Recreational Freshwater Fishing Ruels & Regulations 2024
Before you fish, it's important to learn the rules of the sport. MassWildlife manages freshwater fish and sets fishing seasons and limits to keep populations healthy. Get to know the seasons, limits, and other fishing regulations.
Below are fishing license cost. *refer to mass.gov for MOST UP TO DATE info*
MA Resident Fishing : $33.00
MA Resident Minor Fishing (Age 15–17): Free
Non-resident Fishing: $43.00
Non-resident Minor Fishing (Age 15–17): $7.40
Non-resident Fishing (3-day): $25.70
*Price does not include the $5 "Wildlands Conservation Stamp" added to the first purchase of a resident or non-resident license.
Where To Find Fish In Fresh Water Areas
Go Fish MA!
Plan your next fishing trip with MassWildlife's Go Fish MA! interactive map. Find boat ramps, trout stocked waters, pond and lake summaries, and digital depth information—plus over 100 featured fishing sites that offer easy access to great fishing. Launch map now!
Massachusetts Depth Maps
Explore Massachusetts lakes and ponds! MassWildlife’s pond maps provide bathymetry (pond depth), shore and boat access, and the types of fish found in the water body. Use this page to search by map or by list. CLICK HERE FOR MAPS
Trout Stocking Report
MassWildlife will stock trout in lakes, ponds, and rivers every spring and fall.Stocking in southeastern waters is sceduled to start in early March! The trout stocking report is updated daily during that time. Search for a waterbody or town using the sortable list, or search the map for new fishing spots. Go to Mass.gov/Trout to see where the trout are!
More tools for great fishing
- Handicapped-accessible fishing spots
- Quabbin Reservoir Fishing Guide
- Top campsites for fishing
- Top fishing spots near scenic Wildlife Management Areas
- Find places that produce trophy-sized bass, HERE using records from MassWildlife's Freshwater Sportfishing Awards Program.
Spring Trout Stocking 2024 Has Started!
MassWildlife will stock about 455,000 trout across Massachusetts this spring!
- 75% of trout will be over 12 inches
- 40% of trout will be over 14 inches
- 800 18”+ retired brood brown trout and
- 600 retired brood brook trout will be stocked
- About 2,900 tiger trout will be over 14 inches
Go to Mass.gov/Trout to see where the trout are!
Click HERE for more information regarding the five species of trout stocked in Massachusetts.
Below is a link for an interactive map, plus a search system to find trout stocking reports near you.
View Freshwater Species Profile
Find information about the biology, habits, and management of Freshwater finfish and invertebrate species in Massachusetts. Find Local Laws and more!
Fishing seasons and limits
**This is for information purpose only! please always check with official ruels and regulations!**
|
Species |
Open season |
You can keep per day (Creel limit) |
minimum length (in inches)1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trout 2 | |||
| Lakes, ponds, major rivers 3, 5, 6 |
Jan. 1 – Dec. 31 |
3 |
— |
| Housatonic River 4 |
Jan. 1 – Dec. 31 |
1 |
20 |
| All other rivers and brooks |
Apr. 1 – Sept. 10
|
8
|
— |
| Lake Trout | |||
| Wachusett Reservoir 6 |
(see note 6) |
3 |
— |
| Quabbin Reservoir 6 |
(see note 6) |
2 |
18 |
| Landlocked Salmon 6 |
Jan. 1 – Dec. 31 |
2 |
15 |
| American Shad 7 (Connecticut and Merrimack rivers only, including their tributaries.) |
Jan. 1 – Dec. 31 |
3 |
— |
| Chain Pickerel |
Jan. 1 – Dec. 31 |
5 |
15 |
| Black Bass (Largemouth and Smallmouth, in any combination): |
Jan. 1 – Dec. 31 |
5 |
12 |
| Northern Pike |
Jan. 1 – Dec. 31 |
1 |
28 |
| Tiger Muskellunge |
Jan. 1 – Dec. 31 |
1 |
28 |
| Walleye |
Jan. 1 – Dec. 31 |
5 |
14 |
| Smelt 8 |
Jan. 1 – Feb. 28 |
— |
— |
| All Other Freshwater Species 9 |
Jan. 1 – Dec. 31 |
— |
— |
|
Species |
Open season |
Number of fish you can keep per day (daily creel limit) |
minimum length (in inches)1 |
|---|
**This is for information purpose only! please always check with official ruels and regulations!**
Possession is illegal for: Sturgeon (all species), American Brook Lamprey, Atlantic (sea-run) Salmon, Bridle Shiner, Burbot, Eastern Silvery Minnow, Lake Chub, Longnose Sucker, and Northern Redbelly Dace. If they are caught, they must be released immediately. This means remove hook or cut line and return fish to water immediately — do not wait to take pictures, use a stringer, put it in a net, or delay in any way the immediate return and release of these rare fish to the water!
1 Minimum length is measured in a straight line (not curved over the body) from the tip of the snout to the tip of the tail. The tips of any forked tail may be squeezed together for the final measurement.
2 Trout is defined here as brook, brown, rainbow, and tiger trout (a cross between a female brown and a male brook trout). From Apr. 1 to Sept. 10, no more than 8 of these trout may be taken daily, and only 3 of those trout may be from lakes, ponds, or major rivers3. From Sept. 11 to Mar. 31, no more than 3 of these trout may be taken daily.
3 Major rivers: Childs, Coonamessett, Deerfield, Farmington, Green (Colrain), Green (Great Barrington), Ipswich, Jones, Mashpee, Millers, Nissitissit, North (Colrain), North (West Branch), Parker, Quaboag, Quinapoxet, Quinebaug, Seven Mile, Santuit, Scorton Creek, Shawsheen, Squannacook, Stillwater (Sterling, Princeton), Swift (East Branch), Swift (Winsor Dam to Ware River, except where posted), Tully (East and West Branches), Ware, Ware (East Branch), Westfield (all branches).
4 Mainstem Housatonic only, from the confluence of the East and West Branches to the border between MA and CT, except catch-and-release areas where no trout may be kept.
5 Special brown trout water: South Pond (Quacumquasit), Brookfield. Total daily limit is 3 trout, only 1 may be a brown trout and it must be at least 15 inches.
6 Quabbin and Wachusett Reservoirs: The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) sets these fishing season dates.
Quabbin Reservoir fishing season generally starts the third Saturday of April and ends after the third Saturday in October. These dates can change due to weather and other factors. Except during this open season, Quabbin Reservoir and its tributary streams within the Quabbin Reservation are closed to fishing. For a Quabbin Fishing Guide, visit mass.gov/dcr/quabbinfish o call (413) 323-7221.
Wachusett/Sudbury/West Waushacum fishing season generally starts the first Saturday in April and ends November 30. These dates can change depending on ice conditions. At Wachusett Reservoir, shoreline fishing only is allowed from Gate 6 on Route 70 to Gate 36 on Route 110. For a Wachusett and Sudbury Reservoir Fishing Guide, visit mass.gov/dcr/wachusettfish or call (508) 792-7806.
7 American Shad are Catch-and-Release ONLY on all waters except the Connecticut and Merrimack rivers, including their tributaries.
8 Smelt may be taken by hook and line only.
9 Except for the state- and federally-listed species listed in the “Possession is illegal for:” section below the table above
**This is for information purpose only! please always check with official ruels and regulations!**