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2026 regulation year

US Fishing Closures 2026 — Seasonal & Emergency-Order Watch

Last updated

Two kinds of closures govern when you can keep what you catch. Seasonal closures are published annually in each state's regulation booklet — species like snook, walleye, musky, and Atlantic striped bass are protected during spawning and recovery windows. Emergency closures are issued in-season when run counts, water temperature, or harvest pressure force a state agency to override the booklet — most common on Alaskan king salmon, California chinook, and Pacific Northwest steelhead.

Seasonal closures across covered states

The 25 species below have published season windows in the 8 states we cover deeply for 2026. Outside these open windows the species is closed to harvest — most allow catch-and-release year-round, but always verify on the linked species page. Zoned species (snook, seatrout, king salmon) close at different dates on different coasts or river drainages.

Alaska

  • King salmon (chinook)Oncorhynchus tshawytscha

    Updated

    Highly drainage-specific. Many rivers under emergency closure; open windows announced by ADF&G Emergency Order.

    • Open – · Kenai River (subject to in-season emergency change)
    • Open – · Susitna drainage (subject to in-season emergency change)

  • Rainbow troutOncorhynchus mykiss

    Updated

    Open year-round on most waters; spawning closures Apr–Jun on some drainages.

    • Open – · Bristol Bay drainages (typical open window post-spawn)

  • Coho salmon (silver)Oncorhynchus kisutch

    Updated

    Late July – October on most drainages (run timing varies north-to-south).

    • Open – · Statewide drainages (typical run window)

California

  • Chinook salmonOncorhynchus tshawytscha

    Updated

    Ocean and river seasons set annually by CDFW + PFMC; verify open window before fishing.

    • Trout (rainbow, brown, brook)Oncorhynchus mykiss / Salmo trutta / Salvelinus fontinalis

      Updated

      Sierra district streams: last Sat in April – Nov 15. Lowland waters and most stocked lakes: year-round.

      • Open – · Sierra district streams

    Florida

    • Spotted seatroutCynoscion nebulosus

      Updated

      Northwest zone closed Feb 1 – May 31. Other zones year-round.

      • Open – · Northwest
      • Open – · Northwest

    • SnookCentropomus undecimalis

      Updated

      Atlantic: open Feb 1 – May 31 and Sep 1 – Dec 14. Gulf: open Mar 1 – Apr 30 and Sep 1 – Nov 30. Catch-and-release outside those windows.

      • Open – · Atlantic
      • Open – · Gulf
      • Open – · Atlantic
      • Open – · Gulf

    Michigan

    • SteelheadOncorhynchus mykiss

      Updated

      Great Lakes: year-round. Type-1 streams: last Sat April – Sep 30.

      • Open – · Type-1 streams

    • WalleyeSander vitreus

      Updated

      Inland: last Sat April – Mar 15. Great Lakes: year-round.

      • Open – · Inland waters

    • Smallmouth bassMicropterus dolomieu

      Updated

      Catch-and-release: last Sat April – Sat before Memorial Day. Harvest: Sat before Memorial Day onward.

      • Open – · Catch-and-release window
      • Open – · Harvest window

    Minnesota

    • Lake troutSalvelinus namaycush

      Updated

      Inland lakes: Jan 1 – Sep 30 (most). Lake Superior: year-round.

      • Open – · Inland lakes (most)

    • WalleyeSander vitreus

      Updated

      Inland: 2nd Sat in May – Feb close. Border waters vary by treaty.

      • Open – · Inland waters

    • Smallmouth bassMicropterus dolomieu

      Updated

      Catch-and-release: 1st Sat in May – mid-June; harvest: mid-June – Feb.

      • Open – · Catch-and-release window
      • Open – · Harvest window

    • MuskellungeEsox masquinongy

      Updated

      1st Sat in June – Dec 1.

      • Open – · Statewide

    New York

    • Striped bassMorone saxatilis

      Updated

      Hudson River: Apr 1 – Nov 30. Marine District: Apr 15 – Dec 15.

      • Open – · Hudson River (Tappan Zee bridge to federal dam at Troy)
      • Open – · Marine District (NY ocean + Long Island Sound)

    • Brook troutSalvelinus fontinalis

      Updated

      Apr 1 – Oct 15 on most waters; year-round on listed waters; heritage-strain ponds carry stricter rules.

      • Open – · Statewide most waters

    • WalleyeSander vitreus

      Updated

      1st Sat in May – Mar 15 (most inland waters).

      • Open – · Inland waters statewide

    • Smallmouth bassMicropterus dolomieu

      Updated

      Harvest: 3rd Sat in June – Nov 30. Catch-and-release: Dec 1 – 3rd Fri in June.

      • Open – · Harvest window statewide

    • Largemouth bassMicropterus nigricans

      Updated

      Harvest: 3rd Sat in June – Nov 30. Catch-and-release: Dec 1 – 3rd Fri in June.

      • Open – · Harvest window statewide

    North Carolina

    • Striped bassMorone saxatilis

      Updated

      Inland waters: most C&R only. Roanoke River: short spring harvest window. Coastal: special-reg, subject to in-season change.

      • Open – · Roanoke River (subject to in-season change)

    • Flounder (summer + southern)Paralichthys dentatus / lethostigma

      Updated

      Closed most of the year; short open window in September.

      • Open – · Statewide coastal (subject to in-season change)

    Wisconsin

    • MuskellungeEsox masquinongy

      Updated

      Northern zone: last Sat in May – Dec 31. Southern zone: 1st Sat in May – Dec 31.

      • Open – · Northern zone
      • Open – · Southern zone

    • WalleyeSander vitreus

      Updated

      Inland: 1st Sat in May – 1st Sun in March. Border waters and Great Lakes vary.

      • Open – · Inland waters statewide

    • Smallmouth bassMicropterus dolomieu

      Updated

      Northern zone: harvest 3rd Sat in June – 1st Sun in March. Southern: harvest 1st Sat in May.

      • Open – · Northern zone harvest
      • Open – · Southern zone harvest

    • Largemouth bassMicropterus nigricans

      Updated

      Northern zone: harvest 3rd Sat in June – 1st Sun in March. Southern zone: open year-round.

      • Open – · Northern zone harvest

    Emergency-order watch

    Emergency closures override the published booklet within hours of a state biologist's call — Alaskan king-salmon escapement shortfalls and Pacific steelhead drought closures are the most frequent. A live aggregated feed is on the fishregsroadmap. In the meantime, the most reliable source is each state agency's own news/emergency-order page:

    For uncovered states, the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies maintains a directory of every state agency's public-affairs page.

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