Clean, Drain, Dry and ANS for Colorado Boaters and Kayakers
Every time you move between Colorado waters, finish with Clean, Drain, Dry. Motorized boats and sailboats often need ANS stamps and mandatory inspections. Kayaks, paddleboards and fishing gear still need a thorough cleaning. Follow CPW's instructions, and don't make up your own shortcuts.
Always go by CPW's current ANS program pages.
Open these first
Clean, drain, dry
- Clean. Remove plants, mud and animals from hulls, trailers, anchors, boots and nets. Do it away from storm drains.
- Drain. Empty bilges, livewells, ballast, kayak hatches and bait buckets on site when required.
- Dry. Towel and air-dry your gear completely before the next water. Pay extra attention to felt-free boots and soft goods.
Kayak and shore anglers still need to clean up
A full motorized inspection may not apply to you. Plant bits and mud still travel on paddles, life jackets and waders. Use CPW's clean-your-gear guidance for paddle boats.
Fishing rules
We don't publish bag, possession or size limits on this site. Rules change by water and season. Before you fish, check the official sources:
- CPW fishing
- CPW rules and regulations
- Colorado fishing eRegulations
- Read our Colorado fishing laws page for an overview.
Gear that helps
Dry bags, towels and boat or kayak accessories in Colorado Safety help you keep your kit clean between Western Slope waters.
For the ANS steps at that park, see Rifle Gap Reservoir day-trip prep.
Related trip notes
- Boat and kayak life jackets and cold-water safety
- Cold-water shoulder-season checklist
- Kannah Creek and Grand Mesa brook trout trip prep
Plan with Trip Builder
Use the Trip Builder on the homepage to match your water and safety needs. Then look at Colorado Safety Essentials. For more Western Slope notes, see Colorado Trip Notes and the Western Colorado fishing guide.
More trip prep
- Loma and Horsethief put-in day prep
- Grand Mesa alpine lake day prep, beyond Vega
- De Beque Canyon and East Valley Colorado River day prep
- Parachute and Rulison Colorado River access day prep
- Public access and private bank etiquette
- Silt and New Castle Colorado River access day prep
Plan the day
Practice your go or no-go on land first. For life jackets, throw bags and cold-water basics, see Colorado Safety Essentials. For small-boat days, also see Boat and kayak safety. Build the day in Trip Builder. This isn't a rescue course or a go-ahead to launch.