Utah fishing rules — from statewide limit to the exact water you’re fishing
Utah’s regulation book is only step one. In 2026, nine waters have emergency harvest changes, popular reservoirs use special limits, kokanee has a statewide possession closure, and boaters face separate aquatic-invasive-species requirements.
What Utah anglers should know before fishing today
Jan. 1–Dec. 31 unless a specific rule closes the water/species.
Day or night unless a specific water says otherwise.
Two poles do not create two daily limits.
Special-water limits can override this.
Children under 12 may fish without purchasing a Utah fishing license.
Temporary 2026 rules currently appear on the official revision page.
Which Utah regulation should you follow when two pages look different?
Six checks before the fish goes on a stringer, in a livewell or into a cooler
Reservoir, river reach or community pond?
Check DWR’s current guidebook revisions.
Identify it before applying a limit.
Minimum, maximum or protected range?
Include fish already retained today.
Bait, line, ice or spearfishing restriction?
Utah waters with current emergency fishing-rule changes
These temporary limits were issued after the 2026 guidebook was published. All other guidebook rules remain in effect unless the emergency notice specifically changes them.
Canyon View Park Pond
No limitNo daily limit for any fish species. Pond draining/dredging prompted the temporary harvest increase.
Minersville Reservoir
4 troutFour trout of any size. Temporarily open to underwater spearfishing for all game fish.
Otter Creek Reservoir
16 trout + 6 wipersSixteen trout of any species, six wipers, plus temporary underwater spearfishing for all game fish.
Palisade Reservoir
No limitNo limit for all fish species during reservoir draining for dam work.
Pineview Reservoir
Major harvest change12 largemouth/smallmouth bass combined; 1 tiger muskie over 40 inches; no limit on all other species.
Red Creek Reservoir
8 troutEight trout of any species plus temporary underwater spearfishing for all game fish.
Vernon Reservoir
8 troutEight trout of any species plus temporary underwater spearfishing for all game fish.
Crouse Reservoir
8 troutEight trout of any species under the May 11 emergency change.
Nine Mile Reservoir
16 troutIncreased trout harvest because of drought-related water losses.
Utah is generally open year-round — kokanee is the statewide exception anglers remember
The general fish and crayfish season runs January 1 through December 31, and general angling/setline fishing can occur day or night unless an individual water or method rule says otherwise.
Utah 2026 statewide daily fish limits
Use this table only after checking whether your exact water has an emergency or specific-water rule.
| Species | Daily limit | Important condition |
|---|---|---|
| Black + white crappie | 50 combined | Specific-water limits may be lower. |
| Bluegill + green sunfish | 50 combined | Managed waters may differ. |
| Bonneville cisco | 30 | Bear Lake has additional cisco-method rules. |
| Bullhead | 24 | Statewide baseline. |
| Burbot | No limit | Do not release a caught burbot; harvested burbot must be immediately killed. |
| Channel catfish | 8 | Specific-water rules may increase or reduce the limit. |
| Community Fisheries | 2 fish total | Applies to most species under the Community Fisheries rule; tiger muskie must be released. |
| Crayfish | No limit | Live crayfish transport/use restrictions still apply. |
| Largemouth + smallmouth bass | 6 combined | Several major Utah reservoirs use special bass limits. |
| Northern pike | 20 | Only one may be over 36 inches. |
| Roundtail chub | 2 | Check drainage-specific rules. |
| Sacramento perch | 10 | Statewide baseline. |
| Striped bass | No statewide limit | Lake Powell rules and state-line jurisdiction still matter. |
| Tiger muskellunge | 1 | Must be over 40 inches unless a specific-water rule changes it. |
| Trout + kokanee + Arctic grayling | 4 combined | No kokanee possession statewide Sept. 10–Nov. 30. |
| Walleye | 10 | Only one may be over 24 inches. |
| Whitefish | 10 | Statewide baseline. |
| White bass | No limit | Water-specific rules may apply. |
| Wiper | 3 | Otter Creek temporarily allows 6 through Oct. 1, 2026. |
| Yellow perch | 50 | Fish Lake has no yellow-perch limit. |
Two Utah fishing poles still equal one daily limit
An angler under age 12, or a person with a valid Utah fishing or combination license, may generally use two poles on waters open to fishing.
Generally remain within sight of your fishing equipment and no more than 100 feet away, except lawful setlines.
An artificial lure may not carry more than three hooks.
Up to three baited hooks, three artificial flies or three artificial lures.
What counts as legal bait in Utah?
- Corn
- Dead commercially prepared or chemically treated baitfish
- Dead/frozen saltwater species such as sardines and anchovies
- PowerBait and scented artificial products — but they legally count as bait
- Live crayfish — same water where captured only
- Dead white bass — Utah Lake/Jordan River use
- Dead Flaming Gorge burbot/lake trout — Flaming Gorge use
- Dead Lake Powell shad — Lake Powell only
- Dead Lake Powell striped bass — bait/chum at Lake Powell
- Live baitfish
- Live or dead tiger salamanders as bait
- Moving live crayfish away from the water where caught
- Bait of any kind on artificial-flies-and-lures-only waters
Snagging and gaff rules
Snagged fish
A fish snagged somewhere other than the mouth generally must be released immediately.
Specific exceptions include methods such as Bear Lake cisco harvest and waters where a catch-and-kill regulation requires removal.
Gaff
Possessing or using a gaff while fishing is generally prohibited.
Lake Powell has a special exception allowing a gaff to land striped bass.
Utah setlines are legal only on a short list of waters
A setline is not simply an unattended third fishing rod. Anglers age 12+ need a current Utah fishing/combination license plus the setline permit.
Maximum one legal setline per permit holder.
Maximum hooks on the setline.
Must be tended at least once every 48 hours.
Permanently mark the setline with the required permit number.
- Only the setline permit holder may tend the line.
- One end must be attached to a non-moving object — not an ordinary fishing pole.
- The setline may not be mechanically retrieved.
- A lawful setline angler may still fish with up to two ordinary poles.
Utah’s six-line ice-fishing exceptions
No special ice-hole size restriction under the specific reservoir rule.
Follow the guidebook’s special ice-line provisions.
Name identification requirement applies when using more than two.
Special ice-fishing provision.
If using more than two lines
- Attach your name to each pole, line or tip-up as required.
- Only check/tend your own fishing lines.
- The additional lines do not increase your daily harvest limit.
Ice-hole examples
Fish Lake
Fish Lake’s ice hole may not exceed 18 inches. Bear Lake also uses an 18-inch maximum for ordinary ice fishing; its cisco dipnet rules are different.
Special regulations at Utah’s major fishing waters
| Water | Key rule | What the angler should do |
|---|---|---|
| Strawberry Reservoir | 4 trout/kokanee combined. No more than 2 cutthroat under 15″; no more than 1 cutthroat over 22″. Cutthroat 15–22″ must be released. | Measure cutthroat before possession. Trout/salmon may not be filleted, and heads/tails may not be removed in the field or while in transit. |
| Flaming Gorge Reservoir | Excluding lake trout: 4 trout/kokanee combined, no more than 3 kokanee. Lake trout 28″ or smaller: no limit; only 1 lake trout over 28″. Burbot: no limit and must be killed. | Check Utah/Wyoming licensing before crossing the line. Only one daily limit may be possessed at Flaming Gorge at any time. |
| Lake Powell | 20 smallmouth bass; 5 largemouth; 10 crappie; 25 channel catfish; no limit on striped bass or walleye under Utah’s specific rule. | Utah/Arizona license reciprocity applies, but follow the state rules where physically fishing. Lake Powell also has special filleting, gaff and chumming allowances. |
| Bear Lake | 2 trout. Bonneville cisco may be harvested under special dipnet rules. | A valid Utah or Idaho fishing license can cover both sides, but follow the regulations of the state where you are fishing. |
| Fish Lake | No limit on yellow perch. Only 1 trout or salmon over 24″ may be kept within the trout/salmon limit. | Ice holes may not exceed 18 inches. All fish species have a seasonal underwater-spearfishing opportunity under the specific rule. |
| Sand Hollow Reservoir | 8 largemouth bass. No limit on smallmouth bass. Smallmouth bass may not be released and must be immediately killed. | Correct bass identification matters before release. |
| Yuba Reservoir | Daily limits are generally twice the statewide limits for species covered by the specific rule; tiger muskie remains 1 over 40″. | Yuba is also one of Utah’s legal setline waters. |
| Willard Bay Reservoir | 10 crappie; 15 yellow perch; 6 walleye, only 1 over 24″. | Special gizzard-shad bait/possession provisions apply — do not transport or possess wild shad based on a generic bait assumption. |
| Pelican Lake | 15 bluegill, only 5 over 8″; 50 bullhead; no limit common carp. Common carp caught there may not be released. | Up to six lines may be used through the ice under the specific rule. |
| Lost Creek Reservoir | 4 trout/kokanee combined. No more than 3 trout under 15″; no more than 1 trout over 22″; trout 15–22″ must be released. | Trout may not be filleted and heads/tails may not be removed in the field or while in transit. |
“Provo River regulations” is not one rule
The Provo River changes regulation by reach. Identify the bridge, dam or fork that defines your segment before rigging up.
| Provo River reach | Important rule |
|---|---|
| Center Street bridge near Utah Lake State Park to I-15 | Special sucker-release rules; seasonal walleye possession closure; no limit on northern pike and caught pike must be killed. |
| Olmstead Diversion Dam to Deer Creek Dam | 2 trout under 15″; artificial flies and lures only. |
| Deer Creek Dam to Legacy Bridge | Statewide regulations apply. |
| Legacy Bridge to Jordanelle Dam | 2 trout under 15″; artificial flies and lures only. |
| Jordanelle upstream toward North/South forks | 2 brown trout under 15″; cutthroat, rainbow and covered hybrids must be released; artificial flies and lures only. |
When can a Utah angler possess two daily limits?
Day 1
Legally harvest up to one daily limit.
Overnight
Previous-day fish must satisfy Utah’s multiday-trip requirements, including cleaning/gutting requirements.
Day 2
A qualifying overnight/multiday angler may possess up to two daily limits when all guidebook conditions are met.
- You must actually be on an overnight or multiday fishing trip.
- At least one limit must have been legally taken at a Utah water on a previous day.
- Previous-day fish must be cleaned and gutted as required.
- Every fish in your possession must be legal under the rules for the water you are currently fishing.
- You may not exceed two daily limits under the multiday possession provision.
When can you fillet a fish in Utah?
While actively fishing
Do not possess current-day fish that have been filleted or had their heads/tails removed while actively fishing, except where an applicable exception allows immediate preparation for consumption.
After fishing
At most waters, fish can be processed after you have finished fishing and reached camp, an established cleaning station or your principal means of land transportation.
Stricter waters
Strawberry, Scofield, Lost Creek and Panguitch have trout/salmon identification requirements that prohibit filleting and removal of heads/tails in the field or during transit.
Giving your fish to someone else requires documentation
Utah allows legally harvested protected aquatic wildlife to be donated, but the donated fish or parts should remain accompanied by the required documentation.
State what wildlife or parts were donated.
Include the donation date.
Include the donor’s license/permit number.
Utah requires an image/picture of the donated wildlife or parts.
“No limit” can also mean “do not put it back”
Burbot
Utah’s statewide rule provides no burbot limit and requires caught burbot to be immediately killed rather than released.
Sand Hollow smallmouth
No limit; smallmouth bass caught at Sand Hollow may not be released and must be immediately killed.
Pelican Lake common carp
No limit; the specific-water rule directs anglers not to release common carp caught there.
Community Fisheries use a much smaller harvest limit
The Community Fisheries rule is designed differently from Utah’s larger statewide limits.
Tiger muskie must be released at Community Fisheries.
Utah DWR encourages voluntary release of largemouth bass at Community Fisheries.
Three famous border fisheries — three different licensing situations
Bear Lake — Utah / Idaho
A valid Utah or Idaho fishing/combination license can be used to fish both portions of Bear Lake.
Lake Powell — Utah / Arizona
A valid Utah or Arizona fishing/combination license can be used to fish both portions of Lake Powell under the reciprocal arrangement.
Flaming Gorge — Utah / Wyoming
Utah/Wyoming residents who want to fish across the state line generally use their home-state resident license plus the reciprocal permit from the other state, unless using another qualifying licensing route.
Utah fishing-license prices in 2026
Residents
Nonresidents
Fishing on a Utah WMA? Adults may need an access credential before they ever cast
Beginning July 1, 2026, anyone age 18 or older accessing covered Wildlife or Waterfowl Management Areas in Davis, Salt Lake, Utah or Weber County must generally possess one of these two credentials:
A valid Utah fishing, hunting or combination license satisfies the covered WMA access requirement.
Complete the WMA education requirement and obtain the free digital access permit, valid for 365 days.
The WMA access-credential requirement does not apply to people under 18.
The official phased program covers class 1 and 2 county WMAs in 2026.
Motorized vehicles, including covered e-bikes, are limited to marked roads.
Walk-in Access property is not ordinary public land
Utah’s Walk-in Access program leases specific hunting, trapping or fishing rights on private property.
- Obtain the required free Walk-in Access authorization before using a participating property.
- Check the individual property entry because every WIA lease can authorize different activities.
- Stay within the access/parking/property boundaries shown for that WIA property.
- Do not assume hiking, camping, swimming, biking, photography or another recreational activity is included simply because fishing access is leased.
Four Utah AIS checks before your boat touches the water
Complete the annual Utah Mussel-aware Boater course and keep proof in the launch vehicle.
Motorized AIS enrollment: $20 Utah resident, $25 nonresident. Current-year decal required.
Boaters are required to stop at all operating Utah AIS inspection stations.
Follow decontamination requirements before moving between waters.
A fish can be legal to keep but still have a consumption advisory
Fishing regulation
Answers whether you may legally catch, possess and transport the fish under DWR rules.
Check:- Daily limit
- Size rule
- Season
- Method
Fish-consumption advisory
Answers whether Utah health agencies recommend limiting meals of certain fish from a particular waterbody.
Check:- Exact waterbody
- Exact species
- Meal frequency
- Any special advice for sensitive groups
Utah pre-trip regulation checklist
- Exact water: write down the reservoir, lake or precise river reach.
- Emergency revision: check DWR’s guidebook-revision page the same day you leave.
- Target species: screenshot daily limit and size rule.
- Retention rule: know whether a species must be released or must be killed.
- Bait status: check whether bait is allowed and whether your exact bait species/product is legal.
- License: save your current Utah license in the DWR mobile app or otherwise carry valid proof.
- Cross-state water: confirm Utah plus Idaho, Arizona or Wyoming requirements before crossing the boundary.
- WMA/WIA access: verify whether a separate access credential or authorization applies.
- Boat: complete current AIS course, enrollment, inspection and decontamination requirements.
- Food fish: check current Utah consumption and harmful-algal-bloom advisories.
14 Utah regulation mistakes this guide is designed to prevent
Nine emergency water changes currently sit above the static 2026 book.
It does not. Your daily harvest limit stays the same.
Possession is closed statewide Sept. 10–Nov. 30.
Live crayfish must remain at the water where captured.
Utah prohibits live baitfish.
Utah treats scented products such as PowerBait as bait.
Special allowances are limited; Lake Powell and Flaming Gorge are key exceptions.
Strawberry has detailed cutthroat size restrictions.
The specific-water rule requires removal.
Current-day identification must be preserved while actively fishing.
It does not; location still determines the state rule.
The July 1, 2026 rule affects covered adults in four counties.
Utah requires boaters to stop at operating inspection stations.
A future proposal is not automatically a 2026 regulation.
Seeing a Utah “2027–28 fishing changes” headline?
Utah DWR is already discussing proposed regulations for future guidebooks. Those proposals should not be mixed into a 2026 fishing decision unless they are formally adopted and have reached their effective date.
Contact Utah DWR with the exact water and species
“I’m fishing [exact water/reach] on [date], targeting [species] with [bait/method]. Can you confirm the current daily limit, size restriction, possession rule and whether an emergency amendment applies?”
Official Utah sources used to build this guide
The practical rules are already summarized above. Use these official destinations for final same-day verification, current amendments and transactions.
Utah fishing regulations — common questions
Is fishing open year-round in Utah?
Utah’s general fish and crayfish season runs January 1 through December 31, and general angling can occur day or night. Specific waters, species and emergency amendments can create additional closures or restrictions.
What is Utah’s statewide trout limit?
The general statewide limit is four trout, kokanee salmon and Arctic grayling combined. Many named waters use different trout size or harvest rules.
When can I not keep kokanee salmon in Utah?
Kokanee salmon may not be possessed at any Utah waterbody from September 10 through November 30.
Can I fish with two poles in Utah?
Yes. An angler under age 12 or a person with a valid Utah fishing or combination license may generally use two poles on waters open to fishing. Two poles do not increase the daily harvest limit.
Can I use live baitfish in Utah?
No. Utah prohibits live baitfish. Certain dead baitfish may be used only under the guidebook’s statewide or water-specific bait rules.
Can I use corn as fishing bait in Utah?
Yes, corn may be used where bait is otherwise legal. A water restricted to artificial flies and lures does not become a bait water simply because corn is generally legal elsewhere.
Can I move live crayfish from one Utah lake to another?
No. Live crayfish may be used as bait only on the water where they were captured and may not be transported away alive for use at another water.
Where can I use a setline in Utah?
Setlines are limited to specifically authorized waters including covered portions of the Bear River system, Little Bear River, Malad River, Utah Lake and Yuba Reservoir. A current fishing license and setline permit are required for anglers age 12 and older.
Can I possess two daily limits on a multi-day Utah fishing trip?
A qualifying overnight or multiday trip can allow possession of up to two daily limits when all guidebook conditions are satisfied. Flaming Gorge is an important exception where only one daily limit may be possessed at a time.
Do I need a permit just to access a Utah WMA?
Beginning July 1, 2026, people age 18 or older accessing covered WMAs in Davis, Salt Lake, Utah and Weber counties generally need either a valid Utah hunting, fishing or combination license or the free 365-day WMA digital access permit.
What must boaters do before launching in Utah?
All boaters must complete the annual Mussel-aware Boater course. Motorized watercraft also require Utah AIS program enrollment and the applicable annual fee. Boaters must stop at operating inspection stations and follow current clean, drain, dry and decontamination requirements.
Which Utah waters have emergency fishing-limit changes in 2026?
Current emergency changes affect Canyon View Park Pond, Minersville Reservoir, Otter Creek Reservoir, Palisade Reservoir, Pineview Reservoir, Red Creek Reservoir, Vernon Reservoir, Crouse Reservoir and Nine Mile Reservoir. The limits and expiration dates differ by water.
Exact water + exact species + today’s amendment = the rule that matters
Start with Utah’s statewide table, then check the specific water, current emergency revisions, method restrictions, possession rules, access requirements and boating rules that apply to your trip.
Research reviewed . Utah DWR can issue additional emergency changes during the year.
Select a state on the left + fill in the form + click the button to see your result here.