When is flathead catfish season in Arizona?

Arizona keeps flathead catfish open to fishing year-round for the 2026 regulation year — there is no closed season, though the daily bag and size limits below still apply every day.

What is the Arizona bag limit for flathead catfish?

The Arizona daily bag limit for flathead catfish is 10 / day combined channel + flathead catfish (lowered from the former 25 / day in the 2024 AZGFD simplification). The possession limit is 20 in possession combined (2× daily). Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.

What size flathead catfish can you keep in Arizona?

The Arizona size rule for flathead catfish is No statewide minimum. Trophy rule: AZ state-record flathead catfish 76 lb 8 oz Bartlett Lake 2013 (Eddie 'Flathead Ed' Wilcoxson — 53.5 in, 34.75 in girth, caught on a 2-lb live carp; the heaviest fish of any kind ever recorded in Arizona); Bartlett Lake (Verde River) + Lake Pleasant (Agua Fria) + Roosevelt + Apache + Saguaro (Salt River chain) + San Carlos Lake (Gila River, tribal jurisdiction) carry the AZ flathead trophy fishery; flathead are live-fish ambush predators — the trophy game is a live-bait + cut-bait night pattern on deep structure + inflow channels.

Do you need a license to fish for flathead catfish in Arizona?

Yes. Arizona requires a valid fishing license to fish for flathead catfish, with the usual exemptions for young children, state free-fishing days, and some senior or disabled-veteran categories. A license is valid only in the state that issued it, so non-residents need a Arizona license — compare resident and non-resident Arizona fees on the state regulations page below.

Are there gear restrictions for flathead catfish in Arizona?

Yes. In Arizona, flathead catfish fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; trotlines permitted on listed waters; Snagging prohibited; Live bait permitted (live sunfish / carp / shad where legal are the standard trophy-flathead baits); check live-baitfish restrictions by water; Arizona Fishing License required ages 10+ ($37 res annual / $55 NR annual); San Carlos Apache Tribe Fishing Permit required at San Carlos Lake (tribal jurisdiction); Colorado River boundary-water privilege (Lake Havasu + Lake Mohave + Lake Mead) is bundled into every Arizona license — no separate Colorado River Stamp has been required since 2014; Confirm current-year AZGFD Fishing Regulations for water-specific exceptions.

Do specific Arizona waters have different flathead catfish rules?

Yes. 5 named Arizona waters carry rules that override the statewide flathead catfish regulation, including Bartlett Lake, Lake Pleasant, Salt River lakes, and 2 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

2026 regulation year

Arizona Flathead catfish 2026 — Season, Bag Limit, Size Rules

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Last updated June 8, 2026

Arizona flathead catfish is the state's apex freshwater predator catfish — an introduced trophy species that produced the heaviest fish of any kind ever recorded in Arizona: the AZ state-record flathead 76 lb 8 oz (76.52 lb, 53.5 in, 34.75 in girth) caught at Bartlett Lake on April 13, 2013 by Eddie 'Flathead Ed' Wilcoxson on a 2-lb live carp. Bartlett Lake (2,815-acre Verde River reservoir NE of Phoenix — Tonto National Forest) is the premier AZ flathead trophy water, with Lake Pleasant (10,000-acre Agua Fria reservoir NW of Phoenix) + Roosevelt + Apache + Saguaro Lakes (Salt River chain) + San Carlos Lake (Gila River — San Carlos Apache Tribe jurisdiction) + the Lower Colorado River main stem carrying the rest of the AZ flathead fishery. Flathead catfish are ambush predators that feed almost exclusively on live fish (carp, sunfish, shad), so the trophy fishery is a live-bait + cut-bait night game on deep structure and inflow channels through the warm-water months. The 2024 AZGFD simplification set the statewide catfish limit at 10 / day combined channel + flathead catfish (down from the former 25 / day). Open year-round statewide.

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Season

Open year-round Open year-round statewide; May – September warm-water densest fishing window on Bartlett + Lake Pleasant + Roosevelt + San Carlos + Lower Colorado River; night-fishing the deep structure + inflow channels.

Bag & possession

Daily bag: 10 / day combined channel + flathead catfish (lowered from the former 25 / day in the 2024 AZGFD simplification)
Possession: 20 in possession combined (2× daily)

Size, slot, trophy rules

Size: No statewide minimum
Trophy rule: AZ state-record flathead catfish 76 lb 8 oz Bartlett Lake 2013 (Eddie 'Flathead Ed' Wilcoxson — 53.5 in, 34.75 in girth, caught on a 2-lb live carp; the heaviest fish of any kind ever recorded in Arizona); Bartlett Lake (Verde River) + Lake Pleasant (Agua Fria) + Roosevelt + Apache + Saguaro (Salt River chain) + San Carlos Lake (Gila River, tribal jurisdiction) carry the AZ flathead trophy fishery; flathead are live-fish ambush predators — the trophy game is a live-bait + cut-bait night pattern on deep structure + inflow channels

Gear restrictions

Hook-and-line; trotlines permitted on listed waters
Snagging prohibited
Live bait permitted (live sunfish / carp / shad where legal are the standard trophy-flathead baits); check live-baitfish restrictions by water
Arizona Fishing License required ages 10+ ($37 res annual / $55 NR annual)
San Carlos Apache Tribe Fishing Permit required at San Carlos Lake (tribal jurisdiction)
Colorado River boundary-water privilege (Lake Havasu + Lake Mohave + Lake Mead) is bundled into every Arizona license — no separate Colorado River Stamp has been required since 2014
Confirm current-year AZGFD Fishing Regulations for water-specific exceptions

Named water-body overrides

Where statewide rules differ on specific Arizona waters:

Bartlett Lake
10 / day combined channel + flathead catfish; AZ state-record flathead 76 lb 8 oz Bartlett Lake 2013 — heaviest fish of any kind ever recorded in Arizona
Lake Pleasant
10 / day combined channel + flathead catfish; 10,000-acre Agua Fria reservoir NW of Phoenix — trophy flathead night fishery
Theodore Roosevelt + Apache + Saguaro Lakes
10 / day combined channel + flathead catfish; trophy flathead on deep structure + inflow channels
San Carlos Lake
San Carlos Apache Tribe Fishing Permit required (tribal jurisdiction supersedes AZGFD on the reservation); trophy flathead on the largest reservoir wholly inside Arizona
Colorado River main stem
10 / day combined channel + flathead catfish; AZ Colorado River Stamp required; joint AZ/NV/CA Lower Colorado River reciprocal arrangement

Official source

Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) publishes the authoritative 2026 Arizonafishing regulations. Always verify the current rule before fishing — emergency closures and in-season changes can override what's published here.

The flathead catfish rules on this page are sourced from Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD)'s official flathead catfish regulation page.

Visit official Arizona fishing regulations →

Emergency-order channel

Flathead catfish closures, slot-limit changes, and harvest pauses are posted to Arizona Game and Fish Department's emergency-order feed — check it before any Arizona trip during the active season.

Frequently asked questions

When is flathead catfish season in Arizona?: Arizona keeps flathead catfish open to fishing year-round for the 2026 regulation year — there is no closed season, though the daily bag and size limits below still apply every day.
What is the Arizona bag limit for flathead catfish?: The Arizona daily bag limit for flathead catfish is 10 / day combined channel + flathead catfish (lowered from the former 25 / day in the 2024 AZGFD simplification). The possession limit is 20 in possession combined (2× daily). Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.
What size flathead catfish can you keep in Arizona?: The Arizona size rule for flathead catfish is No statewide minimum. Trophy rule: AZ state-record flathead catfish 76 lb 8 oz Bartlett Lake 2013 (Eddie 'Flathead Ed' Wilcoxson — 53.5 in, 34.75 in girth, caught on a 2-lb live carp; the heaviest fish of any kind ever recorded in Arizona); Bartlett Lake (Verde River) + Lake Pleasant (Agua Fria) + Roosevelt + Apache + Saguaro (Salt River chain) + San Carlos Lake (Gila River, tribal jurisdiction) carry the AZ flathead trophy fishery; flathead are live-fish ambush predators — the trophy game is a live-bait + cut-bait night pattern on deep structure + inflow channels.
Do you need a license to fish for flathead catfish in Arizona?: Yes. Arizona requires a valid fishing license to fish for flathead catfish, with the usual exemptions for young children, state free-fishing days, and some senior or disabled-veteran categories. A license is valid only in the state that issued it, so non-residents need a Arizona license — compare resident and non-resident Arizona fees on the state regulations page below.
Are there gear restrictions for flathead catfish in Arizona?: Yes. In Arizona, flathead catfish fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; trotlines permitted on listed waters; Snagging prohibited; Live bait permitted (live sunfish / carp / shad where legal are the standard trophy-flathead baits); check live-baitfish restrictions by water; Arizona Fishing License required ages 10+ ($37 res annual / $55 NR annual); San Carlos Apache Tribe Fishing Permit required at San Carlos Lake (tribal jurisdiction); Colorado River boundary-water privilege (Lake Havasu + Lake Mohave + Lake Mead) is bundled into every Arizona license — no separate Colorado River Stamp has been required since 2014; Confirm current-year AZGFD Fishing Regulations for water-specific exceptions.
Do specific Arizona waters have different flathead catfish rules?: Yes. 5 named Arizona waters carry rules that override the statewide flathead catfish regulation, including Bartlett Lake, Lake Pleasant, Salt River lakes, and 2 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

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