Are Treble Hooks Legal – Answered
There are no states that ban treble hooks completely. There are some states however that ban their use when fishing with live bait. Some states also restrict the use of treble hooks on trout streams.
DISCLAIMER: Be aware that I am not an attorney nor does this constitute legal advice. Always double-check with a fish and game warden in your state when in doubt.
| State | Are Treble Hooks Illegal? |
|---|---|
| Alabama | In Alabama, it is only illegal to use treble hooks when used in the aid of grabbling, noodling, or hand fishing. It is completly legal to use treble hooks on artificial fishing lures. |
| Alaska | Alaska treble hook laws vary by territories. Many bodies of water within Alaska have regulations against treble hooks. You can find their detailed fishing regulations for Alaska here. |
| Arizona | Treble hooks are legal to use throughout Arizona. |
| Arkansas | Treble hooks are legal in throughout Arkansas excluding a few trout streams, which require a single-pointed barbless hook. |
| California | In most cases treble hooks are legal in California. There are restrictions on their use with live bait or for any treble hook with a hook gap larger than 3/4". |
| Colorado | Treble hooks are legal in Colorado. The only regulation is on how many treble hooks can be used for trotlines, which is restricted to 3. |
| Connecticut | Treble hooks are legal in Connecticut and are only prohibited when fishing for striped bass with live bait. |
| Delaware | Treble hooks are illegal in Delaware while fishing for striped bass with live bait. They are legal in all other cases. |
| Florida | Treble hooks are legal in Florida when fishing in freshwater. There are several restrictions when fishing saltwater or brackish streams. |
| Georgia | In Georgia treble hooks are legal throughout the state but there are restrictions on several trout streams which are limited to single hooks. |
| Hawaii | Treble hooks are illegal in Hawaii in the Kōke‘e Public Fishing Area. |
| Idaho | Treble hooks are illegal while fishing for salmon in the Clearwater River in South Fork, Idaho but legal everywhere else. |
| Illinois | Treble hooks are legal in Illinois but there are minor restrictions on the size of treble hooks, must be smaller than 5/0. |
| Indiana | In Indiana, treble hooks are allowed only on artificial lures and can not not exceed 3/8 inch from point to shank. |
| Iowa | Treble hooks are legal in Iowa except when attempting to snag a fish. Then, “You cannot use a hook larger than a 5/0 treble hook or measuring more than 1 ¼ inches long when two of the hook points are placed on a ruler.” |
| Kansas | Treble hooks are legal to use in Kansas but are limited 2. |
| Kentucky | In Kentucky treble hooks are legal throughout the state. There are restrictions on a few brook trout streams including: Dog Fork, Parched Corn Creek, Shillalah Creek, and outside the Cumberland Gap National Historic Park |
| Louisiana | Treble hooks are completely legal in Louisiana's freshwater. |
| Maine | Treble hooks are legal to use in Maine but there are a few streams that don’t allow treble hooks. When fishing a new area you can always call a local game warden to double check.. |
| Maryland | Treble hooks are legal to use in Maryland but there are restrictions in a few trout fishing areas. Treble hooks are prohibited when fishing for striped bass with live bait. |
| Massachusetts | Treble hooks are legal in Massachusetts when using artifical lures. Treble hooks may not be used when fishing for striped bass with livel bait. |
| Michigan | Treble hooks are legal to use in Michigan but there are a few rivers and streams that prohibit the use of treble hooks. Additionally, there are size restrictions on treble hooks. they must be 3/8" or less from point to shank. |
| Minnesota | In Minnesota treble hooks are legal in most of the state. There are restrictions on Lake Superior streams. |
| Mississippi | Treble hooks are legal to use on artificial lures in Mississippi. There are restriction when using live bait. |
| Missouri | Treble hooks are legal in Missouri. There are no restrictions for using treble hooks in freshwater. |
| Montana | Montana only restricts the use of treble hooks on sections of the Flathead river. They are legal to use elsewhere. |
| Nebraska | Treble hooks are legal to use in Nebraska. |
| Nevada | Some areas in Nevada require using a single barbless hook. |
| New Hampshire | New Hampshire restrictions treble hooks during certain times of the year and prohibites their use with live bait. |
| New Jersey | New Jersey only restrics treble hooks larger than ½-inch from point to shaft. |
| New Mexico | New Mexico prohibits the use of treble hooks on certain trout streams that require a single barbless hook. |
| New York | Treble hooks are legal to use in New York. Several streams have restrictions. Additionall treble hooks are prohibited when using live bait. |
| North Carolina | North Carolina restricts the use of treble hooks on serveral rivers and streams that require the use of a single barbless hook. |
| North Dakota | North Dakota has no restrictions on treble hook usage, they are legal. |
| Ohio | Treble hooks are prohibited in several rivers as well as on set lines and float lines in Ohio. They are legal on artificial lures. |
| Oklahoma | Oklahoma restricts treble hooks on sections of the Lower Illinois River. |
| Oregon | Oregon restricts the use of treble hooks when fishing for salmon, steelhead, sturgeon or trout in certain waterbodies. |
| Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania prohibits the use of treble hooks while fishing with live or cut bait. |
| Rhode Island | Rhode Island restricts the use of treble hooks on the Falls River whichrequire the use of a single barbless hook. They are legal to use in other areas. |
| South Carolina | Treble hooks legal in South Carolina on artificial lures. |
| South Dakota | Treble hooks are legal to use in South Dakota. |
| Tennessee | Many trout streams in Tennessee require a single hook point for fishing. Additionally, single hooks are required when fishing with jugs. |
| Texas | Treble hooks are legal to use in Texas. |
| Utah | Treble hooks are legal to use in Utah. |
| Vermont | Vermont only restricts the use of treble hooks in Noyes Pond . |
| Virginia | Virginia prohibits treble hooks in several trout streams but are legal elsewhere. |
| Washington | Washington only restricts treble hooks in areas that are designated as ‘fly fishing only’ or have ‘selective gear rules.' |
| West Virginia | West Virginia requires that treble hooks be barbless in catch and release waters. |
| Wisconsin | Treble hooks are legal to use in Wisconsin. |
| Wyoming | Treble hooks are legal to use in Wyoming. |
Do Treble Hooks Count As One Hook or Three?
Some states have laws regarding how many fishing hooks you can use at once. Most states consider a treble hook to be a single hook..