When is walleye season in Arizona?

Arizona keeps walleye open to fishing year-round for the 2026 regulation year — there is no closed season, though the daily bag and size limits below still apply every day.

What is the Arizona bag limit for walleye?

The Arizona daily bag limit for walleye is 6 / day no statewide minimum (raised from the former 2 / day in the 2024 AZGFD simplification); applies on all waters including Lake Powell (AZGFD lists no walleye water exceptions). The possession limit is 12 in possession (2× daily). Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.

What size walleye can you keep in Arizona?

The Arizona size rule for walleye is No statewide minimum. Trophy rule: AZ state-record walleye 16 lb 1.76 oz Show Low Lake 2002 (Gregg Munck, 31 in — among the larger desert-reservoir walleye records in the Southwest); Show Low Lake + Fool Hollow Lake + Upper/Lower Lake Mary White Mountains lakes carry the premier AZ walleye fishery; Lake Pleasant + Lake Powell carry larger-reservoir walleye on a summer night-fishing pattern; AZGFD raised the statewide limit 2 → 6 / day in the 2024 simplification reflecting walleye's non-native status.

Do you need a license to fish for walleye in Arizona?

Yes. Arizona requires a valid fishing license to fish for walleye, with the usual exemptions for young children, state free-fishing days, and some senior or disabled-veteran categories. A license is valid only in the state that issued it, so non-residents need a Arizona license — compare resident and non-resident Arizona fees on the state regulations page below.

Are there gear restrictions for walleye in Arizona?

Yes. In Arizona, walleye fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; trolling + jigging permitted (bottom-bouncer + crawler-harness + jig-and-minnow common walleye presentations); Live bait permitted where legal (nightcrawlers + waterdogs common); check live-baitfish restrictions by water; Snagging prohibited; Arizona Fishing License required ages 10+ ($37 res annual / $55 NR annual); Confirm current-year AZGFD Fishing Regulations for water-specific exceptions.

Do specific Arizona waters have different walleye rules?

Yes. 5 named Arizona waters carry rules that override the statewide walleye regulation, including Show Low Lake, Lake Powell, White Mountain walleye lakes, and 2 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

2026 regulation year

Arizona Walleye 2026 — Season, Bag Limit, Size Rules

Sander vitreus

Last updated June 8, 2026

Arizona walleye is a non-native introduced coolwater predator established in the higher-elevation White Mountains lakes + a handful of larger reservoirs — Show Low Lake (Navajo County — the premier AZ walleye water + AZ state-record walleye 16 lb 1.76 oz Show Low Lake 2002 by Gregg Munck, 31 in) + Fool Hollow Lake + Upper / Lower Lake Mary (Coconino County near Flagstaff) + Lyman Lake + Lake Pleasant (Maricopa County — 10,000-acre Agua Fria reservoir NW of Phoenix) + Roosevelt + Canyon Lakes carry the bulk of the AZ walleye fishery. Lake Powell (161,000-acre Colorado River reservoir on the AZ/UT boundary) carries a self-sustaining walleye population on the upper canyon arms at the statewide 6 / day limit (AZGFD lists no Powell walleye exception). The 2024 AZGFD statewide simplification raised the statewide walleye limit from the former 2 / day to 6 / day no minimum — reflecting walleye's non-native status and AZGFD's encouragement of harvest. Walleye fishing peaks March – May post-ice through pre-spawn on the White Mountains lakes, when fish stage along rocky points and inflow gravel; Arizona's desert-reservoir walleye fishery is one of the southernmost in the country. Open year-round statewide.

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Season

Open year-round Open year-round statewide; March – May post-ice through pre-spawn densest fishing window on Show Low + Fool Hollow + Lyman + Upper/Lower Lake Mary White Mountains lakes; summer night-fishing pattern on Lake Pleasant + Lake Powell.

Bag & possession

Daily bag: 6 / day no statewide minimum (raised from the former 2 / day in the 2024 AZGFD simplification); applies on all waters including Lake Powell (AZGFD lists no walleye water exceptions)
Possession: 12 in possession (2× daily)

Size, slot, trophy rules

Size: No statewide minimum
Trophy rule: AZ state-record walleye 16 lb 1.76 oz Show Low Lake 2002 (Gregg Munck, 31 in — among the larger desert-reservoir walleye records in the Southwest); Show Low Lake + Fool Hollow Lake + Upper/Lower Lake Mary White Mountains lakes carry the premier AZ walleye fishery; Lake Pleasant + Lake Powell carry larger-reservoir walleye on a summer night-fishing pattern; AZGFD raised the statewide limit 2 → 6 / day in the 2024 simplification reflecting walleye's non-native status

Gear restrictions

Hook-and-line; trolling + jigging permitted (bottom-bouncer + crawler-harness + jig-and-minnow common walleye presentations)
Live bait permitted where legal (nightcrawlers + waterdogs common); check live-baitfish restrictions by water
Snagging prohibited
Arizona Fishing License required ages 10+ ($37 res annual / $55 NR annual)
Confirm current-year AZGFD Fishing Regulations for water-specific exceptions

Named water-body overrides

Where statewide rules differ on specific Arizona waters:

Show Low Lake
6 / day no min; AZ state-record walleye 16 lb 1.76 oz Show Low Lake 2002 (Gregg Munck, 31 in) — premier AZ walleye water
Lake Powell
6 / day no min (statewide limit — AZGFD lists no Powell walleye exception); self-sustaining walleye population on the upper canyon arms
Fool Hollow Lake + Upper/Lower Lake Mary
6 / day no min; March – May post-ice pre-spawn densest fishing window
Lake Pleasant
6 / day no min; 10,000-acre Agua Fria reservoir NW of Phoenix — summer night-fishing walleye pattern
Lyman Lake
6 / day no min; White Mountains multi-species reservoir

Official source

Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) publishes the authoritative 2026 Arizonafishing regulations. Always verify the current rule before fishing — emergency closures and in-season changes can override what's published here.

The walleye rules on this page are sourced from Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD)'s official walleye regulation page.

Visit official Arizona fishing regulations →

Emergency-order channel

Walleye closures, slot-limit changes, and harvest pauses are posted to Arizona Game and Fish Department's emergency-order feed — check it before any Arizona trip during the active season.

Frequently asked questions

When is walleye season in Arizona?: Arizona keeps walleye open to fishing year-round for the 2026 regulation year — there is no closed season, though the daily bag and size limits below still apply every day.
What is the Arizona bag limit for walleye?: The Arizona daily bag limit for walleye is 6 / day no statewide minimum (raised from the former 2 / day in the 2024 AZGFD simplification); applies on all waters including Lake Powell (AZGFD lists no walleye water exceptions). The possession limit is 12 in possession (2× daily). Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.
What size walleye can you keep in Arizona?: The Arizona size rule for walleye is No statewide minimum. Trophy rule: AZ state-record walleye 16 lb 1.76 oz Show Low Lake 2002 (Gregg Munck, 31 in — among the larger desert-reservoir walleye records in the Southwest); Show Low Lake + Fool Hollow Lake + Upper/Lower Lake Mary White Mountains lakes carry the premier AZ walleye fishery; Lake Pleasant + Lake Powell carry larger-reservoir walleye on a summer night-fishing pattern; AZGFD raised the statewide limit 2 → 6 / day in the 2024 simplification reflecting walleye's non-native status.
Do you need a license to fish for walleye in Arizona?: Yes. Arizona requires a valid fishing license to fish for walleye, with the usual exemptions for young children, state free-fishing days, and some senior or disabled-veteran categories. A license is valid only in the state that issued it, so non-residents need a Arizona license — compare resident and non-resident Arizona fees on the state regulations page below.
Are there gear restrictions for walleye in Arizona?: Yes. In Arizona, walleye fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; trolling + jigging permitted (bottom-bouncer + crawler-harness + jig-and-minnow common walleye presentations); Live bait permitted where legal (nightcrawlers + waterdogs common); check live-baitfish restrictions by water; Snagging prohibited; Arizona Fishing License required ages 10+ ($37 res annual / $55 NR annual); Confirm current-year AZGFD Fishing Regulations for water-specific exceptions.
Do specific Arizona waters have different walleye rules?: Yes. 5 named Arizona waters carry rules that override the statewide walleye regulation, including Show Low Lake, Lake Powell, White Mountain walleye lakes, and 2 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

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