Colorado Begins Walleye Spawning at Pueblo Reservoir to Support Statewide Fisheries

Description: Colorado Parks and Wildlife began walleye spawning at Pueblo Reservoir on March 16, collecting eggs to support fisheries across the state. Read the full Press release from Colorado Parks and Wildlife...

CPW Starts Annual Walleye Egg Collection at Pueblo Reservoir to Boost Colorado Fisheries

PUEBLO, Colo. - Colorado Parks and Wildlife aquatics biologists continue annual walleye spawning operations at Pueblo Reservoir, collecting eggs that help support walleye fisheries in reservoirs across Colorado. Efforts began March 16.

The spawning effort at Pueblo and Cherry Creek Reservoirs have been a cornerstone of the state’s walleye program since 1986 and is part of a statewide effort to collect approximately 127 million walleye eggs this year. Colorado partners with other states by supplying fertilized walleye eggs, while those states provide CPW with sauger milt to produce saugeye, a walleye-sauger hybrid.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife staff and volunteers pull in a gill net of walleye near the Lake Pueblo State Park dam, March 18. Each net is 400 feet long and 6 feet deep. Nets are placed each afternoon and recovered each morning of the spawn. Depending on the size of the day’s catch, the effort can require two boats up to three trips each.

Walleye are the second-most-popular sport fish in Colorado, behind trout, and interest in fishing has grown in recent years as more people discover the state’s reservoirs and outdoor recreation opportunities. The spawning effort helps ensure those fisheries remain strong for longtime anglers and newcomers to the sport.

“This work is critical to maintaining strong walleye fisheries across Colorado,” said Carrie Tucker, aquatic biologist with Colorado Parks and Wildlife in Pueblo. “Walleye are one of the most popular sport fish in the state, and the eggs collected during this effort help produce the fish anglers enjoy in reservoirs statewide. The fish can reproduce naturally in Pueblo Reservoir, but without spawning efforts like this, the population would be much lower than it is today."

Each morning during the spawning period, CPW crews launch from the North Marina boathouse at Pueblo Reservoir to retrieve 32 gill nets set throughout the reservoir in areas where walleye gather to spawn. Fish captured in the nets are carefully removed and transported back to the boathouse where biologists and volunteers sort the fish and prepare males and mature females for spawning.

Female walleye swim in a holding tank before egg extraction

Volunteers play a crucial role in the process, pulling nets, sorting fish, helping staff untangle, repair, and prepare the nets each day so they can be reset for the next round of fish collection. “Volunteers are phenomenal, and we truly couldn’t do this project without their help."

During spawning, biologists gently collect eggs (roe) from female fish, milt from male fish, and combine them in a controlled fertilization process. The eggs and milt are stirred with goose feathers, a technique that allows them to be stirred gently without damage.

After fertilization, fertilized eggs are transported to the Pueblo Hatchery, where Colorado Parks and Wildlife hatchery technicians oversee incubation and care for the developing fish. Many of the newly hatched fish are stocked into Colorado waters as “fry” just days after hatching, while others are raised longer until they reach fingerling size before being released.Several student groups visit the boat house and and tour the Pueblo Hatchery during spawning. These groups range from elementary classrooms to college students, including fisheries and biology students from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs and CSU-Pueblo, giving students a hands-on look at aquatic science and wildlife management.

Later in the spring, CPW staff return to Pueblo Reservoir to stock young walleye produced through the spawning effort, completing a process that begins each March and helps sustain fisheries across Colorado's reservoirs.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife staff and volunteers arrive at the walleye spawning facility at Lake Pueblo State Park, March 18, 2026.

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Photos Courtesy of CPW

CPW biologists transfer fertilized walleye eggs for transport to the hatchery during spawning operations.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife Biologists extract eggs from female walleye. Next, biologists extract male walleye milt and then volunteers and staff fertilize the eggs. Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s goal to collect and fertilize 127 million eggs.

Female walleye swim in a holding tank before egg extraction

Volunteer Mark Elkins repairs nets during daily walleye spawning operations at Lake Pueblo.

(Vertical) Volunteers Russ Dewey and Dan Frankowski repair nets daily during walleye spawning operations at Lake Pueblo boathouse.

Volunteers inspect and repair nets daily during walleye spawning operations at the Lake Pueblo facility.

Volunteers prepare and return repaired nets for daily walleye spawning operations at Lake Pueblo

(Vertical) Colorado Parks and Wildlife Aquatic Biologist Carrie Tucker and Jake Sims, CPW Seasonal Technician, record the final count at Lake Pueblo State Park and March 18.

Volunteers review the walleye spawning count. Each day’s effort contributes to the Colorado Parks and Wildlife goal to collect and fertilize 127 million eggs.

A volunteer keeps track of the count as walleye are sorted from the boat.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife staff sort walleye by type during spawning operations at Lake Pueblo State Park on March 18.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife staff sort the walleye catch from their boat. Walleye are sorted to identify female walleye ready for egg extraction, female walleye not ready, male walleye, and non-walleye fish, at Lake Pueblo State Park, March 18.

CPW staff and volunteers retrieve walleye gill nets at Lake Pueblo during spawning season on March 18.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife crews pull walleye gill nets at Lake Pueblo State Park during spawning operations on March 18.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife staff and volunteers arrive at the walleye spawning facility at Lake Pueblo State Park, March 18.

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