Fishing in RMNP (U.S. National Park Service)

A many is fly fishing while standing along the bank of a river in summer — Fly fishing in summer
NPS

Fishing in Rocky Mountain National Park

Fishing is a fun activity people of all ages can enjoy year-round. Some popular fishing locations include Sprague Lake, Moraine Park, and the Kawuneeche Valley.

In lakes and streams in RMNP, there are populations of brown, brook, rainbow, and cutthroat (Colorado River and Yellowstone) trout, as well as suckers and sculpin. Most of Rocky's high altitude lakes lack reproducing fish populations due to cold water and lack of spawning habitat.

Before your next fishing trip in Rocky Mountain National Park, make sure you know the park's rules and regulations and understand which waters are open for fishing and which waters are not.

Fishing Licenses and Fees

A valid Colorado fishing license is required for all persons 16 years of age or older to fish in Rocky Mountain National Park. Fishing licenses can be purchased at a variety of locations in communities outside of the park.

Method of Capture

Each person shall use only one hand-held rod or line. A 'second rod stamp' is not honored in the park.
In waters designated as catch-and-release, barbless hooks must be used. This helps protect and maintain fish populations.
The use of lead sinkers or other lead fishing materials is strongly discouraged.
Children 12 years and younger may use worms or preserved fish eggs in all park waters open to fishing and not designated as catch-and-release.
No bait or worms are allowed in catch-and-release waters.
Only artificial flies or lures with one hook (single, double, or treble) with a common shank may be used in park waters. Fly fishers may use a two-hook system with one hook as an attractant. "Artificial flies or lures" means devices designed to attract fish and made entirely of, or a combination of, materials like wood, plastic, glass, hair, metal, feathers, or fiber.

This does not include:

(a) Any hand-moldable material designed to attract fish by the scent or smell.
(b) Devices less than one and one-half inches in length to which scents or small attractants have been externally applied.
(c) Molded plastic devices less than one and one-half inches in length
(d) Foods
(e) Traditional organic baits like worms, grubs, crickets, leeches, minnows, and fish eggs, or
(f) Manufactured baits like imitation fish eggs, dough baits, or stink baits.

Possession Limit

Measure fish from the tip of the snout to the end of the tail.

No person may have in their possession more than 18 trout, the combination of which must consist of either:

18 brook trout (8 can be any size, but the remaining 10 must be 8 inches or less).
16 brook trout (6 can be any size, but the remaining 10 must be 8 inches or less), plus 2 additional trout species 10 inches or more, which may include rainbow, brown, or cutthroat.

Closed Waters - No Fishing Allowed

Bear Lake, including the inlet and outlet streams (extending 200 yards upstream and downstream from Bear Lake)	Hunters Creek above Wild Basin Ranger Station as posted
Kettle Tarn	Lake Nanita Outlet, downstream 100 yards
Shadow Mountain Reservoir below the spillway and to the southern park boundary, including Columbine Bay, is closed from October 1 through December 31.	South Fork of the Cache la Poudre River above Pingree Park
Upper Columbine Creek above 9,000 feet, indicated by barrier structure on the creek.

Catch-and-Keep Waters

All creeks/rivers not listed as Catch-and-Release or Closed are catch-and-keep waters.

Black Lake	Box Lake	Fourth lake	Glass Lake	Haynach Lake
Jewel Lake	Lake Haiyaha	Lake Nanita (outlet closed)	Lake Solitude	Lake Verna
Loch Vale	Lone Pine Lake	Mills Lake	Mirror Lake	Peacock Pool
Pettingell Lake	Poudre Lake	Sky Pond	Spirit Lake	Sprague Lake
Ten Lake Park Lakes	Thunder Lake

Catch-and-Release Waters

These waters support populations of Colorado River cutthroat trout and are open to catch-and-release fishing only. Barbless hooks must be used to protect and maintain the fish populations found in waters designated as catch-and-release.

Adams Lake	Hidden Valley Creek and Beaver Ponds	Ouzel Lake
Arrowhead Lake	Hunters Creek	Paradise Creek Drainage
Bench Lake and Ptarmigan Creek above War Dance Falls	Hutcheson Lakes	Pear Lake and Creek
Big Crystal Lake	Lake Husted	Roaring River
Boundary Lake	Lake Louise	Sandbeach Lake and Creek
Caddis Lake	Lawn Lake	Spruce Lake (the east and southeast portions of the lake and adjacent wetlands are closed year-round as a Boreal Toad protection area)
Cony Creek above Calypso Cascades	Loomis Lake	Timber Lake and Creek
Dream Lake	Lost Lake	Upper Hague Creek
Fern Lake and Creek	North Fork of the Big Thompson River above Lost Falls	Upper Onahu Creek
Fifth Lake	Odessa Lake	West Creek
Forest Canyon above The Pool, Gorge Lakes (Rock Lake and Little Rock Lake) and Gorge Stream (from Arrowhead Lake to the confluence with the Big Thompson River)	Ouzel Creek above Ouzel Falls	Ypsilon Creek Ypsilon Lake

Safely Releasing Your Catch

Ensure the fish doesn't suffer injury by quickly and carefully removing the hook and returning the fish to the water. Using wet hands, or while the fish is in the water, use forceps or needle-nosed pliers to back the hook out the way it went in.

Do not wiggle the hook; if the hook is too deep, cut it off as close as possible and let is dissolve inside the fish's body.

Gently return a trout to the water head-first, supporting its belly and pointing upstream. Hang onto it until it starts to revive.

Rocky Mountain National Park Aquatic Disinfection Guidelines

Is this your first time fishing in Rocky Mountain National Park?
Is this first time back after using your gear outside of the park?
Are you moving within a drainage to sites that are more than 2.5 miles apart?
Are you visiting a new drainage?

If you answered YES to any of the questions listed above, then you must disinfect any gear that has had contact with water and/or soil. This helps control the spread of aquatic threats.

Since aquatic threats are usually found in lower elevation areas, start at the top of a drainage and work your way downstream.

Don't transfer fish between waters - this can spread these threats.
Don't dispose of fish entrails into any waters.
Don't use felt wading soles on your boots.

To Disinfect Gear:

Remove all mud, snails, algae, and any other debris from nets, boots, waders, and other equipment.
Soak and stir all gear and tools used to clean equipment with a 10% household bleach solution or a solution of 6 oz Sparquat per gallon of water. Soak gear and tools in the solution for at least 10 minutes.
If a household bleach solution was used, freeze gear overnight, or soak and stir equipment for more than 10 minutes in a 1:1 solution of Formula 409 antibacterial household cleaner, or soak equipment for more than one minute in water that is 120 degrees F or warmer (a dishwasher is warm enough). If Sparquat was used, skip this step.
Dry gear in direct sunlight (at least 84 degrees F) for four hours.

If you do nothing else, clean off your gear and equipment, rinse in tap water, and follow step 4.

Other Information and Regulations

Watercraft:

Float tubes and other non-motorized watercraft are allowed on all lakes except Bear Lake. The operation of motorized watercraft is prohibited on all part waters.

Fishing is an activity that is fun for all age! Before going on your next fishing trip in Rocky Mountain National Park make sure you know the park's rules and regulations and understand which waters are open for fishing and which waters are not.

Pets are prohibited on all trails, tundra, and meadows.

Leashed pets may accoumpany you only in the following areas:

Along established roads or in parking areas
In established campgrounds and picnic areas

Entrance fees may apply, see Fees & Passes information.

Depending on where you would like to visit and what time of day you plan to arrive, you might need a timed entry reservation to enter the park. For details, please visit https://www.nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/timed-entry-permit-system.htm

Fishing is fun for all.

Last updated: July 17, 2026

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