Introducing youth to the challenges and joys of trout fishing at a young age can establish a lifelong hobby. Since trout are a heavily protected fish, kids need to understand the trout fishing season, the age they need a license, and the proper ways to catch trout before they tackle it on their own. Whether a parent, grandparent, or friend, you can play a vital role in teaching young people about trout fishing.
Besides a few exceptions, many states and provinces don’t have specific youth fishing seasons. However, youth anglers are expected to follow the same rules and regulations as adult anglers. License ages and legal ways to catch trout differ and are vital for youth to understand before they hit the water.
Properly trained youth anglers will keep trout populations healthy for many years. Also, do check out my article on why is the trout population decreasing.
Lastly, it would be fun to compare the adult trout fishing rules with those for the youth below. Now, on to the rules:
United States
1. Alabama
Legal Ways to Catch Trout: Hook and line, artificial lure, live bait, troll
Youth Season: Year-round
Fishing License: Required for 16 years & older
2. Alaska
Legal Ways to Catch Trout: Hook and line, artificial lure, live bait, troll
Youth Season: Mid-June – September
Fishing License: Required for non-residents 16 years & older
Required for residents 18 & older
3. Arizona
Legal Ways to Catch Trout: Hook and line, artificial lure, live bait, troll
Youth Season: May 1 – December 31
Fishing License: Required for all children 10 years & older
4. Arkansas
Legal Ways to Catch Trout: Hook and line, artificial lure, live bait, troll
Youth Season: Year-round
Fishing license: Required for 16 & older
5. California
Legal Ways to Catch Trout: Hook and line, artificial lure, live bait, troll
Youth Season: April 30 – November 15
Fishing license: Required for 16 years & older
6. Colorado
Legal Ways to Catch Trout: Hook and line, artificial lure, live bait, troll
Youth Season: Year-round
Fishing license: Required for anglers 16 years & older
16 & 17-year-old angler’s licenses are $10.95 per year
If you want a second rod, a second-rod stamp is needed for all ages.
7. Connecticut
Legal Ways to Catch Trout: Hook and line, artificial lure, live bait, troll
Youth Season: Year-round for tidal waters and lower rivers. April 9 to February 28 in ponds, rivers, streams, and lakes
Fishing license: Required for 16 years & older
16 & 17-year-old angler’s licenses are 50% regular price
8. Delaware
Legal Ways to Catch Trout: Hook and line, artificial lure, live bait, troll
Youth Season: Youth trout upstate stream trout season opens at 7 a.m. on April 1 and goes until June 30
Adult anglers can start at 7 a.m. on April 2 and fish until June 30
Season re-opens from October 5 to November 30
Fishing license: Required for 16 years & older
9. Florida
Legal Ways to Catch Trout: Hook and line, artificial lure, live bait, troll
Youth Season: Closed February
Fishing license: Required for 16 years & older
10. Georgia
Legal Ways to Catch Trout: One pole and line, artificial lure, troll
Youth Season: Year-round
Fishing license: Required for 16 years & older
11. Hawaii
No trout in Hawaii
12. Idaho
Legal Ways to Catch Trout: Hook and line, artificial lure, live bait, troll
Youth Season: Year round
Fishing license: Required for residents 14 years & older
Non-residents children 14 and under must be with someone who has a valid fishing license
13. Illinois
Legal Ways to Catch Trout: Hook and line, artificial lure, live bait, troll
Youth Season: April 1-December 15
Fishing license: Required for 16 years & older
14. Indiana
Legal Ways to Catch Trout: Hook and line, artificial lure, live bait, troll
Youth Season: Last Saturday in April – December 31
Fishing license: Required for 17 years & older
15. Iowa
Legal Ways to Catch Trout: Hook and line, artificial lure, live bait, troll
Youth Season: Year-round
Fishing license: Required for 16 years & older
Anglers under 16 must purchase their own trout stamp to keep trout or share their limit with a licensed adult.
16. Kansas
Legal Ways to Catch Trout: Hook and line, artificial lure, live bait, troll
Youth Season: November 1 to April 15
Fishing license: Required for 16 years & older
17. Kentucky
Legal Ways to Catch Trout: Hook and line, artificial lure, live bait, troll
Youth Season: Year-round.
Specific streams are from October 1 to March 31
Fishing license: Required for 12 years & older
18. Louisiana
Legal Ways to Catch Trout: Hook and line, artificial lure, live bait, troll
Youth Season: Year round
Fishing license: Required for 18 years & older
19. Maine
Legal Ways to Catch Trout: Hook and line, artificial lure, live bait, troll
Youth Season: April 1 to August 15. August 16 to September 30 artificial lures or flies only
Fishing license: Required for 16 years & older
20. Maryland
Legal Ways to Catch Trout: Hook and line, artificial lure, live bait, troll
Youth Season: Year-round
Fishing license: Required for 15 years & older
Licenses for 15-17-year-olds are free
21. Massachusetts
Legal Ways to Catch Trout: Hook and line, artificial lure, live bait, troll
Youth Season: April 1-September 10 (bag limit of 8)
September 11 to March 3 (bag limit of 3)
Fishing license: Required for ten years & older
22. Michigan
Legal Ways to Catch Trout: Hook and line, artificial lure, live bait, troll
Youth Season: Year-round.
Specific streams are open from April 1-October 31
Fishing license: Required for 17 years & older
23. Minnesota
Legal Ways to Catch Trout: Hook and line, artificial lure, live bait, troll
Youth Season: April 15-October 31
Fishing license: Required for 16 years & older
24. Mississippi
Legal Ways to Catch Trout: Hook and line, artificial lure, live bait, troll
Season: Year round
Fishing license: Required for 16 years & older
25. Missouri
Legal Ways to Catch Trout: Hook and line, artificial lure, live bait, troll
Youth Season: Mostly year-round. Designated trout parks catch-and-release November to March
Fishing license: Required for 15 years & older
26. Montana
Legal Ways to Catch Trout: Hook and line, artificial lure, live bait, troll
Youth Season: Year-round.
Rivers & streams in Western and Central Districts are from May 15 to December 1
Fishing license: Required for 12 years & older
27. Nebraska
Legal Ways to Catch Trout: Hook and line, artificial lure, live bait, troll
Youth Season: Year-round
Fishing license: Required for 16 years & older
28. Nevada
Legal Ways to Catch Trout: Hook and line (no more than three baited hooks at a time), artificial lure, live bait, troll
Youth Season: Year-round
Fishing license: Required for 12 years & older
29. New Hampshire
Legal Ways to Catch Trout: Hook and line (no more than three baited hooks at a time), artificial lure, live bait, troll
Youth Season:
Rivers & Streams: January 1 – October 15.
Wild Trout Streams: January 1- Labor Day.
Trout Ponds: 4th Saturday in April – October 15.
Wild Trout Ponds: 4th Saturday in April -Labor Day.
All other waters: Year round
Fishing license: Required for 16 years & older
30. New Jersey
Legal Ways to Catch Trout: Hook and line, artificial lure, live bait, troll
Youth Season: April 8-March 20
Fishing license: Required for 15 years & older
31. New Mexico
Legal Ways to Catch Trout: Hook and line, artificial lure, live bait, troll
Youth Season: Year-Round
Fishing license: Required for 12 years & older
32. New York
Legal Ways to Catch Trout: Hook and line, artificial lure, live bait, troll
Youth Season: Brown, brook, and rainbow trout season is from April 1 to October 15 in the Great Lakes, Finger Lakes, and Lake Champlain.
Inland trout streams’ catch-and-keep season is from April 1 to October 15
Inland trout streams catch-and-release is October 16-March 31
Fishing license: Required for 16 years & older
33. North Carolina
Legal Ways to Catch Trout: Wild trout waters are artificial lures only; in hatchery waters, live bait is okay, hook and line, artificial lure, live bait, troll
Youth Season: Designated mountain trout waters season October 1 to June 2.
Hatchery waters are closed in March. All other water is year-round.
Fishing license: Required for 16 years & older
34. North Dakota
Legal Ways to Catch Trout: Hook and line, artificial lure, live bait, troll
Youth Season: Year-round. Lightning Lake is catch-and-release only from April 1 through June 30
Fishing license: Required for 16 years & older
35. Ohio
Legal Ways to Catch Trout: Hook and line, artificial lure, live bait, troll
Youth Season: Year-round
Fishing license: Required for 16 years & older
36. Oklahoma
Legal Ways to Catch Trout: Hook and line, artificial lure, live bait, troll
Youth Season: Year-round
Fishing license: Required for 16 years & older
I also have a guide on Medicine Park Trout Fishing if you’re from that area.
37. Oregon
Legal Ways to Catch Trout: Hook and line, artificial lure, live bait, troll
Youth Season: Central Zone streams are open from May 22-October 31, and lakes are open year-round
Fishing license: Required for 12 years & older
Youths 12-17 must purchase a $10 youth license
38. Pennsylvania
Legal Ways to Catch Trout: Hook and line, artificial lure, live bait, troll
Youth Season: April 2 to September 5 for regular trout season. Extended trout fishing season from September 6-February 20
Fishing license: Required for 15 years & older
Youths under 16 must have a voluntary youth license or a free mentored youth fishing permit to participate in special youth fishing days.
39. Rhode Island
Legal Ways to Catch Trout: Hook and line, artificial lure, live bait, troll
Youth Season: April 11 to February 29.
No trout can be harvested from March 1 to April 10
Fishing license: Required for 15 years & older
40. South Carolina
Legal Ways to Catch Trout: Hook and line, artificial lure, live bait, troll
Youth Season: November 1-May 14 is catch-and-release in Chattooga River.
Most other waters are open year-round.
Fishing license: Required for 16 years & older
41. South Dakota
Legal Ways to Catch Trout: Hook and line, artificial lure, live bait, troll
Youth Season: Year-round
Fishing license: Required for 18 years & older
42. Tennessee
Legal Ways to Catch Trout: Hook and line, artificial lure, live bait, troll
Season: Certain waters have specific trout fishing seasons. All other water is open year-round.
Fishing license: Required for 12 years & older
43. Texas
Legal Ways to Catch Trout: Hook and line, artificial lure, live bait, troll
Youth Season: Year-round
Fishing license: Required for 17 years & older
44. Utah
Legal Ways to Catch Trout: Hook and line, artificial lure, live bait, troll
Youth Season: Year-round
Fishing license: Required for 12 years & older
45. Vermont
Legal Ways to Catch Trout: Hook and line, artificial lure, live bait, troll
Youth Season: Second Saturday of April through October 31
Fishing license: Required for 15 years & older
Youths 15-17 can purchase a youth fishing license
46. Virginia
Legal Ways to Catch Trout: Hook and line, artificial lure, live bait, troll
Youth Season: Year-round
Special Youth Trout Waters open for anglers 15 & under from April 1-June 15:
Northern Fauquier Community Park Pond
South River- Basic Park
Cave Mountain Lake
Glen Alton Pond
Franklin County Park Pond
Ivy Creek- Peak Views Park
South Fork Clinch River- Dunford Park
Two Ponds (Smyth Co.)- Mount Rogers
Fishing license: Required for 16 years & older
47. Washington
Legal Ways to Catch Trout: Hook and line, artificial lure, live bait, troll
Youth Season: Lakes and reservoirs are open year-round.
Streams, rivers, and beaver ponds are open from Memorial Day to October 31
Fishing license: Required for 15 years & older
48. West Virginia
Legal Ways to Catch Trout: Hook and line, artificial lure, live bait, troll
Youth Season: Year-round
Fishing license: Required for 15 years & older
49. Wisconsin
Legal Ways to Catch Trout: Hook and line, artificial lure, live bait, troll
Youth Season: Early inland waters: January 1 to May 6.
Inland waters: May 7 to October 15
Lake Michigan Lake Trout Season: March 1 to October 31
Lake Superior Lake Trout Season: December 1 to September 30
Fishing license: Required for 16 years & older
50. Wyoming
Legal Ways to Catch Trout: Hook and line, artificial lure, live bait, troll
Youth Season: Year round
Fishing license: Required for 14 years & older
Youth fishing license must be purchased between the ages of 14-18.
Canada
1. Alberta
Legal Ways to Catch Trout: Hook and line, artificial lure, must use barbless hooks
Youth Season: Year-round
Fishing license: Required for 16 years & older
2. British Columbia
Legal Ways to Catch Trout: Hook and line, artificial lure, must use barbless hooks
Youth Season: Year-round
Fishing license: Required for 16 years & older
3. Manitoba
Legal Ways to Catch Trout: Hook and line, artificial lure, must use barbless hooks
Youth Season: Year-round
Fishing license: Required for 16 years & older
4. New Brunswick
Legal Ways to Catch Trout: Hook and line, artificial lure, must use barbless hooks
Youth Season: Year-round
Fishing license: Required for 16 years & older
5. Newfoundland
Legal Ways to Catch Trout: Hook and line, artificial lure, must use barbless hooks
Youth Season: Year-round
Fishing license: Required for 16 years & older
6. Nova Scotia
Legal Ways to Catch Trout: Hook and line, artificial lure, must use barbless hooks
Youth Season: April 1 to September 30
Fishing license: Required for 16 years & older
7. Ontario
Legal Ways to Catch Trout: Hook and line, artificial lure, must use barbless hooks
Youth Season: Fourth Saturday in April to September 30
Fishing license: Required for 18 years & older
8. Prince Edward Island
Legal Ways to Catch Trout: Hook and line, artificial lure, must use barbless hooks
Youth Season: April 15 to September 30. Extended Season October 1 to December 31
Fishing license: Required for 16 years & older
9. Quebec
Legal Ways to Catch Trout: Hook and line, artificial lure, must use barbless hooks
Youth Season: Year round
Fishing license: Required for 18 years & older
10. Saskatchewan
Legal Ways to Catch Trout: Hook and line, artificial lure, must use barbless hooks
Youth Season:
Southern Zone: May 5- March 31
Central Zone: May 15-March 31
Northern Zone: May 25-April 15
Fishing license: Required for people between 16 & 65 years old
Conclusion
Trout are some of the best fish in the world to target. They live in beautiful places, fight well for their size, and require a lot of skill to land.
However, many improperly trained anglers have drastically diminished trout populations worldwide. As a result, it’s essential to train fishers from a young age on the rules and regulations of trout fishing.
The more trained youth are, the more ethical anglers they’ll become.