Reason for project

The Colorado High Alpine Lake Observation (HALO) Project was developed with Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) staff to gather improved information about remote stocked high lakes for CPW aquatic biologists while engaging with Flyathletes and other conservation-minded anglers (e.g. Trout Unlimited).  

Your fishing trip becomes field data

HALO is a summer-long citizen-science challenge (Timeline: July 1, 2026 – October 31, 2026). Many of Colorado's high alpine lakes are super remote and CPW staff rarely get to sample them. When you log your catches and trips at the project lakes, you give CPW the data they need to make smarter stocking decisions — and you compete for points and prizes while you do it.

It's about the climb and the catch

Your HALO Score rewards the effort of the whole trip, not the size of the fish.  The harder the hike and the more fish you land, the higher you score. Multiple lakes in one trip each add their own fish points — but the miles and elevation only count once.

Instructions on how to participate

1. Download the Fishtechy app on your mobile device and complete enrollment. Create a free account and sign up for Colorado HALO Tournament under the Contests tab. 

2. Turn on GPS when prompted by the app.  You must share GPS location always rather than just while using the app to enable tracking of miles and elevation and must share your phone photo gallery.  Fishtechy is not looking at your location or photos when not using the app, but it is necessary when you are using track mode or bringing your photo gallery into the Fishtechy gallery.

3. Grab a Proof Ball and register your Proof Ball under the Fishtechy app profle / + Register Proof Ball.  Get a project Proof Ball from Running Rivers (rockymtnflyathalon@gmail.com), your TU Chapter President, or by emailing dan.brauch@state.co.us before you head out.  You may also purchase Proof Balls from a participating retailer.

4. Join Colorado HALO Tournament in the Contest Tab (you may need to scroll down).  You can view project lakes in the Fishtechy app by clicking on Location on the Contest Details Tab or with link below.

5. Plan which HALO project lake you want to fish.  Project lakes can be viewed on our online project lake map.  Trail and weather conditions can change and many of these lakes are in remote, high elevation locations, so please prepare for your hike and take adequate precautions when hiking at these remote high elevation lakes.

6. At the trailhead to your selected HALO lake or lakes, open the Fishtechy app, click on Measure, then TRACKS (lower left), select Shore and the Colorado HALO Contest (IF you have cell service, otherwise leave contest blank and you will link to the HALO contest after you return to service), and click Start Session.   When you enter TRACKS and start the session, the app tracks your distance and elevation automatically to allow you to be scored for miles and elevation hiked. 

7. Please take a photo of the HALO Project lake when you arrive.  You will be asked to add the photo at the end of your fishing trip.

8. Submit each catch by clicking measure and taking live photo at the HALO project lake.  When taking the photo, keep it straight with the proof ball the same distance from the camera as the fish.  The Proof Ball may be clipped to the bottom of a net and a picture taken of both the fish and the Proof Ball.  More instructions can be found on the Fishtechy website.  Use "Measure Later" if out of cell or wifi coverage.  After you get cell service or wifi, go back into the measure tab and measure from gallery.

9. You may click on TRACKS and click on Pause Session if you are taking a break from your fishing trip or are camping at the water overnight.  You can click on TRACKS and Resume Session whenever you return to angling or hiking.

10. You can toggle back and forth from the map to add fish by clicking on the map (lower right part of screen) and, when in the map, clicking on the arrows on the left of the header (this can be tough to see when the map is white, but it is just to the left of the tracking bar). 

11. When back at the trailhead, click on TRACKS and End Session at the end of your trip.  Please put any important lake notes under How was your trip? And click save.

12. Earn points & watch the boards.  Your trip's HALO Score is calculated for you. If a catch doesn't qualify, the app tells you exactly why.  (Note: The HALO Score Leaderboard is in development and will be available soon).

Leaderboards and prizes (all prizes awarded at end of project)

• Two boards, every month for most fish caught and most HALO Points receive a prize.
• Those that collect 50 HALO Points receive a HALO challenge coin.
• Those that collect 150 HALO Points receive a HALO hoody.
• Two HALO hoody’s will be drawn from the participant list each month (one entry per trip)

The Rules

• Fish must be caught at a current HALO project lake (298 right now)
•  A valid Colorado fishing license is required, and all federal, state, and local regulations apply — including harvest restrictions.  CPW Fishing Regulations for specific waters can be found here.
• GPS verification of your catch location is required.
• Lakes may be retired month to month once enough data is collected or if angling pressure gets too high.
• Breaking the rules means disqualification from prizes.

FOR QUESTIONS OR TO JOIN, CONTACT:

Alex@fishtechy.com (contact with technical questions about the Fishtechy app, you can also use the help icon in the app)
dan.brauch@state.co.us (contact for project Proof Balls or for questions about project)
David.Nickum@tu.org (contact for project Proof Balls for TU Members)
rockymtnflyathalon@gmail.com (Andrew Todd, Running Rivers contact)