When is brown trout season in Colorado?

Colorado keeps brown trout open to fishing year-round for the 2026 regulation year — there is no closed season, though the daily bag and size limits below still apply every day.

What is the Colorado bag limit for brown trout?

The Colorado daily bag limit for brown trout is 4 / day combined trout; 1 / day brown trout + 16 in min on listed Gold Medal TROPHY MANAGEMENT reaches. The possession limit is 8 in possession combined trout. Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.

What size brown trout can you keep in Colorado?

The Colorado size rule for brown trout is 16 in min brown trout on listed Gold Medal TROPHY MANAGEMENT reaches; no statewide minimum on most waters. Slot limit: Gold Medal Waters reaches 1 / day brown trout + 16 in min TROPHY MANAGEMENT; release inside slot mandatory on TROPHY MANAGEMENT reaches. Trophy rule: CO state-record brown trout 30 lb 8 oz Roaring Judy Hatchery Outlet 1988 (one of largest brown trout state records in country — historically world-record-class brown trout); Frying Pan River below Ruedi Reservoir country's premier dry-fly + nymph Mysis-shrimp tailwater fishery (5-10 lb wild brown routinely); Arkansas River 102-mile Gold Medal reach (Leadville to Cañon City) Colorado's longest Gold Medal brown trout reach + country's longest continuous Gold Medal brown trout reach; Roaring Fork + Taylor + South Platte + Conejos + Animas + Yampa + Big Thompson + Eagle + Blue + Colorado + Gunnison Gold Medal reaches all carry wild self-sustaining brown trout populations; wild-brown-trout-fall-spawning-run late-September through November country's premier autumn streamer + leech fishing window; CPW does NOT stock brown trout on major Gold Medal Waters (wild self-sustaining populations protected from hatchery genetic introgression).

Do you need a license to fish for brown trout in Colorado?

Yes. Colorado requires a valid fishing license to fish for brown trout, with the usual exemptions for young children, state free-fishing days, and some senior or disabled-veteran categories. A license is valid only in the state that issued it, so non-residents need a Colorado license — compare resident and non-resident Colorado fees on the state regulations page below.

Are there gear restrictions for brown trout in Colorado?

Yes. In Colorado, brown trout fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; trolling permitted; fly-fishing-only on listed Gold Medal Waters reaches; Artificial-lures-only + barbless single hook on listed Gold Medal + catch-and-release reaches; Live bait prohibited on Gold Medal Waters + listed Quality reaches; Federal NPS regulations apply within Rocky Mountain NP + Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP + Curecanti NRA (CPW License valid); CPW Habitat Stamp + Fishing License required ages 18+ ($11.97 res / NR Habitat Stamp + $36.08 res annual / $97.97 NR annual); CPW Second-Rod Stamp $5.31 required to fish with 2 rods simultaneously on most waters; Confirm current-year CPW Fishing Regulations for District-by-District Gold Medal Waters reach + season list.

Do specific Colorado waters have different brown trout rules?

Yes. 6 named Colorado waters carry rules that override the statewide brown trout regulation, including Frying Pan tailwater, Arkansas Gold Medal, South Platte River Cheesman Canyon + Deckers + Eleven Mile Canyon, and 3 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

2026 regulation year

Colorado Brown trout 2026 — Season, Bag Limit, Size Rules

Salmo trutta

Last updated May 27, 2026

Colorado brown trout fishery is one of the country's premier wild + naturalized brown trout stream + tailwater systems — Colorado brown trout were introduced from German + Loch Leven stock in the late 19th century and now support wild self-sustaining populations on every Gold Medal Waters reach statewide. CO state-record brown trout 30 lb 8 oz Roaring Judy Hatchery Outlet 1988 (one of largest brown trout state records in the country — historically world-record-class brown trout). The Frying Pan River below Ruedi Reservoir (Pitkin County — 14-mile Gold Medal Waters tailwater) is country's premier dry-fly + nymph Mysis-shrimp tailwater fishery — the green-drake + caddis + tricos + midge + Mysis-shrimp hatch sequence produces 5-10 lb wild brown routinely. The Arkansas River 102-mile Gold Medal reach (Leadville Hayden Meadows to Cañon City Royal Gorge) is Colorado's longest Gold Medal reach + country's longest continuous Gold Medal brown trout reach. The South Platte Cheesman Canyon + Deckers + Eleven Mile Canyon Gold Medal reach (Park + Douglas + Jefferson Counties) is country's premier urban brown trout stream fishery near Denver metro. The Taylor River below Taylor Park Reservoir Gold Medal tailwater produces 10-15 lb wild brown alongside the world-record cutbow fishery. The Roaring Fork River through Glenwood Springs + Carbondale + Basalt Gold Medal reach (Pitkin + Garfield Counties — 25-mile Gold Medal tailwater downstream of Frying Pan confluence) carries the heart of Colorado's wild-brown-trout-fall-spawning-run late-September through November country's premier autumn streamer + leech fishing window. The Conejos River + Big Thompson River + Eagle River + Blue River + Colorado River + Gunnison River Gold Medal reaches all carry wild self-sustaining brown trout populations. CPW-managed Gold Medal Waters reaches carry 16 in min slot + 1-2 / day brown trout TROPHY MANAGEMENT. CPW does NOT stock brown trout on major Gold Medal Waters reaches — wild self-sustaining populations are deliberately protected from hatchery genetic introgression (CPW-distinctive aggressive wild-trout protection — same philosophy as Montana FWP). Open year-round on most waters.

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Season

Open year-round Open year-round on most waters; Gold Medal Waters reaches carry 16 in min TROPHY MANAGEMENT slot; Frying Pan + Arkansas + South Platte + Taylor + Roaring Fork tailwater wild-brown-trout-fall-spawning-run late-September through November country's premier autumn streamer + leech fishing window.

Bag & possession

Daily bag: 4 / day combined trout; 1 / day brown trout + 16 in min on listed Gold Medal TROPHY MANAGEMENT reaches
Possession: 8 in possession combined trout

Size, slot, trophy rules

Size: 16 in min brown trout on listed Gold Medal TROPHY MANAGEMENT reaches; no statewide minimum on most waters
Slot: Gold Medal Waters reaches 1 / day brown trout + 16 in min TROPHY MANAGEMENT; release inside slot mandatory on TROPHY MANAGEMENT reaches
Trophy rule: CO state-record brown trout 30 lb 8 oz Roaring Judy Hatchery Outlet 1988 (one of largest brown trout state records in country — historically world-record-class brown trout); Frying Pan River below Ruedi Reservoir country's premier dry-fly + nymph Mysis-shrimp tailwater fishery (5-10 lb wild brown routinely); Arkansas River 102-mile Gold Medal reach (Leadville to Cañon City) Colorado's longest Gold Medal brown trout reach + country's longest continuous Gold Medal brown trout reach; Roaring Fork + Taylor + South Platte + Conejos + Animas + Yampa + Big Thompson + Eagle + Blue + Colorado + Gunnison Gold Medal reaches all carry wild self-sustaining brown trout populations; wild-brown-trout-fall-spawning-run late-September through November country's premier autumn streamer + leech fishing window; CPW does NOT stock brown trout on major Gold Medal Waters (wild self-sustaining populations protected from hatchery genetic introgression)

Gear restrictions

Hook-and-line; trolling permitted; fly-fishing-only on listed Gold Medal Waters reaches
Artificial-lures-only + barbless single hook on listed Gold Medal + catch-and-release reaches
Live bait prohibited on Gold Medal Waters + listed Quality reaches
Federal NPS regulations apply within Rocky Mountain NP + Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP + Curecanti NRA (CPW License valid)
CPW Habitat Stamp + Fishing License required ages 18+ ($11.97 res / NR Habitat Stamp + $36.08 res annual / $97.97 NR annual)
CPW Second-Rod Stamp $5.31 required to fish with 2 rods simultaneously on most waters
Confirm current-year CPW Fishing Regulations for District-by-District Gold Medal Waters reach + season list

Named water-body overrides

Where statewide rules differ on specific Colorado waters:

Frying Pan River below Ruedi Reservoir
Trout 2 / day combined with 16 in min TROPHY MANAGEMENT; brown trout 1 / day with 16 in min on listed reach; 5-10 lb wild brown routinely on Mysis-shrimp + green-drake + caddis hatch system
Arkansas River Leadville to Cañon City
Trout 2 / day combined with 16 in min TROPHY MANAGEMENT; brown trout 1 / day with 16 in min on listed reach
South Platte River Cheesman Canyon + Deckers + Eleven Mile Canyon
Trout 2 / day with 16 in min TROPHY MANAGEMENT + artificial-fly-and-lure only; brown trout 1 / day with 16 in min; Cheesman Canyon catch-and-release-only reach
Taylor River below Taylor Park Reservoir
Trout 2 / day with 16 in min TROPHY MANAGEMENT; brown trout 1 / day with 16 in min; 10-15 lb wild brown alongside world-record cutbow fishery
Roaring Fork River through Glenwood Springs + Carbondale + Basalt
Trout 2 / day combined with 16 in min TROPHY MANAGEMENT; brown trout 1 / day with 16 in min — heart of wild-brown-trout-fall-spawning-run late-September through November
Conejos River + Animas River + Yampa River + Big Thompson River + Eagle River + Blue River + Colorado River + Gunnison River Gold Medal reaches
Trout 2 / day combined with 16 in min TROPHY MANAGEMENT on listed reaches; brown trout 1 / day with 16 in min

Official source

Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) publishes the authoritative 2026 Coloradofishing regulations. Always verify the current rule before fishing — emergency closures and in-season changes can override what's published here.

Visit official Colorado fishing regulations →

Emergency-order channel

Brown trout closures, slot-limit changes, and harvest pauses are posted to Colorado Parks and Wildlife's emergency-order feed — check it before any Colorado trip during the active season.

Frequently asked questions

When is brown trout season in Colorado?: Colorado keeps brown trout open to fishing year-round for the 2026 regulation year — there is no closed season, though the daily bag and size limits below still apply every day.
What is the Colorado bag limit for brown trout?: The Colorado daily bag limit for brown trout is 4 / day combined trout; 1 / day brown trout + 16 in min on listed Gold Medal TROPHY MANAGEMENT reaches. The possession limit is 8 in possession combined trout. Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.
What size brown trout can you keep in Colorado?: The Colorado size rule for brown trout is 16 in min brown trout on listed Gold Medal TROPHY MANAGEMENT reaches; no statewide minimum on most waters. Slot limit: Gold Medal Waters reaches 1 / day brown trout + 16 in min TROPHY MANAGEMENT; release inside slot mandatory on TROPHY MANAGEMENT reaches. Trophy rule: CO state-record brown trout 30 lb 8 oz Roaring Judy Hatchery Outlet 1988 (one of largest brown trout state records in country — historically world-record-class brown trout); Frying Pan River below Ruedi Reservoir country's premier dry-fly + nymph Mysis-shrimp tailwater fishery (5-10 lb wild brown routinely); Arkansas River 102-mile Gold Medal reach (Leadville to Cañon City) Colorado's longest Gold Medal brown trout reach + country's longest continuous Gold Medal brown trout reach; Roaring Fork + Taylor + South Platte + Conejos + Animas + Yampa + Big Thompson + Eagle + Blue + Colorado + Gunnison Gold Medal reaches all carry wild self-sustaining brown trout populations; wild-brown-trout-fall-spawning-run late-September through November country's premier autumn streamer + leech fishing window; CPW does NOT stock brown trout on major Gold Medal Waters (wild self-sustaining populations protected from hatchery genetic introgression).
Do you need a license to fish for brown trout in Colorado?: Yes. Colorado requires a valid fishing license to fish for brown trout, with the usual exemptions for young children, state free-fishing days, and some senior or disabled-veteran categories. A license is valid only in the state that issued it, so non-residents need a Colorado license — compare resident and non-resident Colorado fees on the state regulations page below.
Are there gear restrictions for brown trout in Colorado?: Yes. In Colorado, brown trout fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; trolling permitted; fly-fishing-only on listed Gold Medal Waters reaches; Artificial-lures-only + barbless single hook on listed Gold Medal + catch-and-release reaches; Live bait prohibited on Gold Medal Waters + listed Quality reaches; Federal NPS regulations apply within Rocky Mountain NP + Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP + Curecanti NRA (CPW License valid); CPW Habitat Stamp + Fishing License required ages 18+ ($11.97 res / NR Habitat Stamp + $36.08 res annual / $97.97 NR annual); CPW Second-Rod Stamp $5.31 required to fish with 2 rods simultaneously on most waters; Confirm current-year CPW Fishing Regulations for District-by-District Gold Medal Waters reach + season list.
Do specific Colorado waters have different brown trout rules?: Yes. 6 named Colorado waters carry rules that override the statewide brown trout regulation, including Frying Pan tailwater, Arkansas Gold Medal, South Platte River Cheesman Canyon + Deckers + Eleven Mile Canyon, and 3 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

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