2026 regulation year
Colorado Fishing Regulations 2026 — License Fees, Seasons, Bag Limits
Last updated
Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) runs a single-agency regulatory system covering all inland freshwater fisheries — Colorado is the country's headwaters state, the only US state where four major river systems (Colorado River + Arkansas River + Rio Grande + South Platte / Platte River) all originate on the Continental Divide and flow OUT to every neighboring state. CPW operates a distinctive Habitat Stamp + Fishing License two-tier framework: every angler 18+ must hold both a CPW Habitat Stamp ($11.97 res / $11.97 NR — required for all hunters + anglers + outdoor licence purchases statewide — separate from the Fishing License) plus a CPW Fishing License ($36.08 res annual / $97.97 NR annual / $20.40 NR 1-day / $36.08 NR 5-day). CPW is one of the few state agencies with a same-fee Habitat Stamp across resident + non-resident anglers (a deliberate revenue-equalisation choice — Habitat Stamp funds CPW wildlife area + state park acquisitions). Colorado is home to the country's premier Gold Medal Waters designation framework — CPW Gold Medal Waters require a minimum 60 lbs of trout per acre + 12 in or larger fish at minimum 12 fish per acre — 322 miles of Gold Medal stream + 3 Gold Medal lakes designated statewide (Animas River through Durango + Arkansas River 102-mile reach from Leadville to Cañon City Colorado's longest Gold Medal reach + Big Thompson River + Blue River below Dillon Dam + Colorado River through Hot Sulphur Springs reach + Conejos River + Eagle River + Frying Pan River below Ruedi Reservoir + Gore Creek + Gunnison River 27-mile Black Canyon reach + South Platte River through Cheesman Canyon + Deckers + Eleven Mile Canyon + Taylor River below Taylor Park Reservoir + Yampa River through Steamboat Springs + Spinney Mountain Reservoir + Steamboat Lake + North Delaney Butte Lake). Colorado is the heart of native cutthroat country in the southern Rocky Mountains — three distinct native cutthroat subspecies inhabit Colorado waters on separate drainages: Greenback cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii stomias — Colorado state fish; federally Threatened ESA species — endemic to South Platte + Arkansas River drainages on the Front Range eastern slope, found nowhere else in the world; CPW + USFWS + NPS Rocky Mountain NP joint reintroduction program at Bear Lake + Sky Pond + listed alpine lakes), Colorado River cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii pleuriticus — CPW Species of Concern — western slope Colorado River drainage), and Rio Grande cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii virginalis — CPW Species of Concern — Rio Grande drainage San Luis Valley southern Colorado + New Mexico). Blue Mesa Reservoir (9,180-acre Curecanti National Recreation Area NPS overlay reservoir on the Gunnison River — USBR Blue Mesa Dam built 1965 — Gunnison County) is Colorado's largest body of water + Curecanti NRA NPS-administered + country's premier inland trophy lake trout fishery — CO state-record lake trout 50 lb 8 oz Blue Mesa 2007 (one of largest inland US lake trout records alongside WY Flaming Gorge 50 lb 0 oz 1995 + Lake Superior + Lake Michigan + Lake Huron Great Lakes lake trout fishery). The Taylor River below Taylor Park Reservoir (Gunnison County — Gold Medal tailwater) carries the IGFA all-tackle world-record cutbow (rainbow × cutthroat hybrid) 23 lb 13 oz Taylor River October 9, 2014 by Tim Daniel — still standing. Lake Granby (7,256-acre Colorado-Big Thompson Project reservoir on the Colorado River — USBR Granby Dam built 1949 — Grand County) carries Colorado's premier kokanee salmon + lake trout fishery + Mysis shrimp deep-water forage base (Mysis introduction in the 1970s shifted Granby + Dillon + Twin Lakes into trophy lake trout production — Mysis is a cold-water deep-lake invertebrate forage that fuels 20-30+ lb lake trout growth rates). Dillon Reservoir (3,233-acre Denver Water reservoir on the Blue River at 9,017 ft elevation — Summit County) is one of Colorado's highest-elevation major reservoirs + carries trophy kokanee salmon + lake trout + rainbow trout. Eleven Mile Reservoir (3,400-acre South Platte River reservoir Park County) + Spinney Mountain Reservoir (2,500-acre Middle Fork South Platte reservoir Park County — Gold Medal designation + 16 in min trout TROPHY MANAGEMENT) carry Colorado's premier trophy trout reservoir tier (the Pikes Peak headwaters chain of South Platte reservoirs that produces 5-10 lb trout routinely). Pueblo Reservoir (4,646-acre Arkansas River reservoir Pueblo County — USBR Pueblo Dam built 1975) carries Colorado's flagship walleye fishery + recurring CPW Walleye Tournament venue + CO state-record walleye-related catches. John Martin Reservoir (11,640-acre Arkansas River reservoir Bent County eastern plains — USACE John Martin Dam built 1948) carries the southern-Colorado walleye + saugeye + crappie + wiper hybrid striped bass + channel catfish reservoir fishery. Rocky Mountain National Park (415-square-mile NPS federal park along the Continental Divide — Larimer + Boulder + Grand Counties) carries federal NPS jurisdiction overlay — anglers fishing inside RMNP must hold a valid CPW Fishing License (the federal NPS does NOT supersede CPW within RMNP unlike Yellowstone NP within WY) + native Greenback cutthroat trout 0 / day catch-and-release-only on Bear Lake + Sky Pond + listed Greenback reintroduction lakes (federally Threatened ESA species). Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (Montrose + Gunnison Counties — 30,000-acre NPS federal park — 27-mile Gunnison River canyon reach Gold Medal Waters designation) is federal NPS jurisdiction overlay — CPW Fishing License valid throughout (NPS does NOT supersede CPW). Curecanti National Recreation Area (Gunnison + Hinsdale + Montrose Counties — 43,750-acre NPS federal recreation area covering Blue Mesa + Morrow Point + Crystal Reservoirs on the Gunnison River) is federal NPS jurisdiction overlay — CPW Fishing License valid throughout (NPS does NOT supersede CPW). Navajo Reservoir (15,610-acre San Juan River reservoir USBR Navajo Dam built 1962 — Archuleta County CO + San Juan + Rio Arriba Counties NM — straddles the CO/NM boundary with 22 percent on the CO side and 78 percent on the NM side) is administered under the long-standing CO/NM joint reciprocal compact (CPW + NMDGF — anglers may fish either state's portion under either licence on the boundary reservoir). The San Juan River below Navajo Dam tailwater is administered by New Mexico (the 4-mile Quality Waters reach below Navajo Dam in NM is country's premier wild rainbow trout tailwater, but the tailwater itself is wholly in NM, not the joint compact). CPW statewide standard: trout 4 / day combined trout (rainbow + brown + brook + cutthroat + lake + tiger + golden) on most waters; cutthroat 0 / day catch-and-release-only on listed native Greenback + Colorado River cutthroat + Rio Grande cutthroat conservation reaches (CPW + USFWS native cutthroat protection — Greenback federally Threatened ESA); lake trout 8 / day no min on most lake trout reservoirs (Granby + Twin Lakes + Dillon — Mysis-driven fishery) + 4 / day with only 1 fish over 28 in / day on Blue Mesa (CPW slot-limit-based TROPHY MANAGEMENT on the country's premier inland trophy lake trout fishery); walleye 5 / day with 18 in min on listed Quality Management reservoirs (Pueblo + John Martin) + 1 / day brown + brown trout 1 / day with 16 in min on listed TROPHY MANAGEMENT reaches; kokanee salmon 10 / day no min on listed Pacific salmon stocked reservoirs (Granby + Blue Mesa + Williams Fork + Dillon + Wolford Mountain + Eleven Mile — country's most aggressive kokanee bag limit); largemouth + smallmouth bass 5 / day combined + 15 in min on listed Quality Management waters; northern pike unlimited — no bag, possession, or size limit statewide (CPW-distinctive aggressive encouraged-removal of this undesirable illegally-introduced predator; illegal to stock, transport, or release live pike) except Williams Fork Reservoir 26-34 in protected slot (must be released immediately); Stagecoach Reservoir holds the CO state-record northern pike 30 lb 11 oz / 46.5 in (Tim Bone 2006); brook trout 4 / day combined trout PLUS 10 additional brook trout 8 in or less / day (bonus harvest of stunted high-country brookies; no limit on Trappers Lake); panfish 20 / day combined no min. CPW stocks ~88 million catchable + fingerling trout + kokanee + walleye annually via Mt. Shavano + Roaring Judy + Crystal River + Glenwood Springs + Bellvue + Watson Lake + Finger Rock + Pitkin + Buena Vista + Las Animas + Chalk Cliffs State Fish Hatcheries + Leadville USFWS NFH — country's largest hatchery system by output alongside Idaho + Washington + Oregon. CPW-distinctive Free Fishing Weekend first Saturday + Sunday of June statewide no license required for 48 hours (one of country's most generous free-fishing windows — 2 days vs. most states' 1-day amnesty). CPW-distinctive Second-Rod Stamp $5.31 required to fish with 2 rods simultaneously on most waters (CPW one of only state agencies requiring a separate stamp for the second rod — most states allow 2 rods statewide by default). CPW fees: $36.08 res annual + $11.97 res Habitat Stamp + $5.31 res Second-Rod Stamp + $5.05 res 1-day + $13.34 res senior 65+ annual + $0 res permanently disabled veteran 100% + $0 res under 16 + $0 res first-time licence purchase under 18; $97.97 NR annual + $11.97 NR Habitat Stamp + $36.08 NR 5-day + $20.40 NR 1-day + $5.31 NR Second-Rod Stamp + $0 NR under 16 + $0 NR free fishing weekend (first Saturday + Sunday of June).
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License fees
| Licence | Price (USD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Resident annual fishing | $36.08 | |
| Resident Habitat Stamp | $11.97 | Required for all hunting + fishing licence purchases ages 18-64 — CPW-distinctive same-fee across resident + non-resident — Habitat Stamp funds CPW wildlife area + state park acquisitions |
| Resident Second-Rod Stamp | $5.31 | Required to fish with 2 rods simultaneously on most waters — CPW-distinctive separate stamp (most states allow 2 rods by default) |
| Resident 1-day fishing | $5.05 | |
| Resident senior (65+) annual | $13.34 | |
| Resident youth (16-17) annual reduced | $11.20 | |
| Resident permanently disabled veteran (100%) | Free | Free annual licence with 100% service-connected VA disability documentation |
| Resident under 16 | Free | Not required under age 16 |
| Resident first-time youth (under 18) introductory | Free | First annual fishing licence is free for residents under 18 |
| Licence | Price (USD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Non-resident annual fishing | $97.97 | |
| Non-resident Habitat Stamp | $11.97 | Required for all hunting + fishing licence purchases ages 18-64 — CPW-distinctive same-fee across resident + non-resident |
| Non-resident 5-day fishing | $36.08 | |
| Non-resident 1-day fishing | $20.40 | |
| Non-resident Second-Rod Stamp | $5.31 | |
| Non-resident free fishing weekend (first Saturday + Sunday of June) | Free | No license required on the first weekend of June statewide — CPW-distinctive 48-hour annual amnesty (most states are 1-day only) |
| Non-resident under 16 | Free | Not required under age 16 |
Buy directly from Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW). Fees may include processing surcharges at point of sale.
Top species — season, bag, size
| Species | Season | Daily bag | Size / slot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cutthroat troutCompare across states → | Open year-round on most waters; listed Greenback + Colorado River + Rio Grande cutthroat conservation reaches catch-and-release-only; Rocky Mountain NP Bear Lake + Sky Pond + listed Greenback reintroduction lakes catch-and-release-only | 0 / day catch-and-release-only on listed native cutthroat reaches (Greenback federally Threatened ESA + Colorado River cutthroat + Rio Grande cutthroat CPW Species of Concern); 4 / day combined trout elsewhere | No statewide minimum; catch-and-release-only on listed wild native cutthroat reaches |
| Rainbow troutCompare across states → | Open year-round on most waters; Gold Medal Waters carry 16-20 in min Quality + TROPHY MANAGEMENT; Taylor River below Taylor Park Reservoir Gold Medal tailwater carries IGFA all-tackle world-record cutbow waters | 4 / day combined trout; 2 / day with 16 in min on listed Gold Medal Quality + TROPHY MANAGEMENT reaches | 16 in min on listed Gold Medal Quality + TROPHY MANAGEMENT reaches; no statewide minimum on most waters |
| Brown troutCompare across states → | Open year-round on most waters; Gold Medal Waters carry 16 in min TROPHY MANAGEMENT; Frying Pan River below Ruedi Reservoir + Arkansas River Leadville-Cañon City + South Platte Cheesman Canyon + Deckers Gold Medal tailwater system | 4 / day combined trout; 1 / day brown trout + 16 in min on listed Gold Medal TROPHY MANAGEMENT reaches | 16 in min brown trout on listed Gold Medal TROPHY MANAGEMENT reaches; no statewide minimum on most waters |
| Lake trout (Mackinaw)Compare across states → | Open year-round on listed lake-trout reservoirs (Blue Mesa + Granby + Dillon + Twin Lakes + Williams Fork + Wolford Mountain + Vallecito) | 8 / day no minimum on most Mysis-driven lake-trout reservoirs (Granby + Twin Lakes + Dillon); 4 / day Blue Mesa with only 1 fish over 28 in / day TROPHY MANAGEMENT | No statewide minimum; Blue Mesa slot: only 1 fish over 28 in / day TROPHY MANAGEMENT |
| WalleyeCompare across states → | Open year-round statewide; April – June pre-spawn through post-spawn densest fishing window on Pueblo + John Martin + Cherry Creek + Chatfield + Standley Lake | 5 / day with 18 in min on listed Quality Management reservoirs (Pueblo + John Martin); 5 / day no statewide minimum elsewhere | 18 in min on listed Quality Management reservoirs; no statewide minimum elsewhere |
| Brook troutCompare across states → | Open year-round on most waters; introduced + naturalized statewide — the most widespread + abundant trout in Colorado high-country streams + alpine lakes | 4 / day combined trout; PLUS 10 additional brook trout 8 in or less / day (bonus beyond the 4-trout limit); no limit on Trappers Lake | No statewide minimum; the 10-fish bonus applies only to brook trout 8 in or less |
| Kokanee salmonCompare across states → | Angling open year-round; snagging only during the fall spawning run (Blue Mesa Reservoir Nov 1 – Dec 31; Lake Granby + Williams Fork Reservoir Sept 1 – Dec 31) | 10 / day (10 in possession) by angling, snagging, or archery — one of the country's highest kokanee bags | No statewide minimum size |
| Northern pikeCompare across states → | Open year-round, no closed season; CPW encourages unlimited harvest of this undesirable introduced predator | Unlimited — no bag or possession limit statewide; Williams Fork Reservoir 26-34 in protected slot (release immediately) | No statewide minimum or maximum; Williams Fork Reservoir 26-34 in slot (must release) |
Notable water-body special regulations
Federal NPS overlay (Curecanti NRA) — CPW Fishing License valid throughout; lake trout 4 / day with only 1 fish over 28 in / day TROPHY MANAGEMENT slot-limit (CPW slot-limit-based protection of country's premier inland trophy lake trout fishery — CO state-record lake trout 50 lb 8 oz Blue Mesa 2007); kokanee salmon 10 / day no min (snagging permitted Nov 1 – Dec 31); rainbow + brown trout 4 / day combined
Curecanti National Recreation Area
Federal NPS overlay — CPW Fishing License valid throughout (NPS does NOT supersede CPW); Blue Mesa lake trout 4 / day with 28 in / day TROPHY slot; Morrow Point + Crystal Reservoirs 4 / day combined trout no minimum
Lake trout 8 / day no minimum (CPW aggressive harvest on Mysis-driven fishery); kokanee salmon 10 / day no min (snagging permitted Sept 1 – Dec 31 except in Columbine Bay); rainbow trout 4 / day combined trout — Mysis shrimp introduction 1970s shifted Granby into trophy lake trout production
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
Trout 4 / day combined; Eleven Mile Canyon below Eleven Mile Dam Gold Medal Waters reach 16 in min + 2 / day TROPHY MANAGEMENT — Pikes Peak headwaters chain produces 5-10 lb trout routinely
Gold Medal Waters — trout 1 / day with 20 in min TROPHY MANAGEMENT + artificial-fly-and-lure only + ice-fishing prohibited; produces 5-10 lb fish routinely
South Platte River Cheesman Canyon + Deckers + Eleven Mile Canyon
Gold Medal Waters — trout 2 / day with 16 in min TROPHY MANAGEMENT on Cheesman Canyon catch-and-release-only reach + artificial-fly-and-lure only + barbless single-hook required; one of country's most-fished blue-ribbon trout reaches
Arkansas River Leadville to Cañon City
Gold Medal Waters 102-mile reach (Leadville Hayden Meadows to Cañon City Royal Gorge) — trout 2 / day combined with 16 in min TROPHY MANAGEMENT on listed reaches + artificial-fly-and-lure only; AHRA Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area BLM + CPW + Chaffee + Fremont Counties joint management — one of country's premier urban-accessible blue-ribbon trout reaches
Gunnison River Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP
Federal NPS overlay (Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP) — CPW Fishing License valid throughout (NPS does NOT supersede CPW); Gold Medal Waters — trout 2 / day combined with 16 in min TROPHY MANAGEMENT + artificial-fly-and-lure only + barbless single-hook required; one of country's most remote blue-ribbon trout canyons (1,000 ft canyon walls require permitted descent)
Taylor River below Taylor Park Reservoir
Gold Medal Waters — IGFA all-tackle world-record cutbow (rainbow × cutthroat hybrid) 23 lb 13 oz Taylor River October 9, 2014 by Tim Daniel (still standing); trout 2 / day with 16 in min TROPHY MANAGEMENT + artificial-fly-and-lure only + barbless single-hook required
Frying Pan River below Ruedi Reservoir
Gold Medal Waters — trout 2 / day combined with 16 in min TROPHY MANAGEMENT; brown trout 1 / day with 16 in min on listed reach; CO state-record brown trout 30 lb 8 oz Roaring Judy Hatchery Outlet 1988 — Frying Pan one of country's premier dry-fly + nymph tailwater fisheries (Mysis-shrimp + green-drake + caddis hatch system)
Gold Medal Waters — trout 2 / day combined with 16 in min TROPHY MANAGEMENT on listed reaches + artificial-fly-and-lure only; CPW Native Aquatic Species Reintroduction Program for Colorado River cutthroat on upper Animas drainage
Yampa River through Steamboat Springs
Gold Medal Waters — trout 2 / day combined with 16 in min TROPHY MANAGEMENT on listed reaches; Yampa one of country's premier float-fish freestone trout rivers
Big Thompson River + Eagle River + Blue River + Colorado River
Gold Medal Waters — trout 2 / day combined with 16 in min TROPHY MANAGEMENT on listed Quality reaches; Big Thompson through Estes Park canyon Gold Medal designation; Colorado River through Hot Sulphur Springs reach Gold Medal designation
Walleye 5 / day with 18 in min Quality Management TROPHY rule; largemouth + smallmouth bass 5 / day combined + 15 in min; channel catfish 10 / day no min; wiper / hybrid striped bass 5 / day combined with 18 in min
Walleye 5 / day with 18 in min Quality Management; saugeye 5 / day no statewide minimum; crappie 20 / day no min; wiper / hybrid striped bass 5 / day combined with 18 in min — southern-Colorado eastern-plains reservoir multi-species fishery
Lake trout 8 / day no min (Mysis-driven fishery); rainbow + brown + cutthroat trout 4 / day combined; CO state-record cutthroat trout 16 lb 0 oz Twin Lakes 1964
Lake trout 8 / day no min; kokanee salmon 10 / day no min (snagging permitted Sept 1 – Dec 31); northern pike unlimited (no bag/possession/size limit) BUT 26-34 in protected slot — must be returned to the water immediately (CPW's one quality-size-managed pike water); brown trout 4 / day combined trout
Wolford Mountain Reservoir + Stagecoach Reservoir
Wolford 8 / day combined trout + kokanee 10 / day no min; Stagecoach 4 / day combined trout; northern pike unlimited — no bag, possession, or size limit (CPW encouraged-removal); Stagecoach holds the CO state-record northern pike 30 lb 11 oz / 46.5 in (Tim Bone 2006)
CO/NM joint reciprocal compact on the boundary reservoir; both CPW + NMDGF licences honored on the main stem; trout 4 / day combined; smallmouth + largemouth bass 5 / day combined + 15 in min; northern pike unlimited — no bag, possession, or size limit (CPW encouraged-removal) — the San Juan River Quality Waters tailwater below Navajo Dam in NM is wholly in NM (not in the joint compact)
Federal NPS overlay — CPW Fishing License valid throughout (NPS does NOT supersede CPW unlike Yellowstone NP); native Greenback cutthroat trout (federally Threatened ESA) 0 / day CATCH-AND-RELEASE-ONLY on Bear Lake + Sky Pond + listed Greenback reintroduction lakes (CPW + USFWS + NPS joint reintroduction program); other waters 4 / day combined trout
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
Federal NPS overlay — CPW Fishing License valid throughout (NPS does NOT supersede CPW); 27-mile Gunnison River canyon reach Gold Medal Waters — trout 2 / day combined with 16 in min TROPHY MANAGEMENT + artificial-fly-and-lure only + barbless single-hook required
Lake Fork of the Gunnison River (Hinsdale County)
CPW Wild Trout reach — from the headwaters downstream to the waterfall at Sherman: artificial flies and lures only, all cutthroat trout released immediately; lower reaches carry reduced trout limits (vs the 4 / day, no-gear-restriction statewide trout default) (Chapter W-1 #179)
Uncompahgre River below Ridgway Reservoir
CPW catch-and-release tailwater — from the fence below the USGS gauge below Ridgway Dam downstream to the Cow Creek confluence: artificial flies and lures only, all trout released immediately upon catch (vs the 4 / day, bait-allowed statewide trout default) (Chapter W-1 #447)
CPW special-reg reach — from the Roaring Judy Fish Hatchery upstream property boundary downstream to the Taylor River confluence: artificial flies and lures only; trout 2 fish with a 12 in MAXIMUM size (protect-the-big-fish rule); taking of kokanee salmon prohibited (Chapter W-1 #133)
Williams Fork River (Grand County)
CPW catch-and-release tailwater — from Williams Fork Dam downstream to the Colorado River confluence: artificial flies and lures only, all trout released immediately upon catch; distinct from the downstream Williams Fork Reservoir (vs the 4 / day statewide trout default) (Chapter W-1 #469)
North Platte River (North Park, Jackson County)
CPW Wild Trout reaches — within the Brownlee II and Verner State Wildlife Areas: artificial flies and lures only, trout 2 fish / day (vs the 4 / day statewide trout default) (Chapter W-1 #292)
North Platte River, North Fork (Jackson County)
CPW Wild Trout reach — artificial flies and lures only, trout 2 fish / day (vs the 4 / day statewide trout default); North Park headwater fork distinct from the main North Platte (Chapter W-1 #293)
Michigan River (Jackson County)
CPW Wild Trout reaches — within the Brownlee, Murphy, and Diamond J State Wildlife Areas: artificial flies and lures only, trout 2 fish / day (vs the 4 / day statewide trout default) (Chapter W-1 #267)
CPW Wild Trout reach — on the Cline Ranch State Wildlife Area portion: artificial flies and lures only, trout 2 fish / day (vs the 4 / day statewide trout default) (Chapter W-1 #421)
Joe Wright Reservoir (Larimer County)
CPW special-reg greenback-cutthroat / grayling brood water — artificial flies and lures only (vs the bait-allowed statewide default); the inlet Joe Wright Creek is additionally closed Jan 1 – Jul 31 (Chapter W-1 #216)
Zimmerman Lake (Larimer County)
CPW greenback-cutthroat conservation water — artificial flies and lures only; all trout released immediately upon catch (0 / day); inlet closed Jan 1 – Jul 31 as posted (vs the 4 / day, bait-allowed statewide default) (Chapter W-1 #483)
Delaney Butte Lakes (North, South & East — Jackson County)
CPW trophy-trout stillwaters — artificial flies and lures only (scented flies / lures 1.5 in or longer allowed), trout 2 fish / day; North Delaney Butte Lake adds a dam-area closure Sept 15 – Nov 15 (vs the 4 / day statewide trout default) (Chapter W-1 #118)
CPW trophy-trout Gold-Medal-class stillwater (incl. the inlet ¼ mi above + outlet ¼ mi below) — artificial flies and lures only; trout 2 fish with an 18 in minimum size (vs the 4 / day, no-min statewide default) (Chapter W-1 #305)
Antero Reservoir (Park County)
CPW reduced-bag trout reservoir — trout 2 fish / day (vs the 4 / day statewide default); ice-fishing shelters must be portable; South Park trophy-trout flatwater distinct from the neighbouring Spinney + Eleven Mile (Chapter W-1 #10)
Rampart Reservoir (El Paso County)
CPW reduced-bag lake-trout reservoir — lake trout 2 fish / day; ice fishing prohibited (vs the liberal statewide lake-trout harvest); Pikes Peak-area Colorado Springs water (Chapter W-1 #333)
Crosho Reservoir (Rio Blanco County)
CPW special-reg grayling water — grayling 2 fish / day with a 16 in minimum size (the statewide rule sets no grayling minimum); Flat Tops-area high lake (Chapter W-1 #106)
CPW lake-trout protected slot — lake trout 4 / day, only 1 may exceed 36 in, and all lake trout 26–36 in must be released immediately; no limit on tiger muskie; Colorado's largest + deepest natural lake (Chapter W-1 #164)
Crawford Reservoir (Delta County)
CPW trophy-bass reservoir — largemouth bass 1 fish / day with an 18 in minimum size (vs the more liberal statewide bass take); no limit on yellow perch; North Fork Gunnison valley water (Chapter W-1 #105)
Quincy Reservoir (Aurora, Arapahoe County)
CPW gear-restricted trophy reservoir — artificial flies and lures only (scented flies / lures 1.5 in or longer allowed), trout 2 fish / day; Denver-metro Aurora water managed for big trout + bass (Chapter W-1 #333)
Echo Canyon Reservoir (Archuleta County)
CPW largemouth-bass protected slot — all largemouth bass 12–15 in must be released immediately upon catch (vs the no-statewide-slot default); Pagosa Springs-area State Wildlife Area lake (Chapter W-1 #134)
Roaring Fork of the North Platte (Jackson County)
CPW Wild Trout reach — within the Manville State Wildlife Area: artificial flies and lures only (vs the bait-allowed statewide default); North Park tributary distinct from the Aspen-area Roaring Fork River (Chapter W-1 #246)
Frequently asked questions
- Do you need a fishing license to fish in Colorado?
- Yes. Colorado requires residents and non-residents alike to hold a valid fishing license, with the usual exemptions for young children, state free-fishing days, and some senior or disabled-veteran categories. Buy directly from Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW); resident and non-resident fees are listed in the tables above.
- How much is a fishing license in Colorado?
- Resident fees range from $5.05 (resident 1-day fishing) to $36.08 (resident annual fishing); Non-resident fees range from $5.31 (non-resident second-rod stamp) to $97.97 (non-resident annual fishing). The full breakdown — annual, multi-day, senior, and lifetime options — is in the license-fee tables above, and you can compare Colorado against every other state on the license-fee comparator.
- What fish can you catch in Colorado?
- Colorado anglers most commonly target Cutthroat trout, Rainbow trout, Brown trout, Lake trout (Mackinaw), Walleye, Brook trout, and others. Each species sets its own season, daily bag, and size or slot limit — compare them in the species table above, or open a species page for the full 2026 rule.
- When does fishing season open in Colorado?
- It depends on the species — Colorado sets a separate season for each. Warmwater fish like bass, catfish, and panfish are open year-round in most of the state, while trout, walleye, salmon, and other cold-water or migratory species have dated seasons. The season column in the table above shows each one, and Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) can shift dates by emergency order.
- Are there special fishing rules on specific Colorado waters?
- Yes. 42 named Colorado waters carry regulations that differ from the statewide rule, including Blue Mesa Reservoir, Curecanti NRA, Lake Granby, and 39 more. See the notable water-body special regulations above for the exact rule on each.
Official source
Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is the authoritative source for Colorado fishing regulations. Always verify rules before fishing — emergency closures and in-season changes can override published booklets.
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.