California Trout Stocking Schedule 2026

Every sentence here comes from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), and each section names its sources. Updated .

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) plants catchable trout in lakes, streams and park ponds across the state. Its Fish Planting Schedule lists the waters planted this week, next week and over the past six months. In 2025 its hatcheries released about 7 million trout and 1 million inland salmon, planting 523 waters in 3,650 stocking events. Anyone 16 or older needs a California sport fishing license, and most lakes, rivers and streams allow 5 trout a day and 10 in possession.

From CDFW: Fish Planting Schedule, CDFW: Fish Hatcheries and CDFW: Get Hooked: Trout Season 2026 Is About To Begin (22 April 2026).

The CDFW trout stocking schedule

Each planted water with its county, the species and the week it was or will be planted, for this week, next week and the past six months. Hatchery staff update it in real time, and you can sort it, search it by water or county, and export it to a spreadsheet. It gives the week, not the day: CDFW leaves out exact dates so that anglers do not all crowd a water just after a plant. Any plant can change with road, water, weather and operating conditions.

Open the Fish Planting Schedule
  • 2026 Provisional Stocking Document: Every inland water CDFW intends to stock with trout and salmon in 2026, with the species, the size and the months, for planning a trip ahead. CDFW says the plan is not guaranteed, and that the Fish Planting Schedule is the place for current plants, covering releases within about two weeks. Put and Take means catchable, super-catchable and trophy fish planted to be caught now; Put and Grow means fingerlings and sub-catchables planted to grow into catchable fish in later years.
  • CDFW Fishing Guide map: A map of the state with fish planting locations, regulations, boat launches and license sellers. A marker shows the general location of a planted water, not the exact or only spot it was planted.

From CDFW: Fish Planting Schedule, CDFW: Fish Planting and Stocking Data, CDFW: 2026 Provisional Stocking Document for Trout and Inland Salmon (PDF) and CDFW: Fishing Guide.

When California stocks trout

Mountain and northern waters

In the mountains and the north, catchable trout are planted from spring into fall. In the 2026 plan many Eastern Sierra waters in Mono County run from April through November, and northern lakes from spring into summer or early fall.

Southern California and low-elevation lakes in winter

In Southern California and at low elevations, park lakes and reservoirs are planted in the cool months. In the 2026 plan many run from January to March or April and again in November and December.

Fingerlings to grow

Back-country and high lakes get fingerling trout to grow, golden trout among them in late summer. Kokanee and inland Chinook salmon are planted as fingerlings in selected lakes and reservoirs and grow to catchable size there.

From CDFW: 2026 Provisional Stocking Document for Trout and Inland Salmon (PDF).

Rules on stocked water

  • For 2026 a resident annual sport fishing license costs $64.54 and a nonresident one $174.14, each good for 365 days from purchase. Anyone can buy a 1-day license for $21.09 or a 2-day for $32.40, and nonresidents a 10-day for $64.54. A second rod validation, $20.26, allows two rods in inland waters except where only artificial lures or barbless hooks may be used.
  • Unless a water has its own rules, lakes, reservoirs and ponds are open all year with a limit of 5 trout a day and 10 in possession. Streams, rivers and canals are open from the last Saturday in April through November 15 at the same limits. From November 16 to that opener the trout limit on them is zero, every trout goes back unharmed, and only artificial lures with barbless hooks may be used for any fish.
  • Many waters have their own seasons, limits, size limits and gear rules, so check the water in the 2026 regulations before you go.
  • The general trout opener is the last Saturday in April, April 25 in 2026, and fishing on opening day starts one hour before sunrise.

From CDFW: Sport Fishing Licenses and Report Cards, 2026 California Freshwater Sport Fishing Regulations (PDF, updated July 10, 2026) and CDFW: Get Hooked: Trout Season 2026 Is About To Begin (22 April 2026).

How to hear about a stocking

  • With a free CDFW account you can subscribe to Fish Plants and get a list of current plants by email once a week.
  • Questions about plants go to the CDFW regional office for the area; the schedule lists each region's number.

From CDFW: Fish Planting Schedule.

Worth knowing before you go looking

  • The 2026 provisional plan is a plan: CDFW says weather, disease, staffing and funding can keep it from being carried out, so check the Fish Planting Schedule before a trip.

From CDFW: Fish Planting and Stocking Data and CDFW: 2026 Provisional Stocking Document for Trout and Inland Salmon (PDF).

Which day to fish it

The schedule says where the fish went in. Which day to go is a different question: the forecast scores each day of the week for trout at the water you pick, from its water temperature, the wind and the weather.

See the week for rainbow trout

Species guides: Rainbow Trout · Brown Trout · Cutthroat Trout · Kokanee · Chinook Salmon

Sources

Every sentence above was read on one of these pages, and a check re-reads each quoted line against the page it came from.

Spotted something out of date or plain wrong here? Tell us and we will check it.