Utah fishing rules made usable before you cast, keep or launch
Utah does not have one fishing-limit chart that answers every trip. The legal answer can change with the exact water, date, fish species, length, bait, access route, fishing method and even whether a temporary emergency order is active.
Start with these Utah statewide rules — then check the exact water
Generally 24 hours daily, unless a specific closure applies.
Children under 12 may fish without a Utah fishing license.
General angling maximum; ice/setline exceptions exist.
Only one may exceed 24 inches statewide.
Which part of the Utah rulebook matters for your trip?
Check license, exact-water limits, bait and whether shoreline access crosses private land, a WMA or a WIA property.
Check the exact bridge/dam segment plus stream-access rules before assuming you may wade.
Add Utah AIS education, inspection and decontamination to your fishing-rule checklist.
Check ice-hole dimensions and whether the water allows the special six-line option.
A setline permit is not enough by itself and only five water systems currently allow setline fishing.
Participant count, prize value, live weigh-ins and tagged fish determine whether a DWR COR is required.
Utah fishing regulation timeline: what changed after January
Utah regulations that switch on August 15, 2026
Annabella Lake
8 trout daily from August 15 through December 31.
Big Lake
8 trout daily through December 31.
Deep Lake
8 trout daily through December 31.
Tony Grove Lake
8 trout daily through December 31.
Selected Uinta Mountain lakes
Beaver, Bridger, Marsh, Quarter Corner and Teapot Lakes also move to an 8-trout daily limit from August 15 through December 31.
Causey Reservoir tributaries
The right and left forks of the South Fork Ogden River from Causey Reservoir upstream close August 15 until 6 a.m. September 26, 2026.
East Fork Little Bear River tributaries
The applicable tributary closure begins August 15 and continues until 6 a.m. September 26, 2026.
Sheep Creek
The specified Sheep Creek reach upstream from Flaming Gorge closes August 15 until 6 a.m. November 28, 2026.
9 Utah waters with temporary 2026 fishing rules
These are temporary changes posted by Utah DWR after the annual guidebook was published. Unless the emergency notice changes another provision, the remaining 2026 regulations still apply.
Canyon View Park Pond
No limit — all species.
Increased harvest before planned pond draining and improvements.
July 2–Oct. 1, 2026Minersville Reservoir
4 trout of any size.
Temporarily open to underwater spearfishing for all game fish.
Artificial flies and lures only remains in effect: bait is still prohibited.
July 2–Oct. 1, 2026Otter Creek Reservoir
16 trout of any species + 6 wipers.
Underwater spearfishing temporarily open for all game fish.
July 2–Oct. 1, 2026Palisade Reservoir
No limit — all species.
Increased harvest associated with reservoir draining/dam work.
July 2–Oct. 1, 2026Pineview Reservoir
12 largemouth/smallmouth bass combined.
1 tiger muskie over 40 inches.
No limit on all other species.
July 2–Dec. 31, 2026Red Creek Reservoir
8 trout of any species.
Temporarily open to underwater spearfishing for all game fish.
July 2–Dec. 31, 2026Vernon Reservoir
8 trout of any species.
Temporarily open to underwater spearfishing for all game fish.
July 2–Oct. 1, 2026Crouse Reservoir
8 trout of any species.
Temporary drought/low-water harvest increase.
May 11–Dec. 31, 2026Nine Mile Reservoir
16 trout.
Temporary drought-related harvest increase.
May 11–Oct. 1, 2026Utah 2026 fish limits before water-specific exceptions
| Species | General daily limit | Critical note |
|---|---|---|
| Black + white crappie | 50 combined | Specific waters can be much lower or higher. |
| Bluegill + green sunfish | 50 combined | Check the exact reservoir. |
| Bonneville cisco | 30 | Bear Lake has special method rules. |
| Bullhead | 24 | Special-water exceptions can apply. |
| Burbot | No limit | Do not release a burbot. It must be immediately killed. |
| Channel catfish | 8 | Some major river systems use no-limit provisions. |
| Community fisheries | 2 fish | Common carp do not count toward the two-fish limit; tiger muskie must be released. |
| Crayfish | No limit | Method and live-transport restrictions still apply. |
| Trout + kokanee + Arctic grayling | 4 combined | Kokanee is included in the combined trout limit. |
| Largemouth + smallmouth bass | 6 combined | Many reservoirs use special bass rules. |
| Northern pike | 20 | Only one may exceed 36 inches unless the specific water says otherwise. |
| Roundtail chub | 2 | Bait/harvest restrictions and specific-water exceptions can apply. |
| Sacramento perch | 10 | General statewide rule. |
| Striped bass | No limit | Lake Powell has extensive special rules. |
| Tiger muskellunge | 1 over 40″ | Smaller fish must not be retained under the statewide rule. |
| Walleye | 10 | Only one may exceed 24 inches. |
| Whitefish | 10 | River-specific aggregates may differ. |
| White bass | No limit | Method/location restrictions still matter. |
| Wiper | 3 | Otter Creek currently has a six-wiper emergency limit. |
| Yellow perch | 50 | Fish Lake has no limit; Willard Bay has a lower special limit. |
“Prohibited fish” has two different legal outcomes in Utah
LEGAL SPORT FISH
Keep only when the species, water, season, length and daily-limit rules allow possession.
A special catch-and-kill regulation can still require a normally recognized sport fish to be killed at a particular water.
PROHIBITED — RELEASE IMMEDIATELY
Utah currently lists these as prohibited fish that may not be taken or held:
- Bonytail
- Colorado pikeminnow
- Humpback chub
- June sucker
- Razorback sucker
- Virgin River chub
- Woundfin
PROHIBITED — DO NOT RELEASE ALIVE
A separate Utah prohibited-fish group may be possessed only when the specimen is killed immediately.
The current list includes species/groups such as northern snakehead, bighead carp, black carp, silver carp, round goby, Eurasian ruffe, bowfin, flathead catfish, piranhas, tilapia, walking catfish, sea lamprey and others.
Utah fishing-license requirements and current fees
May take a full legal daily and possession limit.
| Fishing privilege | Resident | Nonresident |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year / 365-day age 12–13 | $5 | $18 |
| 1-year / 365-day age 14–17 | $16 | $44 |
| Adult annual fishing | $40 ages 18–64 | $120 age 18+ |
| Resident senior 65+ | $31 | Adult nonresident rate |
| Resident disabled veteran | $12 if eligible | — |
| 3-day fishing | $19 | $44 |
| 7-day fishing | $30 | $91 |
| Setline permit | $22 | $48 |
| Utah Flaming Gorge reciprocal permit | Situation dependent | $59 Utah permit for qualifying Wyoming resident |
Everyday Utah angling equipment rules
More than two angling lines is generally unlawful except for specified ice fishing and crayfish methods.
Angling equipment must generally remain within sight and no more than 100 feet from you; setlines are the exception.
An individual artificial lure may not have more than three hooks.
No more than three baited hooks, three artificial flies or three artificial lures may generally be attached.
Utah bait rules are more precise than “bait allowed / bait banned”
Corn
Corn is legal unless the particular water is under a rule that prohibits bait.
Live baitfish
Use or possession of live baitfish while fishing is unlawful unless a specific Wildlife Board authorization provides otherwise.
Tiger salamanders
Utah prohibits using or possessing tiger salamanders, live or dead, while fishing.
Artificial-only water
Bait is unlawful. Products treated with food, attractant or feeding stimulant do not qualify as untreated artificial lures under the current rule.
Dead fish that can be legal bait
| Bait | Where current rule allows it |
|---|---|
| Dead Bonneville cisco | Bear Lake only. |
| Dead white bass | Utah Lake and Jordan River only. |
| Lake Powell dead shad | Lake Powell only; dead shad may not be removed from Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. |
| Lake Powell dead striped bass | Lake Powell only. |
| Flaming Gorge burbot / lake trout | Flaming Gorge Reservoir only. |
| Sardines / anchovies and other listed saltwater fish | Any Utah water where bait is otherwise permitted. |
| Listed suckers, dace, sculpins, minnows, Utah chub, golden shiner, common carp | May be used dead where bait is otherwise permitted, subject to the exact species list in R657-13. |
| Dead yellow perch | Only at the waterbodies specifically listed in R657-13, including Deer Creek, Fish Lake, Jordanelle, Pineview, Starvation, Utah Lake, Willard Bay, Yuba and others. |
Commercially prepared baitfish
Commercially prepared and chemically treated baitfish or their parts may be used where bait is permitted.
Fish eggs
Eggs from legally caught Utah fish — except prohibited fish — may be used where bait is permitted, but not if taken from a fish that will be released.
No crayfish daily limit — but method and transport rules still apply
Qualifying crayfish methods include hand collection, traps, poles, liftnets, dipnets, handlines and seines. Seines may not exceed 10 feet in length or width.
The general Utah ice hole is 12 inches across
The general ice-fishing hole may not exceed 12 inches at its widest point.
Specific exceptions apply at Bear Lake and Fish Lake; the live rule places no general hole-size limitation at Flaming Gorge.
Four waters allow up to six lines through the ice
- Flaming Gorge Reservoir
- Pelican Lake
- Causey Reservoir
- Porcupine Reservoir
When using more than two lines at one of these waters, attach your name to each line, pole or tip-up and check only your own equipment.
Utah currently authorizes setlines on only these waters
Downstream from the Idaho state line, including Cutler Reservoir and outlet canals.
Below Valley View Highway / SR-30.
Authorized setline water.
Authorized setline water.
Authorized setline water.
Major Utah fisheries where you should never use only the statewide table
Flaming Gorge Reservoir
- Excluding lake trout: 4 trout/kokanee combined, no more than 3 may be kokanee.
- No limit on lake trout 28 inches or smaller.
- Only 1 lake trout may exceed 28 inches.
- 6 channel catfish.
- 3 largemouth/smallmouth bass combined.
- No limit on burbot; burbot must be immediately killed.
- Legally harvested burbot/lake trout may be used as bait here.
- Up to six lines may be used through the ice under special rules.
- Never possess more than one daily limit of each species/aggregate while fishing Flaming Gorge.
Strawberry Reservoir
- 4 trout or kokanee combined.
- No more than 2 cutthroat trout under 15 inches.
- No more than 1 cutthroat trout over 22 inches.
- Cutthroat trout from 15–22 inches must be released immediately.
- Any trout showing cutthroat characteristics is regulated as cutthroat here.
- DWR encourages voluntary release of cutthroat trout.
- Special field/transit fish-processing restriction applies.
Utah Lake
- 6 largemouth/smallmouth bass combined; only 1 may exceed 12 inches.
- No limit on northern pike.
- Northern pike must not be released; kill them immediately.
- All suckers must be released immediately.
- Underwater spearfishing is restricted to qualifying northern pike and white bass opportunities.
- Setline fishing is authorized with the required permit.
- Tributaries have separate walleye-possession rules.
Lake Powell
- 20 smallmouth bass.
- 5 largemouth bass.
- 10 crappie.
- 25 channel catfish.
- No limit on striped bass.
- No limit on walleye.
- Special shad/striped-bass bait and chumming rules apply.
- A gaff may be used to land striped bass.
- Fish may be filleted and possessed as fillets at any time.
- Utah–Arizona reciprocal licensing rules apply.
Green River — major catch-and-kill reach
The exact river segment matters, but important portions of the Green River use no-limit / mandatory-kill management for:
- Burbot
- Northern pike
- Smallmouth bass
- Walleye
Protected native fish also occur in this system; identification before harvest is critical.
Bear Lake
- 2 trout.
- Bonneville cisco has special dipnet opportunities.
- Handheld dipnet opening may not exceed 18 inches.
- Special ice-hole provisions apply.
- Utah–Idaho reciprocal licensing allows qualifying anglers to fish both state portions.
- Follow the regulations of the state portion you are fishing.
- Only one daily limit may be taken in a day.
Provo River
A search for “Provo River fishing limit” is incomplete unless you know the exact river segment.
- Olmstead Diversion Dam → Deer Creek Dam: 2 trout under 15 inches; artificial flies/lures only.
- Legacy Bridge → Jordanelle Dam: 2 trout under 15 inches; artificial flies/lures only.
- Other reaches use different trout, native-fish and seasonal rules.
Causey Reservoir
- 4 trout or kokanee combined.
- No more than 1 may be a lake trout over 22 inches.
- Lake trout under 22 inches must be released.
- Up to six lines may be used through the ice.
- Tributary closure begins August 15 and runs through 6 a.m. on the last Saturday of September.
Yuba Reservoir
- Limits for species other than tiger muskie are double their statewide daily limits.
- 1 tiger muskie over 40 inches.
- Tiger muskie under 40 inches must be released.
- Setline fishing is authorized with a permit.
Willard Bay Reservoir + inlet channel
- 10 crappie.
- 15 yellow perch.
- 6 walleye.
- Only 1 walleye may exceed 24 inches.
- Commercially sold/preserved gizzard shad is permitted; otherwise possession of gizzard shad is restricted.
Big Sand Wash Reservoir
- 10 yellow perch.
- 20 walleye.
- No walleye size restriction under this special rule.
- Listed as a year-round underwater-spearfishing water.
Fish Lake
- No limit on yellow perch.
- Special trophy trout/salmon restriction applies.
- Special ice-hole regulation applies.
- Dead yellow perch may be legal bait here under the statewide bait rule.
Utah stream access: floating and wading are not the same legal question
Public water can flow across private land. That does not automatically make the privately owned streambed open for walking.
Utah generally allows fishing while floating over qualifying private property when the water has sufficient volume, follows a qualifying natural channel and you keep moving.
If public water flows over a privately owned bed that is closed to trespass, you generally may not walk the private bed without landowner permission.
Enter from a lawful point such as public property, a highway right-of-way, or private property where you have written permission.
What Utah allows while floating over qualifying private property
The water must have enough width, depth and flow to float the vessel.
The general floating right does not authorize anchoring or stopping on private property.
The law allows incidental contact with the private bed when needed for safe passage and continued movement.
A direct portage around a dangerous obstruction can be allowed when the route stays as close to the water as practical.
When can you fillet or alter a Utah fish?
Most Utah waters
After completing the act of fishing — or after reaching a fish-cleaning station, camp or your principal land transportation — game fish may generally be dressed, filleted or physically altered.
While actively fishing, possessing today’s dressed/filleted fish is generally unlawful, subject to current rule exceptions.
Strawberry, Scofield & Panguitch
Trout and salmon may not be filleted and their heads/tails may not be removed in the field or during transit.
Jordanelle
Smallmouth bass may not be filleted and their heads/tails may not be removed in the field or during transit.
Daily limit vs possession limit
Never take more than one legal daily limit during one day.
Extra fish in possession must meet the previous-day, evisceration and possession-limit conditions.
Utah defines the ordinary possession limit as two daily limits, excluding fish stored at your permanent residence.
A livewell is not permission to move fish between Utah waters
A normal livewell, fish stringer or holding cage can be used as part of ordinary angling on the same water where the fish was taken.
Current rule prohibits transporting live fish or crayfish away from the water where they were taken.
Moving a live caught fish to another pond, lake, reservoir or stream is not normal catch-and-release fishing.
WMA, Walk-in Access and ordinary public land are different systems
Selected WMAs
Anyone age 18+ entering an affected WMA in Davis, Salt Lake, Utah or Weber County needs either:
- a valid Utah hunting, fishing or combination license, or
- the free digital WMA access permit.
WMA free permit
The free digital permit requires reviewing DWR educational material and is valid for 365 days.
People under age 18 are among the listed exemptions.
Walk-in Access property
A WIA property is private land where DWR has leased specific hunting, trapping or fishing privileges.
Users need the annual WIA authorization number and must follow the activity, date, route and property terms.
Utah’s AIS workflow before the next launch
Required for Utah and nonresident boaters, including users of motorboats, kayaks, canoes and paddleboards.
Keep printed or official-app proof of completion in the launch vehicle.
Annual AIS enrollment: $20 Utah-resident vessel / $25 nonresident vessel.
Watercraft operators must stop at all operating Utah AIS inspection stations.
If the watercraft came from another state/country or was on a mussel-infested water such as Lake Powell, follow required clean-drain-dry or professional decontamination procedures.
Does your Utah fishing contest need a DWR Certificate of Registration?
A COR is required when the contest includes any one of the following thresholds.
Triggers COR requirement.
Cash, prizes or a combination.
Triggers COR requirement.
Triggers COR requirement.
When COR may not be needed
A true catch-photo/measure-and-immediately-release event where fish are not legally possessed by contestants generally does not require a fishing-contest COR.
Application timing
DWR says qualifying contest applications must be received at least 45 days before the event.
Bear Lake, Lake Powell and Flaming Gorge do not use identical reciprocal rules
Bear Lake — Idaho
A valid Utah or Idaho fishing/combination license can allow qualifying anglers to fish both state portions.
Follow the fishing rules of the state portion where you are fishing and take only one daily limit per day.
Lake Powell — Arizona
A valid Utah or Arizona fishing/combination license can allow qualifying anglers to fish both state portions.
Follow the applicable state’s fishing regulations and only one daily limit per day.
Flaming Gorge — Wyoming
Utah/Wyoming residents use their resident home-state license plus the other state’s reciprocal permit when crossing the state boundary.
An angler who is a resident of neither state generally needs nonresident licenses from both states to fish the entire reservoir.
Two dates that should not be misread in search results
Free Fishing Day — June 6
Utah’s 2026 Free Fishing Day allowed fishing without a license, but ordinary fishing laws and regulations still applied.
The event has already passed. Normal license rules apply now.
2027–28 proposals
DWR published proposed future fishing changes on August 12, 2026.
A proposal shown in Google or Bing is not a 2026 regulation. Do not apply proposed 2027 limits today.
Legal to harvest does not automatically mean unrestricted to eat
Fish-consumption advisory
Utah maintains separate health guidance by waterbody and species. Check it if the catch is going home for dinner.
Harmful algal bloom
HAB status is separate from the fishing bag limit. Avoid visible harmful bloom conditions and follow current Utah health guidance.
Utah same-day regulation checklist
- Write down the exact water or river segment. “Provo River” or “Green River” alone may not be specific enough.
- Open DWR’s emergency-change list. Verify that your saved limit has not been temporarily overridden.
- Save the exact species limit. Include aggregate limits and oversized-fish sublimits.
- Save the length rule. Know whether it is a minimum, maximum or protected slot.
- Know whether the fish is keep, release or mandatory-kill. Identification matters before possession.
- Check bait wording. Artificial-flies-and-lures-only water is not a place for PowerBait, corn or another bait product.
- Carry your license. Utah’s official app can store qualifying digital documents.
- Check legal access. Private streambed, WMA, WIA and ordinary public land are different.
- If boating, complete AIS requirements before reaching the ramp.
- If eating the catch, check the health advisory separately.
16 Utah fishing-rule mistakes this guide is designed to prevent
Specific-water rules override it.
Nine waters currently have temporary changes.
Several limits/closures change today.
A proposal is not current law.
Generally unlawful in Utah.
The bait definition matters.
General statewide prohibition with limited exceptions.
Two legal lines do not erase per-line hook limits.
Only five current water systems authorize setlines.
Utah has release-immediately and kill-immediately categories.
Live transport away from the capture water is prohibited.
Current June 2026 processing rules matter.
Floating rights do not automatically create wading rights.
Fishing privileges and access authorization are separate issues.
Boat requirements are a separate compliance layer.
Contest thresholds can trigger a COR requirement.
Related FishingLicenseGuide.org Utah resources
Ask DWR the question that produces a useful answer
1594 W. North Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84114-6301
Phone script
“I’m fishing [exact water / river segment] on [date], targeting [species] using [bait / method]. Can you confirm the current daily limit, size restriction, emergency change, access issue and whether the fish must be released or killed?”
The details are already above — use these for final verification
This page intentionally explains the rules before sending you elsewhere. Use the following official Utah sources for same-day verification, transactions and changes after this review date.
Utah fishing rules: practical questions answered
What is the general Utah trout limit in 2026?
The general statewide daily limit is four trout, kokanee salmon and Arctic grayling in combination. Individual waters can have different bag limits, size rules or emergency regulations.
Can I fish year-round in Utah?
Utah’s general fishing and crayfish season runs January 1 through December 31 and fishing is generally open 24 hours a day, but specific waters, tributaries and species can have seasonal or complete closures.
Who needs a Utah fishing license?
A person age 12 or older generally needs the applicable Utah fishing license before engaging in regulated fishing. Children under 12 may fish without a license and may take a full legal daily and possession limit.
Can I fish with two poles in Utah?
Utah generally allows up to two angling lines for a properly licensed angler. Using two lines does not double the daily or possession limit.
How many hooks can I use on a fishing line in Utah?
An ordinary line may generally have no more than three baited hooks, three artificial flies or three artificial lures. An individual artificial lure may have no more than three hooks. Setlines use a separate maximum.
Can I use corn as bait in Utah?
Corn is legal where bait is permitted. It may not be used on a water restricted to artificial flies and lures only.
Can I use live minnows as bait in Utah?
Utah generally prohibits using or possessing live baitfish while fishing. Current R657-13 identifies specific legal dead-bait categories.
Can I chum while fishing in Utah?
Chumming is generally prohibited. Utah’s current water-specific rules provide limited exceptions, notably at Lake Powell and Flaming Gorge Reservoir.
What is the statewide Utah walleye limit?
The statewide daily limit is 10 walleye, and only one may be over 24 inches. Several special waters have different walleye regulations.
What is the Utah bass limit?
The general statewide largemouth and smallmouth bass limit is six combined. Special waters can use size restrictions, mandatory-kill rules or emergency limits.
When is Utah’s kokanee salmon closure?
Anglers may not possess kokanee salmon at any Utah waterbody statewide from September 10 through November 30.
Where can I use a setline in Utah?
Current rule authorizes setlines on the Bear River downstream from the Idaho line including Cutler Reservoir and outlet canals, the Little Bear River below SR-30, the Malad River, Utah Lake and Yuba Reservoir. A setline permit and applicable current fishing/combination license are required.
Can I wade a Utah stream that flows over private land?
Not automatically. When a public waterbody flows over a privately owned streambed closed to trespass, Utah generally does not allow recreational users to walk on that private bed without landowner permission. Different rules can allow fishing while floating, and the upper Weber River has separate access guidance.
What changed in Utah’s fish-processing rules in June 2026?
Live Administrative Rule R657-13 lists June 23, 2026 as its most recent change. Current special processing rules identify trout/salmon from Strawberry, Scofield and Panguitch and smallmouth bass from Jordanelle, while Lake Powell has a specific fillet-at-any-time exception.
Do I need a WMA access permit to go fishing?
Beginning July 1, 2026, adults 18 and older entering affected Wildlife Management Areas in Davis, Salt Lake, Utah and Weber counties need either the free digital WMA access permit or a qualifying valid Utah hunting, fishing or combination license. A valid Utah fishing license fulfills this access requirement at covered WMAs.
Do kayaks and paddleboards need Utah’s mussel-aware course?
Yes. Utah DWR says the annual mussel-aware boater course applies to all boaters, including users of motorized vessels, kayaks, canoes and paddleboards. Motorized watercraft also have the annual AIS enrollment requirement.
When does a Utah fishing tournament need a COR?
A DWR Certificate of Registration is required if a fishing contest has at least 85 participants, at least $2,000 in cash or prizes, a live-fish weigh-in or tagged fish. A true immediate-release photo/measurement contest where anglers do not legally possess the fish generally does not require a fishing-contest COR.
Exact water + exact date + exact species + exact method
That formula is more useful than memorizing one statewide number. It catches emergency rules, river segments, protected slots, bait restrictions, mandatory-kill fish, stream access, possession rules and boating requirements before they become a problem.
Full review completed . Emergency orders, drought impacts, administrative rules, access conditions and waterbody regulations can change after publication.