Rules & Regulations
Cast net laws in Arizona
Legal with restrictionsInformational only — this is not legal advice
Fishing regulations change, sometimes with little notice, and can vary further by county, water body, or season within a state. This page is a starting point for research, not a substitute for the law. Always verify current rules directly with your state's fish & wildlife agency or TakeMeFishing.org before you fish. BasicGear is not responsible for citations, fines, or gear seizures resulting from reliance on this page.
Last verified: 2026-07-08 — regulations are re-checked periodically; see the date above before assuming this is current.
Summary
Cast nets may only be used to take baitfish — no gamefish may be kept. No live baitfish of any kind is allowed in Coconino, Apache, Navajo, Pima, or Cochise counties, so check county rules too.
Size, mesh & licensing
- Max size
- 4 ft radius (8 ft diameter)
- Mesh
- No mesh size specified
- Water type
- Not water-type specific (freshwater in practice — Arizona is landlocked)
- License
- Yes — valid Arizona fishing license
Recommended BasicGear net
Cast Net — Basic Series — Choose the smallest Basic Series size (3–4 ft radius) to stay under Arizona's 4 ft radius cap.
Official source
Arizona Game & Fish Department (R12-4-313)↗
High confidenceLast verified: 2026-07-08
See all 50 states, or shop the cast net lineup for Arizona.