When is rainbow trout season in Washington?

Washington 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 Washington bag limit for rainbow trout?

The Washington daily bag limit for rainbow trout is 5 / day combined trout on most waters; 10 / day kokanee combined on listed Cascade + interior reservoirs; 2 / day Yakima Quality Management catch-and-release-only on Cle Elum to Roza Dam reach (WDFW-distinctive blue-ribbon Quality Management); Beardslee rainbow 0 / day catch-and-release-only on Lake Crescent (Olympic NP endemic-population). The possession limit is 10 in possession combined trout statewide. Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.

What size rainbow trout can you keep in Washington?

The Washington size rule for rainbow trout is No statewide minimum; reach-specific quality + trophy regulations on Yakima + Lake Crescent + listed reaches. Slot limit: Yakima River Cle Elum to Roza Dam Quality Management reach 0 / day catch-and-release-only + artificial-fly-and-lure only + barbless single-hook required (WDFW-distinctive blue-ribbon interior-Columbia redband Quality Management). Trophy rule: Yakima River country's premier blue-ribbon wild interior-Columbia redband rainbow trout Quality Management river (WDFW-distinctive Cle Elum to Roza Dam catch-and-release-only artificial-fly-and-lure only); Lake Crescent endemic Beardslee rainbow (Oncorhynchus mykiss irideus beardsleei — endemic-population to Lake Crescent only, found nowhere else in the world); Rufus Woods Lake country's premier mid-Columbia triploid rainbow trout fishery (WA state-record rainbow trout 29 lb 6 oz Rufus Woods 2002); Lake Chelan country's 3rd-deepest natural lake at 1,486 ft + premier deep-water-glacial-fjord trout fishery; Olympic National Park + Mount Rainier National Park + North Cascades National Park country's most extensive Cascade + Olympic Range alpine + lowland stocked-rainbow + native-rainbow system.

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

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

Are there gear restrictions for rainbow trout in Washington?

Yes. In Washington, rainbow trout fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; trolling permitted on most waters; Artificial-fly-and-lure only + barbless single hook on Yakima Cle Elum to Roza Dam Quality Management reach + listed Quality Management reaches; Live bait prohibited on listed bull trout conservation reaches (Skagit + Sauk + Stillaguamish + Cascade + Olympic Peninsula); Beardslee rainbow 0 / day catch-and-release-only on Lake Crescent (Olympic NP endemic-population); WDFW Fishing License required ages 15+ ($29.50 res Freshwater / $124 NR Freshwater); Confirm current-year WDFW Sport Fishing Regulations for reach-specific exceptions.

Do specific Washington waters have different rainbow trout rules?

Yes. 5 named Washington waters carry rules that override the statewide rainbow trout regulation, including Yakima River, Lake Crescent, Rufus Woods Lake, and 2 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

2026 regulation year

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

Oncorhynchus mykiss

Last updated May 27, 2026

Washington rainbow trout fishery centers on the country's premier blue-ribbon Yakima River interior-Columbia redband Quality Management fishery + the country's most extensive Cascade Range + Puget Sound + Olympic Peninsula stocked-rainbow + native-rainbow + triploid-rainbow + Beardslee rainbow (Lake Crescent endemic) reservoir + alpine-lake system. The Yakima River (214-mile mainstem — Cascade Range headwaters at Keechelus Lake downstream through Cle Elum + Ellensburg + Yakima + Sunnyside + the Yakima Wildlife Refuge USFWS to the Columbia at Richland) is country's premier blue-ribbon wild interior-Columbia redband rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss gairdneri Columbia River redband subspecies) Quality Management river — WDFW-distinctive Yakima Quality Management catch-and-release-only on Cle Elum to Roza Dam reach + artificial-fly-and-lure only + barbless single-hook required. The Yakima blue-wing-olive + skwala + caddis + pale-morning-dun + green-drake + October-caddis hatch sequence produces wild interior-redband rainbow + steelhead routinely on dry-fly + nymph + streamer patterns — Yakima is country's most-fished wild interior-Columbia redband Quality Management river. Lake Crescent (Clallam County — Olympic National Park — 5,127-acre deep-blue glacier-carved natural lake — 624 ft maximum depth) carries the Beardslee rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss irideus beardsleei — endemic-population to Lake Crescent only, found nowhere else in the world — NPS-managed under controlled-creel framework) — country's only Beardslee rainbow fishery. Rufus Woods Lake (Douglas + Okanogan Counties — 51-mile Columbia River impoundment behind USACE Chief Joseph Dam built 1955 + USBR Grand Coulee Dam Lake Roosevelt tail-out below Grand Coulee Dam) — country's premier mid-Columbia triploid rainbow trout fishery — WA state-record rainbow trout 29 lb 6 oz Rufus Woods Lake 2002 (triploid stocking via Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation + WDFW + Chelan PUD + Douglas County PUD joint program). Lake Chelan + Lake Wenatchee + Lake Roosevelt + Banks Lake + Loon Lake + Lake Whatcom interior + Cascade Range reservoir trout + kokanee tier. Olympic Peninsula alpine + lowland lakes (Lake Cushman + Wynoochee Lake + Riffe Lake + Lake Mayfield + Lake Quinault + Crescent Lake + Lake Sutherland + Lake Pleasant + Beaver Lake + Lake Aldwell + Lake Mills) + Mount Rainier National Park alpine lakes (Mowich + Crystal + Tipsoo + Mystic + Lake James) + North Cascades National Park alpine lakes (Ross + Diablo + Gorge Skagit Hydro reservoirs + Hozomeen + Lightning Lake) carry the country's most extensive Cascade + Olympic Range stocked-rainbow + alpine-rainbow + native-rainbow system. WDFW stocks ~10 million rainbow trout annually statewide via Skagit + Snohomish + Skykomish + Sol Duc + Quinault + Forks Creek + Naselle + Cowlitz + Toutle + Kalama + Lewis + Klickitat + Yakima + Spokane + Colville + Vancouver + Wenatchee + Naches State Fish Hatcheries (country's largest hatchery system alongside OR + CA + ID + CO). Open year-round on most waters.

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Season

Open year-round Open year-round on most waters; WDFW-distinctive Yakima River Quality Management Cle Elum to Roza Dam reach catch-and-release-only artificial-fly-and-lure only + barbless single-hook required; many alpine lakes have late-April to October seasons.

Bag & possession

Daily bag: 5 / day combined trout on most waters; 10 / day kokanee combined on listed Cascade + interior reservoirs; 2 / day Yakima Quality Management catch-and-release-only on Cle Elum to Roza Dam reach (WDFW-distinctive blue-ribbon Quality Management); Beardslee rainbow 0 / day catch-and-release-only on Lake Crescent (Olympic NP endemic-population)
Possession: 10 in possession combined trout statewide

Size, slot, trophy rules

Size: No statewide minimum; reach-specific quality + trophy regulations on Yakima + Lake Crescent + listed reaches
Slot: Yakima River Cle Elum to Roza Dam Quality Management reach 0 / day catch-and-release-only + artificial-fly-and-lure only + barbless single-hook required (WDFW-distinctive blue-ribbon interior-Columbia redband Quality Management)
Trophy rule: Yakima River country's premier blue-ribbon wild interior-Columbia redband rainbow trout Quality Management river (WDFW-distinctive Cle Elum to Roza Dam catch-and-release-only artificial-fly-and-lure only); Lake Crescent endemic Beardslee rainbow (Oncorhynchus mykiss irideus beardsleei — endemic-population to Lake Crescent only, found nowhere else in the world); Rufus Woods Lake country's premier mid-Columbia triploid rainbow trout fishery (WA state-record rainbow trout 29 lb 6 oz Rufus Woods 2002); Lake Chelan country's 3rd-deepest natural lake at 1,486 ft + premier deep-water-glacial-fjord trout fishery; Olympic National Park + Mount Rainier National Park + North Cascades National Park country's most extensive Cascade + Olympic Range alpine + lowland stocked-rainbow + native-rainbow system

Gear restrictions

Hook-and-line; trolling permitted on most waters
Artificial-fly-and-lure only + barbless single hook on Yakima Cle Elum to Roza Dam Quality Management reach + listed Quality Management reaches
Live bait prohibited on listed bull trout conservation reaches (Skagit + Sauk + Stillaguamish + Cascade + Olympic Peninsula)
Beardslee rainbow 0 / day catch-and-release-only on Lake Crescent (Olympic NP endemic-population)
WDFW Fishing License required ages 15+ ($29.50 res Freshwater / $124 NR Freshwater)
Confirm current-year WDFW Sport Fishing Regulations for reach-specific exceptions

Named water-body overrides

Where statewide rules differ on specific Washington waters:

Yakima River
Quality Management 0 / day catch-and-release-only + artificial-fly-and-lure only + barbless single-hook required (WDFW-distinctive blue-ribbon interior-Columbia redband Quality Management); country's premier blue-ribbon wild interior-Columbia redband rainbow trout Quality Management river
Lake Crescent
Beardslee rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss irideus beardsleei) endemic-population to Lake Crescent only, found nowhere else in the world; 0 / day catch-and-release-only on Beardslee rainbow under NPS-managed controlled-creel framework
Rufus Woods Lake
Country's premier mid-Columbia triploid rainbow trout fishery; WA state-record rainbow trout 29 lb 6 oz Rufus Woods 2002; triploid stocking via Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation + WDFW + Chelan PUD + Douglas County PUD joint program
Lake Chelan
Trout 5 / day combined; kokanee 10 / day no min; Mackinaw (lake trout) 5 / day no min; chinook smolts stocked annually via WDFW + Chelan PUD + Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation joint program
Olympic National Park + Mount Rainier National Park + North Cascades National Park alpine lakes
WDFW Fishing License is controlling document (NPS does NOT supersede WDFW unlike Yellowstone NP in WY); trout 5 / day combined; alpine lakes typically late-April to October seasons; Beardslee rainbow 0 / day c&r on Lake Crescent only

Official source

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

The rainbow trout rules on this page are sourced from Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW)'s official rainbow trout regulation page.

Visit official Washington fishing regulations →

Emergency-order channel

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

Frequently asked questions

When is rainbow trout season in Washington?: Washington 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 Washington bag limit for rainbow trout?: The Washington daily bag limit for rainbow trout is 5 / day combined trout on most waters; 10 / day kokanee combined on listed Cascade + interior reservoirs; 2 / day Yakima Quality Management catch-and-release-only on Cle Elum to Roza Dam reach (WDFW-distinctive blue-ribbon Quality Management); Beardslee rainbow 0 / day catch-and-release-only on Lake Crescent (Olympic NP endemic-population). The possession limit is 10 in possession combined trout statewide. Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.
What size rainbow trout can you keep in Washington?: The Washington size rule for rainbow trout is No statewide minimum; reach-specific quality + trophy regulations on Yakima + Lake Crescent + listed reaches. Slot limit: Yakima River Cle Elum to Roza Dam Quality Management reach 0 / day catch-and-release-only + artificial-fly-and-lure only + barbless single-hook required (WDFW-distinctive blue-ribbon interior-Columbia redband Quality Management). Trophy rule: Yakima River country's premier blue-ribbon wild interior-Columbia redband rainbow trout Quality Management river (WDFW-distinctive Cle Elum to Roza Dam catch-and-release-only artificial-fly-and-lure only); Lake Crescent endemic Beardslee rainbow (Oncorhynchus mykiss irideus beardsleei — endemic-population to Lake Crescent only, found nowhere else in the world); Rufus Woods Lake country's premier mid-Columbia triploid rainbow trout fishery (WA state-record rainbow trout 29 lb 6 oz Rufus Woods 2002); Lake Chelan country's 3rd-deepest natural lake at 1,486 ft + premier deep-water-glacial-fjord trout fishery; Olympic National Park + Mount Rainier National Park + North Cascades National Park country's most extensive Cascade + Olympic Range alpine + lowland stocked-rainbow + native-rainbow system.
Do you need a license to fish for rainbow trout in Washington?: Yes. Washington 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 Washington license — compare resident and non-resident Washington fees on the state regulations page below.
Are there gear restrictions for rainbow trout in Washington?: Yes. In Washington, rainbow trout fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; trolling permitted on most waters; Artificial-fly-and-lure only + barbless single hook on Yakima Cle Elum to Roza Dam Quality Management reach + listed Quality Management reaches; Live bait prohibited on listed bull trout conservation reaches (Skagit + Sauk + Stillaguamish + Cascade + Olympic Peninsula); Beardslee rainbow 0 / day catch-and-release-only on Lake Crescent (Olympic NP endemic-population); WDFW Fishing License required ages 15+ ($29.50 res Freshwater / $124 NR Freshwater); Confirm current-year WDFW Sport Fishing Regulations for reach-specific exceptions.
Do specific Washington waters have different rainbow trout rules?: Yes. 5 named Washington waters carry rules that override the statewide rainbow trout regulation, including Yakima River, Lake Crescent, Rufus Woods Lake, and 2 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

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