Possession and Transportation
Utah Code § 23A-5-309
Before you start catching fish or crayfish, it’s important to know how many you’re allowed to keep, take home or donate to someone else. Be sure to read this section carefully—and then double check the Rules for specific waters page—so you don’t miss any special regulations that may apply to the waterbody you’re fishing.
Season dates
Utah Admin. Rule R657-13-19
Utah’s general fish and crayfish season is Jan. 1 through Dec. 31. Fish may be caught by angling or setline 24 hours a day.
Daily limits
Utah Admin. Rule R657-13-19
This section provides general rules for fishing in Utah. Many waters have localized and specific rules, which are listed in Rules for specific waters page.
On waters that have a specific rule, that rule takes precedence over the general rules.
You may possess a legal daily limit of dead game fish or crayfish as long as you have a valid fishing or combination license. Those who are under 12 years of age may fish without a license and take a full daily limit.
If you fish multiple waters in one day, you cannot have any fish in your possession that violate the rules of the waterbody where you’re fishing.
When calculating your daily limit, please remember the following rules:
Any trout, salmon or grayling not immediately released is part of your daily limit.
Note: Kokanee salmon are considered to be part of the total trout limit. Anglers may not possess kokanee salmon at any waterbody statewide from Sept. 10 through Nov. 30.
A trout, salmon or grayling may not be released if it’s been held on a stringer or in a fish basket, livewell or any other type of device.
Any fish that doesn’t meet the size or species rules for the water you’re fishing must be returned to the water immediately.
See a list of daily limits that apply statewide, except as provided in Rules for specific waters page.
Additional limit in the field
You may possess up to two daily limits of fish as you travel within Utah—or if you leave the state—as long as you meet all of the following conditions:
You are on an overnight or multiday fishing trip at any Utah waterbody, excluding Flaming Gorge Reservoir. (New: At this reservoir, you may have only one daily limit in your possession at any time.)
At least one of the limits in your possession was caught at a Utah water on a previous day, and the fish were a legal species and limit for the waterbody where you caught them.
The fish from the previous day have been cleaned and gutted (entrails removed).
If you fish at a different waterbody on the second day of your trip, you may not have any fish in your possession—from either day—that violate the rules of the waterbody where you’re currently fishing. You must always comply with the size and species regulations for the waterbody where you’re fishing and not have more than two daily limits in your possession.
For example, if you have been fishing at Joes Valley Reservoir, (which has a 4 trout limit, with only 1 fish over 18 inches), you may not stop at Scofield Reservoir (which has more restrictive size regulations) if you have fish from Joes Valley that violate the rules at Scofield.
You may continue to fish while in possession of a full daily limit, but you must immediately release any additional fish you catch.
Keeping fish at home
Any fish species stored at your permanent residence do not count as part of your limit. Please keep in mind that this does NOT allow you to take home multiple daily limits of fish in one day. You may take home only one daily limit per day.
Dead fish and crayfish
Utah Code § 4-37-305 and Utah Admin. Rule R657-13-16
The following sections provide important information about when you can possess filleted fish and fish donated by other anglers.
Possession of filleted fish
While you are in the act of fishing, it is unlawful to possess filleted fish from the current day’s catch or fish that have had their heads or tails removed. This does not apply to fish processed for immediate consumption or from a previous day’s catch.
At most waters, you may fillet harvested game fish, or remove their heads or tails, after you have:
- Completed the act of fishing
- Arrived at camp
- Reached a fish-cleaning station
- Arrived at a principle means of land transportation
At Strawberry Reservoir, Scofield Reservoir, Lost Creek Reservoir and Panguitch Lake, you may not fillet trout and salmon, and you may not remove their heads or tails while in the field or in transit.
Note: Do not dispose of entrails and carcasses on the bank. Leave them in the water where you caught the fish.
Possession of fish obtained from other sources
You may possess or transport a legal limit of game fish or crayfish caught by another person if you have a donation letter from that person. Please see Donating for more information.
If you have purchased or obtained fish from a registered commercial fishing installation, a private pond owner or a short-term fishing event, you may only possess or transport dead fish if you have a receipt. The receipt must include all of the following information:
- The species and number of fish
- The date the fish were caught
- The certificate of registration number of the installation, pond or short-term fishing event
- The name, address and telephone number of the seller
To help prevent the spread of disease, fish and crayfish may not be moved between waters, except as listed in the Bait section on the Fishing Methods page.
Live fish and crayfish
Utah Code § 23A-5-305 and Utah Admin. Rules R657-13-17 and R657-13-19
You may not release fish or crayfish into the wild except as provided in the Wildlife Code, rule, proclamation or order of the Wildlife Board. For example, you can release fish caught at Scofield Reservoir back into Scofield, but you cannot take live fish from Scofield and place those fish in another water. Any person who illegally stocks fish in Utah waters may be criminally prosecuted and could face license suspension and thousands of dollars in fines and restitution.
You may use live fish stringers, livewells or holding cages to store fish or crayfish while fishing on the water where you caught them.
A trout, salmon or grayling may not be released if it’s been held on a stringer or in a fish basket, livewell or any other type of device.
You may not transport live fish or crayfish away from the water where they were caught.
Release of tagged or marked fish
Utah Admin. Rule R657-13-18
You may not tag, mark or fin-clip a fish and then return it to the water without prior authorization from the Division.
Checkpoints and officer contacts
Utah Code §§ 23A-5-207 and 77-23-104
The Division is the trustee and guardian of Utah’s fish and wildlife. Division conservation officers monitor the taking and possession of fish, check your catch to assess species and size, and make sure you have the required licenses and equipment used for fishing.
You should expect to encounter conservation officers and biologists checking anglers at waters and at checkpoints across Utah.
If you meet a conservation officer, you must provide the items they ask for, including any licenses required for fishing, any devices used to participate in fishing and any fish that you’ve taken. These contacts allow the Division to collect valuable information about fish populations in Utah.
Keep in mind that you can use the Utah Hunting and Fishing app to legally carry fishing licenses on a phone or tablet for your entire family. To download the app, visit the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources mobile app page.
Disposal of harvested aquatic wildlife
Donating
Utah Code § 23A-1-205
The following are the only places where you may donate or give harvested protected aquatic wildlife or its parts to another person:
- The permanent residence of the donor
- The permanent residence of the recipient
- A meat locker
- A storage plant
- A meat-processing facility
You may not donate fish in the field.
A written statement of donation must be kept with the protected aquatic wildlife or parts that includes all of the following information:
- The number and species of protected aquatic wildlife or parts donated
- The date of donation
- The license or permit number of the donor
- The signature of the donor
Purchasing or selling
Utah Code § 23A-5-309
You may not purchase or sell protected aquatic wildlife or its parts except as provided in the Wildlife Code, rule, proclamation or order of the Wildlife Board.
Disposal of fish
Utah Code § 23A-5-314
In most instances, you may not waste any fish or crayfish or allow them to be wasted or spoiled. Waste means to abandon a fish or crayfish or allow it to spoil or be used in a manner not normally associated with its beneficial use. For example, using the meat of game fish as fertilizer or for trapping bait is not considered a beneficial use of the meat.
You may legally dispose of the following fish at the following waterbodies without violating the state’s wasting laws:
- All waters statewide: common carp
- Blue Lake: pacu and tilapia
- Colorado River and Colorado River tributaries: burbot, northern pike, smallmouth bass and walleye (see Rules for Specific Waters page for a list of applicable tributaries)
- Deer Creek Reservoir: black bullhead
- Fish Lake: yellow perch
- Flaming Gorge: burbot and lake trout
- Grantsville Reservoir: smallmouth bass
- Green River and Green River tributaries: burbot, northern pike, smallmouth bass and walleye (see Rules for Specific Waters page for a list of applicable tributaries)
- Gunlock Reservoir: smallmouth bass
- Lake Powell: striped bass
- Quail Creek Reservoir: smallmouth bass
- Sand Hollow Reservoir: smallmouth bass
- San Juan River and San Juan River tributaries: burbot, northern pike, smallmouth bass and walleye (see Rules for Specific Waters page for a list of applicable tributaries)
- Utah Lake and Utah Lake tributaries: northern pike
After catching any of the above fish, you may consume them or dispose of them at one of the following locations:
- In the water where the fish was caught
- A fish-cleaning station
- The angler’s permanent residence
- Another location where disposal is authorized by law
Utah’s Walk-in Access program
Utah Admin. Rule R657-56-13
The Walk-in Access program provides hunters, anglers and trappers access to privately owned land, streams, rivers, ponds or reservoirs.
If you use Utah’s WIA properties, remember to obtain your annual WIA authorization number.
The Division issues authorization numbers to track the use of WIA properties throughout the year and to assess the program’s value to the public.
To obtain your authorization number, visit the Utah Walk-in Access page and click 'Authorization numbers,' then follow the instructions. You can also request a number by calling 800-221-0659.
Also, remember that Walk-in Access (WIA) properties are private land and may have special restrictions on season dates, species, and allowable activities. For details, visit the Utah Walk-in Access information page.
