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Fishing regulations at Payette River, ID
Disclaimer: Always check local fishing regulations, water access rights and land ownership before fishing, regardless of any catches logged in that area by the Fishbrain community. Fishbrain has mapped millions of acres of government-owned land across the USA to help you identify potential fishing access, but you are responsible for ensuring compliance with all legal requirements.
Fishing regulations in Idaho can change throughout the year. Make sure to check this page before fishing for the most up to date rules and regulations for the current season. Local regulations govern when you can fish, the max size of the fish you can keep, how many fish you can keep, and more.
Below you will see fishing regulations for catching Smallmouth bass as of March 31st, 2026. To view regulations for a different fish species, please click on your preferred species in the drop-down.
Smallmouth bass
Seasons
Open
Bag limit
6
Min size
12"
Measurement
Total Length
Aggregate
6
Daily bag limits apply to all waters of the Southwest Region except as modified in Southwest Region Special Rule Waters. The possession limit is 3-times the daily bag limit.All waters open all year except as modified in Southwest Region Special Rule WatersFor more information please see https://idfg.idaho.gov/rules/fish p 20-21
For more information please see https://idfg.idaho.gov/rules/fish (See Pages 20-21 for details)
Special Rule Waters for the Southwest Region
Ben Ross Reservoir- Bass limit is 2, none between 12 and 16 inches
- Trout limit is 0, catch-and-release
- No bait allowed, barbless hooks required
- Trout limit is 2, none under 14 inches
- Southwest Region general rules apply
- Trout limit is 2, none under 14 inches
- No bait allowed, barbless hooks required
- Southwest Region general rules apply
- No bait allowed, one barbless hook per fly or lure
- trout limit is 0, catch-and-release
- closed to fishing
- trout limit 2, none under 20 inches
- Trout limit is 2, none over 14 inches No bait allowed
- Closed to fishing
- Trout limit is 2
- Crane Falls Lake
- Electric motors only
- Bass limit is 2, none under 20 inches
- Kokanee limit is 15
- Trout limit is 2
- Kokanee limit is 15
- Bass limit is 2, none under 20 inches
- bass limit is 0, catch-and- release
- bass limit is 2, none between 12 and 16 inches
- Bass limit is 2, none under 20 inches Kokanee limit is 25
- Southwest Region general rules apply
- Trout limit is 2, none under 20 inches
- No bait allowed, barbless hooks required
- Trout limit is 2
- Closed to fishing
- Bass limit is 6, any size
- Bass limit is 2, none between 12 and 16 inches
- Trout limit is 2
- Kokanee limit is 0, catch-and-release
- trout limit is 0, catch-and-release
- Southwest Region general rules apply
- Trout limit is 2
- Trout limit is 2
- Trout limit is 0, catch-and-release
- No bait allowed, barbless hooks required
- closed to fishing
- trout limit is 2
- Trout limit is 6; only trout with a clipped adipose fin, as evidenced by a healed scar, may be kept; no harvest of Cutthroat Trout
- No bag, size or possession limits on bass
- No bag, size or possession limits on bass
- Trout limit is 2
- Trout limit is 0, catch-and-release
- No bait allowed, barbless hooks required No bag, size or possession limits on bass
- Trout limit is 0, catch-and-release
- No bait allowed, barbless hooks required No bag, size or possession limits on bass
- Trout limit is 2
- Trout limit is 0, catch-and-release
- No bait allowed, barbless hooks required
- Trout limit is 2
- Trout limit is 2
- Trout limit is 2
For more information please see https://idfg.idaho.gov/rules/fish (See Pages 20-21 for details)
Micropterus dolomieui
Daily bag limits apply to all waters of the Southwest Region except as modified in Southwest Region Special Rule Waters. The possession limit is 3-times the daily bag limit.All waters open all year except as modified in Southwest Region Special Rule WatersFor more information please see https://idfg.idaho.gov/rules/fish p 20-21
For more information please see https://idfg.idaho.gov/rules/fish (See Pages 20-21 for details)
Special Rule Waters for the Southwest Region
Ben Ross Reservoir- Bass limit is 2, none between 12 and 16 inches
- Trout limit is 0, catch-and-release
- No bait allowed, barbless hooks required
- Trout limit is 2, none under 14 inches
- Southwest Region general rules apply
- Trout limit is 2, none under 14 inches
- No bait allowed, barbless hooks required
- Southwest Region general rules apply
- No bait allowed, one barbless hook per fly or lure
- trout limit is 0, catch-and-release
- closed to fishing
- trout limit 2, none under 20 inches
- Trout limit is 2, none over 14 inches No bait allowed
- Closed to fishing
- Trout limit is 2
- Crane Falls Lake
- Electric motors only
- Bass limit is 2, none under 20 inches
- Kokanee limit is 15
- Trout limit is 2
- Kokanee limit is 15
- Bass limit is 2, none under 20 inches
- bass limit is 0, catch-and- release
- bass limit is 2, none between 12 and 16 inches
- Bass limit is 2, none under 20 inches Kokanee limit is 25
- Southwest Region general rules apply
- Trout limit is 2, none under 20 inches
- No bait allowed, barbless hooks required
- Trout limit is 2
- Closed to fishing
- Bass limit is 6, any size
- Bass limit is 2, none between 12 and 16 inches
- Trout limit is 2
- Kokanee limit is 0, catch-and-release
- trout limit is 0, catch-and-release
- Southwest Region general rules apply
- Trout limit is 2
- Trout limit is 2
- Trout limit is 0, catch-and-release
- No bait allowed, barbless hooks required
- closed to fishing
- trout limit is 2
- Trout limit is 6; only trout with a clipped adipose fin, as evidenced by a healed scar, may be kept; no harvest of Cutthroat Trout
- No bag, size or possession limits on bass
- No bag, size or possession limits on bass
- Trout limit is 2
- Trout limit is 0, catch-and-release
- No bait allowed, barbless hooks required No bag, size or possession limits on bass
- Trout limit is 0, catch-and-release
- No bait allowed, barbless hooks required No bag, size or possession limits on bass
- Trout limit is 2
- Trout limit is 0, catch-and-release
- No bait allowed, barbless hooks required
- Trout limit is 2
- Trout limit is 2
- Trout limit is 2
For more information please see https://idfg.idaho.gov/rules/fish (See Pages 20-21 for details)
Regulations for
43°59′11.7″N 116°11′15.4″W
FAQ about Payette River fishing
the Payette River is a stream located in Boise County, Idaho, United States. It is also intersecting with Gem County, Idaho. Its coordinates are:
43°59′11.7″N 116°11′15.4″W
.Find the best fishing spots on the Payette River by looking at where other anglers have caught fish. This can easily be done in the where it is also possible to see big fish potential and how good fishing is right now along with Garmin® depth maps.
The most common species in the Payette River are:
- Smallmouth bass - 83 members reported to have caught this fish
- Largemouth bass - 39 members reported to have caught this fish
- Rainbow trout - 29 members reported to have caught this fish
The latest Payette River fishing reports are:
- @bthornock reported a nice Smallmouth bass.
- @steve-mast reported a nice Largemouth bass.
- @208_cast reported a nice Yellow perch.
- @208_cast reported a nice Northern pikeminnow.
- @208_cast reported a nice Yellow perch.
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