Bag and possession limits
A daily bag limit is the number of a species one angler may keep in a day. A possession limit caps how many you may hold at once, often twice the daily bag. Aggregate limits combine several species, such as all black bass or all trout, into one count. CatchVault lists bag limits by species and water for 48 states.
Three kinds of count
- Daily bag (creel limit): fish kept per angler per day.
- Possession limit: total held at any time, including on ice or in a camp freezer; often twice the daily bag.
- Aggregate limit: one combined count across related species, sometimes with a sub-limit for one of them.
Where people go wrong
- Culling: some states allow swapping a live-well fish for a bigger one; others treat any fish kept as counted.
- Boat limits: a few fisheries set a limit per boat rather than per person.
- Fish caught for someone else usually count against the angler who caught them.
Questions & answers
What is the difference between a bag limit and a possession limit?
The bag limit is per day; the possession limit is the most you may hold at once, which is often two days’ bag.
Sources for this entry
- CatchVault state regulations: Company-published summaries for 48 states, each linked to the agency.
- Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies: The organization of state fish and wildlife agencies, with links to each one.
Practical guidance is original editorial writing. App details come from the developer’s published descriptions, checked .
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How the related websites connect
This reference is published alongside CatchVault. State-by-state summaries and license guides live on the CatchVault website, and sister references cover fish identification and fishing apps in general.
Explore related references · CatchVault’s official websiteCite this entry
Best Fishing Regulations App. “Bag and possession limits.” Content reviewed .
https://bestfishingregulationsapp.com/bag-and-possession-limits/