2026 regulation year
Brook trout Fishing Regulations by State (2026)
Salvelinus fontinalis
Last updated
Brook trout is regulated separately by each state. This page compares the open-season window, daily bag limit, and size or slot rule for brook trout across the 8 states fishregs covers deeply for 2026 — 4 set a defined harvest season and 4 keep it open year-round. Rules vary by state and often by individual water body, so confirm on the linked state page before fishing. New to bag, slot, and size limits? The glossary explains every term.
Brook trout regulations comparison by state
| State | Open season | Daily bag | Size / slot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado | Open year-round | 4 / day combined trout (brook trout count toward the statewide 4-trout aggregate with rainbow + brown + cutthroat + lake + golden); PLUS 10 additional brook trout 8 in or less / day (bonus beyond the 4-trout limit — CPW harvest-encouragement on stunted high-country brookies); no bag limit on Trappers Lake | No statewide minimum; the 10-fish bonus applies only to brook trout 8 in or less; Gold Medal Waters reaches carry 16 in min on the 2 / day combined-trout slot |
| Idaho | Open year-round | Within the statewide 6 / day combined trout limit (rainbow + brown + brook + cutthroat); many high-mountain lakes + streams carry liberalized or bonus brook-trout limits (confirm the reach rule) | No statewide minimum |
| Maine | – · North Zone lakes & ponds – · South Zone lakes & ponds | 5 / day North Zone lakes & ponds; 2 / day South Zone lakes & ponds — PER-SPECIES, no combined trout aggregate; 2 / day on listed Quality Management waters | 6 in min general law; 10-12 in min on listed Heritage Fish + Quality Management waters |
| New Hampshire | – · Standard NH trout streams + ponds – · Trophy Stretch (Connecticut River between 1st + 2nd Connecticut Lakes) – · Designated year-round trout ponds (per NHF&G list) | 5 / day combined trout (brook + brown + rainbow) standard waters; 2 / day Trophy Trout Ponds | No minimum on stocked waters; 8 in min wild brook trout streams; 18 in min Trophy Trout Ponds |
| New York | – · Statewide most waters | 5 / day (combined with brown, rainbow, splake; only 2 over 12 in) | No statewide minimum length on stream trout (2021 trout-stream regulations); heritage-strain ponds carry their own special rulesSlot: Heritage ponds: protected slot or release-only depending on water |
| Utah | Open year-round | 4 / day combined trout (trout + kokanee salmon + Arctic grayling, a combined total); the Uinta Mountains bonus brook trout limit was removed for 2026 — brook trout now count toward the standard combined trout limit at all waters | No statewide minimum |
| Vermont | – · Rivers + streams + general lakes/ponds — open harvest season – · Lakes + ponds — winter season | 8 / day combined trout (brook + brown + rainbow) rivers + streams; 6 / day lakes + ponds; reduced (1-2 / day) on listed special-regulation reaches | No statewide minimum; 18 in min White River trophy reach; 10-16 in protected slot Mettawee River; Heritage Trout Waters per listing |
| Wyoming | Open year-round | 16 / day statewide (WGFD-distinctive liberalized limit, separate from the 6 / day combined trout limit) — set to reduce stunting in overpopulated high-mountain lakes; liberalized further on listed high-mountain lakes under area regulations | No statewide minimum |
Figures are statewide defaults for 2026. Specific lakes, rivers, and coastal zones can carry their own brook trout rules — open any state row for the full season map, gear restrictions, and named water-body overrides.
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Frequently asked questions
- Is there a nationwide brook trout season or bag limit?
- No. Each US state sets its own brook trout rules. Across the 8 states covered here, 4 keep harvest open year-round while 4 define a closed season, and daily bag and size limits differ from state to state. Use the table above to compare, then open a state page for the exact current rule.
- Does my fishing license cover brook trout in every state?
- No. A fishing license is valid only in the state that issued it, apart from a few border-water reciprocity agreements. To fish brook trout in another state you generally need that state's non-resident license — compare non-resident fees on the license-fees page and check the reciprocity page for shared-water exceptions.
- Why do brook trout rules vary so much between states?
- Brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) is a freshwater species, and each state manages it for its own water temperatures, spawning timing, population health, and fishing pressure. Many states also set tougher rules on specific lakes or rivers, so the statewide figure shown here can be overridden on a named water body — always confirm on the linked state page before fishing.
- Why does one state show more than one brook trout season?
- Several states split brook trout into management zones — different coasts, river drainages, or regions open and close on different dates. Where that happens the table shows each zone's window; the state page lists the full zone map.