When is brown trout season in Wyoming?

Wyoming keeps brown 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 Wyoming bag limit for brown trout?

The Wyoming daily bag limit for brown trout is 6 / day combined trout; 1 / day brown trout + 20 in min on listed TROPHY MANAGEMENT reaches (Grey Reef + Miracle Mile + listed reaches). The possession limit is 12 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 brown trout in Wyoming?

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

Are there gear restrictions for brown trout in Wyoming?

Yes. In Wyoming, brown trout fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; trolling permitted; 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 + TROPHY MANAGEMENT reaches; Conservation Stamp + Fishing License required ages 14+ ($21.50 res Conservation Stamp + $27 res annual fishing / $21.50 NR Conservation Stamp + $102 NR annual fishing); Confirm current-year WGFD Fishing Regulations for District-by-District TROPHY MANAGEMENT reach + season list.

Do specific Wyoming waters have different brown trout rules?

Yes. 6 named Wyoming waters carry rules that override the statewide brown trout regulation, including Flaming Gorge Reservoir, Grey Reef tailwater, Miracle Mile, and 3 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

2026 regulation year

Wyoming Brown trout 2026 — Season, Bag Limit, Size Rules

Salmo trutta

Last updated May 27, 2026

Wyoming brown trout fishery is the country's premier trophy wild brown trout tailwater + still-water system in the Rocky Mountain West — anchored by Flaming Gorge Reservoir (country's premier inland trophy brown trout fishery, IGFA all-tackle world-record brown trout 33 lb 10 oz Flaming Gorge UT-side 1979 — historically world-record-class brown trout fishery) + the North Platte River tailwater system (Grey Reef + Miracle Mile + Fremont Canyon + Trapper's Route) + the Bighorn Lake tailwater + the Wind River Canyon brown trout reach. Flaming Gorge Reservoir (91 sq mi reservoir on the Green River — USBR Flaming Gorge Dam built 1962 — Sweetwater + Sublette + Uinta Counties WY + Daggett County UT — straddles the WY/UT boundary under joint reciprocal compact) carries the country's premier inland trophy brown trout fishery — Flaming Gorge brown trout produce 8-12 lb fish routinely on the spring + fall streamer + leech patterns with 20+ lb fish landed annually. The Grey Reef tailwater + Miracle Mile reach on the North Platte produce 5-10 lb wild brown trout routinely. The Bighorn Lake tailwater on the WY-portion of the Bighorn River below Yellowtail Dam shares the wild brown trout tailwater fishery with the MT-side. The Wind River Canyon reach (Wind River from Boysen Reservoir downstream through the Wind River Canyon to Thermopolis WY where the river name changes to the Bighorn River) carries wild brown trout alongside rainbow. Wyoming brown trout were introduced from German + Loch Leven stock in the early 20th century and now support wild naturalized populations on every blue-ribbon trout river statewide with no stocking required on the major tailwaters. WGFD-managed Quality Management reaches carry 20 in min slot + 1 / day brown trout TROPHY MANAGEMENT on Grey Reef + Miracle Mile + listed reaches. The Bighorn + Grey Reef + Miracle Mile + Flaming Gorge brown-trout-fall-spawning-run is the country's premier autumn streamer + leech fishing window (late-September through November). Open year-round on most waters.

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Season

Open year-round Open year-round on most waters; quality-management waters carry seasonal closures; Grey Reef + Miracle Mile + Flaming Gorge + Bighorn + Wind River Canyon tailwater wild brown-trout reaches managed under WGFD Quality Management regulation with 20 in min on TROPHY MANAGEMENT waters.

Bag & possession

Daily bag: 6 / day combined trout; 1 / day brown trout + 20 in min on listed TROPHY MANAGEMENT reaches (Grey Reef + Miracle Mile + listed reaches)
Possession: 12 in possession combined trout

Size, slot, trophy rules

Size: 20 in min brown trout on listed TROPHY MANAGEMENT reaches; no statewide minimum on most waters
Slot: Grey Reef tailwater 20 in min + 1 / day brown trout; Miracle Mile 20 in min + 1 / day brown trout — release inside slot mandatory on TROPHY MANAGEMENT reaches
Trophy rule: Flaming Gorge Reservoir country's premier inland trophy brown trout fishery (IGFA all-tackle world-record brown trout 33 lb 10 oz Flaming Gorge UT-side 1979 — historically world-record-class brown trout fishery); Grey Reef + Miracle Mile tailwater reaches produce 5-10 lb wild brown trout routinely with 12+ lb fish landed annually; Bighorn + Grey Reef + Miracle Mile + Flaming Gorge brown-trout-fall-spawning-run late-September through November is country's premier autumn streamer + leech fishing window; WGFD does NOT stock brown trout on major blue-ribbon tailwaters (wild self-sustaining populations protected from hatchery genetic introgression)

Gear restrictions

Hook-and-line; trolling permitted
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 + TROPHY MANAGEMENT reaches
Conservation Stamp + Fishing License required ages 14+ ($21.50 res Conservation Stamp + $27 res annual fishing / $21.50 NR Conservation Stamp + $102 NR annual fishing)
Confirm current-year WGFD Fishing Regulations for District-by-District TROPHY MANAGEMENT reach + season list

Named water-body overrides

Where statewide rules differ on specific Wyoming waters:

Flaming Gorge Reservoir
Trout 4 / day combined (joint-compact exception to the statewide 6 / day); IGFA all-tackle world-record brown trout 33 lb 10 oz Flaming Gorge UT-side 1979; WY/UT joint reciprocal compact; 8-12 lb fish routinely with 20+ lb fish landed annually
Grey Reef tailwater on the North Platte River
Trout 6 / day combined; brown trout 1 / day with 20 in min TROPHY MANAGEMENT; 5-10 lb fish routinely with 12+ lb fish landed annually
Miracle Mile
Trout 6 / day combined; brown trout 1 / day with 20 in min TROPHY MANAGEMENT; ~12,000 catchable trout per mile during runoff
Bighorn Lake tailwater on the Bighorn River
Trout 6 / day combined; MT/WY joint reciprocal compact on the boundary reservoir; wild brown trout to 8+ lb on the WY-portion of the tailwater
Wind River Canyon
Trout 6 / day combined; wild brown trout + rainbow trout tailwater fishery
Boysen Reservoir
Trout 6 / day combined; brown trout still-water fishery with 18 in min on listed Quality Management reaches

Official source

Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) publishes the authoritative 2026 Wyomingfishing regulations. Always verify the current rule before fishing — emergency closures and in-season changes can override what's published here.

Visit official Wyoming fishing regulations →

Emergency-order channel

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

Frequently asked questions

When is brown trout season in Wyoming?: Wyoming keeps brown 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 Wyoming bag limit for brown trout?: The Wyoming daily bag limit for brown trout is 6 / day combined trout; 1 / day brown trout + 20 in min on listed TROPHY MANAGEMENT reaches (Grey Reef + Miracle Mile + listed reaches). The possession limit is 12 in possession combined trout. Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.
What size brown trout can you keep in Wyoming?: The Wyoming size rule for brown trout is 20 in min brown trout on listed TROPHY MANAGEMENT reaches; no statewide minimum on most waters. Slot limit: Grey Reef tailwater 20 in min + 1 / day brown trout; Miracle Mile 20 in min + 1 / day brown trout — release inside slot mandatory on TROPHY MANAGEMENT reaches. Trophy rule: Flaming Gorge Reservoir country's premier inland trophy brown trout fishery (IGFA all-tackle world-record brown trout 33 lb 10 oz Flaming Gorge UT-side 1979 — historically world-record-class brown trout fishery); Grey Reef + Miracle Mile tailwater reaches produce 5-10 lb wild brown trout routinely with 12+ lb fish landed annually; Bighorn + Grey Reef + Miracle Mile + Flaming Gorge brown-trout-fall-spawning-run late-September through November is country's premier autumn streamer + leech fishing window; WGFD does NOT stock brown trout on major blue-ribbon tailwaters (wild self-sustaining populations protected from hatchery genetic introgression).
Do you need a license to fish for brown trout in Wyoming?: Yes. Wyoming requires a valid fishing license to fish for brown 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 Wyoming license — compare resident and non-resident Wyoming fees on the state regulations page below.
Are there gear restrictions for brown trout in Wyoming?: Yes. In Wyoming, brown trout fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; trolling permitted; 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 + TROPHY MANAGEMENT reaches; Conservation Stamp + Fishing License required ages 14+ ($21.50 res Conservation Stamp + $27 res annual fishing / $21.50 NR Conservation Stamp + $102 NR annual fishing); Confirm current-year WGFD Fishing Regulations for District-by-District TROPHY MANAGEMENT reach + season list.
Do specific Wyoming waters have different brown trout rules?: Yes. 6 named Wyoming waters carry rules that override the statewide brown trout regulation, including Flaming Gorge Reservoir, Grey Reef tailwater, Miracle Mile, and 3 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

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