Utah reference
For weighing a catchPiscifun Lip gripper with digital scale27% OFFSale $39.99 $54.99
Utah Fishing Rule Changes for 2027
What the 2027 Utah Fishing Guidebook changes from January 1, 2027, row by row and water by water.
For weighing a catchPiscifun Lip gripper with digital scale27% OFFSale $39.99 Photo of Mantua Reservoir: Christopher Eugene Lee, Public domain
Two guidebooks
When the 2027 Utah rules take over
The limits here are from the 2027 Utah Fishing Guidebook, which takes effect January 1, 2027; the 2026 Utah Fishing Guidebook stays in force through December 31, 2026 and differs only where a row says so.
DWR publishes the 2027 guidebook for a two-year cycle, 2027 and 2028. License prices are identical in both editions.
14native game fish
27NEW water entries
2new nuisance fish
3statewide rows that differ
2027 Utah Fishing Guidebook (effective January 1, 2027; DWR PDF), read November 11, 2026.
Photo of Green River: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0
Statewide rows
Utah statewide rows that read differently in 2026
| 2026 row | 2026 daily | Note as printed | In force |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roundtail chub | 2 | Bait and harvest restrictions may apply. For details see the Rules for specific waters section beginning on page 28. | through December 31, 2026 |
| Nongame species | No limit | see exceptions on pages 16-17 for prohibited fish and specific waterbodies (renamed baitfish in 2027) | through December 31, 2026 |
| Community fisheries | 2 | you must release any tiger muskellunge you catch. You are also encouraged to release all largemouth bass. | through December 31, 2026 |
2026 Utah Fishing Guidebook, p. 7 (in force through December 31, 2026; DWR PDF), read November 11, 2026.
Marked NEW
What the 2027 Utah guidebook marks as new
- NEW: To increase conservation protection and angler awareness, 14 native fish species now have the status of game fish. This means anglers may target them for catch-and-release fishing (no harvest allowed), unless otherwise specified in the Rules for specific waters beginning on page 35.from January 1, 2027
- Baitfish (common carp, fathead minnow, redside shiner, Utah sucker, Utah chub, white sucker): (NEW) Formerly called "nongame species"; baitfish species are listed on page 20.from January 1, 2027
- Native game fish (catch-and-release only): (NEW) For a list of these catch-and-release-only species, see the information box on page 21.from January 1, 2027
- Roundtail chub: (NEW) To conserve populations of roundtail chub, a game fish species native to the Colorado River drainage, the statewide limit has been reduced to zero. (page 4)from January 1, 2027
- NEW: You may not take baitfish—except common carp, redside shiner and fathead minnow—in the following waters: Utah Lake and its tributaries; Weber River.from January 1, 2027
2027 Utah Fishing Guidebook, p. 9, 20-21 (effective January 1, 2027; DWR PDF), read November 11, 2026.
Native game fish
The 14 Utah natives moving to catch and release
- Bear Lake sculpinrelease only from 2027
- Bluehead suckerrelease only from 2027
- Desert suckerrelease only from 2027
- Flannelmouth suckerrelease only from 2027
- Green suckerrelease only from 2027
- Least chubrelease only from 2027
- Longnose dacerelease only from 2027
- Mottled sculpinrelease only from 2027
- Mountain suckerrelease only from 2027
- Northern leatherside chubrelease only from 2027
- Paiute sculpinrelease only from 2027
- Southern leatherside chubrelease only from 2027
- Speckled dacerelease only from 2027
- Virgin spinedacerelease only from 2027
2027 Utah Fishing Guidebook, p. 21 (effective January 1, 2027; DWR PDF), read November 11, 2026.
New water entries
Utah waters with an entry marked NEW for 2027
| Water as printed | County | Rule lines |
|---|---|---|
| Beaver Dam Reservoir | Wayne County | (NEW) CLOSED Jan. 1 through 6 a.m. on April 1 and Dec. 1–31. |
| Bulberry Lakes | Wayne County | (NEW) CLOSED Jan. 1 through 6 a.m. on April 1 and Dec. 1–31. |
| Causey Reservoir | Weber County | Limit 4 trout, and no more than 1 may be a lake trout over 22 inches. All lake trout under 22 inches must be immediately released. (NEW) Limit 8 kokanee salmon (in addition to the daily limit of 4 trout). An angler may use up to six lines when fishing through the ice. If the angler is using more than two lines, the angler’s name must be attached to each line, pole or tip-up, and the angler may che |
| Dmad Reservoir | Millard County | (NEW) Limit 40 northern pike, only two may be over 36 inches. |
| Donkey Lake | Wayne County | (NEW) Limit 8 brook trout. |
| Fish Creek Reservoir | Wayne County | (NEW) CLOSED Jan. 1 through 6 a.m. on April 1 and Dec. 1–31. |
| Grantsville Reservoir | Tooele County | No limit for smallmouth bass. Anglers must not release any bass they catch. All bass must be immediately killed. (NEW) Any white sturgeon caught must be immediately released (limit is zero). |
| Gunnison Bend Reservoir | Millard County | (NEW) Limit 40 northern pike, only two may be over 36 inches. |
| Hobbs Reservoir | Davis County | Limit 2 trout under 15 inches. All trout over 15 inches must be immediately released. Limit zero white sturgeon. Any white sturgeon caught must be immediately released. It is unlawful to take any trout species using bait. (NEW) Artificial flies and lures only EXCEPT when fishing using a single hook no smaller than size 4/0 with the intent to catch white sturgeon. |
| Honeymoon Lake | Wayne County | (NEW) CLOSED Jan. 1 through 6 a.m. on April 1 and Dec. 1–31. |
| Long Willow Bottom Reservoir | Garfield County | (NEW) CLOSED Jan. 1 through 6 a.m. on April 1 and Dec. 1–31. |
| Lower Stillwater Ponds | Duchesne County | All ponds in the complex. (NEW) Limit 2 trout. |
| Mantua Reservoir | Box Elder County | (NEW) Limit 15 bluegill. (NEW) No limit for walleye. Anglers must not release any walleye they catch. All walleye must be immediately killed. |
| McGath Lake | Garfield County | (NEW) CLOSED Jan. 1 through 6 a.m. on April 1 and Dec. 1–31. |
| Navajo Lake | Kane County | Limit 1 trout or Arctic grayling over 22 inches, regardless of species (goes toward the statewide trout limit). (NEW) Limit 1 tiger muskie, any size. |
| Newton Reservoir | Cache County | (NEW) Limit 1 tiger muskie over 40 inches. Unlawful to use whole fish for bait. Cut bait must not be larger than one inch in any dimension and no more than one piece per hook. |
| Pacer Lake | Garfield County | (NEW) CLOSED Jan. 1 through 6 a.m. on April 1 and Dec. 1–31. |
| Pelican Lake | Uintah County | (NEW) No limit for bullhead. Anglers must not release any common carp they catch. All common carp must be immediately killed. An angler may use up to six lines when fishing through the ice. If the angler is using more than two lines, the angler’s name must be attached to each line, pole or tip-up, and the angler may check only their lines. |
| Pine Creek Reservoir | Wayne County | (NEW) CLOSED Jan. 1 through 6 a.m. on April 1 and Dec. 1–31. |
| Redmond Lake | Sevier County | (NEW) Limit 40 northern pike, only two may be over 36 inches. |
| Round Willow Bottom Reservoir | Garfield County | (NEW) CLOSED Jan. 1 through 6 a.m. on April 1 and Dec. 1–31. |
| Scout Lake | Garfield County | (NEW) CLOSED Jan. 1 through 6 a.m. on April 1 and Dec. 1–31. |
| Sevier River | Garfield, Kane, Piute, Sevier, Sanpete, Juab and Millard counties | (NEW) Limit 40 northern pike, only two may be over 36 inches. |
| Solitaire Lake | Garfield County | (NEW) CLOSED Jan. 1 through 6 a.m. on April 1 and Dec. 1–31. |
| Starvation Reservoir | Duchesne County | Limit 10 bluegill, green sunfish, black crappie and yellow perch (a combined total). (NEW) Limit 20 walleye under 15 inches, and no more than 1 walleye over 20 inches. All walleye 15–20 inches must be immediately released. |
| Stateline Reservoir | Summit County | Limit 4 trout, and no more than 1 may be a lake trout over 22 inches. All lake trout under 22 inches must be immediately released. (NEW) Limit 8 kokanee salmon (in addition to the daily limit of 4 trout). |
| Willard Bay Reservoir and inlet channel | Box Elder County | Limit 10 crappie. Limit 15 yellow perch. (NEW) Limit 6 walleye over 18 inches. Only 1 walleye may be over 24 inches. Possession and use of commercially sold and preserved gizzard shad is allowed. Otherwise, possession of gizzard shad, dead or alive, is unlawful. |
2027 Utah Fishing Guidebook, p. 35-58 (effective January 1, 2027; DWR PDF), read November 11, 2026.
Nuisance list
Fish added to the Utah prohibited list in 2027
- Golden shinermay not be released alive
- Zandermay not be released alive
2027 Utah Fishing Guidebook, p. 19 (effective January 1, 2027; DWR PDF), read November 11, 2026.
Answers
The 2027 Utah rule changes, answered
When does the 2027 Utah guidebook take effect?
January 1, 2027. The 2026 guidebook stays in force through December 31, 2026.
What is the biggest change in 2027?
14 native species become catch-and-release game fish.
Did license prices change?
No. Both guidebooks print the same prices.
What happened to the nongame row?
It is renamed baitfish, with six named species and no limit.
What changes for roundtail chub?
The daily limit goes from 2 under the 2026 rules to 0 under the 2027 rules.
How many specific-water entries are new?
27 headings carry the NEW mark.
Where are baitfish restricted in 2027?
In Utah Lake and its tributaries and in the Weber River, only common carp, redside shiner and fathead minnow may be taken.
Do 2026 emergency changes carry into 2027?
The notices DWR still listed on November 11, 2026 end on December 31, 2026.