Fort Collins
Parks and Wildlife finalizes fishing rules, license fee changes for 2027
The fishing changes take effect April 1 and prohibit using any amphibian, alive or dead, as bait. They also revise walleye and saugeye limits and set special rules for several waters.
The Parks and Wildlife Commission finalized regulations at its Nov. 4-5 meeting that adjust license fees and license-agent commission rates according to the Denver-Aurora-Lakewood Consumer Price Index, with final regulations taking effect Jan. 1, 2027 unless otherwise noted.
The finalized regulations include preference point fees for bear, elk, deer, pronghorn and turkey. The Commission also finalized regulations to implement a new licensing and registration system in June of 2027.
The fishing regulations take effect April 1, 2027. They prohibit using any amphibian, alive or dead, as fishing bait.
They also modify walleye and saugeye bag and possession limits. They remove the Boyd Lake restriction that limited anglers to a single walleye or saugeye exceeding 21 inches.
The finalized fishing regulations set rules for these waters:
- Lutz Reservoir: a 10" minimum size limit for crappie, catch-and-release rules for largemouth and smallmouth bass, and an artificial-fly-and-lure-only rule
- Scotland Peak Reservoir: flies and lures only, with trout released immediately upon catch
- Mill Creek: restricted harvest and methods of take for cutthroat trout
The finalized regulations establish catch-and-release rules for largemouth and smallmouth bass at Arapahoe Bend Natural Area, Riverbend Ponds, Dixon Reservoir, Prospect Ponds and Kyger Reservoir. They also establish special largemouth and smallmouth bass rules at Willow Bend Natural Area Ponds: Willow Bend, Kingfisher and Turtle.
At Golden Park Ponds, the regulations modify property-specific largemouth and smallmouth bass rules regarding the use of artificial flies and lures.
The finalized regulations remove rules at Button Rock Reservoir that are not directed by CPW. They also require aquatic nuisance species inspection and management for aquatic wildlife production facilities under Chapter W-0, Article VII, #014 Aquatic Wildlife Health Management.
The Commission also heard a proposal, part of its Chapter W-0 review, to prohibit hunting, fishing or trapping on lands managed by Eagle County, Larimer County and the City of Fort Collins. It would apply when the managing city or county agency has closed those lands by rule or ordinance.
The Commission finalized changes to turkey hunting regulations covering license areas, season dates and methods of take for the 2026 turkey hunting seasons. It also added game management unit 26 to the over-the-counter turkey hunt code.
The Commission finalized changes to river-outfitter regulations to implement HB 26-1197, which the Commission says revised the statutory definition of “vessel.” The changes allow limited use of single-chamber vessels on regulated trips.
The Commission denied a citizen petition to rename Roxborough State Park to Richard D. Lamm State Park at Roxborough.