Protected Fish and Amphibians in Colorado
The nongame, threatened and endangered species the 2026 chart says must be released at once.
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Colorado species that must go back in the water
The 2026 limits chart lists 31 species, 26 fish and 5 amphibians, that may not be taken: each one caught must be returned to the water immediately. It is illegal to take or use the following: Arkansas darter, bluehead sucker, bonytail, boreal toad, brassy minnow, Colorado pikeminnow, common shiner, flannelmouth sucker, flathead chub, greenback cutthroat trout, humpback chub, Iowa darter, lake chub, mollusks, mountain sucker, northern leopard frog, northern redbelly dace, plains leopard frog, plains minnow, plains topminnow, plains orangethroat darter, razorback sucker, Rio Grande chub, Rio Grande sucker, river shiner, roundtail chub, southern redbelly dace, stonecat, suckermouth minnow, wood frog and Woodhouse's toad.
Most are small native fish of plains streams and western rivers: darters, dace, chubs, shiners and suckers, plus the big Colorado River natives such as the bonytail, humpback chub, razorback sucker and Colorado pikeminnow.
2026 Colorado Fishing brochure (Colorado Parks and Wildlife), p. 10, retrieved October 25, 2026.
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Fish
- Arkansas dartertake prohibited
- Bluehead suckertake prohibited
- Bonytailtake prohibited
- Brassy minnowtake prohibited
- Colorado pikeminnowtake prohibited
- Common shinertake prohibited
- Flannelmouth suckertake prohibited
- Flathead chubtake prohibited
- Greenback cutthroat trouttake prohibited
- Humpback chubtake prohibited
- Iowa dartertake prohibited
- Lake chubtake prohibited
- Molluskstake prohibited
- Mountain suckertake prohibited
- Northern redbelly dacetake prohibited
- Plains minnowtake prohibited
- Plains topminnowtake prohibited
- Plains orangethroat dartertake prohibited
- Razorback suckertake prohibited
- Rio Grande chubtake prohibited
- Rio Grande suckertake prohibited
- River shinertake prohibited
- Roundtail chubtake prohibited
- Southern redbelly dacetake prohibited
- Stonecattake prohibited
- Suckermouth minnowtake prohibited
Amphibians
- Boreal toadtake prohibited
- Northern leopard frogtake prohibited
- Plains leopard frogtake prohibited
- Wood frogtake prohibited
- Woodhouse's toadtake prohibited
Mollusks are on the same line: i. Mollusks: Taking mollusks is prohibited.
Greenback cutthroat and the Colorado cutthroat waters
The rugged topography of the Rocky Mountain West has led to stream isolation and, in turn, the evolution of 14 recognized subspecies of cutthroat trout, making it the most diverse and wide-ranging trout species in North America. The greenback, Colorado River and Rio Grande cutthroat trout still call Colorado home, but all three have endured dramatic reductions in their native ranges, primarily due to the introduction of non-native trout. Rainbow trout hybridize with native cutthroat trout, while brook and brown trout tend to replace them in streams and rivers where they occur together. All …
180 special-regulation entries require cutthroat trout to be returned to the water immediately.
Special regulations as printed in the 2026 Colorado Fishing brochure (CPW, season March 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027), pp. 11 to 39, checked against CPW Chapter W-1 (as approved 13 November 2025); retrieved October 2026.
Protected Fish and Amphibians in Colorado, shown through Colorado water
Photo: JERRYE AND ROY KLOTZ MD, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Mshuang2, CC0 1.0
Photo: Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0
Protected Colorado species: reader questions
How many Colorado species are illegal to take?
31 on the 2026 chart: 26 fish and 5 amphibians, plus all mollusks.
What should I do if I hook a protected fish?
Return it to the water immediately; the chart allows no take.
Is the greenback cutthroat trout protected?
Yes; greenback cutthroat trout are on the take-prohibited list.
Can I use protected minnows as bait?
No; only the species on the personal-use bait list may be taken for bait, and protected species are never allowed.
Are frogs and toads covered?
Yes: Boreal toad, Northern leopard frog, Plains leopard frog, Wood frog and Woodhouse’s toad.
Are bullfrogs protected too?
No; bullfrogs are open to take with no bag or possession limit under the chart.
Does a special regulation ever open a protected species?
The brochure prints none; the take-prohibited line applies statewide.
Which CPW table supplies this list?
The Threatened, endangered and nongame species line of the 2026 statewide limits chart, page 10, retrieved October 25, 2026.