Colorado Parks and Wildlife is asking anglers to avoid afternoon fishing in portions of the Eagle and Roaring Fork rivers due to warm temperatures and low flow.

Voluntary fishing ban issued near Gunnison

The voluntary fishing ban will begin at noon Saturday on the Eagle River in a section that runs from Wolcott down to the Colorado River. For the Roaring Fork River, the ban is for a 25-mile section beginning in Carbondale down to the Colorado River.

“Both rivers have been exceeding 71 degrees Fahrenheit consistently for the last several days and isolated rain showers haven’t provided much relief,” said aquatic biologist Kendall Bakich with the agency. “Anglers fishing in these reaches have reported sport fish mortalities and, in the case of the lower Roaring Fork, mudslides have muddied the waters from the Crystal River tributary and contributed to fish stress in the hottest section of the Roaring Fork.”

This fishing ban adds to the existing full-day and some afternoon bans on the Yampa River and Stagecoach Reservoir State Park and Chuck Lewis State Wildlife Area that were implemented earlier.

Voluntary afternoon fishing ban enacted for Yampa, Elk rivers

Other bans on the Colorado River were lifted this month in Kremmling, while other sections such as the Red Dirt Creek in Rifle are still restricted.

The agency will continue monitoring conditions on the two rivers and other bodies of water and will lift the voluntary and full-day bans when appropriate. 

Additionally, other bodies of water such as the Crystal River could implement fishing bans in the near future if conditions worsen, officials said. 

Officials are urging anglers to “Know Before You Go” and check conditions and closures online before hitting the road.