Fishing Season Beginning and End | US & Canada


It doesn’t matter where you are in the United States or Canada; fishing is a priority. It’s been a way of survival and entertainment for thousands of years. As years have progressed, fishing regulations have tightened, so it can be confusing to know what is allowed or not.

Fishing is legal all-year round across all of the United States and provinces in Canada. However, many states/provinces have specific regulations on when anglers can target and keep certain fish species. Different fish can be targeted and kept during spring, summer and fall.

It’s important for anglers to closely follow the rules and regulations the states and provinces set. These rules keep the fish populations healthy and allow us to enjoy the sport for years to come. Look at the following regulations to learn what’s legal in your state or province.

United States Fishing Seasons Beginning and End

Across the United States, you won’t find a state that you cannot fish in throughout the year. However, ensure you pay close attention to what fish you can target and keep.

1. Alabama

Alabama anglers can enjoy both freshwater and saltwater angling all year. The main restriction for anglers is Red Snapper.

The Red Snapper season begins the Friday before Memorial Day, and anglers can fish for them between Friday and Monday until the state quota, set yearly by the NOAA, is met.

Alabama Fishing Regulations

2. Alaska

Anglers are allowed to fish year-round in Alaska. Salmon and steelhead run throughout the year, so pay attention to those specific times! Certain saltwater restrictions are in place depending on the year.

Alaska Fishing Regulations

3. Arizona

Arizona fishing is open year-round except for parts of the White Mountains and Mogollon Rim that are closed from January 1 to April 30.

Arizona Fishing Regulations

4. Arkansas

Arkansas is open year-round for freshwater fishing. Anglers cannot take Alligator Gar over 36 inches from May 1- July 1

Arkansas Fishing Regulations

5. California

Fishing is generally open year-round for anglers in California willing to wade and walk. Freshwater boat season is from March through December.

Saltwater anglers aren’t allowed in the Northern Groundfish Management Area, Mendocino Groundfish Management Area, San Francisco Groundfish Management Area, Central Groundfish Management Area, and Southern Groundfish Management area from January 1 to March 31.

California Fishing Regulations

6. Colorado

Colorado fisheries are open year-round for artificial flies and live bait. Unless the fishery is posted or marked, you’re free to fish whenever you would like.

Colorado Fishing Regulations

7. Connecticut

Fishing in Connecticut is legal year-round in Connecticut lakes and ponds. Streams can be fished from April through February. Certain saltwater restrictions are in place depending on the year.

Connecticut Fishing Regulations

8. Delaware

The Delaware fishing season runs year-round, including non-tidal and freshwater fish. These are limited somewhere between January 1 and October 31.

The only exceptions are Winter Flounder, Tilefish, Tautog, Black Sea Bass, and various shark species.

Delaware Fishing Regulations

9. Florida

The Florida fishing season lasts all year round. This includes both saltwater and freshwater. Certain saltwater species’ regulations change from year-to-year.

Florida Fishing Regulations 

10. Georgia

The Georgia fishing season lasts all year round. This includes all types of freshwater fishing. Certain saltwater restrictions are in place depending on the year.

Georgia Fishing Regulations

11. Hawaii

The Hawaii fishing season lasts the entire year. However, anglers cannot do any bottom fishing until further notice to improve marine life.

Hawaii Fishing Regulations

12. Idaho

The fishing season in Idaho lasts the entire year. The only restrictions are on steelhead. This season is closed from May to June across the whole state.

Idaho Fishing Regulations

13. Illinois

Illinois fishing is open year-round for anglers. Trout are the main restricted fish. They can be targeted starting mid-March each year, and the season ends in November.

Illinois Fishing Regulations

14. Indiana

The Indiana fishing season lasts the entire year with few restrictions. The restrictions are subject to change each year.

Indiana Fishing Regulations

15. Iowa

The Iowa fishing season lasts the entire year except for a few restrictions. Paddlefish can be targeted from February through April. The Okoboji Lakes Walleye season is from May to February 15.

Iowa Fishing Regulations

16. Kansas

The Kansas fishing season lasts the entire year except for trout. The trout season is from November to mid-April.

Kansas Fishing Regulations

17. Kentucky

Kentucky anglers can fish the entire year. Depending on the year, specific trout streams are closed throughout portions of the season.

Kentucky Fishing Regulations

18. Louisiana

Freshwater fishing in Louisiana is open year-round. Saltwater seasons and regulations change year by year.

Louisiana Fishing Regulations

19. Maine

The Maine fishing season is open year-round except for a few restrictions. The North Zone ponds, streams, rivers, and lakes are closed from October to March.

Certain saltwater restrictions are in place depending on the year.

Maine Fishing Regulations

20. Maryland

The Maryland fishing season is the entire year. Largemouth and smallmouth bass season is from mid-June through February. Certain saltwater restrictions are in place depending on the year.

Maryland Fishing Regulations

21. Massachusetts

Massachusetts anglers can fish all year round. Depending on the year, certain saltwater fish are off-limits for a portion of the season.

Massachusetts Fishing Regulations

22. Michigan

The Michigan season is the entire year. The catch-and-release regulations are non-existent, but certain possession limits do apply.

Michigan Fishing Regulations

23. Minnesota

The Minnesota fishing season is year-round. The smallmouth and largemouth season is from mid-May to December 31. Catch-and-release for bass is open year-round.

Minnesota Fishing Regulations

24. Mississippi

Mississippi fishing is open all year for anglers.

Mississippi Fishing Regulations

25. Missouri

The Missouri fishing season is the entire year. Paddlefish are only able to be targeted from March through April.

Missouri Fishing Regulations

26. Montana

The Montana fishing season is open for the entire year.

Montana Fishing Regulations

27. Nebraska

Nebraska anglers can enjoy their waters for the entire year. Minimal restrictions apply for snagging.

Nebraska Fishing Regulations

28. Nevada

Nevada anglers can fish all year long. The lakes, rivers, and streams have no restrictions on when they can be fished.

Nevada Fishing Regulations

29. New Hampshire

The New Hampshire Fishing season is open year-round, besides a few restrictions. Lake Trout can be targeted from January through September.

The landlocked salmon season is from April through September. All other river and stream fishing is open from January to October. Certain saltwater restrictions are in place depending on the year.

New Hampshire Fishing Regulations

30. New Jersey

The New Jersey fishing season is open all year round. Certain saltwater restrictions apply depending on the year and the fish counts.

New Jersey Fishing Regulations

31. New Mexico

The New Mexico fishing season is open for the entire year. All lakes, rivers, streams, and ponds can be accessed from January 1 to December 31.

New Mexico Fishing Regulations

32. New York

The New York fishing season is open for the year with a few restrictions. Trout, landlocked salmon, and kokanee seasons are from April to October.

Black bass is open from June to November. Muskie season is from May to November, and Northern Pike is open from May to March.

New York Fishing Regulations

33. North Carolina

The North Carolina fishing season is open the entire year except for trout and certain saltwater species depending on the year. That season is from mid-April to February.

North Carolina Fishing Regulations

34. North Dakota

The North Dakota fishing season is open the entire year.

North Dakota Fishing Regulations

35. Ohio

The Ohio fishing season lasts for the entire year.

Ohio Fishing Regulations

36. Oklahoma

The Oklahoma fishing season is open for anglers all year long.

Oklahoma Fishing Regulations

37. Oregon

The Oregon fishing season is the entire year, with certain restrictions on saltwater species depending on the year.

Oregon Fishing Regulations

38. Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania is open for anglers the entire year with a few restrictions. Trout and salmon can be targeted from April through September.

In lakes, bass fishing is available from January through mid-February and September through December. In streams, bass fishing is open from January to April and November through December.

Walleye restrictions apply from January through March and May through December.

Pennsylvania Fishing Regulations

39. Rhode Island

The Rhode Island fishing season is open for the entire year with trout restrictions. The trout season is open from April to November and December to February.

Rhode Island Fishing Regulations

40. South Carolina

The South Carolina fishing season is open for the entire year. Both freshwater and saltwater seasons are open for anglers. Certain saltwater restrictions are in place depending on the year.

South Carolina Fishing Regulations

41. South Dakota

The South Dakota fishing season is open for the entire year.

South Dakota Fishing Regulations

42. Tennessee

The Tennessee fishing season is open for the entire year.

Tennessee Fishing Regulations

43. Texas

The Texas fishing season is open for the entire year. Certain saltwater restrictions are in place depending on the year.

Texas Fishing Regulations

44. Utah

The Utah fishing season lasts the entire year.

Utah Fishing Regulations

45. Vermont

The Vermont fishing season is open year-round! Certain saltwater restrictions are in place depending on the year.

Vermont Fishing Regulations

46. Virginia

The Virginia fishing season is open year-round. Certain saltwater restrictions are in place depending on the year.

Virginia Fishing Regulations

47. Washington

The Washington fishing season is open year-round. Certain saltwater restrictions are in place depending on the year.

Washington Fishing Regulations

48. West Virginia

The West Virginia fishing season is open year-round. Certain saltwater restrictions are in place depending on the year.

West Virginia Fishing Regulations

49. Wisconsin

The Wisconsin fishing season is open year-round. The trout season is from January to April and May through October.

Wisconsin Fishing Regulations

50. Wyoming

The Wyoming fishing season is open year-round.

Wyoming Fishing Regulations

Canadian Province Fishing Seasons Beginning and End

1. Alberta

The Alberta fishing season for lakes is open year-round. Most streams are open from May 15 to March 31. Certain saltwater restrictions are in place depending on the year.

Alberta Fishing Regulations

2. British Columbia

The British Columbia fishing season is open year-round. Certain saltwater restrictions are in place depending on the year.

British Columbia Fishing Regulations

3. Manitoba

The Manitoba fishing season is open year-round for anglers.

Manitoba Fishing Regulations

4. New Brunswick

Fishing season in New Brunswick is open year-round! Certain saltwater restrictions are in place depending on the year.

New Brunswick Fishing Regulations

5. Newfoundland/Labrador

The Newfoundland and Labrador fishing season is open year-round except for a few saltwater fishing regulations that change yearly.

Newfoundland/Labrador Fishing Regulations

6. Nova Scotia

The Nova Scotia fishing season is open the entire year, with a few saltwater fishing regulations changing yearly.

Nova Scotia Fishing Regulations

7. Ontario

The Ontario fishing season is open all year.

Ontario Fishing Regulations

8. Prince Edward Island

With rotating saltwater restrictions, the Prince Edward Island fishing season is open for the entire year.

Prince Edward Island Fishing Regulations

9. Quebec

The fishing season in Quebec is open for the entire year.

Quebec Fishing Regulations

10. Saskatchewan

The Saskatchewan fishing season is open for anglers all year.

Saskatchewan Fishing Regulations

Conclusion

The more anglers who follow the rules and regulations of fishing seasons, the better off all of Canada’s and the United States’ fish populations will be.

It takes a concerted effort from each one of us to take these laws seriously and work to improve the fishing culture and help sustain it for the years to come.

Before you head to the water, make sure you know the rules and regulations surrounding the fish species you’re trying to target.

The closer you pay attention, the better your success and the less trouble you’ll find.

Shailen Vandeyar

A proud Indian origin Kiwi who loves to plant trees and play with my pet bunny when not freshwater fishing in the nearest creek or enjoying saltwater fishing by taking boats far in the ocean.

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