2026 regulation year
Kansas Fishing Regulations 2026 — License Fees, Seasons, Bag Limits
Last updated
Kansas runs a single-agency regulatory system through the Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks (KDWP) covering all inland freshwater fisheries — Kansas is a fully landlocked Great Plains state (no saltwater authority needed) anchored by 24 major USACE + Bureau of Reclamation federal reservoirs spread across the prairie + flint-hill physiographic regions and the country's most aggressive wiper (hybrid striped bass) stocking program. KDWP requires a Resident or Non-Resident Fishing Licence for anglers age 16+ in any Kansas waters. Milford Lake (15,709 acres on the Republican River in Geary / Clay / Riley Counties — USACE Kansas City District 1967 — Kansas's largest reservoir) is the state's flagship multi-species water — recurring Bassmaster Opens Central + MLF Toyota Series + FLW Tour venue producing trophy largemouth + crappie + white bass + wiper + flathead catfish. Tuttle Creek Lake (12,500 acres on the Big Blue River in Pottawatomie / Riley Counties — USACE Kansas City District 1962) carries the secondary central-KS Corps reservoir tier. Wilson Lake (9,000 acres on the Saline River in Russell / Lincoln Counties — USACE Kansas City District 1964) is the clearest-water reservoir in Kansas + the trophy smallmouth + striper / wiper flagship — Wilson is one of only a handful of inland US reservoirs where smallmouth bass have established self-sustaining naturally-reproducing populations (Wilson Lake watershed has the rocky structure + clear water that smallmouth require, supporting KDWP's premier smallmouth fishery). Cheney Reservoir (9,537 acres on the North Fork Ninnescah River in Reno / Sedgwick / Kingman Counties — Bureau of Reclamation 1965 — Wichita municipal water supply) carries the Wichita-area sport-fishing tier — wiper + white bass + walleye + channel catfish. Glen Elder Reservoir / Waconda Lake (12,586 acres on the Solomon River in Mitchell County — Bureau of Reclamation 1969) is Kansas's premier walleye stronghold producing the state-record walleye 13 lb 1 oz (1996) — walleye stocked by KDWP with self-sustaining natural reproduction on the Solomon River arm. Cedar Bluff Reservoir (6,000 acres on the Smoky Hill River in Trego County — Bureau of Reclamation 1951) is the western Kansas trophy wiper + walleye flagship. Kanopolis Lake (3,300 acres on the Smoky Hill River in Ellsworth County — USACE Kansas City District 1948 — Kansas's oldest large reservoir) carries the central-KS state-park tier. The Pomona Lake (4,000 acres on 110-Mile Creek in Osage County — USACE Kansas City District 1963), Perry Lake (12,200 acres on the Delaware River in Jefferson County — USACE Kansas City District 1969), Clinton Lake (7,000 acres on the Wakarusa River in Douglas County — USACE Kansas City District 1977), and Hillsdale Lake (4,580 acres on Big Bull Creek in Miami County — USACE Kansas City District 1981) carry the eastern Kansas urban-accessible reservoir tier. El Dorado Reservoir (8,000 acres on the Walnut River in Butler County — USACE Tulsa District 1981) carries the south-central KS tier — premier walleye + wiper + largemouth + crappie. The Missouri River main stem forms the entire 100-mile MO/KS + KS/NE boundary from Rulo NE to the Missouri state line near Kansas City; the Kansas River (170-mile main stem from Junction City to Kansas City) is KS's largest entirely-in-state river, the confluence of the Republican + Smoky Hill Rivers at Junction City carries the urban Kansas City paddlefish + flathead + channel catfish + sturgeon tier. The Arkansas River main stem (220-mile KS reach from the CO state line to OK) carries the southwestern KS Wichita + Hutchinson urban river fishery. Kaw Lake (OK side, 17,000 acres on the Arkansas River) sits on the KS/OK boundary — KS anglers fishing the KS portion need a KS Fishing Licence (no Kaw Lake reciprocity — only the OK Kaw Lake watershed below the state line is OK water). Kansas is the WIPER (HYBRID STRIPED BASS — Morone saxatilis × Morone chrysops sterile hybrid produced by KDWP hatcheries) STOCKING FLAGSHIP — KDWP stocks 800,000+ wiper fingerlings annually across Milford + Wilson + Cheney + Cedar Bluff + El Dorado + Marion + Lovewell + Pomona reservoirs, producing the densest stocked-wiper fishery in the country; KS state-record wiper 22 lb 8 oz (Cheney Reservoir, 1995). Statewide standard: largemouth + smallmouth + spotted bass combined 5 / day with a 15 in minimum statewide (raised from the old 12 in), stepping up to an 18 in minimum on the trophy-management reservoirs (Tuttle Creek + Perry + Clinton + Hillsdale + Marion + Melvern + La Cygne + Glen Elder largemouth; Glen Elder smallmouth 21 in) plus 13–18 in or 15–21 in protected slots on Big Hill + the State Fishing Lakes; statewide crappie 50 / day combined (one of the most generous crappie bag limits in the country reflecting KS reservoir abundance), reduced to 20 / day — several with a 10 in minimum — on a band of reservoirs (Council Grove + El Dorado + Kanopolis + Marion + Glen Elder + Clinton + Hillsdale + Perry + Lovewell + Melvern); catfish are regulated PER SPECIES, not as a combined aggregate — channel catfish 10 / day no length limit, flathead catfish 5 / day no length limit, blue catfish 5 / day no length limit statewide, rising to 10 / day with only one fish over 30 inches on the introduced-fishery reservoirs (Clinton + El Dorado + Elk City + Glen Elder + John Redmond + Melvern + Tuttle Creek), a 35 in minimum + 5 / day on Cheney + Kanopolis + Lovewell + Perry, a 28–40-inch protected slot (10 / day) on Milford Lake, and a 32–40-inch protected slot (2 / day) on Wilson Lake; statewide white bass no daily limit; wiper + striped bass 5 / day no minimum statewide, tightened water-by-water to 2 / day on most major reservoirs and a 21 in minimum only on Cheney + El Dorado (18 in on Pomona + Council Grove + Clinton + La Cygne); statewide walleye 15 in min + 5 / day (no minimum in rivers, streams + tailwaters), rising to a 21 in minimum on Milford + Cheney + El Dorado + Cedar Bluff and an 18 in minimum on Glen Elder + Kanopolis + Pomona + Perry + Hillsdale + Lovewell + Melvern + Marion (Marion 3 / day, one over 21 in); possession on all species is three times the daily creel. KDWP stocks ~5 million walleye annually + ~800,000 wiper + ~25 million sport fish across all life stages via the Pratt + Meade + Milford Fish Hatcheries. KS does NOT issue a separate Trout Permit on a statewide basis — KDWP runs the seasonal Trout Permit Program ($14.50 res / $14.50 NR — separate from the regular Fishing Licence) for designated stocked trout waters (Mined Land Wildlife Area Lake #11 in Cherokee County + Lake Shawnee + Auburndale Park + Sedgwick County Park) during the November 1 – April 15 winter stocking season, supplemented by the Kansas River below Bowersock Dam at Lawrence which carries year-round naturally-cool tailwater trout under KDWP stocking. Real fees: $27.50 res annual fishing, $42.50 res combination fishing + hunting, $14.50 res Trout Permit, $0 res senior 65+ annual (FREE Lifetime Fishing + Hunting Combination Permit at age 65 — KDWP-distinctive), $0 res under 16; $52.50 NR annual fishing, $27.50 NR 5-day, $14.50 NR 1-day, $14.50 NR Trout Permit. Resident under 16 + age 65+ Lifetime + permanently disabled + blind free.
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License fees
| Licence | Price (USD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Resident annual fishing | $27.50 | |
| Resident annual combination fishing + hunting | $42.50 | |
| Resident Trout Permit | $14.50 | Required for designated KDWP stocked trout waters Nov 1 – Apr 15 (Mined Land WA Lake #11 + Lake Shawnee + Auburndale Park + Sedgwick County Park + Kansas River below Bowersock Dam) |
| Resident senior (65+) Lifetime Fishing + Hunting Combination Permit | Free | FREE Lifetime Fishing + Hunting Combination Permit at age 65 — KDWP-distinctive senior program |
| Resident under 16 | Free | Not required under age 16 |
| Resident permanently disabled | Free | Free with eligibility documentation |
| Resident blind | Free | Free with eligibility documentation |
| Licence | Price (USD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Non-resident annual fishing | $52.50 | |
| Non-resident 5-day fishing | $27.50 | |
| Non-resident 1-day fishing | $14.50 | |
| Non-resident Trout Permit | $14.50 | Required for designated KDWP stocked trout waters (same fee as resident) |
| Non-resident under 16 | Free | Not required under age 16 |
Buy directly from Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks (KDWP). Fees may include processing surcharges at point of sale.
Top species — season, bag, size
| Species | Season | Daily bag | Size / slot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wiper (hybrid striped bass) + striped bassCompare across states → | Open year-round statewide; April – June spawning run on Milford + Wilson + Cheney + El Dorado is the densest fishing window of the year | 5 / day combined wiper + striped bass statewide; reduced to 2 / day on most major reservoirs (water-specific); white bass no daily limit statewide | No statewide minimum on wiper / striped bass / white bass; 21 in min at Cheney + El Dorado, 18 in min at Pomona + Council Grove + Clinton + La Cygne; 2 / day (no minimum) at Wilson + Cedar Bluff + Kanopolis + Glen Elder + Lovewell |
| Largemouth bassCompare across states → | Open year-round statewide; March – May pre-spawn + spawn densest fishing window | 5 / day combined black bass (largemouth + smallmouth + spotted) | 15 in min statewide; 18 in min on listed trophy reservoirs (Tuttle Creek + Perry + Clinton + Hillsdale + Marion + Melvern + La Cygne + Glen Elder); 15–21 in or 13–18 in protected slots on Big Hill + State Fishing Lakes |
| Smallmouth bassCompare across states → | Open year-round statewide; March – May pre-spawn + spawn densest fishing window | 5 / day combined black bass (largemouth + smallmouth + spotted) | 15 in min statewide; 21 in min on Glen Elder Reservoir (the state's most aggressive smallmouth minimum); 18 in min on Big Hill + Clinton + Perry + Melvern + La Cygne |
| Crappie (white + black combined)Compare across states → | Open year-round statewide; March – May shallow-cover spawning bite is the peak | 50 / day combined white + black crappie statewide; reduced to 20 / day on a band of reservoirs (Council Grove + El Dorado + Kanopolis + Marion + Glen Elder + Clinton + Hillsdale + Perry + Lovewell + Melvern) | No statewide minimum; 10 in min on Cheney + Glen Elder + Clinton + Hillsdale + Perry + Lovewell + Melvern |
| WalleyeCompare across states → | Open year-round statewide; April – June spawning run on Glen Elder + Cedar Bluff + Milford + Lovewell + Webster reservoirs | 5 / day per angler statewide; reduced to 2 / day on Milford + Cheney + El Dorado | 15 in min statewide (no minimum in rivers, streams + tailwaters); 21 in min on Milford + Cheney + El Dorado + Cedar Bluff; 18 in min on Glen Elder + Kanopolis + Pomona + Perry + Hillsdale + Lovewell + Melvern + Marion |
| Channel catfishCompare across states → | Open year-round statewide; April – August warm-water bite is the peak | 10 / day per angler statewide | No statewide length limit |
| Flathead catfishCompare across states → | Open year-round statewide; June – September trophy bite on the big reservoirs + Kansas / Missouri rivers is the peak | 5 / day per angler statewide | No statewide length limit (Elk City Reservoir holds the 123 lb all-tackle WORLD record) |
| Blue catfishCompare across states → | Open year-round statewide; introduced trophy fishery on the major KDWP reservoirs + the Missouri River | 5 / day statewide; 10 / day (one over 30 in) on Clinton + El Dorado + Elk City + Glen Elder + John Redmond + Melvern + Tuttle Creek; 35 in min + 5 / day on Cheney + Kanopolis + Lovewell + Perry; Milford 28–40 in slot (10 / day); Wilson 32–40 in slot (2 / day) | No statewide length limit; 35 in min on Cheney + Kanopolis + Lovewell + Perry; one fish over 30 in on the 10-fish reservoirs; protected slots on Milford (28–40 in) + Wilson (32–40 in) |
Notable water-body special regulations
Largemouth + smallmouth + spotted bass 15 in min + 5 / day combined; crappie 50 / day combined (no minimum); walleye 21 in min + 2 / day; wiper 5 / day (no minimum); white bass no daily limit; channel catfish 10 / day (no length limit), flathead 5 / day, blue catfish 28–40 in protected slot + 10 / day (only one fish 40 in or longer) — KDWP-introduced trophy blue-catfish fishery (Milford trophy blue 82 lb); recurring BASS Opens Central + MLF Toyota Series + FLW Tour venue
Largemouth bass 18 in min + 5 / day combined black bass; saugeye 15 in min + 5 / day; crappie 50 / day combined (no minimum); white bass no daily limit; channel catfish 10 / day, flathead 5 / day, blue catfish 10 / day (only one over 30 in — KDWP-introduced fishery); major Big Blue River impoundment north of Manhattan
Smallmouth bass 15 in min + 5 / day combined (one of the few inland US reservoirs with self-sustaining naturally-reproducing smallmouth populations — KS state-record smallmouth 6 lb 14 oz); largemouth + spotted bass 15 in min + 5 / day combined; walleye 15 in min + 5 / day; striped bass 2 / day (no minimum); blue catfish 32–40 in protected slot + 2 / day (plus one fish 40 in or longer); crappie 50 / day combined; channel catfish 10 / day, flathead 5 / day; KS's premier smallmouth fishery + clearest-water reservoir
Largemouth + smallmouth + spotted bass 15 in min + 5 / day combined; wiper + striped bass 21 in min + 2 / day (KS state-record wiper 22 lb 8 oz Cheney 1995); walleye 21 in min + 2 / day; crappie 10 in min + 50 / day combined; blue catfish 35 in min + 5 / day; white bass no daily limit; channel catfish 10 / day, flathead 5 / day; Wichita-area sport-fishing flagship
Glen Elder Reservoir / Waconda Lake
Walleye 18 in min + 5 / day; KS state-record walleye 13 lb 1 oz Glen Elder 1996; KDWP-stocked walleye + self-sustaining natural reproduction on the Solomon River arm; largemouth bass 18 in min + 5 / day combined, smallmouth bass 21 in min (the state's most aggressive smallmouth minimum), spotted bass 15 in min; crappie 10 in min + 20 / day combined; wiper + striped bass 2 / day (no minimum); blue catfish 10 / day (only one over 30 in — KDWP-introduced fishery); white bass no daily limit; channel catfish 10 / day, flathead 5 / day
Walleye 21 in min + 5 / day (up to 2 walleye 15–18 in may be kept in the 5-fish limit); wiper 2 / day (no minimum — western KS trophy wiper flagship); largemouth + smallmouth + spotted bass 15 in min + 5 / day combined; crappie 50 / day combined; blue catfish 5 / day; channel catfish 10 / day, flathead 5 / day
Largemouth bass 15 in min + 5 / day combined; walleye + saugeye 18 in min + 5 / day; crappie 20 / day combined; wiper 2 / day (no minimum); blue catfish 35 in min + 5 / day; white bass no daily limit; channel catfish 10 / day, flathead 5 / day; Kanopolis State Park
Largemouth bass 15 in min + 5 / day combined; walleye + saugeye 18 in min + 5 / day; wiper 18 in min + 2 / day; crappie 50 / day combined; blue catfish 5 / day; white bass no daily limit; channel catfish 10 / day, flathead 5 / day; eastern KS state-park tier
Largemouth + smallmouth bass 18 in min + 5 / day combined; walleye + saugeye + sauger 18 in min + 5 / day; crappie 10 in min + 20 / day combined; blue catfish 35 in min + 5 / day; white bass no daily limit; channel catfish 10 / day, flathead 5 / day; Topeka-area urban-accessible reservoir
Largemouth + smallmouth bass 18 in min + 5 / day combined; walleye + saugeye + sauger 15 in min + 5 / day; wiper 18 in min + 2 / day; crappie 10 in min + 20 / day combined; blue catfish 10 / day (only one over 30 in — KDWP-introduced fishery); channel catfish 10 / day, flathead 5 / day; Lawrence-area urban-accessible reservoir
Largemouth bass 18 in min + 5 / day combined; walleye 18 in min + 5 / day; crappie 10 in min + 20 / day combined; blue catfish 5 / day (statewide rule — not an introduced-fishery reservoir); channel catfish 10 / day, flathead 5 / day; suburban Kansas City reservoir
Largemouth + smallmouth + spotted bass 15 in min + 5 / day combined; wiper 21 in min + 2 / day; walleye 21 in min + 2 / day; crappie 20 / day combined; blue catfish 10 / day (only one over 30 in — KDWP-introduced fishery); rainbow trout 5 / day; white bass no daily limit; channel catfish 10 / day, flathead 5 / day; south-central KS sport-fishing flagship
Largemouth + spotted bass 15 in min + 5 / day combined; walleye + saugeye 15 in min + 5 / day; wiper 18 in min + 2 / day; crappie 20 / day combined; channel catfish 10 / day, flathead 5 / day
Largemouth bass 18 in min + 5 / day combined; walleye 18 in min + 3 / day (only one fish 21 in or longer); wiper 5 / day (no minimum); crappie 20 / day combined; white bass no daily limit; channel catfish 10 / day, flathead 5 / day
Largemouth bass 15 in min + 5 / day combined; walleye 18 in min + 5 / day; wiper 2 / day (no minimum); crappie 10 in min + 20 / day combined; blue catfish 35 in min + 5 / day; channel catfish 10 / day, flathead 5 / day; north-central KS reservoir near the NE border
Largemouth + smallmouth bass 15 in min + 5 / day combined; walleye 15 in min + 5 / day; wiper 5 / day (no minimum); rainbow trout 5 / day; crappie 50 / day combined; channel catfish 10 / day, flathead 5 / day
Largemouth bass 15 in min + 5 / day; walleye + saugeye 15 in min + 5 / day; wiper 2 / day; blue catfish 10 / day (only one over 30 in — KDWP-introduced fishery); channel catfish 10 / day, flathead 5 / day; crappie 50 / day; 9,400-acre USACE Neosho River reservoir N of Burlington — Kansas's siltiest large reservoir, premier crappie + flathead + blue-catfish water
Largemouth + smallmouth + spotted bass 18 in min + 5 / day; walleye + sauger + saugeye 18 in min + 5 / day; crappie 10 in min + 20 / day; blue catfish 10 / day (only one over 30 in — KDWP-introduced fishery); channel catfish 10 / day, flathead 5 / day; 7,000-acre USACE Marais des Cygnes River reservoir S of Topeka
Largemouth + smallmouth bass 18 in min + 5 / day; wiper + striped bass 18 in min + 2 / day; blue catfish 5 / day, channel catfish 10 / day, flathead 5 / day; crappie 50 / day; 2,600-acre Evergy power-plant cooling lake E of La Cygne — year-round warm water grows trophy largemouth + blue catfish (eastern KS)
Largemouth bass 15–21 in protected slot + 5 / day (must release bass 15–21 in); smallmouth bass 18 in min + 5 / day; spotted bass 15 in min + 5 / day; walleye 18 in min + 5 / day; crappie 50 / day; channel catfish 10 / day, flathead 5 / day; 1,240-acre USACE reservoir 4 mi E of Cherryvale — SE Kansas smallmouth + slot-largemouth fishery
Keith Sebelius Reservoir (Norton)
Walleye + saugeye 18 in min + 5 / day; largemouth + spotted bass 15 in min + 5 / day; wiper 5 / day; crappie 50 / day; channel catfish 10 / day, flathead 5 / day; 2,300-acre Bureau of Reclamation Prairie Dog Creek reservoir (Norton Lake) SW of Norton — NW Kansas walleye + wiper water
Largemouth bass 18 in min + 5 / day; walleye 18 in min + 2 / day; saugeye 18 in min + 5 / day; channel catfish 15 in min + 5 / day; crappie 20 / day; 540-acre SE-Kansas reservoir NE of Girard (Crawford County)
Walleye + saugeye 18 in min + 5 / day; largemouth bass 15 in min + 5 / day; rainbow trout 5 / day (KDWP winter-stocked); crappie 50 / day; channel catfish 5 / day; 115-acre spring-fed lake in Lake Scott State Park N of Scott City — scenic NW-Kansas destination
Largemouth bass 18 in min + 2 / day; walleye + saugeye 18 in min + 2 / day; wiper 18 in min + 2 / day; spotted bass 15 in min + 5 / day; channel catfish 15 in min + 5 / day; flathead 5 / day; crappie 50 / day; 150-acre lake in Crawford State Park N of Girard
Middle Creek State Fishing Lake
Largemouth bass 18 in min + 2 / day; saugeye + wiper 18 in min + 2 / day; channel catfish 15 in min + 5 / day; flathead 5 / day; crappie 50 / day; 280-acre SFL S of Louisburg (Miami County)
Largemouth bass 13–18 in protected slot + 5 / day (must release bass 13–18 in); walleye + saugeye 18 in min + 5 / day; northern pike 30 in min + 2 / day; wiper 2 / day; channel catfish 15 in min + 5 / day; crappie 50 / day; 135-acre SFL N of Emporia (Reading)
Largemouth bass 13–18 in protected slot + 5 / day (must release bass 13–18 in); smallmouth bass 18 in min + 2 / day; walleye 15 in min + 2 / day; wiper 18 in min + 2 / day; crappie 10 in min + 10 / day; channel catfish 15 in min + 2 / day; flathead 5 / day; 180-acre SFL E of Toronto — KS state-record black crappie 4 lb 10 oz (Woodson State Lake, 1957)
Leavenworth State Fishing Lake
Smallmouth bass 18 in min + 2 / day; wiper 18 in min + 5 / day; largemouth bass 15 in min + 5 / day; walleye 15 in min + 5 / day; channel catfish 15 in min + 2 / day; flathead 5 / day; crappie 50 / day; 160-acre SFL W of Tonganoxie (Kansas City metro)
Largemouth bass 13–18 in protected slot + 5 / day (must release bass 13–18 in); saugeye 18 in min + 2 / day; channel catfish 15 in min + 5 / day; flathead 5 / day; crappie 50 / day; 180-acre SFL NE of Baldwin City (Lawrence area)
Largemouth bass 13–18 in protected slot + 5 / day (must release bass 13–18 in); bluegill + redear + green sunfish 6–9 in slot (5 / day over 9 in); channel catfish 15 in min + 5 / day; flathead 5 / day; crappie 50 / day; 101-acre SFL SE of Osawatomie (Miami County)
Largemouth bass 13–18 in protected slot + 5 / day (must release bass 13–18 in); channel catfish 15 in min + 5 / day; crappie 50 / day; 105-acre SFL S of Independence (Montgomery County)
Largemouth bass 13–18 in protected slot + 5 / day (must release bass 13–18 in); walleye + saugeye 18 in min + 5 / day; smallmouth + spotted bass 15 in min + 5 / day; channel catfish 15 in min + 5 / day; flathead 5 / day; crappie 50 / day; 109-acre SFL W of Cottonwood Falls (Flint Hills)
Reciprocal rules with MO + NE on main stem; smallmouth + spotted + largemouth 15 in min + 5 / day combined; channel catfish 10 / day, flathead 5 / day, blue catfish 5 / day no length limit — premier KS trophy blue + flathead water near Atchison + Leavenworth (KS state-record blue 102.8 lb came off the Missouri main stem, 2012); paddlefish (Free Permit + KDWP snag-fishing season March 15 – May 15)
Largest river entirely within Kansas; channel catfish 10 / day, flathead 5 / day, blue catfish 5 / day no length limit; smallmouth + spotted + largemouth 15 in min + 5 / day combined; below Bowersock Dam at Lawrence is a KDWP designated Trout Area (year-round tailwater trout stocking — TROUT PERMIT REQUIRED $14.50)
Smallmouth + spotted + largemouth 15 in min + 5 / day combined; channel catfish 10 / day, flathead 5 / day, blue catfish 5 / day no length limit; western KS Wichita + Hutchinson urban river fishery
Frequently asked questions
- Do you need a fishing license to fish in Kansas?
- Yes. Kansas requires residents and non-residents alike to hold a valid fishing license, with the usual exemptions for young children, state free-fishing days, and some senior or disabled-veteran categories. Buy directly from Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks (KDWP); resident and non-resident fees are listed in the tables above.
- How much is a fishing license in Kansas?
- Resident fees range from $14.50 (resident trout permit) to $42.50 (resident annual combination fishing + hunting); Non-resident fees range from $14.50 (non-resident 1-day fishing) to $52.50 (non-resident annual fishing). The full breakdown — annual, multi-day, senior, and lifetime options — is in the license-fee tables above, and you can compare Kansas against every other state on the license-fee comparator.
- What fish can you catch in Kansas?
- Kansas anglers most commonly target Wiper (hybrid striped bass) + striped bass, Largemouth bass, Smallmouth bass, Crappie (white + black combined), Walleye, Channel catfish, and others. Each species sets its own season, daily bag, and size or slot limit — compare them in the species table above, or open a species page for the full 2026 rule.
- When does fishing season open in Kansas?
- It depends on the species — Kansas sets a separate season for each. Warmwater fish like bass, catfish, and panfish are open year-round in most of the state, while trout, walleye, salmon, and other cold-water or migratory species have dated seasons. The season column in the table above shows each one, and Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks (KDWP) can shift dates by emergency order.
- Are there special fishing rules on specific Kansas waters?
- Yes. 35 named Kansas waters carry regulations that differ from the statewide rule, including Milford Lake, Tuttle Creek Lake, Wilson Lake, and 32 more. See the notable water-body special regulations above for the exact rule on each.
Official source
Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks (KDWP) is the authoritative source for Kansas fishing regulations. Always verify rules before fishing — emergency closures and in-season changes can override published booklets.
Visit official Kansas fishing regulations →
Emergency-order channel
In-season closures, slot-limit changes, and run-count-driven harvest pauses are posted to Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks's emergency-order feed — check it before any Kansas trip during the active season.