When is blue catfish season in Indiana?

Indiana keeps blue catfish 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 Indiana bag limit for blue catfish?

The Indiana daily bag limit for blue catfish is No daily limit in rivers + streams (incl. the Ohio River); 10 / day combined catfish in lakes. Only 1 blue catfish 35 in or longer may be kept per day.. The possession limit is Twice the daily limit in lakes; no possession limit on under-size river fish. Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.

What size blue catfish can you keep in Indiana?

The Indiana size rule for blue catfish is 13 in min in rivers + streams (incl. the Ohio River); no minimum in lakes. No more than 1 blue catfish 35 in or longer per day.. Trophy rule: IN state-record blue catfish 104 lb — Ohio River below Cannelton Dam, August 28 1999, Bruce Midkiff. Indiana protects trophy blues with a 1-fish-over-35-inch daily cap (matching Kentucky's Ohio River rule under joint Ohio River Fisheries Management Team coordination); the Cannelton + Newburgh + McAlpine tailwaters are the premier trophy-blue waters..

Do you need a license to fish for blue catfish in Indiana?

Yes. Indiana requires a valid fishing license to fish for blue catfish, 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 Indiana license — compare resident and non-resident Indiana fees on the state regulations page below.

Are there gear restrictions for blue catfish in Indiana?

Yes. In Indiana, blue catfish fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; trotlines, limblines, and juglines permitted for catfish under IDNR labeling rules; Rivers + streams: no daily limit, 13 in min; lakes: 10 / day combined catfish, no min; Only 1 blue catfish 35 in or longer per day (trophy cap, all waters); Indiana Fishing Licence required ages 18+ ($23 res / $60 NR annual); Ohio River: a valid Indiana OR Kentucky licence is honored on the main stem (reciprocity compact).

Do specific Indiana waters have different blue catfish rules?

Yes. 5 named Indiana waters carry rules that override the statewide blue catfish regulation, including Ohio River, Wabash River, Lake Monroe, and 2 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

2026 regulation year

Indiana Blue catfish 2026 — Season, Bag Limit, Size Rules

Ictalurus furcatus

Last updated May 30, 2026

Indiana's blue catfish are a big-river trophy fishery concentrated on the Ohio River boundary with Kentucky (660 river miles, jointly managed under the Ohio River Reciprocity Compact) and the lower Wabash River boundary with Illinois — the Cannelton, Newburgh, and McAlpine dam tailwaters on the Ohio grow the state's largest blues. The IN state-record blue catfish weighed 104 lb, caught from the Ohio River below Cannelton Dam on August 28, 1999 by Bruce Midkiff. Under Indiana's catfish rules, rivers and streams (including the Ohio River) carry no daily limit on catfish but a 13-inch minimum size, and only one blue catfish 35 inches or longer may be kept per day. In lakes the limit is 10 catfish per day combined (channel + blue + flathead) with no minimum size, but the same one-over-35-inch trophy cap on blue catfish applies. The 35-inch trophy cap matches Kentucky's Ohio River rule under the joint Ohio River Fisheries Management Team coordination.

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Season

Open year-round Open year-round statewide. Rivers + streams (incl. the Ohio River): no daily limit, 13-inch minimum size. Lakes: 10 catfish per day combined (channel + blue + flathead), no minimum size. Either way, only 1 blue catfish 35 in or longer may be kept per day.

Bag & possession

Daily bag: No daily limit in rivers + streams (incl. the Ohio River); 10 / day combined catfish in lakes. Only 1 blue catfish 35 in or longer may be kept per day.
Possession: Twice the daily limit in lakes; no possession limit on under-size river fish

Size, slot, trophy rules

Size: 13 in min in rivers + streams (incl. the Ohio River); no minimum in lakes. No more than 1 blue catfish 35 in or longer per day.
Trophy rule: IN state-record blue catfish 104 lb — Ohio River below Cannelton Dam, August 28 1999, Bruce Midkiff. Indiana protects trophy blues with a 1-fish-over-35-inch daily cap (matching Kentucky's Ohio River rule under joint Ohio River Fisheries Management Team coordination); the Cannelton + Newburgh + McAlpine tailwaters are the premier trophy-blue waters.

Gear restrictions

Hook-and-line; trotlines, limblines, and juglines permitted for catfish under IDNR labeling rules
Rivers + streams: no daily limit, 13 in min; lakes: 10 / day combined catfish, no min
Only 1 blue catfish 35 in or longer per day (trophy cap, all waters)
Indiana Fishing Licence required ages 18+ ($23 res / $60 NR annual)
Ohio River: a valid Indiana OR Kentucky licence is honored on the main stem (reciprocity compact)

Named water-body overrides

Where statewide rules differ on specific Indiana waters:

Ohio River main stem
13 in min, no daily limit, 1 blue ≥ 35 in/day; IN state-record blue 104 lb (Cannelton Dam tailwaters, 1999); IN/KY reciprocity
Wabash River main stem
13 in min, no daily limit, 1 blue ≥ 35 in/day; IN/IL boundary water reciprocal
Lake Monroe
10 / day combined catfish, no min, 1 blue ≥ 35 in/day; largest reservoir wholly in IN
Patoka Lake (Dubois / Crawford / Orange Counties)
10 / day combined catfish, no min, 1 blue ≥ 35 in/day
Brookville Lake
10 / day combined catfish, no min, 1 blue ≥ 35 in/day

Official source

Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) — Division of Fish & Wildlife publishes the authoritative 2026 Indianafishing regulations. Always verify the current rule before fishing — emergency closures and in-season changes can override what's published here.

The blue catfish rules on this page are sourced from Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) — Division of Fish & Wildlife's official blue catfish regulation page.

Visit official Indiana fishing regulations →

Emergency-order channel

Blue catfish closures, slot-limit changes, and harvest pauses are posted to Indiana Department of Natural Resources's emergency-order feed — check it before any Indiana trip during the active season.

Frequently asked questions

When is blue catfish season in Indiana?: Indiana keeps blue catfish 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 Indiana bag limit for blue catfish?: The Indiana daily bag limit for blue catfish is No daily limit in rivers + streams (incl. the Ohio River); 10 / day combined catfish in lakes. Only 1 blue catfish 35 in or longer may be kept per day.. The possession limit is Twice the daily limit in lakes; no possession limit on under-size river fish. Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.
What size blue catfish can you keep in Indiana?: The Indiana size rule for blue catfish is 13 in min in rivers + streams (incl. the Ohio River); no minimum in lakes. No more than 1 blue catfish 35 in or longer per day.. Trophy rule: IN state-record blue catfish 104 lb — Ohio River below Cannelton Dam, August 28 1999, Bruce Midkiff. Indiana protects trophy blues with a 1-fish-over-35-inch daily cap (matching Kentucky's Ohio River rule under joint Ohio River Fisheries Management Team coordination); the Cannelton + Newburgh + McAlpine tailwaters are the premier trophy-blue waters..
Do you need a license to fish for blue catfish in Indiana?: Yes. Indiana requires a valid fishing license to fish for blue catfish, 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 Indiana license — compare resident and non-resident Indiana fees on the state regulations page below.
Are there gear restrictions for blue catfish in Indiana?: Yes. In Indiana, blue catfish fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; trotlines, limblines, and juglines permitted for catfish under IDNR labeling rules; Rivers + streams: no daily limit, 13 in min; lakes: 10 / day combined catfish, no min; Only 1 blue catfish 35 in or longer per day (trophy cap, all waters); Indiana Fishing Licence required ages 18+ ($23 res / $60 NR annual); Ohio River: a valid Indiana OR Kentucky licence is honored on the main stem (reciprocity compact).
Do specific Indiana waters have different blue catfish rules?: Yes. 5 named Indiana waters carry rules that override the statewide blue catfish regulation, including Ohio River, Wabash River, Lake Monroe, and 2 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

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