marginalTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Walleye, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

601 am
60
60
604 am
65
68
687 am
68
68
6810 am
60
60
681 pm
68
68
684 pm
68
68
687 pm
68
68
6810 pm
68
68Tue
681 am
68
68
684 am
68
68
687 am
68
68
6010 am
58
58

Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Water: No reading
Wind: 5 mph
Light: Dark
Sky: Rain Showers Likely
Air: 45°F
Barometer: Rising
Moon: 100% lit

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are Colorado non-tidal regulations for these waters.

Walleye

Sander vitreus

68MarginalToday 1 pm to tomorrow 10 am

Water

No water reading here right now. Walleye bite in 50–72° water, best near 62°.

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 10–40 ft down.

Keep

5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Colorado statewide: 5 walleye, saugeye and sauger a day combined, no minimum; 10 in the Arkansas and South Fork Republican drainages. Several Front Range reservoirs set an 18" minimum.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Colorado non-tidal

Season here: Mar–May, Oct–Dec, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on walleye

Largemouth bass

Micropterus salmoides

68MarginalToday 1 pm to tomorrow 10 am

Water

No water reading here right now. Largemouth bass bite in 55–85° water, best near 72°.

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 3–25 ft down.

Keep

5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Colorado statewide: 5 largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass a day combined, no minimum. Boyd, Chatfield, Cherry Creek and Pueblo have a 15" minimum.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Colorado non-tidal

Season here: Apr–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on largemouth bass

Smallmouth bass

Micropterus dolomieu

68MarginalToday 1 pm to tomorrow 10 am

Water

No water reading here right now. Smallmouth bass bite in 55–78° water, best near 68°.

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 3–30 ft down.

Keep

5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Colorado statewide: 5 bass a day combined east of the Continental Divide, no minimum; smallmouth are unlimited west of the Divide. Boyd, Chatfield, Cherry Creek and Pueblo have a 15" minimum; Horsetooth smallmouth 12".

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Colorado non-tidal

Season here: Apr–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on smallmouth bass

Crappie

Pomoxis spp.

68MarginalToday 1 pm to tomorrow 10 am

Water

No water reading here right now. Crappie bite in 50–80° water, best near 65°.

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 3–20 ft down.

Keep

20 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Colorado statewide: 20 black and white crappie a day combined, no minimum.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Colorado non-tidal

Season here: Apr–Jun, Sep–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on crappie

Channel catfish

Ictalurus punctatus

68MarginalToday 1 pm to tomorrow 10 am

Water

No water reading here right now. Channel catfish bite in 60–85° water, best near 75°.

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 5–30 ft down.

Keep

10 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Colorado statewide: 10 channel, flathead and blue catfish a day combined, no minimum.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Colorado non-tidal

Season here: May–Oct, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on channel catfish

Yellow perch

Perca flavescens

68MarginalToday 1 pm to tomorrow 10 am

Water

No water reading here right now. Yellow perch bite in 45–70° water, best near 58°.

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 5–30 ft down.

Keep

20 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Colorado: 20 yellow perch a day east of the Continental Divide; unlimited west of it. Eleven Mile and Spinney have no perch limit.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Colorado non-tidal

Season here: Oct–May, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on yellow perch

Common carp

Cyprinus carpio

68MarginalToday 1 pm to tomorrow 10 am

Water

No water reading here right now. Common carp bite in 52–86° water, best near 72°.

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 1–15 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Colorado: species not on the statewide limits chart, including carp, have no bag or possession limit. Some waters set their own rules.

Verified Oct 18, 2026 · Colorado non-tidal

Last checked 8 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: May–Oct, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on common carp

The water

Water temperatureNo reading
Barometer30.27 inHg, rising

Sun, moon & solunar

Sunrise today7:21 am
Sunset today6:05 pm
MoonFull, 100% lit
Major solunarSunday 11:40 pm–1:40 am
Minor solunarToday 7:30 am–8:30 am
Major solunarToday 12:00 pm–2:00 pm

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Fishing report

No current report covers these waters.

We only show reports an agency has published, with their date. Colorado Parks & Wildlife has the state’s fishing pages.

Licenses and rules: state fishery agencies · fish-consumption advisory

About this spot

An 880-acre reservoir inside Cherry Creek State Park on Denver's southeast side. A heavily fished metro walleye fishery that also holds largemouth and smallmouth bass, crappie, channel catfish, and yellow perch.

WaterReservoir
AccessPier, shore and ramp
RulesColorado non-tidal
WhereArapahoe County · 39.6405, -104.8580

Nearby

Public spots within 40 miles, with the same 36 hours of floats.

Chatfield Reservoir13 mi · ColoradoBest tonight 11 pm to tomorrow 10 am

68Marginal

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Cherry Creek Reservoir?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Cherry Creek Reservoir you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website

What fish are commonly targeted at Cherry Creek Reservoir?

Cherry Creek Reservoir is listed on this site for 7 commonly-targeted species: Walleye, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, and 3 more. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.

When is the best time to fish at Cherry Creek Reservoir?

It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Cherry Creek Reservoir against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.

What kind of access does Cherry Creek Reservoir have?

Cherry Creek Reservoir has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Cherry Creek Reservoir?

state agency regulations apply at Cherry Creek Reservoir. Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.

Is Cherry Creek Reservoir tidal water?

No. Cherry Creek Reservoir is non-tidal — water level varies with rainfall, seasonal flow, and (where applicable) upstream dam releases rather than tidal exchange.