2026 regulation year
Steelhead Fishing Regulations by State (2026)
Oncorhynchus mykiss
Last updated
Steelhead is regulated separately by each state. This page compares the open-season window, daily bag limit, and size or slot rule for steelhead across the 6 states fishregs covers deeply for 2026 — 4 set a defined harvest season and 2 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.
Steelhead regulations comparison by state
| State | Open season | Daily bag | Size / slot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho | Open year-round | 3 / day + 9 in possession on hatchery-marked fin-clipped steelhead | No minimum on hatchery-marked steelhead; native-strain wild steelhead catch-and-release-only |
| Michigan | – · Type-1 streams | 3 / day (combined trout + salmon, Great Lakes); 1 / day on listed streams | 10 in minimum (most waters); 15 in on listed streams |
| Ohio | Open year-round | 2 / day (Lake Erie + tributaries combined, Sept 1 – May 15); 5 / day May 16 – Aug 31 | 12 in minimum |
| Oregon | – · Columbia mainstem + Snake + Deschutes + Rogue + Umpqua + listed inland tribs – · Coastal + Willamette + Columbia tribs | 1 / day adult summer steelhead + 1 / day adult winter steelhead under Combined Angling Tag; ODFW-distinctive halfpounder steelhead Rogue + Klamath summer run 5 / day combined (Rogue + Klamath only) | 20 in min adult on Columbia mainstem; 24 in min adult Rogue + Umpqua + Deschutes; reach-specific minimums elsewhereSlot: ODFW-distinctive halfpounder steelhead Rogue + Klamath summer run 5 / day combined (Rogue + Klamath only — country's unique halfpounder fishery for fish that return to fresh water at smaller sizes 12-16 in their first year) |
| Pennsylvania | – | 3 / day (Lake Erie + tributaries combined) | 15 in minimum |
| Washington | – · Columbia mainstem + Snake + Yakima + Wenatchee + Methow + Cowlitz + Lewis + listed inland tribs – · Olympic Peninsula coastal (Hoh + Quinault + Queets + Sol Duc + Bogachiel + Calawah + Quillayute) + Puget Sound tribs (Skagit + Sauk + Stillaguamish + Snohomish + Skykomish + Snoqualmie + Green + Puyallup + Nisqually + Skokomish + Hood Canal) + Lower Columbia tribs | 1 / day adult summer steelhead + 1 / day adult winter steelhead under Catch Record Card + Steelhead Report-Restoration Card ($9.46); Puget Sound steelhead DPS + Lower Columbia + Snake River Basin steelhead DPS all federally Threatened ESA only hatchery-marked retained | 20 in min adult on Columbia mainstem + Snake; 24 in min Olympic Peninsula coastal + Puget Sound tribs; reach-specific minimums elsewhere |
Figures are statewide defaults for 2026. Specific lakes, rivers, and coastal zones can carry their own steelhead 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 steelhead season or bag limit?
- No. Each US state sets its own steelhead rules. Across the 6 states covered here, 2 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 steelhead 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 steelhead 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 steelhead rules vary so much between states?
- Steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) is a anadromous (sea-run) 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 steelhead season?
- Several states split steelhead 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.