Fishing has opened on a reservoir south of Denver.

Starting this month through October, anglers can snag a reservation for a day on Rueter-Hess Reservoir near Parker.

Douglas County officials recently announced the first-time opportunity with tight regulations “to maintain the vitality of the fish.”

From 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays, 25 adult anglers with a state fishing license will be allowed on the water to catch and release from the stocked variety, including walleye, largemouth bass, yellow perch, channel catfish and bluegill. Anglers younger than 16 are not required to register but can still fish.

Only artificial lures and flies are allowed, and a news release indicated tackle boxes will also be checked for barbless, single hooks only. Anglers can fish from the shore or get out on non-motorized boats such as paddleboards, kayaks or canoes.

Reservations are free, but driving into the reservoir requires a $10 parking pass.

The reservoir bordered by open, rolling land and bluffs sits a mile east of Interstate 25 off the Castle Pines exit.

The property is owned by the Parker Water and Sanitation District, which previously partnered with the multi-agency Rueter-Hess Recreation Authority to establish outdoor opportunities for locals and visitors. Those were laid out in a 2016 master plan.

The plan found fishing to be the third-most sought activity among nearly 4,000 survey responses, after hiking and boating.

The plan stressed “considerations for water quality be a top priority,” adding: “Protecting the reservoir’s sensitive infrastructure from threats like vandalism, (mussel) infestation, water contamination by human and animal waste are major concerns when developing a public recreational amenity central to a drinking water source.”