When is smallmouth bass season in Nevada?

Nevada keeps smallmouth 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 Nevada bag limit for smallmouth bass?

The Nevada daily bag limit for smallmouth bass is 6 / day combined black bass no statewide minimum on Lake Mead + Lake Mohave under AZ/NV joint compact + Lake Tahoe under CA/NV joint compact; 6 / day combined no statewide minimum elsewhere. The possession limit is 12 in possession combined black bass. Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.

Do you need a license to fish for smallmouth bass in Nevada?

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

Are there gear restrictions for smallmouth bass in Nevada?

Yes. In Nevada, smallmouth bass fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; trolling permitted; live bait permitted on most NDOW waters; NDOW Fishing License required ages 12+ ($40 res annual / $80 NR annual); Trout Stamp not required for bass; Confirm current-year NDOW Fishing Regulations for reservoir-specific exceptions + reciprocal compact rules (AZ/NV Lake Mead + Mohave + CA/NV Lake Tahoe + Topaz).

Do specific Nevada waters have different smallmouth bass rules?

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

2026 regulation year

Nevada Smallmouth bass 2026 — Season, Bag Limit, Size Rules

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Last updated May 27, 2026

Nevada smallmouth bass fishery is anchored by Lake Mead (247-sq-mi USBR Hoover Dam 1936 — Clark County NV + Mohave County AZ — country's largest reservoir by volume + by surface area when full) + Lake Mohave (28,260-acre USBR Davis Dam 1951 — 67-mile reservoir reach within Lake Mead NRA NPS — Clark County NV + Mohave County AZ) + Lake Tahoe (191 sq mi natural lake on the CA/NV line — Washoe + Carson + Douglas Counties NV). Lake Mead + Lake Mohave smallmouth fishery is administered under the long-standing AZ/NV joint reciprocal compact (AZGFD + NDOW) — 6 / day combined no statewide minimum — producing 2-4 lb smallmouth routinely with 5+ lb fish landed annually on the rocky-shoreline + deep-canyon structure typical of Colorado River reservoirs. Lake Tahoe smallmouth fishery is administered under the CA/NV joint reciprocal compact (CDFW + NDOW) — 5 / day combined — naturally-reproducing wild smallmouth at the deep-water thermocline. South Fork Reservoir (1,650-acre South Fork Humboldt River reservoir — Elko County NV — South Fork State Recreation Area) + Wild Horse Reservoir (2,830-acre East Fork Owyhee River reservoir — Elko County NV) + Rye Patch Reservoir (11,000-acre Humboldt River reservoir — Pershing County NV) + Lahontan Reservoir (12,000-acre Carson River reservoir — Lyon + Churchill Counties NV) carry the Northern NV smallmouth reservoir tier alongside the dominant walleye + wiper populations. NV state-record smallmouth bass 8 lb 11 oz Sheep Creek Reservoir 2010 (Curtis Ockerman — a small Elko County reservoir, one of the larger smallmouth state records in the inland West). NDOW does not stock smallmouth bass — populations are self-sustaining throughout the reservoir system. Open year-round on most waters.

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Season

Open year-round Open year-round on most waters; April – June pre-spawn through post-spawn densest fishing window on Lake Mead + Lake Mohave + Lake Tahoe + Northern NV reservoir tier.

Bag & possession

Daily bag: 6 / day combined black bass no statewide minimum on Lake Mead + Lake Mohave under AZ/NV joint compact + Lake Tahoe under CA/NV joint compact; 6 / day combined no statewide minimum elsewhere
Possession: 12 in possession combined black bass

Size, slot, trophy rules

Size: No statewide minimum on most waters; reach-specific quality + trophy regulations on listed waters
Trophy rule: NV state-record smallmouth bass 8 lb 11 oz Sheep Creek Reservoir 2010 (Curtis Ockerman, Elko County — one of larger smallmouth state records in the inland West); Lake Mead + Lake Mohave AZ/NV joint compact protects rocky-shoreline + deep-canyon smallmouth fishery (2-4 lb smallmouth routinely with 5+ lb fish landed annually); Lake Tahoe naturally-reproducing wild smallmouth at deep-water thermocline under CA/NV joint compact

Gear restrictions

Hook-and-line; trolling permitted; live bait permitted on most NDOW waters
NDOW Fishing License required ages 12+ ($40 res annual / $80 NR annual); Trout Stamp not required for bass
Confirm current-year NDOW Fishing Regulations for reservoir-specific exceptions + reciprocal compact rules (AZ/NV Lake Mead + Mohave + CA/NV Lake Tahoe + Topaz)

Named water-body overrides

Where statewide rules differ on specific Nevada waters:

Lake Mead
6 / day combined black bass no statewide minimum under AZ/NV joint compact; rocky-shoreline + deep-canyon smallmouth fishery 2-4 lb routinely with 5+ lb fish landed annually
Lake Mohave
6 / day combined black bass no statewide minimum under AZ/NV joint compact; rocky-shoreline + deep-canyon smallmouth fishery 2-4 lb routinely with 5+ lb fish landed annually
Lake Tahoe
6 / day combined black bass no statewide minimum under CA/NV joint compact; naturally-reproducing wild smallmouth at deep-water thermocline
South Fork Reservoir
6 / day combined black bass no statewide minimum; mixed smallmouth + walleye + trout reservoir
Wild Horse Reservoir
6 / day combined black bass no statewide minimum; mixed smallmouth + walleye + stocked-rainbow + wild-brown reservoir

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

Smallmouth bass 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 smallmouth bass season in Nevada?: Nevada keeps smallmouth 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 Nevada bag limit for smallmouth bass?: The Nevada daily bag limit for smallmouth bass is 6 / day combined black bass no statewide minimum on Lake Mead + Lake Mohave under AZ/NV joint compact + Lake Tahoe under CA/NV joint compact; 6 / day combined no statewide minimum elsewhere. The possession limit is 12 in possession combined black bass. Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.
What size smallmouth bass can you keep in Nevada?: The Nevada size rule for smallmouth bass is No statewide minimum on most waters; reach-specific quality + trophy regulations on listed waters. Trophy rule: NV state-record smallmouth bass 8 lb 11 oz Sheep Creek Reservoir 2010 (Curtis Ockerman, Elko County — one of larger smallmouth state records in the inland West); Lake Mead + Lake Mohave AZ/NV joint compact protects rocky-shoreline + deep-canyon smallmouth fishery (2-4 lb smallmouth routinely with 5+ lb fish landed annually); Lake Tahoe naturally-reproducing wild smallmouth at deep-water thermocline under CA/NV joint compact.
Do you need a license to fish for smallmouth bass in Nevada?: Yes. Nevada requires a valid fishing license to fish for smallmouth 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 Nevada license — compare resident and non-resident Nevada fees on the state regulations page below.
Are there gear restrictions for smallmouth bass in Nevada?: Yes. In Nevada, smallmouth bass fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; trolling permitted; live bait permitted on most NDOW waters; NDOW Fishing License required ages 12+ ($40 res annual / $80 NR annual); Trout Stamp not required for bass; Confirm current-year NDOW Fishing Regulations for reservoir-specific exceptions + reciprocal compact rules (AZ/NV Lake Mead + Mohave + CA/NV Lake Tahoe + Topaz).
Do specific Nevada waters have different smallmouth bass rules?: Yes. 5 named Nevada waters carry rules that override the statewide smallmouth bass regulation, including Lake Mead, Lake Mohave, Lake Tahoe, and 2 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

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