Fishing Ethics
Catch-and-release
There are things anglers can do to better the chances of fish survival. These general rules of catch and release fishing are pretty straight forward, but even experienced anglers can become casual in their routine. The main things are:
Practice self-restraint and limit your catch: Each time a fish is caught, its body releases stress hormones that can take days to resolve.
Always keep a fish’s gills in the water. Exposure to air can damage the gill filaments, especially dry or cold air.
If you need to take a picture, try to take it with the fish in the water.
For more tips, including taking pics of fish in the water, see keepfishwet.org.
Leave No Trace
In Colorado, over 22 million acres are public lands. These lands help drive the economy from both residents and tourists, provide escapes from daily life, and provide everyone with the opportunity to hunt, fish, hike, camp, and just be outdoors. That why it is important that we all practice the ethic of “Leave No Trace”. Check out the video below to learn more.
One quick tip, carry an opaque dog-waste bag to carry out used TP. Note that some wildernesses may require that you carry out your own solid waste too. I know, eeewww. Just make sure the bag is sTURDy.
Water Temperatures & Drought
Colorado experiences intense heat and arid conditions during the summer. The water temperatures tell us so much about the conditions of an area and how the fish will be reacting. Once you reach past 68 degrees F, mortality chances increase, even with proper catch-and-release. A water thermometer is a cheap and easy tool to add to your fishing gear for your next outing. Learn more below about water temperature thresholds and download a handy graphic.
Fishing in Colorado
Colorado Fishing License
If you plan on fishing in Colorado, you will need to purchase a fishing license. You can purchase them in person, phone, or online. Click below to learn more.
Colorado Gold Medal Waters
Colorado Parks and Wildlife may designate a body of water as a Gold Medal water if it is accessible for fishing by the general angling public and consistently produces a trout standing stock of at least 60 pounds per acre and produces an average of at least 12 “quality trout” (14+ inches) per acre.