2026 regulation year
Potholes Reservoir 2026 — Washington Fishing Regulations
Washington statewide rules apply unless overridden below.
Last updated
Potholes Reservoir carries a special-regulation overlay on top of Washington's 2026 fishing rules — covering Largemouth bass. Verify the agency booklet before launching: in-season changes are not yet wired to this page.
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Per-species rules on Potholes Reservoir
Columbia Basin Project reservoir — premier WA largemouth water; statewide lake slot rule 5 / day, retain only bass under 12 in plus 1 over 17 in
Official source
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) publishes the authoritative 2026 Washington fishing regulations. Special-regulation lakes and rivers are listed in the agency booklet — always verify before fishing.
Visit official Washington fishing regulations →
Emergency-order channel
In-season closures, slot-limit changes, and run-count-driven 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.
Other special-regulation waters in Washington
- Aeneas Lake
- Baker River + Baker Lake
- Banks Lake
- Big Twin Lake
- Blue Lake (Sinlahekin Wildlife Area, Okanogan County)
- Chopaka Lake
- Cle Elum + Bumping + Rimrock (Tieton) + Keechelus + Kachess Yakima Cascade reservoir tier
- Columbia Basin seep lakes (Grant County)
- Columbia River
- Dry Falls Lake (Sun Lakes)
- Dusty Lake (Quincy Wildlife Area)
- Grande Ronde River
Frequently asked questions
- What special fishing regulations apply at Potholes Reservoir?
- Potholes Reservoir carries one special-regulation overlay that overrides Washington's statewide 2026 rules, covering Largemouth bass. It reads: "Columbia Basin Project reservoir — premier WA largemouth water; statewide lake slot rule 5 / day, retain only bass under 12 in plus 1 over 17 in." Every overlay on this water body is listed in full above.
- Do I need a fishing license to fish Potholes Reservoir?
- Yes. Potholes Reservoir is in Washington, so a valid Washington fishing license is required just as it is anywhere else in the state, issued by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). The special regulations on this page change the bag, size, slot, or gear rules for Potholes Reservoir; they do not waive the license requirement. Free-fishing days and youth exemptions follow the statewide Washington rules.
- Do Potholes Reservoir's special rules replace Washington's statewide limits?
- Only where they conflict. Washington's statewide 2026 regulations apply on Potholes Reservoir 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.
- Which species have special rules on Potholes Reservoir?
- Largemouth bass has a water-body-specific rule on Potholes Reservoir, each linking to its full Washington regulations above. Species not listed here follow the statewide Washington limits.