What special fishing regulations apply at Lake Powell?

Lake Powell carries 6 special-regulation overlays that override Arizona's statewide 2026 rules, covering Largemouth bass, Smallmouth bass, Striped bass, Walleye, and 1 more. One of them reads: "UT/AZ joint reciprocal compact on the boundary reservoir (the Arizona license covers the AZ portion; the old Utah Lake Powell Reciprocal stamp was retired Jan 1 2019); smallmouth bass 20 / day + largemouth bass 5 / day (the one AZGFD bass-split water); striped bass 10 / day + walleye 6 / day (statewide limits — AZGFD lists no Powell exception for either); channel + flathead catfish 10 / day combined; crappie 10 / day; mandatory boat inspection at all AIS-positive entry points (quagga mussel detection 2012)." Every overlay on this water body is listed in full above.

Do I need a fishing license to fish Lake Powell?

Yes. Lake Powell is in Arizona, so a valid Arizona fishing license is required just as it is anywhere else in the state, issued by Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD). The special regulations on this page change the bag, size, slot, or gear rules for Lake Powell; they do not waive the license requirement. Free-fishing days and youth exemptions follow the statewide Arizona rules.

Do Lake Powell's special rules replace Arizona's statewide limits?

Only where they conflict. Arizona's statewide 2026 regulations apply on Lake Powell by default; the overlays above replace the matching statewide rules for the species or gear they name, while everything not specifically overridden still follows the statewide rule. When a water-body rule and the statewide rule disagree, the water-body rule wins.

Which species have special rules on Lake Powell?

Largemouth bass, Smallmouth bass, Striped bass, Walleye, and Channel catfish have a water-body-specific rule on Lake Powell, each linking to its full Arizona regulations above. Species not listed here follow the statewide Arizona limits.

2026 regulation year

Lake Powell 2026 — Arizona Fishing Regulations

Arizona statewide rules apply unless overridden below.

Last updated June 8, 2026

Lake Powell carries 6 special-regulation overlays on top of Arizona's 2026 fishing rules — covering Largemouth bass, Smallmouth bass, Striped bass, Walleye, and 1 more species. Verify the agency booklet before launching: in-season changes are not yet wired to this page.

Get change alerts

Watch Lake Powell (AZ) and we'll email you when a season, bag limit, slot, or closure changes. Free while in beta.

State-level special regulation

UT/AZ joint reciprocal compact on the boundary reservoir (the Arizona license covers the AZ portion; the old Utah Lake Powell Reciprocal stamp was retired Jan 1 2019); smallmouth bass 20 / day + largemouth bass 5 / day (the one AZGFD bass-split water); striped bass 10 / day + walleye 6 / day (statewide limits — AZGFD lists no Powell exception for either); channel + flathead catfish 10 / day combined; crappie 10 / day; mandatory boat inspection at all AIS-positive entry points (quagga mussel detection 2012)
Source: Arizona special-water list

Per-species rules on Lake Powell

Largemouth bass regulations →
5 largemouth / day (20 smallmouth / day separately); UT/AZ joint reciprocal compact on the boundary reservoir
Smallmouth bass regulations →
20 / day; UT/AZ joint reciprocal compact on the boundary reservoir (encouraged-removal posture on the Powell main stem)
Striped bass regulations →
10 / day on the Arizona side (statewide limit); the Utah side sets striped bass to unlimited harvest as an encouraged-removal invasive
Walleye regulations →
6 / day no min (statewide limit — AZGFD lists no Powell walleye exception); self-sustaining walleye population on the upper canyon arms
Channel catfish regulations →
10 / day combined channel + flathead catfish; UT/AZ joint reciprocal compact on the boundary reservoir

Official source

Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) publishes the authoritative 2026 Arizona fishing regulations. Special-regulation lakes and rivers are listed in the agency booklet — always verify before fishing.

Visit official Arizona fishing regulations →

Emergency-order channel

In-season closures, slot-limit changes, and run-count-driven harvest pauses are posted to Arizona Game and Fish Department's emergency-order feed — check it before any Arizona trip during the active season.

Other special-regulation waters in Arizona

Browse all water bodies →

Frequently asked questions

What special fishing regulations apply at Lake Powell?: Lake Powell carries 6 special-regulation overlays that override Arizona's statewide 2026 rules, covering Largemouth bass, Smallmouth bass, Striped bass, Walleye, and 1 more. One of them reads: "UT/AZ joint reciprocal compact on the boundary reservoir (the Arizona license covers the AZ portion; the old Utah Lake Powell Reciprocal stamp was retired Jan 1 2019); smallmouth bass 20 / day + largemouth bass 5 / day (the one AZGFD bass-split water); striped bass 10 / day + walleye 6 / day (statewide limits — AZGFD lists no Powell exception for either); channel + flathead catfish 10 / day combined; crappie 10 / day; mandatory boat inspection at all AIS-positive entry points (quagga mussel detection 2012)." Every overlay on this water body is listed in full above.
Do I need a fishing license to fish Lake Powell?: Yes. Lake Powell is in Arizona, so a valid Arizona fishing license is required just as it is anywhere else in the state, issued by Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD). The special regulations on this page change the bag, size, slot, or gear rules for Lake Powell; they do not waive the license requirement. Free-fishing days and youth exemptions follow the statewide Arizona rules.
Do Lake Powell's special rules replace Arizona's statewide limits?: Only where they conflict. Arizona's statewide 2026 regulations apply on Lake Powell by default; the overlays above replace the matching statewide rules for the species or gear they name, while everything not specifically overridden still follows the statewide rule. When a water-body rule and the statewide rule disagree, the water-body rule wins.
Which species have special rules on Lake Powell?: Largemouth bass, Smallmouth bass, Striped bass, Walleye, and Channel catfish have a water-body-specific rule on Lake Powell, each linking to its full Arizona regulations above. Species not listed here follow the statewide Arizona limits.

← Back to Arizona regulations overview