When is rainbow trout season in Nevada?

Nevada keeps rainbow trout 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 Nevada bag limit for rainbow trout?

The Nevada daily bag limit for rainbow trout is 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. The possession limit is 10 in possession combined trout. Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.

What size rainbow trout can you keep in Nevada?

The Nevada size rule for rainbow trout is No statewide minimum on most waters; reach-specific quality + trophy regulations on listed waters. Trophy rule: NV state-record rainbow trout 16 lb 8 oz Ruby Lake NWR 2011 (Mike Mott); the 21 lb 5 oz Willow Beach 1966 fish often miscited as Nevada's is Arizona's record on the shared AZ/NV Lake Mohave tailwater; Willow Beach Lake Mohave cold-water tailwater country's southernmost coldwater rainbow trout tailwater + USFWS Willow Beach NFH + AZGFD/NDOW joint stocking ~500,000 rainbow annually; Topaz Lake NDOW-distinctive January 1 spring-stocked trout opener country's only January 1 trout opener for a lowland reservoir.

Do you need a license to fish for rainbow trout in Nevada?

Yes. Nevada requires a valid fishing license to fish for rainbow trout, 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 Nevada license — compare resident and non-resident Nevada fees on the state regulations page below.

Are there gear restrictions for rainbow trout in Nevada?

Yes. In Nevada, rainbow trout fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; trolling permitted; Live bait permitted on most NDOW waters; restricted on listed CA/NV East Walker River Quality Management reach (artificial-fly-and-lure-only); NDOW Fishing License + Trout Stamp required ages 12+ ($40 res annual / $80 NR annual + $10 res/NR Trout Stamp); Confirm current-year NDOW Fishing Regulations for reservoir-specific exceptions + reciprocal compact rules (AZ/NV + CA/NV).

Do specific Nevada waters have different rainbow trout rules?

Yes. 5 named Nevada waters carry rules that override the statewide rainbow trout regulation, including Willow Beach tailwater, Topaz Lake, Wild Horse Reservoir, and 2 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

2026 regulation year

Nevada Rainbow trout 2026 — Season, Bag Limit, Size Rules

Oncorhynchus mykiss

Last updated May 30, 2026

Nevada rainbow trout fishery is anchored by Willow Beach below-Hoover-Dam Lake Mohave cold-water tailwater (Mohave County AZ + Clark County NV) — country's southernmost coldwater rainbow trout tailwater + USFWS Willow Beach National Fish Hatchery + AZGFD/NDOW joint stocking program (~500,000 rainbow trout annually) under the long-standing AZ/NV joint reciprocal compact administered jointly by AZGFD + NDOW. NV state-record rainbow trout 16 lb 8 oz Ruby Lake NWR 2011 (Mike Mott); the 21 lb 5 oz Willow Beach 1966 fish frequently attributed to Nevada is in fact Arizona's state record on the shared AZ/NV Lake Mohave tailwater. The Willow Beach 12-mile tailwater reach from Hoover Dam downstream produces 3-5 lb rainbow routinely on tiny midge + scud + Mysis-shrimp patterns + crank baits trolled through the deep-water tailwater channel. Wild Horse Reservoir (2,830-acre East Fork Owyhee River reservoir — Elko County NV — 6,300 ft elevation — Wild Horse State Recreation Area) carries the Northern NV stocked-rainbow + wild-brown trout fishery alongside the dominant walleye populations. South Fork Reservoir (1,650-acre South Fork Humboldt River reservoir — Elko County NV — South Fork State Recreation Area) carries the Northern NV reservoir trout tier. Topaz Lake (1,700-acre CA/NV boundary lake on the Walker River — Douglas County NV + Mono County CA — joint CA/NV reciprocal trout fishery) is NDOW-distinctive — January 1 spring-stocked trout season opener — country's only January 1 trout opener for a lowland reservoir (CDFW + NDOW joint catchable-rainbow stocking program in late November – December for the opener). Lake Tahoe (191 sq mi natural lake on the CA/NV line) carries the CA/NV joint reciprocal Mackinaw + rainbow + brown + kokanee fishery — NDOW-stocked + naturally-reproducing rainbow at the deep-water thermocline. The Truckee River (Washoe County NV — Lake Tahoe outflow through Truckee NV through Reno NV to Pyramid Lake) carries the wild brown + rainbow + remnant Lahontan cutthroat tailwater fishery. The East Walker River (Lyon County NV — below Bridgeport Reservoir CA tailwater downstream to Topaz Lake NV — country's premier eastern Sierra wild brown trout tailwater) carries the joint CA/NV Quality Management trout reach. NDOW stocks ~1.4 million catchable + fingerling rainbow trout annually statewide via Lake Mead State Fish Hatchery (Boulder City NV) + Mason Valley State Fish Hatchery (Yerington NV) + Spring Creek State Fish Hatchery (Spring Creek NV) + USFWS Willow Beach NFH (Lake Mohave NV) + USFWS Lahontan NFH (Gardnerville NV). Open year-round on most waters.

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Season

Open year-round Open year-round on most waters; Willow Beach Lake Mohave tailwater year-round cold-water tailwater; Topaz Lake January 1 spring-stocked trout opener (NDOW-distinctive — country's only January 1 trout opener for a lowland reservoir).

Bag & possession

Daily bag: 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
Possession: 10 in possession combined trout

Size, slot, trophy rules

Size: No statewide minimum on most waters; reach-specific quality + trophy regulations on listed waters
Trophy rule: NV state-record rainbow trout 16 lb 8 oz Ruby Lake NWR 2011 (Mike Mott); the 21 lb 5 oz Willow Beach 1966 fish often miscited as Nevada's is Arizona's record on the shared AZ/NV Lake Mohave tailwater; Willow Beach Lake Mohave cold-water tailwater country's southernmost coldwater rainbow trout tailwater + USFWS Willow Beach NFH + AZGFD/NDOW joint stocking ~500,000 rainbow annually; Topaz Lake NDOW-distinctive January 1 spring-stocked trout opener country's only January 1 trout opener for a lowland reservoir

Gear restrictions

Hook-and-line; trolling permitted
Live bait permitted on most NDOW waters; restricted on listed CA/NV East Walker River Quality Management reach (artificial-fly-and-lure-only)
NDOW Fishing License + Trout Stamp required ages 12+ ($40 res annual / $80 NR annual + $10 res/NR Trout Stamp)
Confirm current-year NDOW Fishing Regulations for reservoir-specific exceptions + reciprocal compact rules (AZ/NV + CA/NV)

Named water-body overrides

Where statewide rules differ on specific Nevada waters:

Willow Beach below Hoover Dam Lake Mohave tailwater
Trout 5 / day combined under AZ/NV joint compact; NV state-record rainbow 16 lb 8 oz Ruby Lake NWR 2011 (the 21 lb 5 oz Willow Beach 1966 fish is Arizona's record); USFWS Willow Beach NFH + AZGFD/NDOW joint stocking ~500,000 rainbow annually
Topaz Lake
Trout 5 / day combined under CA/NV reciprocal trout fishery; NDOW-distinctive January 1 spring-stocked trout opener country's only January 1 trout opener for a lowland reservoir; Trout Stamp required
Wild Horse Reservoir
Trout 5 / day combined; stocked-rainbow + wild-brown fishery alongside dominant walleye populations
Lake Tahoe
Trout 5 / day combined under CA/NV joint compact; NDOW-stocked + naturally-reproducing rainbow at deep-water thermocline
East Walker River
Trout 2 / day with 14 in min Quality Management (joint CA/NV management); artificial-fly-and-lure-only on listed reaches

Official source

Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) publishes the authoritative 2026 Nevadafishing regulations. Always verify the current rule before fishing — emergency closures and in-season changes can override what's published here.

Visit official Nevada fishing regulations →

Emergency-order channel

Rainbow trout closures, slot-limit changes, and harvest pauses are posted to Nevada Department of Wildlife's emergency-order feed — check it before any Nevada trip during the active season.

Frequently asked questions

When is rainbow trout season in Nevada?: Nevada keeps rainbow trout 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 Nevada bag limit for rainbow trout?: The Nevada daily bag limit for rainbow trout is 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. The possession limit is 10 in possession combined trout. Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.
What size rainbow trout can you keep in Nevada?: The Nevada size rule for rainbow trout is No statewide minimum on most waters; reach-specific quality + trophy regulations on listed waters. Trophy rule: NV state-record rainbow trout 16 lb 8 oz Ruby Lake NWR 2011 (Mike Mott); the 21 lb 5 oz Willow Beach 1966 fish often miscited as Nevada's is Arizona's record on the shared AZ/NV Lake Mohave tailwater; Willow Beach Lake Mohave cold-water tailwater country's southernmost coldwater rainbow trout tailwater + USFWS Willow Beach NFH + AZGFD/NDOW joint stocking ~500,000 rainbow annually; Topaz Lake NDOW-distinctive January 1 spring-stocked trout opener country's only January 1 trout opener for a lowland reservoir.
Do you need a license to fish for rainbow trout in Nevada?: Yes. Nevada requires a valid fishing license to fish for rainbow trout, 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 Nevada license — compare resident and non-resident Nevada fees on the state regulations page below.
Are there gear restrictions for rainbow trout in Nevada?: Yes. In Nevada, rainbow trout fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; trolling permitted; Live bait permitted on most NDOW waters; restricted on listed CA/NV East Walker River Quality Management reach (artificial-fly-and-lure-only); NDOW Fishing License + Trout Stamp required ages 12+ ($40 res annual / $80 NR annual + $10 res/NR Trout Stamp); Confirm current-year NDOW Fishing Regulations for reservoir-specific exceptions + reciprocal compact rules (AZ/NV + CA/NV).
Do specific Nevada waters have different rainbow trout rules?: Yes. 5 named Nevada waters carry rules that override the statewide rainbow trout regulation, including Willow Beach tailwater, Topaz Lake, Wild Horse Reservoir, and 2 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

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