Colorado Free Fishing Weekend
The first full weekend of June, when CPW waives the license and the Habitat Stamp.
For weighing a catchPiscifun Lip gripper with digital scale27% OFFSale $39.99 Photo of Dolores River: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0
How the Colorado free fishing weekend works
Residents and nonresidents can fish without a license or Habitat Stamp on the first full weekend of June, each year. All other rules and regulations apply.
CPW invites resident and nonresident anglers of all ages to participate in Free Fishing Weekend. On June 6-7, 2026, anyone can fish for free, and the fishing license and Habitat Stamp requirements are waived, making it a truly inclusive event.
CPW Free Fishing Weekend event page and the 2026 brochure, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Colorado license-free fishing dates
| Year | Dates |
|---|---|
| 2026 | June 6 to 7, 2026 |
| 2027 | Not announced; the rule points to the first full weekend of June |
CPW had not published 2027 dates when this page was checked on October 25, 2026.
License-free fishing in Colorado outside the June weekend
- All youth under 16 can take a full bag and possession limit without a license (second-rod stamp needed for a second line).Youth under 16
- Colorado residents on active duty with U.S. armed forces out of state can fish free without a license while here on temporary leave, maximum of 30 days a year.Armed forces on leave
Everyone 16 and older needs a CPW fishing license: $44.87 a year for adult residents, $124.01 for nonresidents, or $18.07 for a resident one-day license.
Colorado Free Fishing Weekend, shown through Colorado water
Photo: Peter K, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Mshuang2, CC0 1.0
Photo: Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0
Colorado free fishing weekend: reader questions
When is the 2026 Colorado free fishing weekend?
June 6 to 7, 2026.
Is the Habitat Stamp waived too?
Yes; CPW waives both the license and the Habitat Stamp that weekend.
Can nonresidents fish free that weekend?
Yes; residents and nonresidents of all ages.
Do bag limits still apply?
Yes; every other rule and regulation applies.
When is the 2027 free fishing weekend?
CPW has not announced it; the rule is the first full weekend of June.
Can kids fish free the rest of the year?
Yes; anglers under 16 take a full limit without a license, but need a second-rod stamp for a second line.
Do special regulations apply on the free weekend?
Yes; flies-and-lures, closures and local limits stay in force.
What does a license cost after the free weekend?
Everyone 16 and older needs a CPW fishing license: $44.87 a year for adult residents, $124.01 for nonresidents, or $18.07 for a resident one-day license.