Crayfish in Colorado
Limits, records and special rules for crayfish.
- No bag limitlimit
Angler pickPiscifun Viper X spinning reel50% OFFSale $39.99 Photo of Animas River: USEPA Environmental-Protection-Agency, Public domain
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What CPW says about Crayfish
crayfish belongs to the crustacean group on the CPW list, with 1 chart row in the 2026 chart. Under the waters statewide line: no bag or possession limit.
Water pages here leave it off their species lists for now.
Colorado bag limits for crayfish by zone
| Chart row | Zone | Limit | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crayfish (Crawdads), Bullfrogs | Statewide | No bag or possession limit | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
2026 Colorado Fishing brochure (Colorado Parks and Wildlife), p. 10, retrieved October 25, 2026; the chart applies on every water not listed in the special regulations.
Methods and bait rules for crayfish
- 6. Seines and cast-net See “Use and Collection of Bait Fish,” below and next page. a. Seines are allowed only for bait fish, gilled form of aquatic tiger salamander larvae and crayfish, or, if authorized, for emergency salvage. b. Seines must be made of a quarter-inch or less nonmetallic square …p. 8
- 7. By hand or with dip nets See “Use and Collection of Bait Fish,” below and next page. a. Allowed for bullfrogs, crayfish and the gilled form of aquatic tiger salamander larvae. b. Fish may be taken by these means or others approved by CPW for emergency salvage. c. Hand-held dip nets may be used …p. 8
- 8. Livetraps See “Use and Collection of Bait Fish,” below and next page. Cage or box traps, including set pots, shall be used only for the taking of crayfish, snapping turtles and fish captured as bait fish or for personal consumption. Traps must be tagged with the user’s CID number or name when …p. 8
- b. Crustaceans: The following crustaceans may be possessed east of the Continental Divide: virile crayfish, waternymph crayfish, calico crayfish, ringed crayfish and Southern Plains crayfish. The following crustaceans may be possessed on either side of the Continental Divide: freshwater shrimp …p. 8
2026 Colorado Fishing brochure (Colorado Parks and Wildlife),, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Snapshots of lakes and rivers close to Crayfish
Photo: Victoria Stauffenberg, Public domain
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Photo: Peter K, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0
Straight answers on Colorado Crayfish
Can I keep crayfish in Colorado?
No bag or possession limit (statewide); special regulations can change it on listed waters.
Who caught the Colorado record crayfish?
CPW keeps no record entry for it.
Which lakes list crayfish?
No page here lists it yet.
Are there waters with their own crayfish limits?
No special-regulation entry names it, so the statewide chart applies unless a water closes or limits all fishing.
How does CPW group crayfish?
Crustacean on the CPW species list; the chart zones that apply are statewide.
What dates apply to crayfish?
Colorado waters are open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation closes them; no entry names it.
What license does a visiting angler buy to fish for crayfish here?
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.
How long must a record crayfish be?
CPW prints no qualifying length for it; weight records need a state-certified scale and a CPW signature.