There are a lot of great fishing opportunities in the park. Consider hiring a guide- they not only know the rules and regulations of the area, but also the best areas to fish.
Fly Fishing in Rocky Mountain National Park
Whether you are an experienced fisher or just starting out, a guided fly-fishing tour in Rocky Mountain National Park will give you an opportunity to create wonderful memories. Rocky Mountain National Park’s many lakes, rivers, and streams are home to at least four different types of trout and various other aquatic life.
Fishing has been a popular pastime in Rocky Mountain National Park since before the park was established. Used both as a practical and recreational activity, the National Park Service stocked several types of non-native fish in the park until the 1970’s. In 1975, NPS shifted their focus to removing the non-native fish populations and helping restore the native populations. Between brown, brook, rainbow, and cutthroat trout, only the greenback cutthroat and the Colorado River cutthroat are native to the park. Because of this, the greenback cutthroat and the Colorado River cutthroat are catch-and-release only. Less than one third of RMNP’s over 150 lakes have regularly reproducing populations of fish, in part due to the high altitude.
The many types of regulations on where you can and can’t fish, what type of bait you can use, and the subtle differences between the types of trout that can be kept and the ones that are catch-and-release can seem daunting. So why stress about learning these rules during your vacation? Below is a list of some of the companies that provide fly fishing tours in Rocky Mountain National Park. All of them employ knowledgeable staff who know RMNP’s regulations and will guide you to the perfect fly-fishing locations.
Please note that if you or anyone in your party are 16 years old or older, a current Colorado fishing license is required. You can learn more about how to purchase a fishing license by visiting the Colorado Parks and Wildlife website. Anyone under the age of 16 does not need a Colorado fishing license.