When is striped bass season in Arizona?

Arizona keeps striped bass 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 striped bass?

The Arizona daily bag limit for striped bass is 10 / day no statewide minimum — applies on all Arizona waters including Lake Mead + Lake Mohave + Lake Havasu + Lake Powell + Lake Pleasant + the Salt River chain (AZGFD lists no striped-bass water exceptions). The possession limit is 20 in possession (2× daily). Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.

What size striped bass can you keep in Arizona?

The Arizona size rule for striped bass is No statewide minimum. Trophy rule: AZ state-record striped bass 67 lb 1 oz Willow Beach below Hoover Dam 1997 (one of country's largest inland striped bass records outside the Atlantic coastal fishery + Lake Texoma OK/TX joint compact); Lake Mead + Lake Mohave + Lake Havasu naturally-reproducing striped bass populations (one of only handful of US inland reservoirs with naturally-reproducing striped bass alongside Lake Texoma + Lake Norman NC + Lake Norfork AR); Lake Mead striped bass runs in May – September produce 15-25 lb fish routinely with 50+ lb fish landed annually; on the Utah side of Lake Powell striped bass are an unlimited-harvest encouraged-removal invasive (predation on juvenile razorback sucker + Colorado pikeminnow + bonytail + humpback chub ESA-listed Colorado River natives), but on the Arizona side they fall under the statewide 10 / day limit.

Do you need a license to fish for striped bass in Arizona?

Yes. Arizona requires a valid fishing license to fish for striped bass, 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 striped bass in Arizona?

Yes. In Arizona, striped bass fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; trolling permitted; downrigger + planer-board permitted; Live bait permitted (anchovies + threadfin shad common Lower Colorado River bait); Snagging permitted on listed Salt River chain reservoirs for striped bass below dams; Arizona Fishing License required ages 10+ ($37 res annual / $55 NR annual); 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 reach-specific exceptions.

Do specific Arizona waters have different striped bass rules?

Yes. 5 named Arizona waters carry rules that override the statewide striped bass regulation, including Lake Mead, Lake Mohave, Lake Havasu, and 2 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

2026 regulation year

Arizona Striped bass 2026 — Season, Bag Limit, Size Rules

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Last updated June 8, 2026

Arizona striped bass fishery is anchored by the Lower Colorado River reservoir chain: Lake Mead (247-square-mile reservoir on the Colorado River — USBR Hoover Dam built 1936 — country's largest reservoir by volume + by surface area when full + country's largest manmade lake by surface area) + Lake Mohave (28,260-acre reservoir on the Colorado River below Hoover Dam to Davis Dam — USBR Davis Dam built 1951) + Lake Havasu (19,300-acre reservoir on the Colorado River below Davis Dam — USBR Parker Dam built 1938) + the Salt River chain (Theodore Roosevelt + Apache + Canyon + Saguaro Lakes) + Lake Powell (161,000-acre Colorado River reservoir on the AZ/UT boundary). Striped bass were stocked in the Lower Colorado River chain in the 1960s by AZGFD + NDOW + CDFW to provide a sport fishery — Lake Mead + Lake Mohave + Lake Havasu carry self-sustaining naturally-reproducing striped bass populations (one of only handful of US inland reservoirs with naturally-reproducing striped bass alongside Lake Texoma OK/TX + Lake Norman NC + Lake Norfork AR). Lake Mead striped bass runs in May – September pre-spawn through post-spawn produce 15-25 lb fish routinely with 50+ lb fish landed annually — AZ state-record striped bass 67 lb 1 oz Willow Beach below Hoover Dam 1997 (one of country's largest inland striped bass records outside the Atlantic coastal fishery + Lake Texoma OK/TX). Lake Powell striped bass population has exploded since the 1980s + threatens native razorback sucker + Colorado pikeminnow ESA-listed Colorado River native species through predation pressure on juvenile native fishes — the Utah side of Lake Powell sets striped bass to unlimited harvest as an encouraged-removal invasive, but on the Arizona side AZGFD applies the statewide 10 / day limit (AZGFD lists no striped-bass water exceptions). Lake Mead + Lake Mohave + Lake Havasu + Lake Pleasant + the Salt River chain reservoirs all carry striped bass at the same statewide 10 / day limit. Open year-round statewide.

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Season

Open year-round Open year-round statewide; May – September pre-spawn through post-spawn densest fishing window on Mead + Mohave + Havasu + Powell; striped bass-fall-spawning-run on Lake Mohave October – December below Hoover Dam.

Bag & possession

Daily bag: 10 / day no statewide minimum — applies on all Arizona waters including Lake Mead + Lake Mohave + Lake Havasu + Lake Powell + Lake Pleasant + the Salt River chain (AZGFD lists no striped-bass water exceptions)
Possession: 20 in possession (2× daily)

Size, slot, trophy rules

Size: No statewide minimum
Trophy rule: AZ state-record striped bass 67 lb 1 oz Willow Beach below Hoover Dam 1997 (one of country's largest inland striped bass records outside the Atlantic coastal fishery + Lake Texoma OK/TX joint compact); Lake Mead + Lake Mohave + Lake Havasu naturally-reproducing striped bass populations (one of only handful of US inland reservoirs with naturally-reproducing striped bass alongside Lake Texoma + Lake Norman NC + Lake Norfork AR); Lake Mead striped bass runs in May – September produce 15-25 lb fish routinely with 50+ lb fish landed annually; on the Utah side of Lake Powell striped bass are an unlimited-harvest encouraged-removal invasive (predation on juvenile razorback sucker + Colorado pikeminnow + bonytail + humpback chub ESA-listed Colorado River natives), but on the Arizona side they fall under the statewide 10 / day limit

Gear restrictions

Hook-and-line; trolling permitted; downrigger + planer-board permitted
Live bait permitted (anchovies + threadfin shad common Lower Colorado River bait)
Snagging permitted on listed Salt River chain reservoirs for striped bass below dams
Arizona Fishing License required ages 10+ ($37 res annual / $55 NR annual)
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 reach-specific exceptions

Named water-body overrides

Where statewide rules differ on specific Arizona waters:

Lake Mead
10 / day (statewide limit — AZGFD lists no Mead exception); AZ/NV boundary reservoir fishable on the Arizona license; 15-25 lb fish routinely with 50+ lb fish landed annually; AZ state-record striped bass 67 lb 1 oz Willow Beach below Hoover Dam 1997
Lake Mohave
10 / day (statewide limit); AZ/NV boundary reservoir fishable on the Arizona license; striped bass fall-spawning run October – December below Hoover Dam
Lake Havasu
10 / day statewide limit; AZ/CA boundary reservoir fishable on the Arizona license
Lake Powell
10 / day on the Arizona side (statewide limit); the Utah side sets striped bass to unlimited harvest as an encouraged-removal invasive
Theodore Roosevelt + Apache + Canyon + Saguaro Lakes
10 / day; secondary striped bass populations alongside dominant largemouth fishery

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

Visit official Arizona fishing regulations →

Emergency-order channel

Striped bass 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 striped bass season in Arizona?: Arizona keeps striped bass 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 striped bass?: The Arizona daily bag limit for striped bass is 10 / day no statewide minimum — applies on all Arizona waters including Lake Mead + Lake Mohave + Lake Havasu + Lake Powell + Lake Pleasant + the Salt River chain (AZGFD lists no striped-bass water exceptions). The possession limit is 20 in possession (2× daily). Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.
What size striped bass can you keep in Arizona?: The Arizona size rule for striped bass is No statewide minimum. Trophy rule: AZ state-record striped bass 67 lb 1 oz Willow Beach below Hoover Dam 1997 (one of country's largest inland striped bass records outside the Atlantic coastal fishery + Lake Texoma OK/TX joint compact); Lake Mead + Lake Mohave + Lake Havasu naturally-reproducing striped bass populations (one of only handful of US inland reservoirs with naturally-reproducing striped bass alongside Lake Texoma + Lake Norman NC + Lake Norfork AR); Lake Mead striped bass runs in May – September produce 15-25 lb fish routinely with 50+ lb fish landed annually; on the Utah side of Lake Powell striped bass are an unlimited-harvest encouraged-removal invasive (predation on juvenile razorback sucker + Colorado pikeminnow + bonytail + humpback chub ESA-listed Colorado River natives), but on the Arizona side they fall under the statewide 10 / day limit.
Do you need a license to fish for striped bass in Arizona?: Yes. Arizona requires a valid fishing license to fish for striped bass, 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 striped bass in Arizona?: Yes. In Arizona, striped bass fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; trolling permitted; downrigger + planer-board permitted; Live bait permitted (anchovies + threadfin shad common Lower Colorado River bait); Snagging permitted on listed Salt River chain reservoirs for striped bass below dams; Arizona Fishing License required ages 10+ ($37 res annual / $55 NR annual); 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 reach-specific exceptions.
Do specific Arizona waters have different striped bass rules?: Yes. 5 named Arizona waters carry rules that override the statewide striped bass regulation, including Lake Mead, Lake Mohave, Lake Havasu, and 2 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

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