Throughout North America, trout are generally a heavily protected fish. They live in sensitive waters that are susceptible to all sorts of weather patterns. Due to their sensitivity, many trout are stocked and fish populations are closely managed. This can cause trout bag limits to be a bit confusing.
Depending on the state or province you’re fishing in, you’ll find different bag limits for trout. Generally, bag limits sit between 4 and 8 trout per day. However, many states and provinces have specific rules and regulations for certain bodies of waters that anglers must follow.
The following information shows the different bag limits for each state and province in the United States and Canada. Keep in mind that certain waters are catch & release only and may have daily bag limits. The waters should be labeled appropriately.
Trout Limits for the United States
1. Alabama
Speckled Trout: 6 fish per person per day. Fish must measure no less than 15 inches and no greater than 22 inches. Each person is allowed one fish over the maximum size limit per day
White Trout: No limit
2. Alaska
Lake Trout: 2 fish per person per day
Cutthroat Trout: 2 fish per person per day
Rainbow Trout/Steelhead: 2 fish per person per day
3. Arizona
All Trout: 4 fish per person per day. 2 fish per person per day in community fish program waters
4. Arkansas
Cutthroat Trout: 2 fish per person per day. Fish must be between 13-16 inches if slot limits are applied on the certain body of water
Brown Trout: 2 fish per person per day. Fish must be between 13-16 inches if slot limits are applied on the certain body of water
Brook Trout: 2 fish per person per day. Fish must be between 13-16 inches if slot limits are applied on the certain body of water
All other trout species: 5 fish per person per day. Fish must be between 13-16 inches if slot limits are applied on the certain body of water
5. California
Brook Trout: 15 fish per person per day. No size limit
All Other Trout: 5 fish per person per day
All rainbow trout measuring over 16 inches are classified as steelhead.
I have an interesting article on rainbow trout habitat and catching tips for you to read later!
6. Colorado
Brook Trout: 14 fish per day as long as they’re less than 8 inches long
All Other Trout: 4 fish per person per day
7. Connecticut
Freshwater Trout Limits: 5 fish per person per day
Trout in tidal waters and lower rivers (Connecticut River, etc): 2 fish per person per day. Fish must measure over 15 inches in length
8. Delaware
All Trout: 6 fish per person per day. 4 trout per person per day in or within 50 feet of any fly-fishing only waters
9. Florida
Spotted Trout in Northeast (Nassau County to Flagler County): 5 spotted sea trout per person per day. Must be between 15-19 inches
Spotted Trout in Central East (Valousia County to Palm Beach County): 2 spotted sea trout per day. Must be between 15-19 inches
Spotted Trout in Big Bed (Escambia County to western half of Gulf County): 3 fish per person per day. Must be between 15-19 inches
10. Georgia
Speckled Trout: 15 fish per person per day. Must be larger than 14 inches
Lake Trout: No daily bag limits
All Other Trout in Georgia proper: 8 fish per person per day
Trout in waters along South Carolina & Georgia Border: 5 fish per person per day
Waters Creek has a daily possession limit of 1 fish. Only 3 fish are allowed to be harvested from Waters Creek per year.
11. Hawaii
No Limits
12. Idaho
Brook Trout: 25 fish per person per day
Bull Trout: Must be released
Rainbow Trout: 3 fish per person per day. Maximum of 20 rainbow trout per season. Snake River rainbow trout must be at least 20 inches long
Brown Trout: 6 fish per person per day
Cutthroat Trout: 6 fish per person per day. Magic Valley and Northeast Idaho cutthroat bag limit is 2 fish per person per day
13. Illinois
Trout: 5 fish per person per day
14. Iowa
Trout Limit: 5 fish per person per day
Spring Branch and Bloody Run Creek trout must measure at least 14 inches in order to be harvested.
15. Indiana
Trout Limit: Any combination of 5 brook, rainbow, or brown trout; no more than one may be brown trout.
Minimum size: 7 inches
16. Kansas
Trout: 5 fish per person per day
17. Kentucky
Rainbow Trout: 8 fish per person per day
Brown Trout: 1 fish per person per day. Fish must be at least 16 inches long
Cutthroat Trout: 1 fish per person per day. Fish must be at least 20 inches long
Brook Trout: Catch and release only
18. Louisiana
Speckled Trout: 25 per person per day. 12 inches minimum length
19. Maine
Brook Trout: 5 fish per person per day. 2 fish per person per day in ponds/lakes in South Zone
All Other Trout: 2 fish per person per day
20. Maryland
Trout: 2 fish per person per day
21. Massachusetts
Brown Trout: 8 fish per person per day from April to mid-September. 3 fish per person per day from mid-September through March
Tiger Trout: 8 fish per person per day from April to mid-September. 3 fish per person per day from mid-September through March
Brook Trout: 8 fish per person per day from April to mid-September. 3 fish per person per day from mid-September through March
Rainbow Trout: 8 fish per person per day from April to mid-September. 3 fish per person per day from mid-September through March
Lake Trout: 3 fish per person per day from Wachusett Reservoir. 2 fish at least 18 inches long from Quabbin Reservoir
22. Michigan
Brook Trout: 5 fish per person per day. Only 3 fish can measure greater than 15 inches in length. Certain inland waters allow for 10 fish per person per day.
Rainbow Trout: Inland rainbow trout limit is 5 fish per person per day. Only 3 fish can measure greater than 15 inches in length. Great Lakes trout limit is 3 per person per day
Brown Trout: Inland brown trout limit is 5 fish per person per day. Inland brown trout must measure at least 8 inches.
Great Lakes brown trout must measure at least 10 inches. Only 3 fish can measure greater than 15 inches in length. Great Lakes brown trout limit is 3 fish per person per day
Steelhead: 3 fish per person per day. Must measure at least 10 inches in length
23. Minnesota
Trout: 5 fish per person per day
24. Mississippi
Trout: 7 fish per person per day
25. Missouri
Rainbow Trout: 4 fish per person per day. No size limit
Brown Trout: 4 fish per person per day. Brown trout must be at least 15 inches long
Certain blue-ribbon trout waters (Barren Fork Creek, Crane Creek, Blue Springs Creek, and Current River) allow one fish per person per day that is at least 18 inches long.
26. Montana
Bull Trout: No harvesting allowed
Cutthroat Trout: 5 per person per day in lakes/reservoirs. Cutthroat trout in rivers/streams must be released immediately
Brook Trout: 10 fish per person per day
Brown Trout: 5 per person per day
Lake Trout: 3 per person per day
Golden Trout: 5 per person per day
Arctic Grayling: 5 per person per day
27. Nebraska
Cutthroat Trout: 2 fish per person per day. Only one can measure over 12 inches
Brook Trout: 2 fish per person per day. Only one can measure over 12 inches
All Other Trout: 5 fish per person per day. Only one can measure over 16 inches
28. Nevada
All Trout: 5 fish per person per day
29. New Hampshire
Trout: 2 fish per person per day
30. New Jersey
Brown Trout: 4 fish per person per day from June 1 to March 20. 6 fish per person per day from April 9 through May 31. All fish must be at least 9 inches long
Brook Trout: 4 fish per person per day from June 1 to March 20. 6 fish per person per day from April 9 through May 31. All fish must be at least 9 inches long
Rainbow Trout: 4 fish per person per day from June 1 to March 20. 6 fish per person per day from April 9 through May 31. All fish must be at least 9 inches long
31. New Mexico
Lake Trout: 2 fish per person per day
Cutthroat Trout: 2 fish per person per day
Gila Trout: 2 fish per person per day
All Other Trout: 5 fish per person per day
32. New York
Brook Trout: Inland trout streams allow for 5 fish per person per day with 2 fish no greater than 12 inches.
Great Lakes, Finger Lakes, Lake Champlain Tributaries & tidal stream reaches allow for 5 fish per person per day with no length limits
Brown Trout: Inland trout streams allow for 5 fish per person per day with 2 fish no greater than 12 inches.
Great Lakes, Finger Lakes, Lake Champlain Tributaries & tidal stream reaches allow for 5 fish per person per day with no length limits
Rainbow Trout: Inland trout streams allow for 5 fish per person per day with 2 fish no greater than 12 inches.
Great Lakes, Finger Lakes, Lake Champlain Tributaries & tidal stream reaches allow for 5 fish per person per day with no length limits
33. North Carolina
Speckled Trout: 4 per person per day. Fish must be at least 14 inches long
Public Mountains/Wild Trout Waters: 4 fish per person per day. Fish must be at least 7 inches long
Undesignated Trout Waters/Those Supported by Hatcheries: 7 fish per person per day
34. North Dakota
Trout: 3 fish per person per day
35. Ohio
All trout species: 5 fish per person per day. Ohio portion of Lake Eerie, Mohican River’s Clear Fork, and the Mad River have 12 inch length requirements
36. Oklahoma
All Trout Species: 3 fish per person per day
37. Oregon
Bull Trout: Must be immediately released
All Other Trout Species: 5 fish per person per day. All fish must be between 8-20 inches. Only one fish per day can measure over 20 inches
38. Pennsylvania
Stocked Trout Waters: 5 fish per person per day. Fish must be at least 7 inches
Class A Designated Wild Trout Waters: No fish can be harvested
39. Rhode Island
April 11-November 30: 5 fish per person per day
December 1- February 29: 2 fish per person per day. All fish must be at least 8 inches long.
40. South Carolina
Spotted sea Trout: 10 fish per person per day. No more than 14 inches in length
All other trout: 5 fish per person per day
41. South Dakota
Rainbow Trout: 5 fish per person per day. Only one fish over 14 inches in Black Hills Region
Lake Trout: 5 fish per person per day. Only one fish over 24 inches in Black Hills Region
All other trout: 5 fish per person per day
42. Tennessee
Lake Trout: 2 fish per person per day
All Other Trout: 7 fish per person per day
43. Texas
Speckled Trout: 5 fish per person per day. Fish must be between 15-25 inches
All Other Trout: 5 fish per person per day
44. Utah
Brook, Brown & Cutthroat Trout: 4 fish per person per day
Rainbow Trout: 4 fish per person per day. Kolob Reservoir slot is 15-22 inches, and any fish in this range must be put back
45. Vermont
Lake Trout: 2 fish per person per day. 2 fish per person per day. Fish must be at least 18 inches long
All other trout: 8 fish per person per day in streams and rivers. 6 fish per person per day in lakes and ponds. No more than 5 fish per species
46. Virginia
Speckled Trout: 5 fish per person per day. At least 14 inches in length
All Other Trout: 6 fish per person per day. Fish must be 7 inches in length
47. Washington
Steelhead: 2 fish per person per day. Fish must be 20 inches long
All Other Trout: 5 fish per person per day. Only 2 trout can come from streams, rivers, or beaver ponds and be at least 8 inches long
48. West Virginia
All Trout: 6 fish per person per day
49. Wisconsin
Lake Trout: 2 fish per person per day
All Other Trout: 5 fish per person per day
50. Wyoming
Brook Trout: 16 fish per person per day
Lake Trout: 6 fish per person per day. Only 1 can measure over 24 inches in length
All other trout: 6 fish per person per day. Only 3 fish can be harvested from streams. Only one can be over 16 inches long
Trout Limits for Canada
1. Alberta
Bull Trout: No harvesting allowed
All Other Trout: 5 fish per person per day
2. British Columbia
Trout: 5 fish per person per day
3. Manitoba
Brook Trout: 1 fish per person per day. No fish can exceed 45cm
Lake Trout: 2 fish per person per day. Only one can exceed 65cm
Other Trout: 3 fish per person per day. Only one can exceed 45cm
4. New Brunswick
All Trout: 5 fish per person per day
5. Newfounland
Lake Trout: 4 fish per person per day. 60 cm or less
All Other Trout: 25 fish per person per day. 60cm or less. 25 fish or 4.5 kg whichever is reached first
6. Nova Scotia
Lake Trout: No trout can be kept
All Other Trout: 5 fish per person per day
7. Ontario
All Trout: 5 fish per person per day
8. Prince Edward Island
Brook Trout: 8 fish per person per day. Only one over 40cm
Rainbow trout: 8 fish per person per day. Only one over 40cm
Brown Trout: 8 fish per person per day. Only one over 40cm
9. Saskatchewan
Lake Trout: 3 fish per day
Stocked trout (brook, brown, rainbow, splake, and tiger trout): 5 fish per day combined
10. Quebec
Trout: 8 fish per person per day
Conclusion
States and provinces take the protection of trout extremely seriously.
It’s important for anglers to make sure they’re following the daily trout limits and doing their best to check which specific waters are more or less protected.
Since trout populations fluctuate each year, states will be more specific in which bodies of water see more restrictions.
As anglers, it’s our job to ensure we’re keeping the proper amount and practicing catch-and-release when we can. Trout are a valuable resource and need to be here for years to come.