2026 regulation year
Kansas Channel catfish 2026 — Season, Bag Limit, Size Rules
Ictalurus punctatus
Last updated
Channel catfish are the most widely distributed and most-fished sport fish in Kansas — present in all 24 major federal reservoirs, hundreds of community lakes, state fishing lakes, the Mined Land Wildlife Area strip-mine pits, the Kansas / Missouri / Arkansas / Republican / Smoky Hill rivers, and thousands of farm ponds. KDWP stocks catchable channel catfish into community and urban lakes statewide and treats the species as the backbone of its family-and-youth angling program. The statewide rule is straightforward: 10 fish per angler per day with no length limit (the most liberal catfish bag in Kansas). The big Corps and Bureau of Reclamation reservoirs — Milford, Tuttle Creek, Glen Elder, Cheney, Wilson, El Dorado — plus the Mined Land WA pits produce the volume channel-cat fishing, while the Kansas and Missouri rivers near Kansas City + Topeka give up the biggest river channels. KS state-record channel catfish 36 lb 8 oz (Mined Land Wildlife Area, Cherokee County, 2003). Channel catfish take cut bait, prepared 'stink' baits, nightcrawlers, and shad, and are caught around the clock through the warm-water months — the April–August bite is the peak.
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Season
Open year-round Open year-round statewide; April – August warm-water bite is the peak. No closed season.
Bag & possession
- Daily bag
- 10 / day per angler statewide (the most liberal catfish bag in Kansas)
- Possession
- 30 in possession (3× the daily creel — KDWP standard)
Size, slot, trophy rules
- Size
- No statewide length limit
- Trophy rule
- No statewide length limit; the Mined Land Wildlife Area strip-mine pits + the big federal reservoirs (Milford, Tuttle Creek, Glen Elder) produce trophy channels; KS state-record channel catfish 36 lb 8 oz Mined Land WA 2003
Gear restrictions
- Hook-and-line; setlines, trotlines, floatlines, and banklines permitted under KDWP-specific rules (separate tagging requirements — check current regs)
- Cut bait, prepared 'stink' baits, nightcrawlers + shad standard; channel catfish stocked catchable-size in community + urban lakes
- KS Fishing Licence required ages 16+ ($27.50 res / $52.50 NR annual)
- Confirm current-year KDWP Fishing Regulations Summary for any water-specific exceptions
Named water-body overrides
Where statewide rules differ on specific Kansas waters:
Mined Land Wildlife Area
10 / day, no length limit; 14,500 acres of reclaimed strip-mine pits — KS state-record channel catfish 36 lb 8 oz (2003)
Milford Lake
10 / day, no length limit; KS's largest reservoir
Kansas River main stem
10 / day, no length limit; biggest river channels near Topeka + Lawrence + Kansas City
Missouri River main stem
10 / day, no length limit; reciprocal rules with MO + NE
Official source
Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks (KDWP) publishes the authoritative 2026 Kansasfishing regulations. Always verify the current rule before fishing — emergency closures and in-season changes can override what's published here.
The channel catfish rules on this page are sourced from Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks (KDWP)'s official channel catfish regulation page.
Visit official Kansas fishing regulations →
Emergency-order channel
Channel catfish closures, slot-limit changes, and harvest pauses are posted to Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks's emergency-order feed — check it before any Kansas trip during the active season.
Frequently asked questions
- When is channel catfish season in Kansas?
- Kansas keeps channel 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 Kansas bag limit for channel catfish?
- The Kansas daily bag limit for channel catfish is 10 / day per angler statewide (the most liberal catfish bag in Kansas). The possession limit is 30 in possession (3× the daily creel — KDWP standard). Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.
- What size channel catfish can you keep in Kansas?
- The Kansas size rule for channel catfish is No statewide length limit. Trophy rule: No statewide length limit; the Mined Land Wildlife Area strip-mine pits + the big federal reservoirs (Milford, Tuttle Creek, Glen Elder) produce trophy channels; KS state-record channel catfish 36 lb 8 oz Mined Land WA 2003.
- Do you need a license to fish for channel catfish in Kansas?
- Yes. Kansas requires a valid fishing license to fish for channel 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 Kansas license — compare resident and non-resident Kansas fees on the state regulations page below.
- Are there gear restrictions for channel catfish in Kansas?
- Yes. In Kansas, channel catfish fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; setlines, trotlines, floatlines, and banklines permitted under KDWP-specific rules (separate tagging requirements — check current regs); Cut bait, prepared 'stink' baits, nightcrawlers + shad standard; channel catfish stocked catchable-size in community + urban lakes; KS Fishing Licence required ages 16+ ($27.50 res / $52.50 NR annual); Confirm current-year KDWP Fishing Regulations Summary for any water-specific exceptions.
- Do specific Kansas waters have different channel catfish rules?
- Yes. 4 named Kansas waters carry rules that override the statewide channel catfish regulation, including Mined Land Wildlife Area, Milford Lake, Kansas River main stem, and 1 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.