2026 regulation year
Rainbow trout Fishing Regulations by State (2026)
Oncorhynchus mykiss
Last updated
Rainbow trout is regulated separately by each state. This page compares the open-season window, daily bag limit, and size or slot rule for rainbow trout across the 12 states fishregs covers deeply for 2026 — 2 set a defined harvest season and 10 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.
Rainbow trout regulations comparison by state
| State | Open season | Daily bag | Size / slot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | – · Bristol Bay drainages (typical open window post-spawn) | Drainage-specific; many waters catch-and-release only | Some trophy waters: release fish over 18 inSlot: Trophy waters: protected slot or release-only above marker length |
| Arizona | Open year-round | 4 / day combined trout (rainbow + brown + brook + cutthroat + tiger + Gila + Apache trout + grayling); 2 / day on listed quality-management trout reaches | No statewide minimum on most waters |
| Colorado | Open year-round | 4 / day combined trout (rainbow + brown + brook + cutthroat + lake + tiger + golden); 2 / day with 16 in min on listed Gold Medal Quality + TROPHY MANAGEMENT reaches; 1 / day with 20 in min on Spinney Mountain Reservoir Gold Medal lake | 16 in min on listed Gold Medal Quality + TROPHY MANAGEMENT reaches; 20 in min on Spinney Mountain Reservoir; no statewide minimum on most watersSlot: Spinney Mountain Reservoir 1 / day with 20 in min TROPHY MANAGEMENT + artificial-fly-and-lure only + ice-fishing prohibited; Gold Medal stream reaches 2 / day with 16 in min Quality TROPHY |
| Idaho | Open year-round | 6 / day combined trout (rainbow + brown + brook + cutthroat) statewide; 2 / day + catch-and-release on listed quality-management waters | No statewide minimum on most waters; 16-20 in min on listed quality-management reaches (Henry's Fork Box Canyon + Last Chance + Harriman + South Fork Snake + Silver Creek) |
| Montana | Open year-round | Part of the district combined-trout limit (rainbow + brown + golden + grayling, plus cutthroat in Central/Eastern): Western lakes 5 / day (only 1 over 22 in) + rivers 3 / day (only 1 over 14 in); Central lakes 5 + rivers 5 / day (only 1 over 18 in); Eastern lakes + rivers 5 / day. Catch-and-release for rainbow on the entire Beaverhead and most of the Madison | No statewide minimum length; 'only 1 over' large-fish caps on listed river reaches (22 in Western, 18 in Central rivers); catch-and-release for rainbow on the Beaverhead + Madison |
| Nevada | Open year-round | 5 / day combined trout (Trout Stamp required); Lake Mead + Lake Mohave 5 / day combined under AZ/NV joint compact; Lake Tahoe 5 / day combined under CA/NV joint compact | No statewide minimum on most waters; reach-specific quality + trophy regulations on listed waters |
| New Hampshire | – · Rivers + streams – · Designated Trout Ponds | 5 fish or 5 pounds (whichever first) combined trout (brook + brown + rainbow); 4-fish combined trout + salmon on designated salmon lakes | No minimum length (combined trout limit by number or weight) |
| New Mexico | Open year-round | 5 / day combined trout (rainbow + brown + brook + cutthroat + tiger); 2 / day with 20 in min on San Juan Quality Waters + listed Special Trout Waters Trophy reaches | 20 in min on San Juan Quality Waters; reach-specific quality + trophy regulations on listed Special Trout WatersSlot: San Juan Quality Waters 2 / day with 20 in min TROPHY MANAGEMENT + artificial-fly-and-lure only + barbless single-hook required — release fish under 20 in mandatory on the 4-mile Quality Waters reach immediately below Navajo Dam |
| Oregon | Open year-round | 5 / day combined trout on most waters; 8 / day Diamond Lake (ODFW-distinctive); 2 / day Lower Deschutes Quality Management with 10-13 in slot + only 1 fish over 20 in / day; Crater Lake UNLIMITED bag NPS removal policy; Klamath redband 0 / day catch-and-release-only on listed conservation reaches | 10-13 in slot + 20 in trophy on Lower Deschutes Quality Management; no statewide minimum elsewhereSlot: Lower Deschutes native redband rainbow 2 / day with 10-13 in slot + only 1 fish over 20 in / day Quality Management + barbless single-hook + artificial-fly-and-lure only |
| Utah | Open year-round | 4 / day combined trout (rainbow + brown + brook + cutthroat + tiger + golden + grayling — but NOT lake trout); 8 / day Green River below Flaming Gorge under joint UT/WY compact (special exception — UT-side bag); 1 / day rainbow trout + 15 in min on listed TROPHY MANAGEMENT reaches | 15 in min on listed Quality Management tailwater reaches; no statewide minimum on most waters |
| Washington | Open year-round | 5 / day combined trout on most waters; 10 / day kokanee combined on listed Cascade + interior reservoirs; 2 / day Yakima Quality Management catch-and-release-only on Cle Elum to Roza Dam reach (WDFW-distinctive blue-ribbon Quality Management); Beardslee rainbow 0 / day catch-and-release-only on Lake Crescent (Olympic NP endemic-population) | No statewide minimum; reach-specific quality + trophy regulations on Yakima + Lake Crescent + listed reachesSlot: Yakima River Cle Elum to Roza Dam Quality Management reach 0 / day catch-and-release-only + artificial-fly-and-lure only + barbless single-hook required (WDFW-distinctive blue-ribbon interior-Columbia redband Quality Management) |
| Wyoming | Open year-round | 6 / day combined trout (rainbow + brown + brook + cutthroat + golden + lake + tiger); 1 / day rainbow trout + 20 in min on listed TROPHY MANAGEMENT reaches (Grey Reef + Miracle Mile) | 18 in min on listed Quality Management reaches; 20 in min on TROPHY MANAGEMENT reaches; no statewide minimum on most waters |
Figures are statewide defaults for 2026. Specific lakes, rivers, and coastal zones can carry their own rainbow 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 rainbow trout season or bag limit?
- No. Each US state sets its own rainbow trout rules. Across the 12 states covered here, 10 keep harvest open year-round while 2 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 rainbow 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 rainbow 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 rainbow trout rules vary so much between states?
- Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) 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 rainbow trout season?
- Several states split rainbow 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.