Fishing, Boating, Lake Uses in Pagosa Lakes Area

Fishing, Boating and Lake Uses

PLEASE NOTE: There is no swimming allowed in any of our lakes. If you enjoy swimming, you can visit the pool at the Recreation Center.

FISHING:
Permits are required to fish in Lakes Hatcher, Pagosa, Village and Forest. Lakes are patrolled.

Lake Use permits can be purchased at:
The Pagosa Lakes Recreation Center
45 Eagles Loft Circle
(970) 731-2051
and
Pagosa Lakes Administrative Office
230 Port Ave.
(970) 731-5635

2008 Fishing Permit Application

Warning: Colorado game fish transported outside Pagosa Lakes must be accompanied by PLPOA fishing permit.

*Please note the Hatcher Lake Special Fishing Regulation for 2008 described in Section VI: Part A, Possession and Size Limits.

Following are the Rules & Regulations adopted for recreational use of Lakes Hatcher, Pagosa, Village, Forest and Vista. Click here for a map of the lakes. Fishing is not allowed in Vista Lake at any time. Some provisions of the lake use rules and regulations contain specific penalties for their violations. In addition to the fines and penalties imposed by the PLPOA, civil charges may be filed under one or more Colorado statutes: CRS 18-4-401 (theft of property); CRS 18-4-504 (trespass); CRS 18-4-511 (littering); CRS 33-6-116 (fishing without permission).

Important: Private parties own most of the land around our lakes. Anglers are not permitted to fish from, or cross, private property without the express consent of the property owner. Fishing from, or crossing, private property without the express consent of the property owner can result in a criminal charge of trespassing.

Fish only from posted areas.

I. GENERAL:

These regulations apply to Hatcher Lake, Pagosa Lake, Village Lake,Vista Lake, and Lake Forest. See Hatcher Lake Special Regulation, Sec. VI, Part A.
Unless herein stated described as being different, all Colorado state fishing regulations, for the current year, are made a part of the regulatory system on lakes heretofore described by name.
Only "Members in Good Standing" of the Pagosa Lakes Property Owners Association, their renters,their sponsored guests, andtime share owners are permitted to fish in the lakes heretofore described by name.
The unauthorized introduction of any fish into any lake at Pagosa is strictly prohibited. Such action will result in a $500.00 fine and loss of fishing and boating privileges for 10 years.
Cleaning fish at any lake locations is strictly prohibited.
Littering is strictly prohibited. All matter foreign to the lake or lakeshore brought by you, must be removed by you. (This includes monofilament line, and cigarette butts.)
Fishing from private property, without the owner's permission, is deemed trespass and is illegal.
Parking or driving on private property, without the owner's permission, is deemed trespass and is illegal.
Any person fishing is required to wear their permit badge on their outer clothing garment.
Any and all fish which have been taken must be shown upon the request of a PLPOA Conservation Officer.
Any permit holder observing or learning of any violation of the provisions of these regulations, shall immediately report same to a PLPOA Conservation Officer.

Prize fish II. DEFINITIONS:
Membership Classification:

OWNER: The Pagosa Lakes property owner, his/her spouse, and dependent children age 23 and under living in that household. Visiting descendent children must purchase their own Fishing Permit(s) at owner rate.
RENTER: A tenant living in a rented residence in Pagosa Lakes, including his/her spouse and dependent children age 23 and under living in that household, may purchase a Fishing Permit(s) providing the renter retains and presents a rental or lease agreement for a minimum of two consecutive months from a landlord who is a PLPOA member in good standing.
LIMITATION ON MEMBERSHIP: In the event that a Lot (as defined in the Bylaws of the PLPOA) is owned by a corporation, partnership, joint ownership, or similar arrangement, such entities shall advise the Association of the names of two persons who shall be designated as owners for purposes of purchasing a Fishing Permit.
SPONSORED GUEST: A person who is an Association member in good standing (owner) may sponsor guests who may fish upon payment for the appropriate fees. The PLPOA member sponsor (owner/renter) must accompany a guest to acquire a guest permit and must sign a sponsor form. Further, the sponsor is liable for all actions of a guest while fishing.
THE TIME SHARE OWNER: Time share owners must provide verification of unit use at the time of purchase of the Fishing Permit(s).

III. FISHING PERMIT:

2008 fishing season will open on January 1, 2008, on Lake Pagosa, Village Lake, HatcherLake, and Lake Forest, and close on December 31, 2008.
Permits are not transferable, and any permit alterations will invalidate that permit, which may result in a fine against the original permit holder.
Permits shall be carried on the person while fishing, displayed on the outer clothing so as to be visible while fishing.
Lost or damaged permits will be reissued for a charge of $3.00 each.
Persons making false statements to obtain a permit invalidate the permit and will lose fishing privileges for one year.
All children 5 years and younger may fish without a permit if accompanied by an adult permit holder but are entitled to only two-thirds limit of fish (2 Trout, 1 Bass, 1 Catfish, or 3 Crappie) at Lake Pagosa, Village Lake, and Lake Forest. Please note at Hatcher Lake only, all anglers, regardless of age, are restricted to 1 trout or 1 bass daily.

IV. VIOLATIONS AND FINES:

Unauthorized introduction of any fish into any lake - $500.00
Giving false information while applying for a fishing permit- $50.00 fine, loss of fishing permit and loss of fishing privileges for one year.
Cleaning fish on lake or lake shoreline-$100.00
Fishing without a valid PLPOA permit - $100.00 fine per violation.
Failure to have lake use (fishing) permit in possession while fishing $50.00 fine per incident.
Altering or transferring a permit -$50.00 per incident.
Refusal to show any and all fish taken to an enforcement authority - $50.00.
Returning to lake injured fish or fish kept alive by stringer, container or basket $50.00 fine per fish. Once a limit of a species has been caught the person who has filled the limit must cease fishing for that species. No substitution of fish allowed.
Filling out fish limits for other members of a fishing party - $50.00 fine per incident.
Using more than one personally attended rod or line - $50.00 per line.
Fishing after hours as set forth on license rules & regulations - $100.
Chumming, using live minnows as bait, or using a light to attract fish -$100.
Using any sort of net to take game fish - $100.
Exceeding daily bag or possession limits - $50.00 fine per fish.
Fishing in a "Closed to Fishing" posted area - $50.00 fine per violation.
Violation of any boating rule or regulation - $75.00.
Use of snowmobile on frozen lakes -$100.00 fine per violation.
Swimming in lakes - $50.00 fine per violation.
Littering on lakes property -Inclusive of cigarette butts, bait boxes, fishing line or other general litter - $50.00 fine per violation.

Using prohibited bait or baits at Hatcher Lake - $50.00 Fine

Conservation Officers-
The conservation officer's responsibilities are to make contact with fishing participants and verify that they are in possession of a valid PLPOA fishing permit. Other responsibilities of the officers are to observe participant's stringer or creel and ask questions pertinent to the management of the lakes, answer questions that owners and their guests might have of the lake and fishing amenities of the Association, as well as enforce the PLPOA Lake Use Rules and Regulations.

2008 FEE STRUCTURE
	MEMBER			SPONSORED
	Owner/Renter			Guests of Member
	Season	Wkly	Daily	Season	Wkly	Daily
Family*	$65	X	X	X	X	X
Single (ages 13 and above)	$30	$15	$8	$45	$25	$15
Single (ages 6-12)	$15	$8	$5	$25	$15	$6

*Family is defined as four members, each additional family member shall pay $10 for season family permit.

The annual cost to stock and maintain a 12" trout is over $3.

V. RELEASING FISH ALIVE IS ENCOURAGED

Trout do not reproduce in our lakes. Bass do. Bass 12"-15" make up brood stock and help control rough fish. The PLPOA highly recommends that harvested bass be in the 15"-18" size class and all others be released. Returning fish to the water is not as simple as it sounds. Fisherman should follow these steps to ensure the best chance of survival for the fish:

Use of flies, lures and barbless hooks will greatly improve the successful practice of catch and release. Bait fishing is not conducive to catch and release. If attempting catch and release while bait fishing, a barbless, long-shank #4 hook is recommended.
Avoid playing the fish to total exhaustion while attempting to land it.
Wet hands before handling fish. Hold fish in the water as much as possible. Handle fish as little as possible when removing the hook and preparing it for release.
When removing the hook, do not squeeze the fish or place your fingers in its gills.
If the fish has swallowed the hook and/or is bleeding, it shall not be returned to water.
When releasing the fish, hold it gently until the fish has re-acclimated. Move the fish slowly back and forth to help it regain and maintain equilibrium.

VI. REGULATORY

VIOLATION OF ANY REGULATION IS A FINEABLE OFFENSE

A. POSSESSION AND SIZE LIMITS:

No size limit on any species of fish.
All injured fish must be kept and not returned to water.
Trout, Channel Catfish, Bass or Crappie that have been kept alive by stringer, container, or basket, shall not be returned to lake.

Single Angler Bag Limits: Lake Pagosa, Village Lake, and Lake Forest

Fish Species	Daily Limit
Trout (cut bow, rainbow, brown)	3
Bass(*See New Regulation for Bass below)	2
Channel Catfish	2
Crappie	5
White Amur (Grass Carp)	Release Immediately
All other species	No limit

2008 Hatcher Lake Special Fishing Regulation: Fishing methods for all anglers at Hatcher Lake only will be with artificial flies and lures only, no baits allowed. Prohibited baits include power bait, worms, salmon eggs, marshmallows, etc. It is highly recommended that all hooks be barbless. The daily bag limit for Hatcher Lake is 1 trout or 1 bass per angler. Children 12 years and under may still use baited hooks but are limited to 1 trout or 1 bass daily. The bait rule will be lifted during the winter ice fishing season for all anglers ( encouraging the harvest of yellow perch).
*Due to an underpopulation of bass in the four lakes as shown by scientific fishery surveys, a catch and release policy will be implemented for all bass during the spring spawning period in the 2008 season. From April 15th to June 15th, 2008, all bass must be immediately returned to the water. Barbless hooks, lures and flies are highly recommended during this time for all bass anglers. A $50 fine per violation will be strictly enforced. Before and after this period, the 2 bass per angler, per day limit will be enforced.

Family Limits: For a family of 3 or more, the daily bag limit will be 9 trout. A family of 2 must comply with the single angler bag limits. This section does not apply to Hatcher Lake where the daily bag limit for all anglers, families or individuals, is 1 trout or 1 bass daily.
"Filling Out" the limit for other members of a fishing party by fisherpersons who have taken their limit is prohibited. You must catch your own fish.
Possession limit (at home) is twice the daily bag limit.

B. FISHING METHODS:

Each person fishing shall only use one personally attended rod or line. One line is defined as a single line and single hook. Multiple hooks tied on a single line will not be allowed.
No more than one hook shall be allowed for bait fishing anglers. No double or treble hooks will be permitted for baiting. Treble hooks on a non-baited spinner or lure will be allowed, but crimping or removing barbs is highly recommended. *Please note:Special Fishing Regulation and methods for Hatcher Lake only described in section VI Part A: Possession and Size Limits.
Fishing hours shall be from one hour before sunrise to dark (daylight to dark) on all four lakes. Please note that night fishing is no longer allowed on Village Lake.
Chumming is not permitted. Live minnows & amphibians (water dogs, frogs, salamanders, etc.) are not allowed as bait. Lights may not be used to attract fish.
Not netting or snagging of fish is allowed. No fishing up the inlet channels during spring runoff.

C. BOATING

PLPOA Boating Brochure - Click here.

Boating Use Rules, Regulations and Safety Requirements:

No internal combustion engine-powered boats allowed, except for PLPOA and Pagosa Area Water and Sanitation District Employees while in performance of their duties. If an outboard or inboard engine is attached and cannot be easily removed from the boat, the fuel line must be disconnected from the engine for its use to be permitted on a lake.
Each boat must have at least one U.S. Coastguard approved wearable personal flotation device for each boat occupant. Each boat occupant under the age of 12 must wear a U.S. Coastguard approved wearable personal flotation device while the boat is in use on any lake.
Each boat shall have at least one usable oar or paddle.
All boats must be operated in a safe manner.
The use of homemade rafts or plain innertubes is not permitted.
Except for lakeshore lot owners, boats must be launched from established boat ramps. If boat is stored at one of the Association Member boat storage locations, boat must be registered, chained and locked to the posts provided.

Boat Registration Agreement:

I agree that my boat is insured for liability and personal property damage and I agree to hold the PLPOA free from any and all liability for myself, my heirs, executors, administrators and assigns, and do hereby waive and release any and all rights and claims for damage which I may have against the PLPOA or their respective Directors, officers, employees and/or agents for any and all injuries and/or damages which may occur from my use of the lake amenities and boating activities. I will receive a copy of the Pagosa Lakes Boating use rules and regulations and agree to follow all safety rules established by the Pagosa Lakes Property Owners Association, failure to do so will result in a $75 fine.
No boat shall be floated on or used on any Association lake until registered. Registration for each boat shall be $10.00 for the season (Jan. 1 through Dec. 31). If an owner has multiple boats, each boat must be registered individually with the first boat costing $10.00 and additional boats $5.00.
I will receive a decal/sticker with my paid registration and will attach it to the left outside rear panel of each registered boat.
Single person inflatable boats (such as float tubes) shall be exempted.
Additionally, all boats stored at the Association member storage areas must be registered and chained and locked to the posts provided with a padlock. All boats not registered and locked and in storage at these locations shall be impounded by the Association and a violation issued to the owner (all boating regulation fines are set at $75 in the Association rules and regulations).
All unregistered boats impounded by the Association shall be held for a period of 60 days, after which time, if they are unclaimed, announcements will be made in the Association Website www.PLPOA@PLPOA.com and the Pagosa Springs Sun with a description of the boat and notice that all unclaimed boats will be sold through a sealed bid process.

D. SWIMMING: No swimming is allowed in any of the lakes heretofore named. If you enjoy swimming, you can visit the pool at the Recreation Center.

E. SNOWMOBILING: Is strictly prohibited and is subject to a $100 fine per violation.

F. PENALTY FOR VIOLATION: Violators of provisions of these regulations are subject to loss of lake use privileges and/or fine under the PLPOA Declarations, Bylaws, Rules and Regulations Code of Enforcement, and/or criminal charges under one or more of the following statutes: Sec. 18-4-401 (Theft), 18-4-504 (Trespass), 18-4-511 (Littering), and 33-6-116 (Fishing Without Permission).

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