2026 regulation year
Pend Oreille River 2026 — Idaho Fishing Regulations
Idaho statewide rules apply unless overridden below.
Last updated
Pend Oreille River carries a special-regulation overlay on top of Idaho's 2026 fishing rules. Verify the agency booklet before launching: in-season changes are not yet wired to this page.
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State-level special regulation
River reach (distinct from Lake Pend Oreille): trout limit 6, no harvest of cutthroat (red/orange-slash trout). Westslope/Yellowstone-cutthroat protection on the Panhandle river.
Source: Idaho special-water list
Official source
Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) publishes the authoritative 2026 Idaho fishing regulations. Special-regulation lakes and rivers are listed in the agency booklet — always verify before fishing.
Visit official Idaho fishing regulations →
Emergency-order channel
In-season closures, slot-limit changes, and run-count-driven harvest pauses are posted to Idaho Department of Fish and Game's emergency-order feed — check it before any Idaho trip during the active season.
Other special-regulation waters in Idaho
Frequently asked questions
- What special fishing regulations apply at Pend Oreille River?
- Pend Oreille River carries one special-regulation overlay that overrides Idaho's statewide 2026 rules. It reads: "River reach (distinct from Lake Pend Oreille): trout limit 6, no harvest of cutthroat (red/orange-slash trout). Westslope/Yellowstone-cutthroat protection on the Panhandle river." Every overlay on this water body is listed in full above.
- Do I need a fishing license to fish Pend Oreille River?
- Yes. Pend Oreille River is in Idaho, so a valid Idaho fishing license is required just as it is anywhere else in the state, issued by Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG). The special regulations on this page change the bag, size, slot, or gear rules for Pend Oreille River; they do not waive the license requirement. Free-fishing days and youth exemptions follow the statewide Idaho rules.
- Do Pend Oreille River's special rules replace Idaho's statewide limits?
- Only where they conflict. Idaho's statewide 2026 regulations apply on Pend Oreille River by default; the overlays above replace the matching statewide rule 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.