Know Your Fish
Fishing in Colorado means opportunity and chance to catch some 35 species of both warm- and cold-water fish. You can fish for the famed rainbow trout in a cool Rocky Mountain stream or troll for walleye on a sunny plains reservoir. And Colorado offers everything in between, too.
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Invasive Species
Longnose Sucker
This species is not fishable.
The longnose sucker is a cylindrical fish with a snout that completely overhangs a ventrally oriented mouth. The upper jaw lacks a scraping ridge, and the lower lips are deeply indented. The species is generally dark on the back and light on the belly, with small scales covering the body.
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Invasive Species
Mountain Whitefish
This species is not fishable.
Mountain Whitefish are dark bluish silver to brown back. Silver sides. White belly. Small head compared to body size. Mouth is under snout. Adipose fin (fleshy dorsal fin). Larger scales.
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Invasive Species
Northern Pike
This species is not fishable.
Northern Pike have a long body with dorsal fin near tail. Head is long and flattened in front. Dark green back. Light green sides with bean-shaped light spots.
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Invasive Species
Pumpkinseed Sunfish
This species is not fishable.
Pumpkinseed Sunfish have brown to olive backs. Their sides are speckled with orange, yellow, blue and green spots. 7-10 vertical bands run on their side. Chest and belly are yellow or orange in color. Back gill spot has light margin with orange or red crescent.
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Invasive Species
Rainbow Trout
This species is not fishable.
Rainbow Trout are blue-green to brown on their head and back. Silver lower sides, many times with pink to rose stripe. Sides, back, dorsal fins and tail are covered with small black spots.
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Invasive Species
Razorback Sucker
This species is not fishable.
The razorback sucker is a large, bronze to yellow fish that grows to a weight of about 15 pounds and has a sharp-edged keel behind the head. Breeding males turn gray-black with a bright orange belly.
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Invasive Species
Redear Sunfish
This species is not fishable.
Redear Sunfish are similar to bluegill, but with dark colors. The ear flap (operculum) is black with a whitish border and a prominent orange or red spot.
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Invasive Species
Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout
This species is not fishable.
Rio Grande cutthroat display a variety of colorations including bright crimson red and orange on the belly. The sides of the fish are golden yellow trending to a greenish hue on the back. They have large spots concentrated near the tail.
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Rio Grande cutthroat size is variable, and based on the available habitat. In small headwater streams adults are generally 6-10˝ in length
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Rio Grande cutthroat trout can be found in high elevation streams and lakes of the Rio Grande, Canadian, and Pecos River drainages in Colorado and New Mexico, giving it the southern-most distribution of any form of Cutthroat Trout. It now only occupies just 12 percent of its historic habitat in approximately 800 miles of streams.
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Streams— Stealth, stealth, stealth! Take your time to sneak up to good habitat and scan the water. You can often see your quarry before you cast. Light (2–3wt) fly rods that are 6–8 ft. long are perfect for high country streams that are tight and overgrown. Approach from downstream, keep a low profile, and always pay attention to your shadow.
Lakes— Fishing for Rio Grande cutthroat in lakes can be challenging. However, it can often be the most rewarding, especially if you are after larger fish. There are lakes in Colorado that have 20+ inch RGCT. If feasible, a personal watercraft like a float tube or small boat is nice to have. Dry fly fishing is usually better in low light conditions around dawn and dusk. When the fish are not rising, fish nymph patterns deep, or strip woolly buggers and streamers around structure. A 9 foot 5-6 weight fly rod is a good choice for lake fishing.
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Nonnative Trout
Rainbow trout, an introduced species, as well as other cutthroat subspecies have the ability to hybridize with the Rio Grande cutthroat and therefore jeopardize genetic integrity at the population level. Other non-native trout, including brown trout and brook trout, threaten the Rio Grande cutthroat through competition for habitat and prey. To address the threats from non-natives, populations of Rio Grande cutthroat often require a physical separation in the form of a man-made or natural barrier. While these barriers are necessary, they can isolate populations and therefore make them more vulnerable to natural disturbances like wildfire and drought.
Roads, Logging, and Grazing
Cutthroat trout are sensitive to changes in water quality. Increased sedimentation created by roads, logging, and grazing can degrade spawning habitat. Decreases in concentrations of dissolved oxygen caused by higher stream temperatures and excessive nutrient inputs further restrict Rio Grande cutthroat distribution and reproductive success. Collaborative planning and management of these activities that account for healthy stream and riparian function is crucial to sustaining both RGCT populations and traditional resource use activities.
Mining and Irrigation
Mining and irrigation development can have negative impacts if improperly managed. With climate change predictions and an ongoing drought in the Southwest, the challenge is to reduce these negative impacts while sustaining agriculture and the local economies.
Invasive Species
Rock Bass
This species is not fishable.
Rock bass have a laterally compressed body that is oval in profile. There are typically indistinct dark saddles along the back and the sides are lined with rows of small horizontal dots. They have five anal spines and a conspicuous red eye.
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Invasive Species
Sacramento Perch
This species is not fishable.
Sacramento perch are a deep-bodied, laterally compressed sunfish that possess teeth on the jaws, tongue and the roof of the mouth. Sacramento perch have a large mouth that extends to below the midpoint of the eye. The species is most commonly recognized by the 6-8 irregular olive-brown lateral bars, 12-13 dorsal spines and 6-7 anal spines.
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Researching Colorado Waters
Aquatic Research
The Colorado Parks and Wildlife Aquatic Research Section provides a combination of field and laboratory experimentation to answer statewide fisheries management questions and manages aquatic species.
Aquatic Health Lab
The Aquatic Animal Health Laboratory provides in-house support and diagnostic services, including Bacteriology, Molecular testing, Whirling disease testing, Virology and Parasitology.
Aquatic Toxicology Lab
The Aquatic Toxicology Lab conducts experiments that help inform decision makers and managers about pollution and water quality risks.
Hatcheries
CPW operates 19 fish hatcheries, where over 90 million fish per year are bred, hatched, reared and stocked. This includes over 30 different species of fish as well as the boreal toad.