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Colorado

Fishing

Fishing

STATEWIDE BAG & POSSESSION LIMITS

THREATENED, ENDANGERED & NONGAME SPECIES

If caught, these species must be returned to the water immediately.

IT IS ILLEGAL TO TAKE OR USE THE FOLLOWING:

Arkansas darter, bluehead sucker, bonytail chub, boreal toad, brassy minnow, Colorado pikeminnow, common shiner, flannelmouth sucker, flathead chub, greenback cutthroat trout, humpback chub, Iowa darter, lake chub, mollusks, mountain sucker, northern leopard frog, northern redbelly dace, plains leopard frog, plains minnow, plains topminnow, plains orangethroat darter, razorback sucker, Rio Grande chub, Rio Grande sucker, river shiner, roundtail chub, southern redbelly dace, stonecat, suckermouth minnow, wood frog and Woodhouse's toad.

READING THE LIMITS CHART

Statewide limits for species are listed in the chart to the right. Species not on this chart have no bag or possession limits or are restricted or illegal to take. See "Special Conditions and Restrictions," page 8. Some waters have more restrictive limits than what is listed on the chart. See "Special Regulations: Fishing Waters," pages 11–39, for the area you plan to fish to learn more about specific waters. If a water is not on the list or no bag limit is specified, these statewide limits apply.

FISHING IN STATE PARKS & NATIONAL PARKS

Fishing is available at most of Colorado’s state parks. If you plan a fishing trip to these waters, check the CPW Park Finder for any additional entrance fees and restrictions that may apply where you’re going: cpw.state.co.us/fish/ parkfinder National parks also offer fishing opportunities around the state, but may have different bag limits and regulations. One example of this is at Rocky Mountain National Park. There, you will need a CPW fishing license but restrictions will be specific to the park. Before you plan your trip, check regulations online at: nps.gov/romo/ planyourvisit/fishing.htm Fishing is available at more than 270 national wildlife refuges, 29 national fish hatcheries and many other U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service lands and waters. Certain refuges may have individual restrictions. Plan your trip by researching specific refuges online: fws.gov/fishing

DAILY BAG LIMIT

Maximum number of fish you can take in a day, regardless of what you do with them that day Fish caught and placed on a stringer, in a container or live well, or not returned to the same water immediately, count in your daily bag or possession limit. Fish released immediately are not part of the limit.

POSSESSION LIMIT

Maximum number of fish allowed at any time, including in the field, transporting, at home or in storage. Transporting live fish without proper permits is prohibited. Fish taken and later smoked, canned, frozen or preserved for consumption are part of the possession limit until consumed.

MAP: WIPER/WHITE BASS AND WALLEYE/SAUGEYE BAG LIMITS

The map below outlines the general areas of the Arkansas and South Republican River drainages (green) and the South Platte and North Republican drainages (yellow). If you are fishing for wiper, white bass, walleye or saugeye in these areas, the daily bag and possession limits are different for the two areas on the map. See the Statewide Limits chart at right for details.

MAP: WIPER/WHITE BASS AND WALLEYE/SAUGEYE BAG LIMITS

STATEWIDE LIMITS

TYPE OF FISHDAILY BAG LIMITPOSSESSION LIMIT
TROUT, ARCTIC CHAR, GRAYLING, SALMON, MOUNTAIN WHITEFISH
(except kokanee)
in aggregate*
48
Trout include brook, brown, cutbow, cutthroat, golden, lake, rainbow, splake and tiger trout
BROOK TROUT
8 inches long or less
(in addition to trout limit above)
1010
KOKANEE SALMON
angling, snagging or archery
1010
WALLEYE, SAUGEYE, SAUGER
statewide, in aggregate*
55
On Arkansas and South Fork of Republican River drainages,
in aggregate*
1010
BASS: LARGEMOUTH, SMALLMOUTH, SPOTTED
in aggregate*
West of Continental Divide for smallmouth only
5
unlimited
5
unlimited
BASS: WHITE, STRIPED, WIPER
statewide, in aggregate*
1010
On Arkansas and South Fork of Republican River drainages,
in aggregate*
2020
CATFISH: CHANNEL, FLATHEAD, BLUE
in aggregate*
1010
CRAPPIE: WHITE, BLACK
in aggregate*
2020
BLUEGILL, HYBRID BLUEGILL, GREEN SUNFISH, REDEARSUN- FISH, PUMPKINSEED SUNFISH
in aggregate*
2020
YELLOW PERCH
West of Continental Divide
unlimitedunlimited
East of Continental Divide2020
TIGER MUSKIE
at least 36 inches long
11
NORTHERN PIKE, BULLHEADunlimitedunlimited
SPECKLED DACE, SCULPIN
West of Continental Divide in aggregate*
2020
East of Continental Divideunlimitedunlimited
CRAYFISH (CRAWDADS), BULLFROGSunlimitedunlimited
AQUATIC TIGER SALAMANDER LARVAE
gilled and less than 5 inches long
5050