2026 regulation year
New Jersey Trout (rainbow + brown + brook) 2026 — Season, Bag Limit, Size Rules
Oncorhynchus mykiss / Salmo trutta / Salvelinus fontinalis
Last updated
New Jersey's trout fishery centers on the Pequest Trout Hatchery in Oxford, Warren County — the state-operated hatchery stocks rainbow, brown, and brook trout heavily across designated streams + ponds statewide. The Pequest River below the hatchery is the most-stocked trout reach in NJ. Big Flat Brook in Sussex County is the flagship wild brown trout stream with a year-round catch-and-release fly-fishing-only Blewett Tract reach. The South Branch Raritan River runs both stocked sections and the Ken Lockwood Gorge Special Regulations reach (catch-and-release artificial-lures-only year-round). The Musconetcong River + Big Flat Brook + Pequest + South Branch Raritan are the 'big four' NJ trout rivers. Round Valley + Merrill Creek Reservoirs are NJ's Trophy Trout Lakes with a 15-inch minimum + 2-fish daily bag (and self-sustaining lake trout populations — the only NJ waters that support them). NJ's distinctive 'Opening Day' is the first Saturday in April with a pre-season closure on stocked reaches March 11 – March 31.
Compare trout (rainbow + brown + brook) regulations across all states →
Get change alerts
Watch New Jersey Trout (rainbow + brown + brook) and we'll email you when a season, bag limit, slot, or closure changes. Free while in beta.
Season
Year-round on listed special-regulation reaches + Trophy Trout Lakes; April Opening Day for stocked reaches (pre-season closure March 11 – March 31).
– Stocked reaches (Opening Day Saturday)
Closed March 11 – March 31 pre-season; reopens first Saturday in April
– Catch-and-release reaches (Big Flat Brook Blewett + Ken Lockwood Gorge)
Year-round C&R
Bag & possession
- Daily bag
- 6 / day combined trout (in-season stocked reaches); 4 / day after May 31; 2 / day Trophy Trout Lakes
- Possession
- 12 in possession
Size, slot, trophy rules
- Size
- 9 in min stocked trout statewide; 15 in min Trophy Trout Lakes (Round Valley + Merrill Creek)
Gear restrictions
- Trout Stamp ($11 resident / $21 non-resident) required to take or possess trout
- Big Flat Brook Blewett Tract: catch-and-release fly-fishing-only year-round
- Ken Lockwood Gorge (South Branch Raritan): catch-and-release artificial-lures-only year-round
- Stocked reaches: closed March 11 – March 31 pre-season; reopen first Saturday in April
- Merrill Creek Reservoir: artificial-lures-only on listed reaches
Named water-body overrides
Where statewide rules differ on specific New Jersey waters:
Big Flat Brook (Sussex County)
Blewett Tract catch-and-release fly-fishing-only year-round; flagship wild brown trout
South Branch Raritan River (Hunterdon County)
Ken Lockwood Gorge Special Regulations catch-and-release artificial-lures-only year-round; standard stocked sections elsewhere
Pequest River
9 in min, 6 / day in-season; most-stocked trout reach in NJ
Round Valley Reservoir
15 in min, 2 / day Trophy Trout Lake; landlocked Atlantic salmon stocked
Merrill Creek Reservoir
15 in min, 2 / day Trophy Trout Lake; artificial-lures-only listed reaches
Official source
New Jersey Division of Fish & Wildlife (freshwater) + NJ Marine Fisheries Administration (saltwater) publishes the authoritative 2026 New Jerseyfishing regulations. Always verify the current rule before fishing — emergency closures and in-season changes can override what's published here.
The trout (rainbow + brown + brook) rules on this page are sourced from New Jersey Division of Fish & Wildlife (freshwater) + NJ Marine Fisheries Administration (saltwater)'s official trout (rainbow + brown + brook) regulation page.
Visit official New Jersey fishing regulations →
Emergency-order channel
Trout (rainbow + brown + brook) closures, slot-limit changes, and harvest pauses are posted to New Jersey Division of Fish & Wildlife's emergency-order feed — check it before any New Jersey trip during the active season.
Frequently asked questions
- When is trout (rainbow + brown + brook) season in New Jersey?
- Year-round on listed special-regulation reaches + Trophy Trout Lakes; April Opening Day for stocked reaches (pre-season closure March 11 – March 31). Those are the 2026 New Jersey dates; always confirm against New Jersey Division of Fish & Wildlife (freshwater) + NJ Marine Fisheries Administration (saltwater) before a trip, because an emergency order can shift an opener with little notice.
- What is the New Jersey bag limit for trout (rainbow + brown + brook)?
- The New Jersey daily bag limit for trout (rainbow + brown + brook) is 6 / day combined trout (in-season stocked reaches); 4 / day after May 31; 2 / day Trophy Trout Lakes. The possession limit is 12 in possession. Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.
- What size trout (rainbow + brown + brook) can you keep in New Jersey?
- The New Jersey size rule for trout (rainbow + brown + brook) is 9 in min stocked trout statewide; 15 in min Trophy Trout Lakes (Round Valley + Merrill Creek).
- Do you need a license to fish for trout (rainbow + brown + brook) in New Jersey?
- Yes. New Jersey requires a valid fishing license to fish for trout (rainbow + brown + brook), 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 New Jersey license — compare resident and non-resident New Jersey fees on the state regulations page below.
- Are there gear restrictions for trout (rainbow + brown + brook) in New Jersey?
- Yes. In New Jersey, trout (rainbow + brown + brook) fishing carries these gear rules: Trout Stamp ($11 resident / $21 non-resident) required to take or possess trout; Big Flat Brook Blewett Tract: catch-and-release fly-fishing-only year-round; Ken Lockwood Gorge (South Branch Raritan): catch-and-release artificial-lures-only year-round; Stocked reaches: closed March 11 – March 31 pre-season; reopen first Saturday in April; Merrill Creek Reservoir: artificial-lures-only on listed reaches.
- Do specific New Jersey waters have different trout (rainbow + brown + brook) rules?
- Yes. 5 named New Jersey waters carry rules that override the statewide trout (rainbow + brown + brook) regulation, including Big Flat Brook (Sussex County), South Branch Raritan River (Hunterdon County), Pequest River, and 2 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.