Island Spear Co.

Regulations Wyoming

Spearfishing Regulations in Wyoming

Checked against the primary source (WGFD) on July 5, 2026state

Governing agency: Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) / Wyoming Game and Fish Commission. Last verified July 5, 2026 by independent primary-source check.

Summary

Wyoming is a landlocked state with no marine waters, so there is no saltwater spearfishing. Unusually for an interior state, Wyoming expressly permits underwater spear gun fishing for GAME fish (bass, walleye, trout, pike, etc.) — but only in LAKES (including reservoirs and ponds), never in rivers or streams 1. A regular Wyoming fishing license (plus a conservation stamp for annual-license holders) is genuinely required and enforced 13. Divers must display a diver flag, must be underwater to take game fish, and may not use artificial light to take game fish with a spear gun 12.

License

What you need to be legal

LegalA license is required
License
Wyoming Fishing License (+ Conservation Stamp for annual licenses)
Who needs it
Anyone using an underwater spear gun to take game fish must hold a valid fishing license (Chapter 46 § 10(a), s1). This is the standard Wyoming fishing license required of all anglers age 14 and older; annual-license holders age 14+ must also carry a Conservation Stamp 3. A SEPARATE seining license is required to take BAITFISH by spear, seine, net or trap (Chapter 46 § 6, s1)3.
Resident cost
Annual fishing license $27.00; daily fishing license $6.00; youth (annual) $3.00; Conservation Stamp $21.50 (required with annual licenses, not with daily licenses). Seining license $21.00 3.
Non-resident cost
Annual fishing license $102.00; daily fishing license $14.00; youth (annual) $15.00; Conservation Stamp $21.50 (required with annual licenses, not with daily licenses). Seining license $21.00 3.
Where to buy
Online through the WGFD licensing system at wgfd.wyo.gov, at WGFD regional offices and Cheyenne headquarters, and at authorized license agents. Seining licenses are obtained from Department regional offices or Cheyenne Headquarters (Chapter 46 § 6(a)(i), s1)3.

Exemptions

  • Residents and nonresidents under 14 years of age do not need a fishing license 3.
  • Daily fishing license holders are exempt from the Conservation Stamp requirement — the stamp is only required with annual (12-month) licenses 3.

The full story

The full story

Wyoming stands out among landlocked states. The common interior-state pattern is that game fish (bass, trout, walleye, etc.) may be taken only by hook and line, while spearing/gigging/bowfishing is confined to nongame or 'rough' fish. Wyoming does NOT follow that pattern for spear guns: Chapter 46 § 10 expressly allows 'underwater spear gun fishing' to take GAME fish, provided you are under water, hold a fishing license, and stay in a lake (reservoirs, ponds and pits count; rivers and streams do not) 1.

This is a real, actively administered method, not a dormant on-the-books relic. The Commission maintains a species-specific spear-gun creel limit — two walleye per day/in possession — and even carves out a named exception for Alcova Reservoir where that spear-gun walleye cap does not apply, plus exceptions where walleye are locally designated nongame (§ 10(e), § 32) 1. Those fine-grained rules only exist because the agency is genuinely regulating spear-gun harvest, so the licensing requirement should be treated as fully in force: buy the standard Wyoming fishing license (and, for an annual license, the Conservation Stamp) before you dive 13.

Two practical traps for divers: first, the method is spear-GUN specific and lake-only. Rivers and streams are closed to it, and the regulation authorizes 'underwater spear gun fishing' rather than pole spears or Hawaiian slings — and § 10(d) requires the spear to be tethered to the gun by a shooting line of 20 feet or less, which a classic untethered Hawaiian sling would not satisfy. Hand-spear methods are therefore best treated as not clearly permitted until confirmed with WGFD. Second, watch the light rule: under artificial light you may take only NONGAME fish with a spear gun, never game fish (§ 10(c)) 12. Add the 100-yard buffer from swim/ski areas, docks, ramps and spillways, the mandatory diver flag, and the outright ban on spear guns (and archery) inside Grand Teton National Park and the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway, and the picture is: legal and even generous in ordinary lakes, but hedged with specific gear, light, location and species conditions.

Where it's legal

Saltwater & freshwater

Saltwater

Not permitted

Wyoming is a landlocked interior state with no ocean coastline and no marine/saltwater waters. Saltwater spearfishing is not possible here. All spearfishing rules concern fresh water only.

Freshwater

Legal

Underwater spear gun fishing is legal, but only in LAKES — defined by Chapter 46 § 2 to include reservoirs, ponds (excluding beaver ponds) and gravel/mining pits 1. Section 10(b) states 'Fish may be taken by underwater spear gun fishing in lakes only,' which excludes all rivers and streams 1. Uniquely, GAME fish (bass, bluegill/sunfish, crappie, walleye/sauger, yellow perch, trout/salmon/char, whitefish/cisco, grayling, pike, catfish/bullheads, burbot, sturgeon, freshwater drum) MAY be speared in lakes, subject to all general and water-specific creel and possession limits 1. Baitfish may be taken by spear only with a seining license (§ 6, s1).

Gear

What you can carry

Speargun
Allowed for underwater spear gun fishing in lakes only (Chapter 46 § 10, s1). All spears used on spear guns must be attached to the spear gun with a shooting line no longer than twenty (20) feet (§ 10(d), s1). To take game fish, the take must be under water and a fishing license is required (§ 10(a), s1).
Pole spear
Not specifically addressed. Chapter 46 § 10 authorizes only 'underwater spear gun fishing.' A hand-thrown or hand-propelled pole spear is not clearly a 'spear gun,' and the regulation does not separately authorize pole spears for fish. Treat as not established — see unverified[]. (Note: spearing baitfish by any spear device requires a seining license under § 6, s1.)
Hawaiian sling
Not specifically addressed. As with pole spears, only 'underwater spear gun fishing' is expressly authorized (§ 10, s1); a Hawaiian sling launches an untethered spear, whereas § 10(d) requires the spear to be tethered to the gun by a shooting line of 20 feet or less. Best read as not clearly permitted — see unverified[].
Spearfishing on SCUBA
Not prohibited. Section 10(a) contemplates taking game fish 'under water,' and § 10(b)(ii) requires a diver flag 'when diving or underwater spear gun fishing,' which presupposes diving (free-dive or SCUBA). No provision in Chapter 46 bans SCUBA for spear gun fishing 1. Divers should comply with all boating/diving safety and diver-flag rules.

Gear restrictions

  • Spears on spear guns must be tethered to the gun with a shooting line of maximum length twenty (20) feet (§ 10(d), s1).
  • To take game fish, the spearfisher must take them under water and hold a fishing license (§ 10(a), s1).
  • A diver flag must be displayed on the water while diving or underwater spear gun fishing — rectangular, either blue-and-white or red with a white diagonal stripe, at least 12 in x 12 in, displayed at least 3 feet above the water surface (§ 10(b)(ii), s1).
  • Artificial light may NOT be used to take game fish with a spear gun; only NONGAME fish may be taken with a spear gun using artificial light (§ 10(c), s1)2.
  • Walleye taken by spear gun are limited to two (2) per day/in possession, except where walleye are designated nongame or as otherwise provided for Alcova Reservoir (§ 10(e), s1).

Do not spear

Prohibited species

  • No fish species is entirely off-limits to spearing statewide — Wyoming allows game fish to be speared in lakes 1. However, when using ARTIFICIAL LIGHT with a spear gun, only NONGAME fish may be taken; game fish may not be taken with a spear gun under artificial light (§ 10(c), s1)2.
  • In specific waters, species designated nongame must be killed immediately and may not be released — e.g., in Buffalo Bill Reservoir, burbot (ling) and northern pike are designated nongame and all caught must be killed 12. Divers must check each water's specific designations and creel/possession limits before spearing 1.

Where you can't

Area restrictions

  • LAKES ONLY: underwater spear gun fishing is not permitted in rivers or streams — only in lakes, reservoirs, ponds (not beaver ponds) and gravel/mining pits (§ 10(b), § 2, s1).
  • No spear gun fishing within one hundred (100) yards of any designated swimming or water-ski area, boat dock, ramp or spillway (§ 10(b)(i), s1).
  • Grand Teton National Park and the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway (Area 1): the use of archery equipment and spear guns is prohibited (§ 20, s1). National Park Service regulations also apply in these waters.
  • Waters restricted to 'artificial flies and lures only' (numerous stream/lake segments statewide, including within Grand Teton NP and the Rockefeller Parkway) exclude spear-gun take by their terms 1.
  • Fish rearing/retaining ponds, hatchery ponds, and temporary spawning-station facilities are closed to all fishing (§ 9, s1).

Worth knowing

Notable rules, seasons & limits

  • Wyoming is one of the few landlocked states that lets you SPEAR GAME FISH — walleye, bass, trout, pike and more — but only in lakes, and never in rivers or streams (§ 10, s1).
  • The spear must be tethered to the spear gun by a shooting line no longer than 20 feet (§ 10(d), s1).
  • A diver flag (min. 12x12 in, 3 ft above water) is mandatory while diving or spear-gun fishing (§ 10(b)(ii), s1).
  • Artificial light + spear gun = NONGAME fish only; you cannot take game fish with a spear gun using artificial light (§ 10(c), s1)2.
  • Walleye by spear gun are capped at 2/day/in possession, except in Alcova Reservoir (Natrona County) where that 2-fish spear-gun cap does not apply, and except where walleye are locally designated nongame (§ 10(e), § 32, s1).
  • Spearing baitfish (even for dead bait) requires a separate seining license; general spear guns are not a listed baitfish gear — legal baitfish gear is hand-operated seines, traps, cast/umbrella/dip nets (§ 6, s1).
  • Snagging (a pegged attractor more than 2 inches from the hook eye) is prohibited (§ 4(c), s1). Chapter 46 does not establish bowfishing/archery or gigging as authorized fishing methods; archery equipment is expressly prohibited in Grand Teton NP / Rockefeller Parkway waters (§ 20, s1).

What divers here typically use

Gear up for Wyoming spearfishing

Where spearfishing is allowed in Wyoming, this is the core kit divers assemble before their first day in the water. Our honest guide to the Beginner Spearfishing Gear List walks through what to look for — curated from published specs and community consensus, not paid placement.

If you break them

Penalties

Violations of Wyoming Game and Fish Commission fishing regulations (Chapter 46) are enforced under Title 23 of the Wyoming Statutes. Fishing-law violations are generally low misdemeanors carrying fines, possible jail, and potential suspension or revocation of fishing privileges; seining licenses are subject to suspension or revocation for violating seining/trapping conditions (§ 6, s1). Specific fine amounts are set by statute and the courts and are not enumerated within Chapter 46 itself — see unverified[].

Not yet independently confirmed — verify directly

  • Whether pole spears and Hawaiian slings are legal for taking fish. Chapter 46 § 10 authorizes only 'underwater spear gun fishing' and § 10(d) requires the spear to be tethered to the gun by a shooting line of 20 feet or less; the regulation does not separately address untethered hand-spear devices. Not confirmable as permitted from the primary source — confirm with WGFD.
  • Whether bowfishing/archery or gigging are lawful methods for any fish in Wyoming. Chapter 46 establishes only spear-gun and net/seine/trap (baitfish) methods; archery equipment is expressly prohibited in Grand Teton NP / Rockefeller Parkway waters (§ 20) but the chapter does not affirmatively authorize bowfishing or gigging elsewhere. Not confirmed either way from the primary source.
  • Exact monetary fine amounts and jail terms for spearfishing/fishing violations. Chapter 46 does not enumerate specific penalties; these are set in Title 23 of the Wyoming Statutes and by the courts, which were not extracted for this file.
  • The precise phrasing 'completely submerged.' Independently re-checked against the current WGFD-hosted Chapter 46 PDF (media/32906): Section 10(a) requires taking game fish 'under water' with a fishing license and contains NO 'completely submerged' language. The 'completely submerged' wording appears only in secondary republishers (eRegulations, Cornell LII), which also show outdated details ('lanyard' instead of 'shooting line', Alcova as §33 instead of §32) — likely an older edition. The authoritative agency text says 'under water', so that is what this file uses; divers should still expect to be submerged to take game fish, but the stricter 'completely submerged' phrasing is not in the current primary rule.

Confirm these points directly with Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) / Wyoming Game and Fish Commission before you rely on them.

Primary sources

Sources

Every fact above is drawn from these official sources. Each was retrieved on the date shown; regulations can change after that date.

  4. Source 4: Wyoming Game & Fish Department — Fishing Regulation landing page (index of current fishing regulations)

    Retrieved July 5, 2026https://wgfd.wyo.gov/Regulations/Fish/Fishing-Regulation

Quick answers

Frequently asked questions

Is spearfishing legal in Wyoming?
Saltwater spearfishing is restricted in Wyoming, and it is permitted in fresh water, subject to license, gear, species, and area rules. Wyoming is a landlocked interior state with no ocean coastline and no marine/saltwater waters. Saltwater spearfishing is not possible here. All spearfishing rules concern fresh…
Do you need a license to spearfish in Wyoming?
Yes. Wyoming requires the Wyoming Fishing License (+ Conservation Stamp for annual licenses). Resident cost: Annual fishing license $27.00; daily fishing license $6.00; youth (annual) $3.00; Conservation Stamp $21.50 (required with annual licenses, not with daily licenses). Seining license $21.00. Non-resident cost: Annual fishing license $102.00; daily fishing license $14.00; youth (annual) $15.00; Conservation Stamp $21.50 (required with annual licenses, not with daily licenses). Seining license $21.00.
Can you spearfish on scuba in Wyoming?
Not prohibited. Section 10(a) contemplates taking game fish 'under water,' and § 10(b)(ii) requires a diver flag 'when diving or underwater spear gun fishing,' which presupposes diving (free-dive or SCUBA). No provision in Chapter 46 bans SCUBA for spear gun fishing. Divers…
What can't you spear in Wyoming?
Protected or no-take species you may not spear in Wyoming include: No fish species is entirely off-limits to spearing statewide — Wyoming allows game fish to be speared in lakes, In specific waters, species designated nongame must be killed immediately and may not be released — e.g., in Buffalo Bill Reservoir, burbot. Always check the full prohibited-species list and current seasons before diving, and confirm with Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) / Wyoming Game and Fish Commission.

Stay current

Get an email when Wyoming's size & bag limits change

Regulations shift between seasons. We re-check Wyoming's rules against the primary source and send a short note when the limits, seasons, or licensing move — nothing else.

No spam. Regulations updates, gear data drops, and the launch of the guide.

Last verified July 5, 2026. Regulations change — always confirm the current rules with Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) / Wyoming Game and Fish Commission before you dive.

← All regulations