State Laws

Jug Fishing is legal in most states but not all. States also have specific regulations for jug fishing that vary from State to State. The information on this page cannot be guaranteed accurate, please check your local fish and wildlife department to make sure you know all the jug fishing rules and regulations.

Click on your state to find state specific rules and regulations.

  • Alabama – Jug Fishing – Legal
  • Alaska
  • Arizona –  Jug Fishing – Not legal
  • Arkansas -Jug Fishing -Legal
  • California – Jug Fishing  Not legal
  • Colorado – Jug Fishing  Legal
  • Connecticut – Jug Fishing  Legal, only two jugs 3 hooks per jug
  • Delaware
  • Florida –Jug Fishing  Legal, must be anchored
  • Georgia -Jug Fishing  Legal
  • Hawaii
  • Idaho
  • Illinois -Jug Fishing  Legal
  • Indiana -Jug Fishing Legal, no more than five at a time.
  • Iowa –  Jug Fishing Legal, two jugs, two hooks per jug must be in sight
  • Kansas –Jug Fishing  Not legal
  • Kentucky – Jug Fishing Legal, single hook per jug and limit of 50 jugs
  • Louisiana – Jug Fishing Legal
  • Maine
  • Maryland
  • Massachusetts -Jug Fishing  Legal
  • Michigan –Jug Fishing Not legal
  • Minnesota – Jug Fishing Not legal
  • Mississippi –Jug Fishing  Legal, 50 jug limit
  • Missouri – Jug Fishing Legal, must be in sight at all times and have name and address
  • Montana –Jug Fishing  Legal, must be checked every 24 hours. Name and address on each jug.
  • Nebraska – Jug Fishing Not legal
  • Nevada
  • New Hampshire
  • New Jersey –Jug Fishing  Not legal
  • New Mexico – Jug Fishing Not legal
  • New York – Jug Fishing Not legal
  • North Carolina – Jug Fishing Legal
  • North Dakota
  • Ohio
  • Oklahoma -Jug Fishing  Legal
  • Oregon
  • Pennsylvania –Jug Fishing  Not Legal
  • Rhode Island
  • South Carolina – Jug Fishing legal A permit is required to fish 3 to 50 jugs (50 jug limit). A
    licensee’s name and customer ID number must be clearly
    marked on each jug. Jug fishing is legal only in lakes
    Greenwood, Hartwell, Secession, Richard B. Russell,
    Thurmond, and Stevens Creek. A permit is not required for
    2 jugs with a valid state fishing license. A jug permit is not
    required for residents assisting jug permit holders.Must be removed from the water before one hour after official
    sunrise each day and not replaced prior to one hour before
    official sunset.
  • South Dakota
  • Tennessee
  • Texas – Jug Fishing Legal, must be white.  Wrap the noodles with white duct tape to comply.
  • Utah
  • Vermont
  • Virginia – Jug Fishing Legal
    • Trot Lines, juglines or set poles may be used to take nongame fish and turtles provided they are not baited with live bait (worms are permissible), except on designated stocked trout waters, Department-owned or controlled lakes, and within 600 feet of any dam. Live bait other than game fish may be used on trot lines to take catfish in Carroll, Dickenson, Giles, Grayson, Montgomery, Pulaski and Wythe counties, and in the Clinch River in Russell, Scott, and Wise counties. (See page 9 for South Holston Reservoir.) Any person setting or possessing the above equipment shall have it clearly marked by permanent means with his or her name, address, and telephone number, and is required to check all lines and remove all fish and animals caught each day. Additional requirements for juglines (also called “noodles”): Defined as a single hook, including one treble hook, and line attached to a float. Jugline/noodle sets on public waters shall be restricted to 20 per angler and must be attended (within sight) by anglers at all times. Also, in addition to being labeled with the angler’s name, address and telephone number, jugs/noodles shall also be labeled with a reflective marker that encircles the jugs/noodles to allow for visibility at night.
  • Washington
  • West Virginia –Jug Fishing  Not legal
  • Wisconsin –Jug Fishing Not legal
  • Wyoming