· Landon Mayer with Breaking the Surface;
· Brian LaRue with Beaver Creek;
· Colorado TU Staff with Inside Colorado Trout Unlimited's New Look;
· Other columns by Barbara Luneau, Joel Evans, and CTU Staff, Haden Mellsop, Peter Stitcher, and Joel Evans.
On May 31, Colorado Trout Unlimited welcomed thousands of attendees to the heart of Denver for Troutfest Colorado, a free celebration of coldwater conservation, outdoor education, and community connection. Hosted at Coors Field, the event brought together families, anglers, outdoor enthusiasts, and curious newcomers for an afternoon of hands-on activities and inspiration.
From casting clinics and fly tying demos to live music, kids’ education zones, and stadium tours, Troutfest offered something for everyone. This unique setting highlighted that conservation belongs everywhere, from wild rivers to city ballparks. With support from the Colorado Wildlife Council and the Colorado Lottery, and in partnership with the Outside Festival, Troutfest Colorado helped connect thousands to the mission of protecting and restoring Colorado’s rivers and streams.
The following photographs capture just a glimpse of the energy, excitement, and community spirit that made this year’s event unforgettable.
In mid-May, Colorado TU and its partners with Audubon Rockies and Conservation Colorado hosted a tour for members of the Colorado Water Quality Control Commission as well as staff with the Water Quality Control Division. The tour offered the opportunity to see first-hand isolated wetlands and non-perennial streams that lost protection under the Supreme Court’s Sackett decision in 2023, and which will now be managed under a wetlands protection and permitting program under Colorado state law.
By December 2025, the Commission is charged with adopting rules for a state “dredge and fill” authorization program – similar to the Clean Water Act Section 404 permitting program managed through the US Army Corps of Engineers and Environmental Protection Agency. Perennial streams – those that flow year-round – and wetlands with a surface connection to those more permanent waters will continue to be regulated through the federal program, while Colorado’ state program is needed to maintain protections for isolated wetlands and intermittent and ephemeral streams that do not flow year-round.
On the tour, we visited Two Ponds National Wildlife Refuge and Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge, to see different types of isolated wetlands – ranging from the namesake Two (actually three) Ponds, to a mix of perched groundwater-fed wetlands and ephemeral stream systems cutting across portions of Rocky Flats. While these specific waters were on protected federal lands, they are examples of the kind of waters throughout Colorado that lost their status under the federal Clean Water Act and in future will rely on state regulations for their protection.
In addition to seeing such waters on-the-ground and hearing from the federal land managers who steward them on the refuges, the tour included presentations from outside experts including Gene Reetz (retired from EPA’s regional water program), Abby Burk (restoration and policy expert with Audubon Rockies) and Colorado TU board member Ashley Giles (wetlands ecologist and consultant). Our experts shared with attendees background on the waters we visited including the functions they and similar waters serve within our watersheds across Colorado – as habitat for a range of species, as contributors to downstream watershed and stream health, and as buffers that help mitigate impacts from natural disasters like floods and wildfires.
Our hope is that the first-hand visit and education about these systems will help Colorado’s Water Quality Control Commission to be well-informed about the resources they address in the upcoming rulemaking, helping them to consider thoughtfully the proposals and information presented during the rulemaking, and to ask thoughtful questions to help shape the ultimate policies they adopt from a place of greater up-front knowledge and familiarity.
We are confident that well-informed decision-makers will help produce better final policies that responsibly address wetland and water protection within the context of Colorado’s laws, communities, and watersheds. We deeply appreciate the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s assistance in touring wetlands on their refuge properties, and the Commission and Division representatives who took part in this afternoon of shared learning and conversation.
In May, the House of Representatives passed their reconciliation bill. Thanks to many of you who spoke up, an amendment to sell half a million acres of public lands in Nevada and Utah was removed from the bill before passage. Unfortunately, the bill passed with other harmful provisions including efforts to do away with commonsense oil and gas reforms, greatly expand drilling on public land, eliminate critical agency funding and roll back protections for the Boundary Waters in Minnesota.
Now, the Senate is drafting their own reconciliation budget bill, and we have a new need and opportunity to advocate to the Senate to drop these provisions and to ensure that public land sales are kept OUT of this and future legislation.
With the lack of public process and transparency, budget reconciliation is not the right place to make consequential decisions about our public lands and watersheds. Please join Trout Unlimited in telling your Senators to stand up for public lands and coldwater resources. We've provided a draft message for your Senators, but please feel free to add or create your own personalized narrative.
This June marks the 10th Annual Mile High 25 on the Fly. What began as a wild idea in a Littleton fly shop has grown into one of Colorado’s most creative and unpredictable fly fishing events.
The idea was simple. Celebrate the species diversity of the Front Range and challenge anglers to go beyond trout. The result is two days of fast-paced, strategy-heavy, and often chaotic fishing that rewards creativity as much as skill.
How It Works
Teams of two anglers fish public waters on June 21 and 22. The goal is to catch and release as many different fish species as possible using only flies. There are 25 target species on the master list, each with a different point value. You get points for your first catch of each species. Catching duplicates does not help your score.
Fish must be documented and submitted through the tournament scoring app. You can fish from shore or boat, as long as you follow Colorado Parks and Wildlife regulations. You will need to adapt, think on your feet, and be ready for anything. Some teams have fished through snow, rain, and even tornado warnings.
Tips from Past Participants
Scout your spots before the weekend. Know what species live where and make sure the access is solid.
Don’t waste time chasing multiple species from one location. Catch what you can, then move.
Bring a versatile fly box. Include streamers, poppers, and panfish patterns, not just trout flies.
Use the right gear. A 5- or 6-weight rod works for most species, but it helps to bring a heavier option.
Plan your route and manage your time carefully. Have backups for your backups.
Stay organized and stay safe. Fishing is more fun when your gear is in order and your team is clicking.
Why It Matters
The Mile High 25 has always been about more than just points. It’s a celebration of community, creativity, and the waters we love. This year, a portion of every registration supports Denver Trout Unlimited and their work on the South Platte River.
If you’ve ever wanted to test your skills, meet great people, and support conservation all at once, this is your chance.
Join us June 21 and 22, 2025
Learn more and register at milehigh25.com
If you love rivers, wild trout, and unforgettable days on the water, this is for you.
Colorado Trout Unlimited is proud to partner with Riversmith to offer a special appreciation gift for our most generous supporters: a custom Trout Unlimited River Quiver. Available exclusively to donors who contribute $3,000 or more, this limited-edition River Quiver is a way to show your commitment to Colorado’s rivers every time you hit the road.
When you join the River Champions Circle, you’ll have the option to receive a Silver or Black branded 2-Banger or 4-Banger River Quiver (standard mount). Shipping is included, and the gift comes directly to you.
But the River Quiver is just the beginning.
As a River Champions Circle member, you’ll gain access to unforgettable experiences on some of Colorado’s most iconic and hard-to-reach waters. You’ll join other members for weekend tours that connect you directly with the conservation work your support makes possible. These tours are available at cost and offer a rare chance to explore legendary stretches of river alongside fellow anglers and CTU staff.
You’ll also receive:
Membership in your local TU chapter, with access to stream restoration projects, Fish-With-A-Member outings, and local meetings.
One-on-one conversations with CTU Executive Director David Nickum.
In-depth updates on our top strategies for coldwater conservation in Colorado.
An invitation to our January 2026 project briefing reception.
Access to CTU’s monthly Currents e-newsletter and TU’s national Community Forum Digest.
A one-year subscription to TROUT magazine.
Most of all, you’ll know that you’ve made a powerful commitment to the places you love to fish - and to the next generation of river stewards.
To learn more, contact Cheyenne Johnson, CTU Director of Philanthropy, at cheyenne.johnson@tu.org or call 720-383-4373.
Special thanks to Riversmith for their generous support and for making this appreciation gift possible.
This June, Colorado Trout Unlimited is proud to join more than 30 organizations across Colorado for Give Outdoor Learning, a month-long fundraising campaign during National Get Outdoors Month.
Give Outdoor Learning highlights the power of environmental education by supporting programs that connect young people with nature. These experiences grow curiosity, confidence, and connection. They also improve mental health, strengthen communities, and prepare the next generation to lead.
At CTU, our Youth Programs focus on just that. Through Trout in the Classroom, students raise trout while learning about watershed health. Our River Conservation and Fly Fishing Camp brings teens together for a week of scientific exploration, leadership training, and hands-on conservation. Our STREAM curriculum takes students into the field to study real-world water science and develop skills in stewardship and problem-solving.
With the rising demand for high-quality environmental education and continued funding challenges, your support is more important than ever.
The Give Outdoor Learning campaign runs June 1 to June 30, 2025.
Help us grow these experiences for more students across Colorado.
News Release from Colorado Parks and Wildlife:
Colorado Connectivity Channel
GRANBY, Colo. — Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) saw an increase in the native fish population numbers more quickly than anticipated in the recently completed Colorado River Connectivity Channel (CRCC) project at Windy Gap Reservoir, located near Granby, Colo.
In early May, CPW Aquatic biologists completed the first-ever raft electrofishing survey to estimate the trout population in the CRCC. Biologists estimated that approximately 848 brown trout and 221 rainbow trout over 6" in length live within a one-mile reach of the newly constructed river channel.
"It was very exciting to see a healthy number of adult trout occupying all of this new habitat," said Jon Ewert, CPW Hot Sulphur Springs Area Aquatic Biologist. "Especially considering that we have not stocked a single fish into the channel.”
As a result of the improved habitat, trout from connected river sections both upstream and downstream have been able to re-establish in the newly reconnected section of the Colorado River. CPW biologists also observed extensive brown trout spawning activity in the channel last fall and moderate rainbow trout spawning activity this spring.
“Seeing such positive results with water flowing through this new river section for just over a year, we anticipate that this fish population will continue to grow,” said Ewert.
Click to watch: Videos from this year's Colorado River Connectivity Channel fish survey
This is the second time CPW has documented positive signs of native fish repopulating the CRCC earlier than anticipated. In the fall of 2024, CPW's aquatic research team found evidence of native sculpin returning to the upper Colorado River and the CRCC after several decades of absence in nearly 30 miles of their former habitat. Sculpin found in the CRCC and downstream in the Colorado River included fish that were spawned and hatched in 2024.
Credit: Colorado Parks and Wildlife
During the survey, researchers documented one adult and 11 juvenile sculpin within the CRCC and a single juvenile sculpin in the Colorado River below the channel. Based on these sampling results, aquatic biologists and researchers from CPW believe that young sculpin are now able to take advantage of the new habitat and are dispersing downstream from healthy populations located upstream of the CRCC.
“The rapid colonization of the CRCC by this unique native fish species and its return to the Colorado River below Windy Gap is an important conservation milestone and a good indication that the channel is starting to improve the ecological health of the river," said Dan Kowalski, CPW Aquatic Research Scientist.
While the beneficial effects of the CRCC may take years to be fully realized, the results from the fish surveys conducted in May 2025 and fall 2024 represent significant milestones in the efforts to enhance habitat conditions in the upper Colorado River. These findings suggest that the health of the river may be improving more quickly than expected.
Completed in the fall of 2023, the Colorado River Connectivity Project is one of the largest aquatic habitat improvement initiatives ever undertaken in Colorado. This project reconnects aquatic habitats that were fragmented by the construction of the Windy Gap Reservoir in 1985. Currently, the new river section is closed to public fishing access. It is expected to open after the area has had sufficient time to fully revegetate, which will take a couple more growing seasons. To learn more about the Colorado River Connectivity Channel Project, visit the project's page on Northern Water’s website.
