Ice Fishing Laws in Utah: Licenses, Line Limits, Hole Sizes and Water-Specific Rules
October 17, 2026
Ice fishing laws in Utah are mostly the same as the state’s open-water rules, but a handful of exceptions catch anglers off guard every winter. Hole size, the number of lines you can run and bait rules all change depending on which lake you are standing on. Bear Lake, Fish Lake and Flaming Gorge each play by their own rules.
This article walks you through the rules that matter most when you head out on hard water. You will see the statewide baseline first, then the lake-specific exceptions that can turn a legal setup into a citation. Always confirm details in the current guidebook before you go, since the Utah Wildlife Board adjusts waterbody rules regularly.
Important Note: Utah does not publish a single ice fishing statute. Your rules come from the general fishing methods section of the guidebook plus the “rules for specific waters” listings. Check both for the lake you plan to fish.
Do You Need a Fishing License to Ice Fish in Utah
Yes. Ice fishing is angling, so the same licensing rules apply as in summer. Anyone 12 years or older requires a fishing license in Utah, and the type you buy depends on your age, where you fish and how often you go.
Bear Lake straddles the Utah-Idaho border, which creates a useful exception. You only need one fishing license from either state to fish Bear Lake, whether that is a Utah license, an Idaho license or a combination license. You can fish both the Utah and Idaho sides with that single license.
You can buy a license online or through the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) offices and local vendors. Keep it on you while you fish, since wildlife officers do patrol popular ice lakes.
Ice Fishing Seasons and Open Waters in Utah
Utah has no separate ice fishing season. The Utah fishing season runs year-round from January 1 to December 31, and you can catch fish by angling and setline 24 hours a day. The real question is whether the ice is safe, not whether the season is open.
That puts the safety call on you. One fishing-regulations summary notes that the state does not officially open or close ice fishing based on thickness. The DWR’s general recommendation is to not step on the ice unless it is at least 4 inches thick, and 4 inches in one spot does not mean 4 inches across the entire lake.
Some waters carry seasonal closures that affect winter anglers. Beaver Dam Reservoir, for example, is listed in an older guidebook edition as closed January 1 through the third Saturday of April, and November 1 through December 31. Treat that as an example of why you must check the current proclamation for your specific lake.
Typical Ice Timing at Bear Lake
Bear Lake gives a useful benchmark. The ice fishing season there typically begins in late December to early January and continues through late February to early March, depending on weather and ice conditions.
Pro Tip: Drill test holes as you move out, and spread weight out rather than putting large groups and equipment in a small area. Carry ice picks, a rope and a whistle.
Line, Tip-Up and Hook Limits for Ice Fishing in Utah
The statewide rule is simple. Your line cannot have more than three baited hooks, artificial flies or artificial lures at once, and an artificial lure cannot have more than three hooks. Statewide, you are generally limited to two poles, and a tip-up counts as a line.
Several waters allow more. Flaming Gorge Reservoir, Pelican Lake, Causey Reservoir and Porcupine Reservoir allow up to six lines while ice fishing under the special rule. Fish Lake also lists a six-line allowance in the specific-waters rules.
Running more than two lines comes with a paperwork-style requirement. If you use more than two lines, your name must be attached to each line, pole or tip-up, and you may check only your own lines. Write your name on a tag or use a permanent marker before you set up.
Bear Lake is stricter on poles. An older guidebook edition states that an angler may fish with up to two poles on all areas of the Utah portion of Bear Lake that are open to fishing.
| Water | Line Allowance While Ice Fishing | Name Tag Required |
|---|---|---|
| Most Utah waters | Two poles (statewide baseline) | No |
| Flaming Gorge Reservoir | Up to six lines | Yes, if using more than two |
| Pelican Lake | Up to six lines | Yes, if using more than two |
| Causey Reservoir | Up to six lines | Yes, if using more than two |
| Porcupine Reservoir | Up to six lines | Yes, if using more than two |
| Bear Lake (Utah side) | Two poles | Not applicable |
Also keep your gear close. Your equipment must remain within your sight, no more than 100 feet away, at all times unless you hold a setline permit.
Ice Fishing Hole Size Rules in Utah
Hole size is where Utah’s ice rules get the most specific. When fishing through the ice, you may not fish through a hole more than 12 inches wide, with exceptions at Bear Lake, Flaming Gorge Reservoir and Fish Lake. Auger bits larger than 12 inches are a common source of tickets for anglers who do not read the water-specific listings.
At Bear Lake, the hole may not exceed 18 inches when ice fishing for fish other than cisco. Cisco dipnetters get more freedom: when dipnetting through the ice, the size of the hole is unrestricted.
Fish Lake also uses an 18-inch cap in the guidebook’s specific-waters listing. Flaming Gorge changed recently. The Utah Wildlife Board approved removing the ice hole size restriction at Flaming Gorge and tasked the DWR with evaluating the unrestricted size during the first year.
| Water | Maximum Hole Size |
|---|---|
| Most Utah waters | 12 inches |
| Bear Lake (non-cisco angling) | 18 inches |
| Bear Lake (cisco dipnetting) | Unrestricted |
| Fish Lake | 18 inches |
| Flaming Gorge Reservoir | No cap since the Wildlife Board change |
Common Mistake: Assuming the 18-inch figure applies everywhere. It does not. The 12-inch general cap covers most lakes, and many anglers learn that only when an officer measures their hole.
Ice Shelter and Shanty Rules in Utah
The research I reviewed did not turn up a statewide DWR rule that sets shanty size, marking or removal deadlines. One lake guide states that regulations regarding ice shelters vary depending on the specific body of water.
Many Utah ice lakes sit inside state parks, reservoirs or national forest land, and those managers set their own rules. Utah’s state park code, for example, states that ice fishing is prohibited in areas posted closed by the park manager.
Before you haul a permanent or semi-permanent shelter out, check three things:
- Whether the lake is in a state park, a national forest or a reservoir managed by another agency
- Any posted rules at the ramp or entrance station about shelters and overnight use
- Whether the shelter carries your name and contact details, which is good practice even where it is not mandated
Pull your shelter off the ice before conditions deteriorate in late winter. Abandoned gear is a hazard and can lead to littering violations.
Bag, Size and Species Limits for Ice Fishing in Utah
Your daily limit on the ice is the same as it would be in July, unless the lake has a special rule. The guidebook lists exceptions water by water, so confirm the listing for your destination.
Bear Lake has some of the more detailed winter rules. The guidebook lists a limit of 4 trout or kokanee salmon with no more than 1 lake trout over 22 inches, and all lake trout under 22 inches must be released immediately.
Pelican Lake anglers should know the bluegill rule. The daily limit is 15 bluegill, and only five of them may exceed 8 inches.
Yellow perch limits vary. The statewide limit has been 50 fish, but Willard Bay Reservoir and its inlet channel were reduced to 15 yellow perch. Flaming Gorge also tightened kokanee salmon limits, with the daily limit decreased to three fish.
Some waters want certain fish removed. At the Fish Lake tributary, there is no limit for burbot, and anglers must not release any burbot they catch.
Vehicle, ATV and Snowmobile Rules on the Ice in Utah
Utah’s fishing guidebook does not give a blanket rule for driving on frozen lakes, and my research did not find one. Access rules depend on the land manager, so a snowmobile that is fine on one reservoir may be off-limits on another.
Treat every vehicle as a weight and safety question first. The DWR’s guidance to avoid putting large groups of people and equipment in a small area applies even more to a loaded sled or ATV. Ice that holds you on foot at 4 inches will not hold a vehicle.
Before you drive on the ice, follow this checklist:
- Confirm with the managing agency or park office that vehicles are allowed on that lake
- Look for posted closures at the access point
- Check ice thickness with an auger every few hundred feet
- Stay clear of inlets, outlets and pressure cracks, where ice is weakest
- Carry rescue gear and tell someone where you are going and when you plan to return
If you also run a livestock trailer or hunting rig to the lake, you may find our guide to hunting laws in Utah useful for the winter access side of the sport.
Live Bait Rules for Ice Fishing in Utah
Bait rules are lake-specific, and some waters ban bait altogether in favor of artificial flies and lures. Check the listing before you buy minnows or worms.
Utah restricts fish used as bait. The guidebook bars using bait in the form of fresh or frozen fish or fish parts, except where specifically allowed. Dead Bonneville cisco may be used only at Bear Lake.
Dead yellow perch are allowed as bait on a defined list of reservoirs, including Deer Creek, Echo, Fish Lake, Gunnison, Hyrum, Jordanelle, Pineview, Starvation, Utah Lake, Willard Bay and Yuba among others. At Flaming Gorge, the Wildlife Board allowed chumming, but only with legal baits, dead burbot or dead lake trout.
Those lists change over time, so confirm against the current guidebook. The DWR publishes updates on its Utah Fishing Guidebook page, and the specific waters rules are searchable by lake.
Pro Tip: Print or screenshot the specific-waters entry for your lake before you leave cell service. Rules on bait, lines and hole size often differ from the statewide default.
If you move between states or species, our other regional guides cover related rules, including bowfishing laws in Colorado and spearfishing laws in California. For anything involving animals you bring into Utah, see our rundown of pet import laws in Utah.
Utah ice fishing rewards the angler who reads the rules for the specific lake. Remember the 12-inch default hole, the two-pole baseline, the name-tag rule for extra lines, and the lake-by-lake bait and bag limits. Confirm the current numbers with the 2026 Utah Fishing Guidebook before every trip, and put ice thickness ahead of every other decision.