Rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss

How they feed

• Water45–68°F, best near 55°
• TideEither, as long as it moves
• MoonEither
• DepthUsually 3–20 ft

Scored against their own temperature range and tide preference first, then wind, weather and warnings. Solunar periods only break ties. How the score works

Season by state

• MarylandMar–Jun, Oct–Nov
• MontanaApr–Jun, Sep–Oct
• ColoradoApr–May, Oct
• PennsylvaniaMar–May, Oct–Nov
• CaliforniaNov–Apr
• UtahMay–Jun, Oct–Nov
• AlaskaMay–Oct
• ArkansasMay–Dec
• ConnecticutApr–Jul, Oct–Nov
• IdahoMar–May, Sep–Nov
• New YorkApr–May, Oct–Nov
• OregonYear-round
• West VirginiaFeb–Apr, Oct–Dec
• WyomingMar–May, Oct–Dec
• GeorgiaOct–Apr
• KentuckyYear-round
• MichiganApr–May, Sep–Oct
• New MexicoFeb–Dec
• NevadaApr–May, Oct–Dec
• TennesseeNov–Jun

The Maryland, Delaware and Virginia months are the Chesapeake-region season. Everywhere else it is carried over by water temperature: a month counts at a spot when its usual water is in the range that marks the mid-Atlantic season (42–61°F), from the spot’s own gauge where it has one and an estimate from air temperature where it doesn’t. Each state lists the months that hold at half or more of its spots. Where the water temperatures come from.

Keep or release

• Alaska non-tidal2 a dayKenai Peninsula flowing waters: 2 rainbow/steelhead a day in combination, 2 in possession, only 1 of which may be 20" or longer. North of Point Adam there is an annual limit of 2 rainbow/steelhead 20" or longer, recorded at harvest. Alaska changes limits by Emergency Order in season, so check the ADF&G emergency orders the day you fish.Non tidal waters · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source · 8 days since checked
• Arkansas14" maximum · 2 a dayArkansas (since Feb 1, 2026): on the Norfork tailwater and the White River from Bull Shoals Dam to the Norfork Access, 2 rainbow trout a day, both under 14"; every other trout must be released. From the Norfork Access to the Hwy 58 bridge at Guion, 2 trout with only 1 over 14". Elsewhere the statewide limit is 5 trout a day.Non tidal trout waters · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
• California5 a dayLakes, reservoirs and ponds: 5 trout a day, 10 in possession, open all year with no size limit.Non tidal waters · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
• California5 a dayCalifornia streams not listed in the special regulations: open the last Saturday in April through Nov 15 with 5 trout a day, 10 in possession. From Nov 16 the bag is zero and only artificial lures with barbless hooks may be used. Anadromous and wild-trout reaches have their own rules.Non tidal trout waters · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
• Colorado non-tidal4 a dayColorado statewide: 4 trout a day in aggregate (brook, brown, cutbow, cutthroat, golden, lake, rainbow, splake, tiger), 8 in possession, no minimum length. Brook trout 8" or shorter are an extra 10 a day.Non tidal waters · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
• Connecticut5 a dayConnecticut statewide: 5 trout a day, no minimum length; catch and release only from Mar 1 to the second Saturday in April. The Farmington and Housatonic Trout Management Areas have their own rules, and a trout and salmon stamp is needed to keep trout.Non tidal trout waters · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
• Delaware tidal6 a dayDelaware's put-and-take trout program stocks rainbow, brook and brown trout in New Castle County streams and Tidbury and Newton ponds. No size limit; 6 trout a day in any combination (4 in or within 50 feet of fly-fishing-only water). The 2026 season opened Mar 8 at the ponds and Apr 5 on the streams (youth a day earlier), and designated trout waters are closed for 14 days before opening day. A trout stamp is needed on designated streams from the first Saturday in April to Jun 30 and from the first Saturday in October to Nov 30, and at the ponds from the first Saturday in March to Apr 1.Non tidal trout waters · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
• Georgia8 a dayGeorgia statewide: 8 trout a day, no minimum length, and all designated trout waters are open all year. Delayed-harvest streams are catch-and-release with artificial lures Nov 1–May 14.Non tidal trout waters · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
• Idaho non-tidal6 a dayIdaho general rules: 6 trout a day in lakes and reservoirs, all species combined; possession is 3 times the daily limit. Coeur d'Alene Lake bars keeping cutthroat.Non tidal waters · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
• Idaho non-tidal6 a dayIdaho general rules: 6 trout a day in rivers and streams, all species combined (2 in the Clearwater Region; only 2 of the 6 may be cutthroat in Magic Valley and Southeast region streams). Possession is 3 times the daily limit; open all year unless a special rule says otherwise.Non tidal trout waters · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
• Kentucky8 a dayKentucky statewide: 8 rainbow trout a day, no minimum. Below Wolf Creek Dam rainbows from 15 to 20" must be released (5 a day, only 1 over 20"), and a trout permit is required.Non tidal trout waters · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
• Maryland non-tidal2 a dayMaryland statewide trout rule: 2 a day in any combination (4 in possession), no minimum size, open all year. Put-and-take trout areas, which include most stocked lakes, allow 5 a day.Non tidal waters · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
• Maryland non-tidal2 a dayMaryland statewide trout rule: 2 a day in any combination (4 in possession), no minimum size, open all year. Put-and-take areas and special trout management areas have their own rules.Non tidal trout waters · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
• Michigan10" minimum · 5 a dayMichigan Type 1 trout streams: open the last Saturday in April through Sep 30; 5 trout and salmon a day, no more than 3 of them 15" or longer. Rainbow trout 10" minimum. Type 2–4 and gear-restricted reaches differ.Non tidal trout waters · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
• Montana Central District5 a dayCentral District lakes and reservoirs: 5 trout a day including cutthroat, 10 in possession. Open all year.Non tidal waters · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
• Montana Central District3 a dayCentral District rivers and streams: 3 trout a day and in possession, only 1 over 18" and only 1 a cutthroat; grayling must be released. Open all year unless an exception says otherwise.Non tidal trout waters · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
• Montana Western District5 a dayWestern District lakes and reservoirs: 5 brown, rainbow and golden trout and grayling a day, 10 in possession, only 1 over 22". Open all year.Non tidal waters · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
• Montana Western District3 a dayWestern District rivers and streams: 3 brown, rainbow and golden trout and grayling a day combined, only 1 over 14". Western District rivers and streams are open the third Saturday in May (May 16 in 2026) through Nov 30 unless an exception says otherwise.Non tidal trout waters · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
• Nevada non-tidal5 a dayNevada general limits: 5 trout a day in the Western and Eastern regions, 10 in the Southern Region (Clark, Esmeralda, Lincoln and Nye counties). Possession is twice the daily limit.Non tidal waters · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
• New Mexico non-tidal5 a dayNew Mexico: 5 trout and kokanee a day combined, 10 in possession; no more than 2 lake trout or 2 cutthroat.Non tidal trout waters · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
• New York5 a dayNew York inland trout streams: 5 trout a day, any size, but only 2 longer than 12", Apr 1–Oct 15; catch and release with artificial lures Oct 16–Mar 31. Stocked-extended, wild-quality, wild-premier and catch-and-release reaches are stricter.Non tidal trout waters · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
• Oregon8" minimum · 2 a dayOregon streams: 2 trout a day, 8" minimum, only 1 over 20", generally open May 22–Oct 31 (Willamette Zone streams are catch and release unless listed). Rainbows over 20" in streams count as steelhead (16" in the Northwest and Southwest zones).Non tidal trout waters · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
• Pennsylvania7" minimum · 3 a day (Jan 1–Feb 15, Sep 7–Dec 31); 7" minimum · 5 a day (Apr 3–Sep 6)Stocked trout lakes: 7" minimum, 5 trout a day (combined species) from 8 a.m. on the first Saturday in April through Labor Day, 3 a day in the extended season (Jan 1–Feb 15 and from the day after Labor Day). Closed to all fishing Feb 16 until the opener.Non tidal waters · verified Oct 21, 2026 · source
• Pennsylvania7" minimum · 3 a day (Jan 1–Feb 15, Sep 7–Dec 31); 7" minimum · 5 a day (Apr 3–Sep 6)Pennsylvania streams: 7" minimum, 5 trout a day (combined species) from 8 a.m. on the first Saturday in April through Labor Day; extended season 3 a day on stocked waters (catch and release on waters not stocked). Stocked waters close Feb 16 until the opener.Non tidal trout waters · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
• Tennessee7 a dayTennessee: 7 trout a day combined, no statewide minimum (only 2 may be lake trout). Tailwater rules: Clinch 14–20" protected; South Holston 16–22" protected; Watauga Quality Trout Area 14" and 2 a day; Hiwassee delayed harvest Oct 1–Feb 28; Caney Fork 5 a day with a 14–20" protected range and a 24" brown trout minimum.Non tidal trout waters · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
• Utah non-tidal4 a dayUtah statewide: 4 trout, kokanee and grayling a day combined, no statewide size limit.Non tidal waters · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
• Utah non-tidal4 a dayUtah statewide: 4 trout, kokanee and grayling a day combined, no statewide size limit.Non tidal trout waters · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
• Virginia non-tidal (VDWR)7" minimum · 6 a dayVirginia statewide: trout season is open all year, 6 trout a day, none under 7". Heritage, urban, special-regulation and fee-fishing waters have their own rules.Non tidal trout waters · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
• Washington8" minimum · 2 a dayWashington rivers and streams not listed in the special rules: 8" minimum, 2 trout a day, open the Saturday before Memorial Day through Oct 31. Lakes are 5 a day with no minimum, all year. Many listed rivers require wild rainbows and cutthroat to be released.Non tidal trout waters · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
• West Virginia6 a dayWest Virginia: 6 trout a day combined (rainbow, golden rainbow, brook, tiger and brown), no statewide minimum.Non tidal waters · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
• Wyoming non-tidal6 a dayWyoming lakes and reservoirs: 6 trout a day, no more than 6 across streams and lakes combined. Open all year.Non tidal waters · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
• Wyoming non-tidal3 a dayWyoming streams: 3 trout a day, only 1 over 16"; no more than 6 across streams and lakes combined. Brook trout, lake trout and splake have separate limits. Open all year.Non tidal trout waters · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source

Rules change, and they differ by state and often by water. Each spot page shows the limits for its own water. Rainbow trout are fished at spots in 20 states: Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Utah, West Virginia, Wyoming.