DENVER — Fishing restrictions are now in effect for hundreds of miles of some of the most prized river sections in Colorado as extreme drought increases water temperatures and slows water flow to dangerous levels.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife has implemented voluntary afternoon fishing closures on sections of the White River in Rio Blanco County until further notice. Beginning July 25, voluntary closures are in effect from noon to midnight on the following sections:
- The North Fork White River from the White River National Forest boundary downstream to the confluence with the South Fork White River.
- The South Fork White River from the White River National Forest boundary downstream to the confluence with the North Fork White River.
- The White River from the confluence of the North Fork White River and the South Fork White River downstream to County Road 5.
Severe drought has created extremely low flows across Colorado rivers. Combined with summer heat, water temperatures have warmed quickly, creating dangerous conditions for fish — especially mountain whitefish, one of Colorado's two native sportfish.
When water temperatures reach 71 degrees or higher, fish struggle to recover after being caught and released. Some Colorado rivers are now recording temperatures in the 80s.
Slow-moving water also reduces oxygen levels. Fish are congregating in cooler pools, which depletes oxygen even faster and increases stress on fish populations.
"They are also finding that they are populating together. They are starting to see in some of these slower pools, large amounts of fish congregate because again, they are trying to find cooler portions of the river. So it's dissolving oxygen a lot faster. So again they are getting stressed," Rachael Gonzales of Colorado Parks and Wildlife told Denver7 anchor Shannon Ogden recently.
Gonzales said there are typically a few restrictions put in place each summer, but she said she has never seen anything to this extent. She said there is no end in sight for these measures and that she expects more restrictions as the summer progresses.
"The White River is an amazing fishery," Meeker area aquatic biologist Gage Dean said. "From rainbow and brown trout to mountain whitefish, anglers are very successful when fishing these stretches. Closures are a necessary measure to help conserve these valuable resources for today and future generations."
Most of the current restrictions are voluntary. A complete list is available at cpw.state.co.us/fishing under "Summertime Drought Management."
Drought
Voluntary, mandatory fishing closures in place on Yampa River near Steamboat
State officials recommend fishing early in the day to avoid peak afternoon temperatures. Anglers should use a handheld thermometer to test water conditions and move to cooler, higher-elevation waters once temperatures approach 71 degrees.
To reduce fish stress, officials advise anglers to:
- Use heavier tippet and line to land fish quickly.
- Wet hands before handling any fish.
- Keep fish submerged in the water while unhooking and releasing them.
- Avoid removing fish from the water for photographs.
- Avoid overcrowded areas and have an alternative fishing location planned.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
