Massachusetts Fishing seasons
Fishing seasons & limits
| 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, 20020 Sept. 11 – Mar. 31, 2021 | 8 3 | — |
| Lake Trout | |||
| Wachusett Reservoir 6 | (see note 6) | 3 | — |
| Quabbin 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, singly or combined): | 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 May 16 – Dec. 31 | — | — |
| All Other Freshwater Species 9 | Jan. 1 – Dec. 31 | — | — |
1 Minimum length is measured as the 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 applies to 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 trout (as defined) 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 trout (as defined) 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 as 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 MA–CT line, exclusive of the catch-and-release areas where no trout may be kept.
5 Special Brown Trout water: South Pond (Quacumquasit), Brookfield. Total daily creel is 3 trout but only 1 may be a Brown Trout and it must be at least 15″.
6 Quabbin and Wachusett Reservoirs: Opening and closing dates are set by the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR). The Quabbin Reservoir Fishing Season generally opens on the third Saturday of April and runs through the third Saturday in October, but these dates may be adjusted due to weather and other factors. Quabbin Reservoir and its tributary streams within the Quabbin Reservation are closed to all fishing except during the open season as set by DCR. The Quabbin Fishing Guide is available at: mass.gov/dcr/quabbinfish or by calling (413) 323-7221. The Wachusett/Sudbury/West Waushacum fishing season normally opens the first Saturday in April and closes November 30, but the DCR/DWSP may alter those dates depending on ice conditions. At Wachusett Reservoir, shoreline fishing only is allowed from Gate 6 on Route 70 to Gate 36 on Route 110.
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 Excluding the state- and federally-listed species listed after the “Possession of:” heading in the bottom row of the table shown above.
Author: michael mcstay
Michael McStay serves as the Senior Editor and CEO of NockedUp, a platform dedicated to outdoor enthusiasts in Massachusetts. An avid fisherman, hunter, and hiker, he has a deep passion for the outdoors and values the importance of sharing knowledge and information related to Massachusetts' natural environment. If you have any thrilling outdoor news to share, or if you would like to provide feedback or suggest story ideas, we encourage you to contact us via text at 339-309-8721 (Join NockedUp Massachusetts Outdoors—it's free and simple! Stay in the loop and never miss another post or update).
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