General Fishing Regulations
What's New?
Free Fishing Day: Free Fishing Day will be held on June 7, 2025. This annual event is a great opportunity to share fishing fun with a friend or family member. For more information, see the Licenses and Permits page.
Regulation changes for 2025: The Utah Wildlife Board approved regulation changes for many waterbodies across the state, which will go into effect Jan. 1, 2025. These new regulations are noted in the Rules for specific waters page.
Expanded underwater spearfishing opportunities: At all waters open to spearfishing—during their open seasons— you can now underwater spearfish for allowable species at any time, day or night. (Previously, spearfishing was only allowed between sunrise and sunset.) Artificial light may be used while spearfishing for Utah chub at any location open to spearfishing and for lake trout at Flaming Gorge. See the Underwater spearfishing section of the Fishing Methods page for Utah’s spearfishing regulations, rules for specific waters, allowable species and more.
Archery tackle airguns allowed for taking common carp: Airguns that fire arrows or bolts (archery tackle) are now allowed for taking common carp at any open waterbody. Airguns firing pellets are not a legal weapon. Please see the Fishing Methods page for rules about taking common carp with airguns and definitions page.
New setline rules: The number of hooks allowed per setline has been reduced to 8 (from 15). Setlines must be permanently marked with the angler’s setline permit number, only anglers who have a setline permit can tend their setlines and any setline must be checked at least once every 48 hours. Mechanical retrieval of a setline is prohibited. See the Fishing Methods page for details.
Uinta Mountains brook trout limit: The “bonus” brook trout limit has been removed at lakes and streams in the Uinta Mountains. When fishing the Uintas, please consult the Rules for specific waters page or follow statewide trout limits where appropriate.
Flaming Gorge Reservoir regulations: The board approved several updates to fishing regulations at Flaming Gorge. These changes were made to: benefit kokanee salmon populations at the reservoir, reduce overly abundant populations of smaller lake trout, and create consistency with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s regulations on the Wyoming side of the reservoir. Flaming Gorge anglers should carefully review Fishing across state lines and reciprocal fishing permits page and Rules for specific waters page for details. For spearfishing at Flaming Gorge see the Fishing Methods page.
Prohibited fish: Anglers are encouraged to kill and possess prohibited fish species when caught. Please report these potentially harmful fish species to the DWR. See the Fishing Methods page for lists of prohibited and protected (must be immediately released alive) fish species.
New community fishing opportunities: Four new community fishing ponds—Dry Creek Highland Pond in Highland (Utah County), Provo River Delta Gateway Park Pond in Provo (Utah County), Jordan River Big Bend Pond in West Jordan (Salt Lake County) and Willow Spring Pond in Enterprise (Washington County)—are now open to the public. For a list of Utah’s community fishing ponds, daily limits, and more, see the Rules for specific waters page or visit the Community Fisheries page on the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources website.
Credit card processing fee: In order to cover our increasing costs for systems and electronic payment processing, the Division began charging a 2.2% processing fee on all credit card transactions as of July 1, 2024. The legislature authorized a fee up to 3% to cover these costs in the 2024 legislative session.
Download guidebooks and more to your DWR mobile app: You can now download Utah’s hunting and fishing guidebooks using your Utah DWR mobile app. The app makes it easy to read, search and navigate this guidebook and others. You can keep your hunting or combo license and any DWR course completion certificates on the app, too. Learn more about the app and download it from the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources mobile app page.
Possible emergency changes: Even with proactive measures, the Division may need to make emergency fishing changes at some of the state’s waterbodies due to drought, construction, dam repairs, future rotenone treatments or other factors. Stay up to date on these changes by visiting the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources guidebooks page and selecting 'View guidebook updates' next to the current-year Utah Fishing Guidebook.
Important reminders
Utah Fishing Guidebook available in Spanish: A digital edition of this guidebook is available in Spanish on the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Spanish-language guidebook page.
Fish throughout the year: Utah has a year-round fishing season for most waterbodies. It runs from Jan. 1–Dec. 31, 2025.
AIS program requirements for motorized boats: All boaters with motorized vessels— both Utah residents and nonresidents—must complete an annual Utah Mussel-aware Boater course and pay the Aquatic Invasive Species Program vessel enrollment fee through the DWR portal. Before launching your boat, make sure you are familiar with the rules and requirements of boating in Utah, which are strictly enforced. See the Angler Feedback, Biological Data and You page or visit the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources website for details.
Statewide kokanee salmon closure in the fall: Anglers may not possess kokanee salmon at any waterbody statewide from Sept. 10 through Nov. 30 to protect kokanee during the spawning season. See all of the statewide limits.
Report transport of live fish: Text 847411 from your mobile device, call the Division hotline at 800-662-3337 or use the UTDWR law enforcement app to report wildlife-related crimes. For details about these and other options, visit the Utah Turn-in-a-Poacher (UTiP) page.
License purchase options: Fishing and combination licenses are available on the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources website and from authorized license agents and Division offices. You can also call 800-221-0659 to purchase your license by phone. (There’s an additional $2 transaction fee for each item you buy over the phone.)
Utah Cutthroat Slam: The Utah Cutthroat Slam has raised more than $100,000 for native trout conservation in Utah since its launch in 2016. For information about the slam, visit the Licenses and Permits page or the Utah Cutthroat Slam website.
Fishing contests and tournaments: If you would like to hold a fishing contest or tournament, you must apply through the Division of Wildlife Resources. To apply, visit the Utah fishing tournament application portal. To learn more about fishing contests in Utah, see the Licenses and Permits page
View and submit Utah fishing records: You can view all of Utah’s fishing records or submit a new record online through the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. Remember, your application photo(s) must clearly show the length of your catch against a measuring device (see Fishing Methods).
Use bait to catch crayfish: Remember that you may use bait to catch crayfish in waters where bait use is prohibited for fish, as long as none of your lines have hooks attached. See see Fishing Methods for details.
Corrections: If errors are found in the printed guidebook, the Division will correct them in the online version. You can view all of the Division’s guidebooks and proclamations on the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources website.
Protection from discrimination: The Division receives federal financial assistance from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the U.S. Department of the Interior and its bureaus prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability or sex. If you believe that you have been discriminated against in any facility, program, or activity, or if you need more information, please write to:
Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Civil Rights
U.S. Department of the Interior
1849 C Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20240
Private lands: The Division cannot guarantee access to any private land. Under certain circumstances, you must obtain written permission from the landowner or the landowner’s authorized representative before accessing private lands.
Division funding: The Division is mostly funded by the sale of fishing and hunting licenses and through federal aid made possible by an excise tax on the sale of fishing rods and other fishing-related equipment.
