Freshwater · Colorado River
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
Colorado River District waters follow Colorado River / district-specific freshwater rules in the 2026 Freshwater Sport Fishing Guide (not the coastal district tables alone). Look up Colorado River, border waters, and named Imperial / Riverside / San Bernardino waters in the guide’s special and district sections. 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
Confirm current bag, season, and gear with the freshwater booklet and any Arizona reciprocal rules that apply on the river.
Daily bag limit
See the 2026 Freshwater Sport Fishing Guide Colorado River / district tables for trout and other species bags.
Minimum size
See the freshwater guide for this district.
Gear restrictions
See the freshwater guide for this district (methods, bait, and boundary rules).
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).