After weeks of fish and anglers sweating it out, cooler heads and waters have prevailed in Rio Blanco County. Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) gave the green light for fishing lines to get wet again, lifting the voluntary closures on sections of the White River, effective immediately. It really is the time of season when trout can take a break from playing hard to get and actually survive the catch-and-release game.
The voluntary closures, which were originally clamped down on August 15th due to a combo of low flows and high temps, had conservationists and fisherfolk on the same page: keeping fish populations for future generations takes priority. Thanks to increased water flows and a welcome drop in water temperature, fishing can resume on the North Fork White River from the White River National Forest boundary down to the mishmash with the South Fork White River, the South Fork from the same boundary down to it's confluence with the North Fork, and the White River proper from that confluence downstream to County Road 5, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
Anglers have apparently been stellar about respecting the closures. CPW doffed its hat to the public, recognizing that voluntary compliance is a cornerstone for safeguarding delicate aquatic ecosystems. “CPW wants to thank the public for complying with these voluntary fishing closures. This support is crucial for protecting and conserving fish populations for future generations," as per Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
