When is walleye season in District of Columbia?

District of Columbia 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 District of Columbia bag limit for walleye?

The District of Columbia daily bag limit for walleye is 1 / day (DC DOEE, DCMR Title 19). The possession limit is 1 in possession. Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.

What size walleye can you keep in District of Columbia?

The District of Columbia size rule for walleye is 14 in minimum (DC DOEE). Trophy rule: DC recreational walleye record is currently vacant (DOEE Recreational Angling Records program launched 2022); fall-line walleye are caught most springs below Little Falls + at Fletcher's Cove, with the larger fish holding upstream in the Maryland + West Virginia non-tidal Potomac.

Do you need a license to fish for walleye in District of Columbia?

Yes. District of Columbia 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 District of Columbia license — compare resident and non-resident District of Columbia fees on the state regulations page below.

Are there gear restrictions for walleye in District of Columbia?

Yes. In District of Columbia, walleye fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; jigs, blade baits, minnow-tipped grubs worked in the fall-line current seams; DC Fishing Licence required ages 16-64; DC DOEE 14 in / 1 per day; walleye is not a PRFC tidal-mainstem managed species — the DC rule governs DC water; NPS regulations also apply at Fletcher's Cove + the C&O Canal access.

Do specific District of Columbia waters have different walleye rules?

Yes. 2 named District of Columbia waters carry rules that override the statewide walleye regulation, including Potomac River — upstream of Chain Bridge, Tidal Potomac River — DC waters. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

2026 regulation year

District of Columbia Walleye 2026 — Season, Bag Limit, Size Rules

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Last updated June 3, 2026

Walleye is the District's marquee spring fall-line target — a low-density but genuine fishery concentrated where the non-tidal Potomac meets the head of tide at Chain Bridge + Little Falls + the legendary Fletcher's Cove (Fletcher's Boathouse, the NPS-concession shoreline just upstream of Georgetown). Each March + April, walleye stage below Little Falls Dam alongside the hickory shad + striped bass + white perch spring runs, drawing a dedicated current-fishing crowd casting jigs + blade baits + minnow-tipped grubs into the seams. DC DOEE sets a deliberately conservative limit under DCMR Title 19 — a 14-inch minimum length + just 1 fish per day — reflecting the modest size of the District's fall-line walleye resource (the larger population lives upstream in the Maryland + West Virginia non-tidal Potomac). Walleye is not a Potomac River Fisheries Commission tidal-mainstem managed species, so the DC DOEE rule is the operative one for the District's water. The fall-line jurisdiction is intricate — the DC bank below Chain Bridge is District water (DC licence + DOEE rules), while the opposite bank + the river proper carry Maryland non-tidal regulations.

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Season

Open year-round Year-round; the spring run at the Chain Bridge / Little Falls / Fletcher's Cove fall line (Mar – Apr) is the prime window. DC DOEE 14 in min + 1 / day (DCMR Title 19).

Bag & possession

Daily bag: 1 / day (DC DOEE, DCMR Title 19)
Possession: 1 in possession

Size, slot, trophy rules

Size: 14 in minimum (DC DOEE)
Trophy rule: DC recreational walleye record is currently vacant (DOEE Recreational Angling Records program launched 2022); fall-line walleye are caught most springs below Little Falls + at Fletcher's Cove, with the larger fish holding upstream in the Maryland + West Virginia non-tidal Potomac

Gear restrictions

Hook-and-line; jigs, blade baits, minnow-tipped grubs worked in the fall-line current seams
DC Fishing Licence required ages 16-64
DC DOEE 14 in / 1 per day; walleye is not a PRFC tidal-mainstem managed species — the DC rule governs DC water
NPS regulations also apply at Fletcher's Cove + the C&O Canal access

Named water-body overrides

Where statewide rules differ on specific District of Columbia waters:

Potomac River — upstream of Chain Bridge
14 in min, 1 / day (DC DOEE); the DC fall-line spring-run segment — Fletcher's Cove + below Little Falls
Tidal Potomac River — DC waters
14 in min, 1 / day (DC DOEE); spring fish drop into the upper tidal reach near Chain Bridge

Official source

District of Columbia Department of Energy & Environment (DOEE) — Fisheries and Wildlife Division publishes the authoritative 2026 District of Columbiafishing 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 District of Columbia Department of Energy & Environment (DOEE) — Fisheries and Wildlife Division's official walleye regulation page.

Visit official District of Columbia fishing regulations →

Emergency-order channel

Walleye closures, slot-limit changes, and harvest pauses are posted to District of Columbia Department of Energy & Environment's emergency-order feed — check it before any District of Columbia trip during the active season.

Frequently asked questions

When is walleye season in District of Columbia?: District of Columbia 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 District of Columbia bag limit for walleye?: The District of Columbia daily bag limit for walleye is 1 / day (DC DOEE, DCMR Title 19). The possession limit is 1 in possession. Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.
What size walleye can you keep in District of Columbia?: The District of Columbia size rule for walleye is 14 in minimum (DC DOEE). Trophy rule: DC recreational walleye record is currently vacant (DOEE Recreational Angling Records program launched 2022); fall-line walleye are caught most springs below Little Falls + at Fletcher's Cove, with the larger fish holding upstream in the Maryland + West Virginia non-tidal Potomac.
Do you need a license to fish for walleye in District of Columbia?: Yes. District of Columbia 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 District of Columbia license — compare resident and non-resident District of Columbia fees on the state regulations page below.
Are there gear restrictions for walleye in District of Columbia?: Yes. In District of Columbia, walleye fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; jigs, blade baits, minnow-tipped grubs worked in the fall-line current seams; DC Fishing Licence required ages 16-64; DC DOEE 14 in / 1 per day; walleye is not a PRFC tidal-mainstem managed species — the DC rule governs DC water; NPS regulations also apply at Fletcher's Cove + the C&O Canal access.
Do specific District of Columbia waters have different walleye rules?: Yes. 2 named District of Columbia waters carry rules that override the statewide walleye regulation, including Potomac River — upstream of Chain Bridge, Tidal Potomac River — DC waters. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

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