Massachusetts Fishing Regulations
Not legal advice. Compiled from official government summaries. Regulations change each year — always check the official source before relying.
General Rules (barbless hooks are the #1 cause of fines)
- ⚠ Trout catch-and-release season (artificial lures/flies only) applies in many stocked waters during late fall/winter.
- ⚠ Some waters have special regulations (artificial lures only, catch-and-release, size limits) - check the freshwater fishing guide by waterbody.
- ⚠ Fishing license required for ages 15+ (some exceptions).
- ⚠ Saltwater species (striped bass, black sea bass, tautog, scup, fluke, cod, haddock, etc.) have separate 2026 recreational limits in coastal/tidal waters - see the limits table (marked saltwater).
- ⚠ Striped bass gear restrictions, filleting requirements, and total-length measuring rules: see mass.gov/saltwater-regulations.
Species Limits
| Species | Limit | Size / Season |
|---|---|---|
| Trout (brook, brown, rainbow) | 5 per day | Min 7 in in most waters (check guide for 8-in waters) |
| Largemouth & smallmouth bass | 5 combined | Min 12 in in most waters |
| Walleye | 5 | Min 15 in |
| Northern pike | 5 | Min 24 in |
| Chain pickerel | 5 | |
| Panfish (bluegill, pumpkinseed, redbreast sunfish, crappie) | 25 combined | |
| White perch | 25 | |
| Yellow perch | 25 | |
| Catfish | No limit | |
| Striped bass (freshwater/tidal) | 1 per day | 28-31 in slot (varies by season) |
| Striped bass (saltwater) | 1 per day | 28 to <31 in slot (year round) |
| Black sea bass | 4 per day (May 16 - Aug 31); 2 per day (Sep 1 - Oct 14) | Min 16 in |
| Tautog | Apr 1-May 31: 3; Jun 1-Jul 31: 1; Aug 1-Oct 14: 3; Oct 15-Dec 31: 5 | 16-21 in slot; 1 fish/day may exceed 21 in; vessel limit 10 |
| Scup | 30 fish (May 1 - Dec 31) | 9.5 in (shore); 11 in (vessel); vessel limit 150 |
| Fluke (summer flounder) | 5 fish (May 24 - Sep 23) | 16.5 in (shore); 17.5 in (vessel) |
| Atlantic mackerel | 25 fish (year round) | No minimum |
| Atlantic cod | 1 fish (Western Gulf of Maine, Sep 1 - Oct 31); Southern New England: CLOSED | Min 23 in |
| Bluefish | 5 fish (year round) | No minimum |
| Winter flounder | North of Cape Cod: 8 fish (year round); South of Cape Cod: 2 fish (Mar 1 - Dec 31) | Min 12 in |
| Haddock | Gulf of Maine: 15 fish (Apr 1 - Feb 28); Southern New England: no limit (year round) | 17 in (Gulf of Maine); 18 in (S. New England) |
| False albacore & Atlantic bonito | 5 combined (year round) | Min 16 in curved fork length |
Waterbody-Specific Rules
Quabbin Reservoir
- Trout: 5/day, 12 in minimum; lake trout 20 in minimum, 2/day; salmon 15 in minimum, 2/day.
Wachusett Reservoir
- Trout: 5/day, 12 in minimum; salmon 15 in minimum.
Walden Pond
- Trout: special regs per guide.
Upper & Lower Mystic Lakes
- Trout: 5/day, 12 in minimum.
Chicopee River
- Trout: artificial flies/lures only sections.
Swift River
- Trout: special regs per guide.
Millers River
- Trout: artificial lures only in sections.
Long Pond (Brewster)
- Trout: special regs per guide.
Seasons
Most species open year-round; trout C&R season in late fall/winter on stocked waters.
Licence Fees
MA freshwater fishing license required (15+, resident $27.50 / non-resident $37.50); saltwater: MA recreational saltwater license required for most saltwater species (per DMF). Fees per MassWildlife/DMF.
Edition: 2026 Massachusetts Freshwater Fishing Guide (MassWildlife) · Effective: 2026 season · Source: MA Division of Fisheries & Wildlife (mass.gov/topics/freshwater-fishing)
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