2026 regulation year
Kansas Crappie (white + black combined) 2026 — Season, Bag Limit, Size Rules
Pomoxis annularis / Pomoxis nigromaculatus
Last updated
Kansas crappie fishery centers on the 24 major USACE + Bureau of Reclamation federal reservoirs — Milford Lake (15,709 acres, Kansas's largest reservoir, premier white + black crappie water), Tuttle Creek Lake (12,500 acres, Big Blue River impoundment), Glen Elder / Waconda (12,586 acres, Solomon River), Perry Lake (12,200 acres on the Delaware River, Topeka-area), Cheney Reservoir (9,537 acres, Wichita water supply), Wilson Lake (9,000 acres, clearest water in KS), El Dorado Reservoir (8,000 acres), Clinton Lake (7,000 acres, Lawrence-area), Marion Reservoir (6,200 acres), Pomona Lake (4,000 acres), and the Mined Land Wildlife Area (14,500 acres of reclaimed strip-mine pits in Cherokee + Crawford Counties in southeastern KS — one of the densest crappie pond complexes in the state). The statewide standard rule is 50 fish per angler per day combined white + black crappie — one of the most generous crappie bag limits in the United States (alongside Oklahoma 37/day + Missouri 30/day, KS 50/day is the most generous in the central US tier). Several reservoirs reduce the creel to 20 fish per day — Council Grove + El Dorado + Kanopolis + Marion with no minimum, and Glen Elder + Clinton + Hillsdale + Perry + Lovewell + Melvern with a 10-inch minimum — while Cheney keeps the 50-fish bag but adds a 10-inch minimum; the rest of the state has no minimum. March – May shallow-cover spawning bite is the peak — crappie move into 2-6 ft brush + standing timber + boat-house structure during spawn and become densely catchable. Kansas state-record white crappie 4 lb 1 oz (private pond, 1964); state-record black crappie 4 lb 10 oz (Woodson State Lake, 1957). KDWP stocks crappie selectively on lakes with declining natural reproduction.
Compare crappie (white + black combined) regulations across all states →
Get change alerts
Watch Kansas Crappie (white + black combined) and we'll email you when a season, bag limit, slot, or closure changes. Free while in beta.
Season
Open year-round Open year-round statewide; March – May shallow-cover spawning bite is the peak fishing window.
Bag & possession
- Daily bag
- 50 / day combined white + black crappie statewide; reduced to 20 / day on Council Grove + El Dorado + Kanopolis + Marion + Glen Elder + Clinton + Hillsdale + Perry + Lovewell + Melvern
- Possession
- 150 in possession (3× the daily creel — KDWP standard)
Size, slot, trophy rules
- Size
- No statewide minimum; 10 in min on Cheney + Glen Elder + Clinton + Hillsdale + Perry + Lovewell + Melvern
- Trophy rule
- Milford + Tuttle Creek + Glen Elder + Perry + Cheney + El Dorado routinely produce 2+ lb slab crappie; KS state-record white crappie 4 lb 1 oz private pond 1964; KS state-record black crappie 4 lb 10 oz Woodson State Lake 1957
Gear restrictions
- Hook-and-line; multiple poles permitted
- Live minnow bait + jigs + soft plastics standard tactic
- KS Fishing Licence required ages 16+ ($27.50 res / $52.50 NR annual)
- Confirm current-year KDWP Fishing Regulations Summary for quality-management waters list
Named water-body overrides
Where statewide rules differ on specific Kansas waters:
Cheney Reservoir
10 in min, 50 / day combined
Glen Elder Reservoir / Waconda Lake
10 in min, 20 / day combined
Clinton Lake
10 in min, 20 / day combined; Lawrence-area reservoir
Hillsdale Lake
10 in min, 20 / day combined; suburban Kansas City reservoir
Perry Lake
10 in min, 20 / day combined; Topeka-area reservoir
Lovewell Reservoir
10 in min, 20 / day combined
Melvern Reservoir
10 in min, 20 / day combined; USACE reservoir S of Topeka
Council Grove Lake
20 / day combined (no minimum)
El Dorado Reservoir
20 / day combined (no minimum)
Kanopolis Lake
20 / day combined (no minimum)
Marion Reservoir
20 / day combined (no minimum)
Milford Lake
50 / day combined (no minimum); KS's premier white crappie reservoir
Tuttle Creek Lake
50 / day combined (no minimum); Big Blue River impoundment north of Manhattan
Pomona Lake
50 / day combined (no minimum)
Woodson State Fishing Lake
10 in min, 10 / day combined; SFL E of Toronto — KS state-record black crappie 4 lb 10 oz (1957)
Bone Creek Reservoir
No minimum, 20 / day combined (reduced creel); SE-Kansas reservoir near Girard
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.
Visit official Kansas fishing regulations →
Emergency-order channel
Crappie (white + black combined) 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 crappie (white + black combined) season in Kansas?
- Kansas keeps crappie (white + black combined) 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 crappie (white + black combined)?
- The Kansas daily bag limit for crappie (white + black combined) is 50 / day combined white + black crappie statewide; reduced to 20 / day on Council Grove + El Dorado + Kanopolis + Marion + Glen Elder + Clinton + Hillsdale + Perry + Lovewell + Melvern. The possession limit is 150 in possession (3× the daily creel — KDWP standard). Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.
- What size crappie (white + black combined) can you keep in Kansas?
- The Kansas size rule for crappie (white + black combined) is No statewide minimum; 10 in min on Cheney + Glen Elder + Clinton + Hillsdale + Perry + Lovewell + Melvern. Trophy rule: Milford + Tuttle Creek + Glen Elder + Perry + Cheney + El Dorado routinely produce 2+ lb slab crappie; KS state-record white crappie 4 lb 1 oz private pond 1964; KS state-record black crappie 4 lb 10 oz Woodson State Lake 1957.
- Do you need a license to fish for crappie (white + black combined) in Kansas?
- Yes. Kansas requires a valid fishing license to fish for crappie (white + black combined), 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 crappie (white + black combined) in Kansas?
- Yes. In Kansas, crappie (white + black combined) fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; multiple poles permitted; Live minnow bait + jigs + soft plastics standard tactic; KS Fishing Licence required ages 16+ ($27.50 res / $52.50 NR annual); Confirm current-year KDWP Fishing Regulations Summary for quality-management waters list.
- Do specific Kansas waters have different crappie (white + black combined) rules?
- Yes. 16 named Kansas waters carry rules that override the statewide crappie (white + black combined) regulation, including Cheney Reservoir, Waconda Lake, Clinton Lake, and 13 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.