Fishing in Colorado
Bass, catfish, crappie, and panfish in Colorado
Statewide warm-water limits, shared species groups, western and eastern exceptions, named-water sizes, and fish identification.
Black bass
Three bass species share a five-fish limit
The shared group
Largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass count together. The statewide default is five in a day and five in possession.
Western smallmouth
West of the Continental Divide, the statewide chart lists smallmouth bass alone as unlimited. A named water can still be stricter.
Named-water sizes
Many reservoirs add a minimum length or a smaller count. Measure under the exact water's rule.
Other bass and catfish
Keep the legal families separate
White bass, striped bass, and wiper
These three count together. The statewide default is 10 daily and 10 in possession, with a 20-fish default in the Arkansas and South Fork Republican River drainages.
Channel, flathead, and blue catfish
These catfish count together. The statewide default is 10 daily and 10 in possession.
Bullheads
Bullheads are not in the three-catfish group. The statewide chart lists bullheads as unlimited, subject to named-water rules.
Crappie, sunfish, and perch
Panfish is a useful nickname, not one legal limit
Crappie
Black and white crappie count together. The statewide default is 20 daily and 20 in possession.
Sunfish
Bluegill, hybrid bluegill, green sunfish, redear sunfish, and pumpkinseed count together. The statewide default is 20 daily and 20 in possession.
Yellow perch
The statewide default is unlimited west of the Continental Divide and 20 daily and 20 in possession east of it.
Before keeping fish
Count the family and the water rule
Identify each fish, place it in the correct shared group, and check whether the water adds a size or count rule. A mixed stringer can reach a family limit before it looks full.
Take this with you
Before you keep warm-water fish
- ✓ You can identify each fish and its shared legal group.
- ✓ You know which side of the Continental Divide or drainage applies.
- ✓ You searched the exact water for a minimum size or smaller count.
- ✓ Your daily catch and stored fish both fit the possession rule.
Official sources and review
Check the current rule before you act
These links go to the agencies that control this part of the trip. Use the exact page, license, listing, map, order, or confirmation for your situation.
Use this carefully: These are statewide family defaults. Named waters can change counts, sizes, and methods, so check the exact water before keeping a fish.
Keep going
More about fishing in Colorado
Trout fishing
The statewide trout limit, named-water exceptions, brook trout, protected cutthroat, legal lines, and the rules to check before keeping a fish.
Kokanee and snagging
Ordinary kokanee angling, the narrow snagging exception, statewide limits, fish identification, and the named-water rules that control the season.
Walleye, saugeye, and sauger
The shared statewide limit, the eastern drainage exception, named-water size rules, identification, and ordinary fishing methods.
Northern pike and tiger muskie
The very different statewide limits, fish identification, legal methods, named-water rules, and live-fish restrictions.
Bait and live bait
Where ordinary bait is allowed, why chumming is illegal, and how elevation, the Continental Divide, source water, and receipts affect live baitfish.
Ice fishing
Fishing licenses, tip-ups, second rods, hole size, shelters, fires, exact-water rules, and a calm check on changing ice.
Licenses and limits
Who should check for a Colorado fishing license, how statewide limits work, and why the exact water listing matters before you keep a fish.
Where to fish
How to use the CPW Fishing Atlas, find public access, and check the bank, streambed, parking, and land-manager rules for a Colorado fishing spot.
Rules for the exact water
How to read Colorado's special fishing regulations for a named lake or river stretch, including methods, closures, limits, and release rules.
Boats and Clean, Drain, Dry
The Colorado checks for boat registration, aquatic nuisance species stamps, inspections, launches, and cleaning gear between waters.