What special fishing regulations apply at Frying Pan River below Ruedi Reservoir?

Frying Pan River below Ruedi Reservoir carries 3 special-regulation overlays that override Colorado's statewide 2026 rules, covering Rainbow trout and Brown trout. One of them reads: "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)." Every overlay on this water body is listed in full above.

Do I need a fishing license to fish Frying Pan River below Ruedi Reservoir?

Yes. Frying Pan River below Ruedi 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 Frying Pan tailwater; they do not waive the license requirement. Free-fishing days and youth exemptions follow the statewide Colorado rules.

Do Frying Pan River below Ruedi Reservoir's special rules replace Colorado's statewide limits?

Only where they conflict. Colorado's statewide 2026 regulations apply on Frying Pan tailwater 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 Frying Pan tailwater?

Rainbow trout and Brown trout have a water-body-specific rule on Frying Pan River below Ruedi Reservoir, each linking to its full Colorado regulations above. Species not listed here follow the statewide Colorado limits.

2026 regulation year

Frying Pan River below Ruedi Reservoir 2026 — Colorado Fishing Regulations

Colorado statewide rules apply unless overridden below.

Last updated June 5, 2026

Frying Pan River below Ruedi Reservoir carries 3 special-regulation overlays on top of Colorado's 2026 fishing rules — covering Rainbow trout, Brown trout. Verify the agency booklet before launching: in-season changes are not yet wired to this page.

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Watch Frying Pan River below Ruedi Reservoir (CO) and we'll email you when a season, bag limit, slot, or closure changes. Free while in beta.

State-level special regulation

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)
Source: Colorado special-water list

Per-species rules on Frying Pan River below Ruedi Reservoir

Rainbow trout regulations →
Trout 2 / day with 16 in min TROPHY MANAGEMENT + artificial-fly-and-lure only on listed reach; Mysis-shrimp tailwater produces 5-10 lb rainbow + brown routinely
Brown trout regulations →
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

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

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Frequently asked questions

What special fishing regulations apply at Frying Pan River below Ruedi Reservoir?: Frying Pan River below Ruedi Reservoir carries 3 special-regulation overlays that override Colorado's statewide 2026 rules, covering Rainbow trout and Brown trout. One of them reads: "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)." Every overlay on this water body is listed in full above.
Do I need a fishing license to fish Frying Pan River below Ruedi Reservoir?: Yes. Frying Pan River below Ruedi 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 Frying Pan tailwater; they do not waive the license requirement. Free-fishing days and youth exemptions follow the statewide Colorado rules.
Do Frying Pan River below Ruedi Reservoir's special rules replace Colorado's statewide limits?: Only where they conflict. Colorado's statewide 2026 regulations apply on Frying Pan tailwater 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 Frying Pan tailwater?: Rainbow trout and Brown trout have a water-body-specific rule on Frying Pan River below Ruedi Reservoir, each linking to its full Colorado regulations above. Species not listed here follow the statewide Colorado limits.

← Back to Colorado regulations overview