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Guide to Fishing in Rocky Mountain National Park by Jay Bryce

Sport fishing is permitted in Rocky Mountain National Park, a protected area. Fishing activities are balanced with efforts to restore and perpetuate natural aquatic environments and life.

Fishing was popular with early settlers and visitors in the Rocky Mountains. In an attempt to improve the sport, many streams and lakes were stocked with non-native species of trout. Waters with no sport fish were also stocked. The National Park Service stocked non-native Yellowstone cutthroat trout as late as 1969. The only trout native to the park are the greenback cutthroat and the Colorado River cutthroat.

These efforts to enhance recreational opportunities in National Park areas were reconsidered in the 1970's. Since 1975, native greenback cutthroat and Colorado River cutthroat trout are being restored to park waters and exotic or non-native fish are being removed.

Protect Fish and their Habitats

Park fish are vulnerable to several invasive organisms that can be carried on waders and other gear. Please read and follow these guidelines to disinfect your gear before entering park waters and when moving between different lakes and streams.

Today's Fisheries

Populations of at least four species of trout exist in the park: brown, brook, rainbow, and cutthroat. Some suckers also inhabit the streams and lakes. Only 48 of the 156 lakes in the park have reproducing populations of fish. Cold water temperatures and lack of spawning habitat prevent reproduction in high altitude lakes. Supplemental stocking is done only to restore native species. Fishing success at high altitudes varies, even in waters known to contain fish. Restoration of native species requires that the possession limits be managed carefully. See posession limit below for specific regulations. You must be able to identify each species of fish taken.

Licenses & Fees

A valid Colorado fishing license is required for all persons 16 years of age or older to fish in Rocky Mountain National Park. No other permit is necessary; however, special regulations exist. It is your responsibility to know and obey them.

To obtain current Colorado fishing license fees visit the Colorado Division of Wildlife web site.

Method of Capture

Each person shall use only one hand-held rod or line. A 'second rod stamp' is not honored in park waters. Only artificial lures or flies with one (single, double, or treble) hook with a common shank may be used. "Artificial flies or lures" means devices made entirely of, or a combination of, materials such as wood, plastic, glass, hair, metal, feathers, or fiber, designed to attract fish. This does not include: (a) any hand moldable material designed to attract fish by the sense of taste or smell; (b) any device to which scents or smell attractants have been externally applied; (c) molded plastic devices less than one and one-half inch in length; (d) foods; (e) traditional organic baits such as worms, grubs, crickets, leeches, minnows, and fish eggs; and (f) manufactured baits such as imitation fish eggs, dough baits, or stink baits. Fly fishers may utilize a two hook system, where one hook is used as an attractant.

While in possession of any fishing equipment, bait for fishing (insects, fish eggs, minnows, or other organic matter) or worms is prohibited. Children 12 years of age or under, however, may use worms or preserved fish eggs in all park waters open to fishing except those designated as catch-andrelease areas.

No bait or worms are allowed in catch-and-release waters.

Use of lead sinkers (or other lead fishing materials) is strongly discouraged.

Possession Limit

This is general information only. A complete listing of regulations is available at park visitor centers and ranger stations. Possession Limit means the numbers, sizes, or species of fish, fresh or preserved, a person may have. These provisions have parkwide application and are detailed below.

Possession Limit: 8 fish, 6 must be brook Trout

Species

Possession Limit

Length

Rainbow, Brown, Colorado River Cutthroat,
Non-native Cutthroat

2

10" or more

Greenback Cutthroat Trout

0

(Catch-and-Release-ONLY)

Brook Trout

6 (8 if no other species are possessed)

any size

Additional Brook Trout Bonus

10

8" or less

Closed Waters: (no fishing allowed)

Bear Lake, inlet and outlet streams, extending 200 yards downstream
Bench Lake and Ptarmigan Creek above War Dance Falls
Hunters Creek above Wild Basin Ranger Station, as posted

Lake Nanita Outlet downstream 100 yards
South Fork Poudre River above Pingree Park
Upper Columbine Creek above 9,000 feet
Lily Lake east shore May-June

Open Lakes: (known to contain fish populations)
This is not a complete listing of all the fishable waters in the park.

Black Lake
Box Lake
Fourth Lake
Haynach Lake
Jewel Lake
Lake Haiyaha
Lake Nanita (outlet closed)
Lake of Glass

Lake Solitude
Lake Verna
Little Rock Lake
Loch Vale
Lone Pine Lake
Mills Lake
Mirror Lake
Peacock Pool
Pettingell Lake

Poudre Lake
Rock Lake
Sky Pond
Spirit Lake
Sprague Lake
Ten Lake Park Lakes
Thunder Lake
Ypsilon Lake

Catch-and-Release

Certain waters in the park with restored native fish populations are open year round during daylight hours, except as indicated. Use barbless hooks only. Any and all fish species taken must be immediately returned to the water unharmed. No bait is permitted by any age angler in catch-and-release areas.

The following waters are open for catch-and-release fishing:

Adams Lake**
Arrowhead Lake*
Big Crystal Lake*
Caddis Lake (Lower Fay Lake)*
Cony Creek (above Calypso Cascades)*
Dream Lake*
Fern Lake and Creek*
Fifth Lake**
Forest Canyon (above the Pool)*
Hidden Valley Beaver Ponds and Hidden Valley Creek (open only as posted)*#
Hutcheson Lakes*
Lake Husted*
Lake Louise*
Lawn Lake*
Lily Lake (south, west and north shores; east shore open July 1 to April 30)*

Loomis Lake*
Lost Lake*#
North Fork of the Big Thompson above Lost Falls*#
Odessa Lake*
Ouzel Creek (above falls; brook trout may be kept)*#
Ouzel Lake*#
Paradise Creek drainage**
Pear Lake and Creek*
Roaring River*
Sandbeach Lake and Creek*
Spruce Lake*
Timber Lake and Creek**
West Creek*

*Greenback Cutthroat Trout
**Colorado River Cutthroat
#A legal limit of brook trout may be kept

Due to the dynamic nature of fisheries management, fishing regulations could change at anytime. Special closures may be put in place above and beyond what is listed here. Please contact the park before your fishing trip for current information.

Jay Bryce is a community manger at iFished.com (http://www.ifished.com/). iFished.com has fishing and local information for over 40,000 lakes and fishing areas in the United States. Information includes current weather and forecasts, best times fishing charts, maps, local businesses and more. iFished.com also has a large library of how to fishing videos, fishing articles and current fishing reports to help you catch more fish.

Article Source: http://www.earticlesonline.com/Article/Guide-to-Fishing-in-Rocky-Mountain-National-Park/963909