Summer is one of my busiest times of the year.

Not only am I responding to wildlife conflict calls and running various education and outreach events, but I am also responsible for patrolling seven public reservoirs in Teller County for anglers.

As a result, I get to know where fish are biting and where they are not. And I have inside information that might help you catch your limit. So today, let me give you a few fishing tips. (And what serious angler doesn’t want a good fishing tip?)

The most important tip is to buy a Colorado fishing license. If you fish at any public water in Colorado and are 16 or older, you must purchase a fishing license to legally fish. Only children under 16 do not need a fishing license.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife offers a variety of options ranging from a $9 one-day license for adults who live in Colorado to a $26 annual license for in-state adults. Either way it’s a bargain if you catch your limit. (Have you seen the price of fish in the grocery stores lately?)

Another tip is to be aware that some waters have special regulations. Please refer to our fishing guidelines at our website or in our fishing brochure to see a full list of regulations and license options.

Manitou Lake is a great place to take the family and is easy to access. This reservoir is located about 5 miles north of Woodland Park off Highway 67. A day-use fee is required for each vehicle but it’s usually worth the price because the fishing is pretty good most years.

This year, however, the pH levels of the water rose to dangerous levels due to the lack of water flow. Very few fish were being caught in large part because CPW was unable to stock the lake due to the pH imbalance. By mid-June, rain helped bring the pH levels back down to a reasonable level so we could stock the reservoir. In late June, CPW staff from the Pueblo Hatchery stocked 3,750 fish in the reservoir.

My favorite place is North and South Catamount reservoirs. You can access these reservoirs from the Pikes Peak Highway. Again, there is a fee for using the area, but the scenery and fishing are well worth the cost. You will pass Crystal Reservoir on your way up. It is a nice reservoir, but usually too crowded with tourists for my taste.

The catamounts, as they are called, have special regulations such as the requirement at North Catamount that you can only fish with flies and lures. Bait and scented artificial lures are not allowed. North Catamount contains rainbow, native and Snake River cutthroat, cutbows, brown and lake trout. South Catamount contains rainbow, brook, native and Snake River cutthroat trout and cutbows.

These reservoirs are regularly stocked and the fishing is consistently good. Even better, they offer peace and quiet with a great view of the peak!

My final tip is what to expect if you see me or one of my colleagues checking fishing licenses.

We try to be quick and not intrude too much on your fishing. But we do enjoy hearing how the fishing is going and hearing a good fish tale. Every wildlife officer I know is willing to share a tip or two, if asked. We are there to help you. And we know these bodies of water well since we check them frequently.

But you are under no obligation to chat with us. I just need to see your fishing license, and once I see it, I will be on my way. Before Colorado was a state, pioneers fished our waters so heavily some species went extinct. The first fishing regulations were passed in 1861 by the first Legislative Assembly of the Colorado Territory.

Licenses have been required to fish in Colorado for more than a century. Those license fees pay for our reservoirs to be stocked and fish species managed. CPW stocks 90 million fish a year into 2,000 lakes and 800 reservoirs and in 9,500 miles of trout streams across Colorado.

For more on fishing, visit cpw.state.co.us/thingstodo/Pages/Fishing.aspx.

Tim Kroening graduated from Colorado State University with a degree in wildlife biology. He works as a District Wildlife Manager for Colorado Parks and Wildlife in Teller County. With general questions about Colorado Parks and Wildlife, contact Tim at 227-5281.