Rainbow Trout in Idaho
Region bag lines and IDFG picks for rainbow trout.
- 6 a daybag
- 20.03 pounds2026 record
Pick for rainbow troutPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo of the fish, not an Idaho water: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Idaho Rainbow Trout, the essentials
IDFG writes a rainbow trout bag into 7 of the seven region tables. A sample, from the IDFG Panhandle Region: "Trout limit is 6, all species combined; Bull Trout and Brook Trout are listed separately".
Lake Pend Oreille, Bear Lake and American Falls Reservoir lead the 270 Idaho pages where the Planner recommends it. Hatchery crews logged 21,389 stocking rows of it on Planner pages, latest November 5, 2026. Scientific name in the Planner: Oncorhynchus mykiss.
For the rainbow trout herePiscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel25% OFFSale $59.99 Rainbow Trout limits from every IDFG region block
| IDFG region | Line as printed |
|---|---|
| IDFG Panhandle Region | Trout limit is 6, all species combined; Bull Trout and Brook Trout are listed separately |
| IDFG Clearwater Region | In rivers and streams, trout limit is 2, all species combined; In lakes, reservoirs, ditches and canals, trout limit is 6, all species combined; Bull Trout and Brook Trout are listed separately |
| IDFG Southwest Region | Trout limit is 6, all species combined; Chinook Salmon and steelhead placed in ponds are counted in the trout bag limit; Bull Trout and Brook Trout are listed separately |
| IDFG Magic Valley Region | Trout limit is 6, all species combined; In rivers and streams, only 2 of the 6 trout may be Cutthroat Trout; Bull Trout and Brook Trout are listed separately |
| IDFG Southeast Region | Trout limit is 6, all species combined; In rivers and streams, only 2 of the 6 trout may be Cutthroat Trout; Brook Trout are listed separately |
| IDFG Upper Snake Region | Trout limit is 6, all species combined; Bull Trout and Brook Trout are listed separately |
| IDFG Salmon Region | Trout limit is 6, all species combined; Chinook Salmon and steelhead placed in ponds are counted in the trout bag limit; Bull Trout and Brook Trout are listed separately |
Region bag limits from Idaho Fishing Seasons and Rules, 2025-2027, as printed on IDFG Fishing Planner water pages (the brochure PDF on idfg.idaho.gov was unreachable during site maintenance), read November 7, 2026.
New Idaho Rainbow Trout marks from 2026
| Listing | Mark | Category | Water | Caught | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rainbow Trout | 20.03 pounds | certified weight | Dworshak Reservoir | January 13, 2026 | IDFG news release (Jan 22, 2026) as distributed unaltered by Public Technologies (article), read November 8, 2026 |
Records announced by IDFG in 2026 as reported in the dated releases and articles linked in each row, read November 8, 2026; a partial list, since the full IDFG record lists at idfg.idaho.gov/fish/record could not be opened during the November 2026 site maintenance. Angler names are left off.
Hatchery Rainbow Trout released into Idaho water
| Water | Release as printed |
|---|---|
| Salmon River | Rainbow Trout – Triploid, 26 fish, Catchable (6+ inches), November 5, 2026 |
| Chesterfield Reservoir | Rainbow Trout – Triploid, 334 fish, Catchable (12-14 inches), October 31, 2026 |
| Crowthers Reservoir | Rainbow Trout – Triploid, 1,100 fish, Catchable (12-14 inches), October 31, 2026 |
| American Falls Reservoir | Rainbow Trout – Triploid, 73,947 fish, Fingerling (3-6 inches), October 30, 2026 |
| Deep Creek Reservoir (Oneida County) | Rainbow Trout – Triploid, 501 fish, Catchable (12-14 inches), October 30, 2026 |
| American Falls Reservoir | Rainbow Trout – Triploid, 73,962 fish, Fingerling (3-6 inches), October 29, 2026 |
| American Falls Reservoir | Rainbow Trout – Triploid, 73,640 fish, Fingerling (3-6 inches), October 28, 2026 |
| Rexburg City Ponds | Rainbow Trout – Triploid, 600 fish, Catchable (12-14 inches), October 27, 2026 |
| Snake River | Rainbow Trout – Triploid, 500 fish, Catchable (12-14 inches), October 27, 2026 |
| Blackfoot Reservoir | Rainbow Trout – Triploid, 2,445 fish, Catchable (12-14 inches), October 26, 2026 |
| Crystal Springs Lake | Rainbow Trout – Triploid, 300 fish, Catchable (12-14 inches), October 26, 2026 |
| Niagara Springs | Rainbow Trout – Triploid, 250 fish, Catchable (12-14 inches), October 26, 2026 |
| Blackfoot Reservoir | Rainbow Trout – Triploid, 17,591 fish, Catchable (6+ inches), October 23, 2026 |
| Duff Lane Pond | Rainbow Trout – Triploid, 304 fish, Catchable (6+ inches), October 23, 2026 |
| Wilson Springs North Pond | Rainbow Trout – Triploid, 243 fish, Catchable (6+ inches), October 23, 2026 |
| Avondale Lake | Rainbow Trout – Triploid, 1,620 fish, Catchable (12-14 inches), October 22, 2026 |
| Crane Falls Lake | Rainbow Trout – Triploid, 1,225 fish, Catchable (6+ inches), October 22, 2026 |
| Island Park Reservoir | Rainbow Trout – Triploid, 10,514 fish, Catchable (12-14 inches), October 22, 2026 |
| Snake River | Rainbow Trout – Triploid, 21,576 fish, Catchable (6+ inches), October 22, 2026 |
| Mann Creek Reservoir | Rainbow Trout – Triploid, 1,438 fish, Catchable (6+ inches), October 21, 2026 |
| Sinclair Lake | Rainbow Trout – Triploid, 100 fish, Catchable (12-14 inches), October 21, 2026 |
| Snake River | Rainbow Trout – Triploid, 5,846 fish, Catchable (12-14 inches), October 21, 2026 |
| Chesterfield Reservoir | Rainbow Trout – Triploid, 3,179 fish, Catchable (12-14 inches), October 20, 2026 |
| Horsethief Reservoir | Rainbow Trout – Triploid, 8,436 fish, Fingerling (3-6 inches), October 20, 2026 |
Stocking rows as printed on the IDFG Fishing Planner water pages (date, species, number and size as listed), read November 7, 2026.
Idaho water IDFG recommends for rainbow trout
Lakes the Planner suggests for rainbow trout
- Lake Pend Oreille92,764 acres
- Bear Lake69,446 acres
- American Falls Reservoir55,291 acres
- Cascade Reservoir27,152 acres
- Blackfoot Reservoir16,888 acres
- Dworshak Reservoir16,484 acres
- Brownlee Reservoir10,995 acres
- Lake Walcott8,248 acres
- Island Park Reservoir7,280 acres
- C. J. Strike Reservoir6,760 acres
- Payette Lake4,987 acres
- Anderson Ranch Reservoir4,608 acres
- Hayden Lake3,797 acres
- Magic Reservoir3,580 acres
- Arrowrock Reservoir3,015 acres
- Deadwood Reservoir2,997 acres
- Lucky Peak Reservoir2,766 acres
- Salmon Falls Creek Reservoir2,753 acres
- Mormon Reservoir1,569 acres
- Spirit Lake1,535 acres
- Little Payette Lake1,440 acres
- Ririe Reservoir1,414 acres
- Hells Canyon Reservoir1,254 acres
- Chesterfield Reservoir1,246 acres
Rivers the Planner suggests for rainbow trout
- Billingsley CreekGooding County
- Baker CreekBlaine County
- Blackfoot RiverBingham County
- Deadwood RiverBoise County
- North Fork Clearwater RiverClearwater County
- Salmon Falls CreekTwin Falls County
- American RiverIdaho County
- Bear RiverBear Lake County
- Bear Valley CreekValley County
- Big Lost RiverButte County
- Big Smoky CreekCamas County
- Big Wood RiverBlaine County
- Birch CreekButte County
- Breakfast CreekClearwater County
- Bruneau RiverOwyhee County
- Brushy Fork CreekIdaho County
- Camas Creek (Blaine County)Blaine County
- Cassia CreekCassia County
IDFG Fishing Planner recommended game fish on each water page, read November 7, 2026; largest lakes and best-served rivers first.
Idaho rule blocks that cite rainbow trout
- Clark Fork RiverIDFG Panhandle Region
- Lake Pend OreilleIDFG Panhandle Region
- Pack RiverIDFG Panhandle Region
- Pend Oreille RiverIDFG Panhandle Region
- South Fork Snake RiverIDFG Upper Snake Region
- South Teton RiverIDFG Upper Snake Region
- Teton RiverIDFG Upper Snake Region
Waters with rule blocks, A to Z
Rule blocks printed on IDFG Fishing Planner water pages (2025-2027), read November 7, 2026.
Idaho fish counted with rainbow trout
- Arctic GraylingThymallus arcticus
- Brown TroutSalmo trutta
- CutbowOncorhynchus clarkii x O. mykiss
- Cutthroat TroutOncorhynchus clarkii
- Lake TroutSalvelinus namaycush
- Redband TroutOncorhynchus mykiss gairdneri
- Tiger TroutSalmo trutta x Salvelinus fontinalis
Gem State water near Rainbow Trout, on camera
Photo: Tony Webster, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Cecelia Alexander, CC0 1.0
Photo: Tamanoeconomico, CC BY-SA 4.0
.jpg){kind=link}
Photo: Intermountain Forest Service, USDA Region 4 Photography, Public domain
Before targeting rainbow trout in Idaho
Can rainbow trout be kept in Idaho?
By region; the IDFG Panhandle Region prints "Trout limit is 6, all species combined; Bull Trout and Brook Trout are listed separately".
Which water gave up a record rainbow trout in 2026?
Yes; IDFG announced 20.03 pounds (certified weight) from Dworshak Reservoir.
Where do rainbow trout turn up in Idaho?
Try Lake Pend Oreille, Bear Lake and American Falls Reservoir; 270 pages list it.
Does IDFG stock rainbow trout?
The Planner shows 21,389 rows, most recently Salmon River (November 5, 2026).
Where does the rainbow trout rule change in Idaho?
Rule blocks on 7 pages mention it (Lake Pend Oreille).
Does the Endangered Species Act cover rainbow trout in Idaho?
No, it is not a listed fish.
Do visitors need a license for Idaho rainbow trout?
Fishing here takes an Idaho fishing license; Idaho Code 36-416 sets the annual statutory fee at $28.75 for residents and $106.25 for nonresidents, and steelhead or salmon fishing takes its own permit.
Can a released rainbow trout set an Idaho record?
IDFG keeps two lists: certified weight, on a certified scale, and catch-and-release, by total length of a fish released alive.
Choose a rainbow trout water in Idaho
Each water above has launches and rules on its page.