Colorado Parks and Wildlife implements afternoon voluntary fishing closures in Grand County

Image of the Colorado River at Windy Gap Reservoir. Photo courtesy of CPW.

July 30, 2026

 

HOT SULPHUR SPRINGS, Colo. — Continued extreme drought conditions leading to low flows and high water temperatures have prompted Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) to implement voluntary fishing closures on the Colorado and Fraser rivers in Grand County.

Beginning Friday, July 31, afternoon voluntary fishing closures are in effect from noon to midnight on the following rivers:

• Colorado River: From Windy Gap Dam downstream to the Williams Fork confluence near Parshall. This includes public water at Windy Gap, Hot Sulphur Springs, Byers Canyon, and the CPW State Wildlife Area downstream of Byers Canyon.

• Fraser River: From County Road 8 in Fraser downstream to the Colorado River confluence outside Granby. This includes Fraser Flats, Fraser River Canyon, and public water in Granby.

"Up until now, night temperatures have cooled the water off, but those low early morning water temperatures are now steadily rising," said Hot Sulphur Springs Area Aquatic Biologist Jon Ewert. "Some locations are not seeing nighttime water temperatures get below 60 degrees, which is extremely rare for this area.”

Ewert encouraged anglers to target other locations during these closure hours, such as high alpine lakes, small streams, or tailwater rivers close to dams where reservoir water remains cool.

To reduce fish stress, wildlife officials advise anglers to:

• Use heavier tippet and line to land fish quickly.
• Wet hands before handling any fish.
• Keep fish submerged in water while unhooking and releasing them.
• Avoid removing fish from water for photographs.
• Avoid overcrowded areas and seek alternative fishing locations.

CPW staff will continue monitoring conditions. Anglers are encouraged to adhere to the voluntary closures to conserve fish populations and avoid mandatory closures in the future.

Anglers should check river conditions before traveling. For a complete list of voluntary river closures, visit the 2026 Weather and Drought Closures page.

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