Freshwater · North Central
Trout - Bull
These notes are district-general defaults. Search your lake or stream first — special waters override these rules. Full booklet: 2026 Freshwater Guide. Catch reports: Fish data.
Species group
TROUT
Season
District general (CCR §7.00(c)) — major correction from older app text: 1) All streams except those listed by name in Special Regulations: CLOSED to all fishing all year. 2) Tidewaters of streams except those listed by name in Special Regulations: CLOSED to all fishing all year. Lakes & reservoirs (unless named in Special Regulations): generally open all year — verify in the freshwater guide. Many popular trout/steelhead waters (e.g. Russian River segments) are governed by Special Regulations, not this closed default. IMPORTANT: If your lake, river, or stream is named in the Alphabetical List of Waters with Special Fishing Regulations (2026 Freshwater Sport Fishing Guide), those special rules override this district default.
Season notes
Hatchery trout/steelhead = healed adipose fin clip (adipose absent). Unless otherwise provided, wild trout/steelhead must be released immediately.
Daily bag limit
Streams / tidewaters under the district default: no take (closed). Typical lakes/reservoirs (if not listed specially): 5 trout per day / 10 in possession — confirm statewide rules and Special Regulations. IMPORTANT: If your lake, river, or stream is named in the Alphabetical List of Waters with Special Fishing Regulations (2026 Freshwater Sport Fishing Guide), those special rules override this district default.
Minimum size
See special-water listing for the water you fish.
Gear restrictions
Closed waters: no fishing. Open special waters: follow gear rules on that listing (often artificial lures / barbless hooks).
Identification
Like other species of char, the fins of a bull trout have white leading edges. Its head and mouth are unusually large for salmonids, giving it its name. Bull trout have been recorded measuring up to 103 cm (41 in) in length and weighing 14.5 kg (32 lb). Bull trout may be either migratory, moving throughout large river systems, lakes, and the ocean, or they may be resident, remaining in the same stream their entire lives. Migratory bull trout are typically much larger than resident bull trout, which rarely exceed 2 kg (4.4 lb).