When he was young, Javier Refuerzo and his little brother used to fish through holes in the floor of City Park’s bandshell gazebo. And when his wriggling carp were too large to pull through the 3 to 4-inch openings, he’d cut them loose.
“There were a few kids that were there most weekends,” said the 42-year-old Denverite, who fished at City Park’s 24-acre Ferril Lake in the mid-1990s. “Some of us fell in while trying to get to the ledge under the gazebo, when the water was low enough to pull ourselves under (the deck).”
Scrappy and impatient, he and his friends even used baseball bats to crack through the ice when the lake froze. Of course, safety standards have evolved over the last three decades, but fishing in Denver’s public lakes, reservoirs and waterways has remained a popular, all-ages pastime that requires very little travel or gear to enjoy.
“We are so fortunate in Denver to have a rich and diverse wildlife resource, including our aquatic resources,” said Eliza Hunholz, director of the Park Ranger program for the City and County of Denver. “There are some wonderful streams, reservoirs and lakes — some with state records — that provide a variety of opportunities for fishing.”
Local and and encourage the free, public activity, educating kids and their parents with fishing clinics and distributing equipment to youngsters through summer and programs like Denver’s Fishing is Fun! The latter is made possible by up to $650,000 in yearly matching grants from Colorado Parks & Wildlife, distributed to local and county governments, park and recreation departments, angling organizations, water districts and others. Since launching in 1989, the program has supported 375 “angling improvement projects” across the state, according to officials.
For city fishers at close-in locations, following a few guidelines will help protect the water, its fish and the overall tradition for future generations, experts said.
“Make sure you have a fishing license, know the regulations for the water body and follow them,” said Aubrey Pelletier, Denver Aquatic Biologist for Colorado Parks & Wildlife. “Some waters have special regulations on tackle types, bag limits, etc., so bringing the correct equipment for the location and target species is important.”
Colorado Parks & Wildlife offers all of that in , which covers March 2026 through March 2027. Links to permits, a list of nuisance aquatic species, stream-by-stream regulations, stats, and maps fill the 45-page document.
In Denver, popular metro-area spots over the years have included Ferril Lake, Sloan’s Lake, and Washington Park’s Grasmere Lake and Overland Pond. But as water quality has shifted in some public waterways, anglers have flocked to the South Platte River in downtown Denver, or set up at Cherry Creek or Aurora reservoirs for deeper-water species.
The variety is impressive. In Ferril Lake alone, fishers have caught bluegill, bullhead, carp, channel catfish, crappie, gizzard shad, green sunfish, largemouth bass, yellow perch and even rainbow trout (catchable-size, stocked in spring, according to Denver Parks & Recreation).
Urban fish are generally not for eating, and in fact need more care than you might think in order to maintain their robust presence, said Jodie Marozas, Park Ranger Manager for Denver Parks & Recreation.
“Practice catch and release to support the conservation of the local fish population,” she said. “Minimize the time you keep a fish outside of water, especially cold-water species like trout.”
Among her other recommendations:
- Check weather conditions before heading out
- Wear appropriate clothing and sun protection (sunscreen, hat)
- Scan the area for hazards (steep banks, submerged vegetation)
- Bring a first aid kit
- Check local fishing regulations and carry a valid fishing license
- Practice safe fish handling (wet your hands first, handle gently)
- Fish responsibly — follow the bag and possession limit
- Review and follow water quality and fish consumption advisories
Just as important, she added, was taking a photo to capture the moment. Because what’s a great catch without proof?
Denver resident Gunnar, 14, didn’t have time for that on a recent weekday at Ferril Lake, where he had just stashed his bike along a fence before decamping to the shore with friends. He started fishing in various parks three years ago, and switched to Ferril Lake a year and a half ago because he could ride his bike there from home.
“You can easily catch some good stuff here,” he said, having hooked a pair of carp that day. One was 10 pounds, he said, and the other was 40 pounds — so big that he couldn’t reel it in.
There’s always next year.
Learn more from Colorado Parks & Wildlife’s online Fishing Atlas (), including details on which fish are stocked where, mapping locations from your home, and real-time weather and water-quality updates.
