Learn to Fish

Looking to learn to fish, or know someone who is? Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s angling outreach programs offer clinics, seminars, advice, in-field experiences and educational materials for people of all ages and abilities. Looking to learn to fish, or know someone who is? Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s angling outreach programs offer clinics, seminars, advice, in-field experiences and educational materials for people of all ages and abilities.

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Three anglers fish off a pier at Yampa River State Park.

Fishing Basics

Purchase a Fishing License

Anyone aged 16 and older will need a fishing license.

See Fishing License Options

An angler leans over to choose a fishing rod.

Fishing Basics

Pick Your Rod and Reel

A closed-face spincast rod and reel are great for learning how to fish.

Choose Your Bait

Different species of fish have different appetites. Choose your bait based on what kind of fish are in the water and what you are trying to catch. Look at the list of waters in the Fishing brochure for any additional bait restrictions.

Trout

Flies, Lures, Salmon eggs, Jigs, Worms

Sunfish and Crappie

Jigs, Worms, Mealworms, Salmon eggs

Catfish

Stink bait, Worms, Hot dogs, Chicken livers

Bass

Jigs, Worms, Lures, Soft baits

An angler adds bait to a hook with his fishing gear and tackle box laid out.

Fishing Basics

Get Your Gear

You need just a few basic items to get started fishing:

Fishing line, 4 to 8 pounds
Hemostats or needle-nose pliers; These help you dislodge hooks and grip line while tying knots.
Sinkers, 1/8 oz
Bobbers
Hooks, No. 8 or No. 10
Swivels, No. 10: Swivels keep your line from twisting.

Know Your Knots

There are lots of fishing knots. The Improved Clinch Knot is a good, basic knot to get you started.

Thread the line through eye of the hook. Double back and make five or more turns around the line.
Bring the end of line back through the first loop formed behind the eye. Then go through the big loop.
Wet knot and pull the tag end to tighten down the coils. Slide it tight against the eye, clip excess line.

Fishing Locations

Where should you go? CPW offer accessible fishing location, fishing at state parks and state wild areas. The Colorado fishing atlas is also a handy tool for searching for fishing opportunities by species, specific interest or proximity to your home or destination.

Accessible Fishing Spots

Accessible fishing spots around the state include 37 state parks as well as other locations around the states and include accessible fishing piers, paved trails, restrooms, docks, depending on the location.

Find an Accessible Fishing Spot

Fishing at State Parks

20 state parks offer lake, pond, stream, or river fishing within the park.

Find a State park

Bodies of Water

Browse waters or search by water type. The Bodies of Waters list includes CPW Quality Waters, a new category of fishable waters that our talented team of fish management biologists identified and nominated based on their fish sampling records, creel surveys, and professional biological assessments

Find out more

State Wildlife Areas

State wildlife areas (SWAs) are state or privately owned lands that offer state-managed, wildlife-related recreation to the public. Over 190 SWAs offer fishing.

Find an SWA

Colorado Fishing Atlas

The Colorado Fishing Atlas, the latest interactive mapping tool offered by Colorado Parks and Wildlife, allows users to search for fishing opportunities by species, specific interest or proximity to your home or destination.

Visit the Fishing Altas

Reel it in and Pack it Up

To maintain good fishing, the state regulates the number of fish you can keep and have in your possession. Check the current Fishing brochure below for bag limits and other regulations. Remember a net, ice and a cooler for keeping your catch.