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People visiting the popular rivers and lakes of Colorado to fish this year are facing an increased license fee. Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) has imposed a new license fee which is almost double the amount out-of-state anglers were expected to pay last year.
According to the office, fishers coming to Colorado this summer will need to pay $96.75 to fish the state’s waterways, a sizeable increase from $56 during 2018. That might mean some people may look for new fishing destinations when browsing the internet for a betting promo code, although Parks and Wildlife clearly hopes the popularity of Colorado means fishers are willing to pay extra.
The organization says the increased fees for out-of-state anglers are a fund-raising exercise. Money will go towards “habitat improvements that better support our birds, fish and other small game,” Travis Duncan, a spokesman for Colorado Parks and Wildlife, said.
Anglers from outside Colorado have known license price increases were likely following the passing of Senate Bill 18-143 last year. The bill granted CPW the power to adjust pricing in order to maintain costs regarding management and resources. Furthermore, the agency can continue with its conservation initiatives.
Price increases were expected to be enacted on January 1, 2019, but CPW delayed until April when the annual license renewal process begins. While the new cost of a license is more than double the fee from a year ago, Colorado is now on parity with other states in the Mountain West:
• Wyoming — $102
• Idaho — $98.25 plus $10 access/depredation fee
• Montana — $86 plus $25 in fees
• Utah — $75
CPW is confident the increased prices will not impact the number of anglers who visit Colorado from other states to fish. Access to the outdoors and excellent fishing opportunities are an attraction to people around the country. Anglers have become a major contributor to Colorado’s tourism industry, so it remains to be seen if increased license fees will impact this sector.
Colorado Fishing
Colorado has become one of the most popular states for fishing, especially during the summer months. 35 species of warm and cold-water fish are catchable in the state’s rivers and lakes across the Rocky Mountains and Great Plains. Colorado boasts 6,000 miles of rivers and streams and over 1,300 lakes and reservoirs.
Fishing licenses in Colorado run from April 1 through to March 31.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife will continue to post online information regarding fishing conditions around the state. These update reports can be found on the organization’s official page. Weekly reports are published highlighting conditions at the most popular lakes and reservoirs in Colorado, while CPW also reports on when fish are restocked and in which locations.
