When is rainbow trout season in Utah?

Utah 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 Utah bag limit for rainbow trout?

The Utah daily bag limit for rainbow trout is 4 / day combined trout (rainbow + brown + brook + cutthroat + tiger + golden + grayling — but NOT lake trout); 8 / day Green River below Flaming Gorge under joint UT/WY compact (special exception — UT-side bag); 1 / day rainbow trout + 15 in min on listed TROPHY MANAGEMENT reaches. The possession limit is 8 in possession combined trout. Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.

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

Yes. Utah 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 Utah license — compare resident and non-resident Utah fees on the state regulations page below.

Are there gear restrictions for rainbow trout in Utah?

Yes. In Utah, rainbow trout fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; trolling permitted; fly-fishing-only on listed Quality Management reaches (Section A of Green River below Flaming Gorge + Middle Provo + Lower Provo); Live bait prohibited on most blue-ribbon trout streams; artificial-lures-only or fly-only on listed reaches; Barbless single hook required on listed catch-and-release reaches; Utah Fishing License required ages 12+ ($40 res annual / $90 NR annual); Confirm current-year UDWR Fishing Regulations for District-by-District Quality Management reach + season list.

Do specific Utah waters have different rainbow trout rules?

Yes. 5 named Utah waters carry rules that override the statewide rainbow trout regulation, including Flaming Gorge tailwater, Provo River, Strawberry Reservoir, and 2 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

2026 regulation year

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

Oncorhynchus mykiss

Last updated May 27, 2026

Utah rainbow trout fishery is anchored by the Green River below Flaming Gorge Dam (28-mile blue-ribbon trout tailwater from the dam downstream through Red Canyon + Little Hole + Brown's Park to the UT/CO line — Daggett + Uintah Counties — country's premier wild brown + rainbow + cutthroat tailwater + one of country's two densest wild trout reaches at 8-12,000 catchable trout per mile alongside Bighorn MT tailwater + Miracle Mile WY) + the Provo River (75-mile river through Heber Valley + Jordanelle + Deer Creek + Provo Canyon to Utah Lake — Utah's most famous urban-trout-stream + country's premier dry-fly + nymph wild brown + rainbow trout tailwater near Salt Lake City + Provo metro areas). Strawberry Reservoir (17,000-acre Wasatch Range reservoir — Utah's flagship freshwater fishery) carries the country's premier kokanee + Bonneville cutthroat + rainbow trout still-water fishery. Flaming Gorge Reservoir (91 sq mi on Green River — straddles the WY/UT boundary under joint reciprocal compact) carries trophy rainbow alongside the brown + lake trout fishery. Causey + Mantua + Pineview + Rockport + East Canyon + Echo + Lost Creek Reservoirs on the Wasatch Range east slope carry the hatchery-supported rainbow trout reservoir tier. Sand Hollow + Quail Creek + Otter Creek + Piute + Panguitch Lake reservoirs in southern UT carry the desert + Aquarius Plateau reservoir tier. UDWR-managed Quality Management on Lower Provo + Middle Provo + Green River below Flaming Gorge + Logan + Blacksmith Fork + Weber tailwater reaches carries 1 / day rainbow trout + 15 in min TROPHY MANAGEMENT on listed reaches. UDWR stocks ~10 million catchable + fingerling rainbow trout annually statewide via Whiterocks + Loa + Mantua + Springville + Glenwood + Egan + Kamas + Fountain Green + Midway State Fish Hatcheries — one of the most extensive trout hatchery systems in the West. Open year-round on most waters; community fishery program ('Family Fishing Waters') urban-park 4 / day rainbow trout no min for high-density catchable stocking at ~80 community waters statewide.

Compare rainbow trout regulations across all states →

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Season

Open year-round Open year-round on most waters; quality-management waters carry seasonal closures; Green River below Flaming Gorge + Provo + Logan + Blacksmith Fork + Weber tailwater wild-trout reaches managed under UDWR Quality Management regulation; Strawberry kokanee + Bonneville cutthroat + rainbow trout still-water fishery.

Bag & possession

Daily bag: 4 / day combined trout (rainbow + brown + brook + cutthroat + tiger + golden + grayling — but NOT lake trout); 8 / day Green River below Flaming Gorge under joint UT/WY compact (special exception — UT-side bag); 1 / day rainbow trout + 15 in min on listed TROPHY MANAGEMENT reaches
Possession: 8 in possession combined trout

Size, slot, trophy rules

Size: 15 in min on listed Quality Management tailwater reaches; no statewide minimum on most waters
Trophy rule: Green River below Flaming Gorge Dam 28-mile blue-ribbon tailwater — one of country's two densest wild trout reaches (8-12,000 catchable trout per mile alongside Bighorn MT tailwater at 8,000/mile + Miracle Mile WY at ~12,000/mile during runoff); Provo River Utah's most famous urban-trout-stream + country's premier dry-fly + nymph wild brown + rainbow trout tailwater near Salt Lake City + Provo metro areas; Strawberry Reservoir Utah's flagship freshwater fishery + UDWR-managed Bonneville cutthroat + kokanee + rainbow; UDWR stocks ~10 million catchable + fingerling trout annually statewide via Whiterocks + Loa + Mantua + Springville + Glenwood + Egan + Kamas + Fountain Green + Midway State Fish Hatcheries — one of most extensive trout hatchery systems in the West

Gear restrictions

Hook-and-line; trolling permitted; fly-fishing-only on listed Quality Management reaches (Section A of Green River below Flaming Gorge + Middle Provo + Lower Provo)
Live bait prohibited on most blue-ribbon trout streams; artificial-lures-only or fly-only on listed reaches
Barbless single hook required on listed catch-and-release reaches
Utah Fishing License required ages 12+ ($40 res annual / $90 NR annual)
Confirm current-year UDWR Fishing Regulations for District-by-District Quality Management reach + season list

Named water-body overrides

Where statewide rules differ on specific Utah waters:

Green River below Flaming Gorge Dam
Section A from dam to Little Hole: artificial-fly-and-lure only + catch-and-release on cutthroat; Section B + C downstream of Little Hole: 8 / day combined trout under joint UT/WY compact (special exception) + 1 / day brown trout 15 in min TROPHY MANAGEMENT
Provo River
Middle Provo (Jordanelle Dam to Deer Creek Reservoir) + Lower Provo (Deer Creek Dam to Utah Lake): 1 / day brown trout + 15 in min TROPHY MANAGEMENT; artificial-fly-and-lure only on Middle + Lower Provo + barbless single-hook required
Strawberry Reservoir
Rainbow trout 8 / day no min; kokanee salmon within the 4 / day combined trout limit (no possession Sept 10 – Nov 30); cutthroat 1 / day with 22 in min TROPHY MANAGEMENT
Flaming Gorge Reservoir
Trout 4 / day combined; WY/UT joint reciprocal compact on the boundary reservoir
Family Fishing Waters
Rainbow trout 4 / day combined no min; UDWR catchable-trout stocking throughout the year

Official source

Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR) publishes the authoritative 2026 Utahfishing regulations. Always verify the current rule before fishing — emergency closures and in-season changes can override what's published here.

Visit official Utah fishing regulations →

Emergency-order channel

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

Frequently asked questions

When is rainbow trout season in Utah?: Utah 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 Utah bag limit for rainbow trout?: The Utah daily bag limit for rainbow trout is 4 / day combined trout (rainbow + brown + brook + cutthroat + tiger + golden + grayling — but NOT lake trout); 8 / day Green River below Flaming Gorge under joint UT/WY compact (special exception — UT-side bag); 1 / day rainbow trout + 15 in min on listed TROPHY MANAGEMENT reaches. The possession limit is 8 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 Utah?: The Utah size rule for rainbow trout is 15 in min on listed Quality Management tailwater reaches; no statewide minimum on most waters. Trophy rule: Green River below Flaming Gorge Dam 28-mile blue-ribbon tailwater — one of country's two densest wild trout reaches (8-12,000 catchable trout per mile alongside Bighorn MT tailwater at 8,000/mile + Miracle Mile WY at ~12,000/mile during runoff); Provo River Utah's most famous urban-trout-stream + country's premier dry-fly + nymph wild brown + rainbow trout tailwater near Salt Lake City + Provo metro areas; Strawberry Reservoir Utah's flagship freshwater fishery + UDWR-managed Bonneville cutthroat + kokanee + rainbow; UDWR stocks ~10 million catchable + fingerling trout annually statewide via Whiterocks + Loa + Mantua + Springville + Glenwood + Egan + Kamas + Fountain Green + Midway State Fish Hatcheries — one of most extensive trout hatchery systems in the West.
Do you need a license to fish for rainbow trout in Utah?: Yes. Utah 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 Utah license — compare resident and non-resident Utah fees on the state regulations page below.
Are there gear restrictions for rainbow trout in Utah?: Yes. In Utah, rainbow trout fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; trolling permitted; fly-fishing-only on listed Quality Management reaches (Section A of Green River below Flaming Gorge + Middle Provo + Lower Provo); Live bait prohibited on most blue-ribbon trout streams; artificial-lures-only or fly-only on listed reaches; Barbless single hook required on listed catch-and-release reaches; Utah Fishing License required ages 12+ ($40 res annual / $90 NR annual); Confirm current-year UDWR Fishing Regulations for District-by-District Quality Management reach + season list.
Do specific Utah waters have different rainbow trout rules?: Yes. 5 named Utah waters carry rules that override the statewide rainbow trout regulation, including Flaming Gorge tailwater, Provo River, Strawberry Reservoir, and 2 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

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