Rifle Gap fishing report, Friday, October 23, 2026

How to fish it this week

Plan a shore day or a hand launch. CPW's Rifle Gap State Park page, read this morning, says the boat ramp is closed for the rest of 2026 because of low water. Canoes, kayaks, and paddleboards may still go in. The walk across the exposed lakebed is long, and the park may close that walk when the mud is a problem.

What you are fishing for

CPW's Rifle Gap page, read the same morning, lists yellow perch, walleye, black crappie, rainbow trout, brown trout, smallmouth bass, and northern pike. We did not find a catch report from the water this week, so this note does not name a lure or call the bite.

What you can keep

That same page says there is no bag or possession limit for northern pike or smallmouth bass. Walleye are three fish, 15 inches, and no more than one walleye longer than 18 inches per day. Yellow perch are twenty fish.

We do not print ice thickness.

Plan the trip

Check CPW regulations for your water before you go. Read how to clean and fry yellow perch from Rifle Gap and how to clean and cook a walleye. Browse Colorado fishing reports, ice fishing gear, and VCO merch (made to order, ships from Grand Junction), or open the VCO Trip Builder to map out your day.

Sources for this post