MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS

Fishing -

Effective June 1, 2016, anyone (16 years and older) fishing at the ECHPOA pond, officially Church Fork Reservoir, on Elk Creek Drive or in the streams below must obtain a Colorado Parks and Wildlife Fishing License.  These areas are on private property for members only.  You must be an ECHPOA member and pay for the annual fishing permit.  Please carry your ECHPOA proof of membership with you while fishing.  Children 12 years old and under must be accompanied by an adult member.

ECHPOA stocks the pond for membership fishing as needed.  We have established a few regulations which everyone is expected to follow.  Please refer to and read the Fishing Regulations page.

We have picnic tables, fishing dock, fish food dispenser, several trash containers, and a leveled play area for your pond enjoyment.

Wildlife can be seen in and around the pond.  Please be considerate of all wildlife, including nesting ducks, geese, squirrels, rabbits, elk, deer and moose.  The fish food in the dispenser is intended to allow people to have an opportunity to see the fish especially from the dock.  It is NOT to be used to “Chum” fish.  Please do not feed the fish in an area where someone is fishing.  The fish are fed regularly to help promote health and growth, please do not feed the fish anything but the fish food.

If the fish supply drops to a low level, fishing will be restricted to catch and release only and will be posted at sign locations.  If at all possible, when releasing a fish, we encourage you to try and do so while it is still in the water.  Dragging fish onto the shore will usually cause injury to the fish.  Sometimes, even when care is taken while landing a fish or if a fish swallows a hook, it will be injured to the point where it will not survive.  If this happens, go ahead and keep that fish.  

Park County has a leash law for dogs, please observe it.  Please pick up after your dog and not leave unpleasant surprised for others to step in.  There are doggie poop bags made available in the containers at sign locations around the pond.  Please make sure the pond is clear of any items used for your dogs to retrieve while you let them swim.  Do not throw wood into the water as it may drift and become stuck in the outlet pipe.

In the winter months, when the ice is thick enough to be safe, we try and keep the snow plowed off the pond for ice skating.  Snow plowing is done by volunteers and may not always be available.  Please remember that ice conditions may change very rapidly and the ice may become unstable.  Pond skating is much different than rink skating, the ice may be rough and there will be cracks.  Ice Fishing is allowed outside the plowed area for ice skating and near the outlet of the pond.  
Salmincola, or Gill Lice, can be found on fish in most ponds in Colorado.  It is impossible to eliminate without draining the pond and letting it dry out for a few months, or frequent and repeating expensive chemical treatments.  However, it can then be reintroduced easily on the feet of birds or fur of wildlife animals that have recently visited other ponds in the surrounding area that contain this parasite.  Higher water temperatures and low water flow have also been found to increase parasite populations.  Fish caught that show signs of Gill Lice are perfectly fine to cook and eat, it is not recommended to eat the head. 

To learn more, go to the Salmincoloa in Colorado publication, written by Carolyn Gunn, Aquatic Veterinarian.

SPECIAL NOTE:  Each person using the pond for any reason is responsible for their own safety including ICE SKATING and FISHING.  If anyone chooses to go out on the ice, it is up to them to determine if the ice is safe and proceed at their own risk.  To learn more about the signs of unsafe ice, please refer to the “Thin Ice or Not” article in this blog.

Parking is provided at the Association Building and at the pond near the picnic tables and fish food dispenser.  Please do NOT park along the public road near private residence.

Recommended quiet hours are between 10:00 pm and 6:00 am.  This includes no loud music,  conversations or slamming of car doors.  Please be considerate of those living around the pond.