When is flathead catfish season in Kansas?

Kansas keeps flathead 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 flathead catfish?

The Kansas daily bag limit for flathead catfish is 5 / day per angler statewide. The possession limit is 15 in possession (3× the daily creel — KDWP standard). Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.

What size flathead catfish can you keep in Kansas?

The Kansas size rule for flathead catfish is No statewide length limit. Trophy rule: Elk City Reservoir produced the 123 lb all-tackle WORLD-record flathead (Ken Paulie, May 19 1998) — also the KS state record and the IGFA world record; Milford + Tuttle Creek + the Kansas + Neosho rivers are premier trophy-flathead waters.

Do you need a license to fish for flathead catfish in Kansas?

Yes. Kansas requires a valid fishing license to fish for flathead 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 flathead catfish in Kansas?

Yes. In Kansas, flathead 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); Live bait (sunfish, bullheads, large shiners) fished tight to cover is the standard tactic; flathead rarely take prepared / cut baits; 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 flathead catfish rules?

Yes. 4 named Kansas waters carry rules that override the statewide flathead catfish regulation, including Elk City Reservoir, Milford Lake, Kansas River main stem, and 1 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

2026 regulation year

Kansas Flathead catfish 2026 — Season, Bag Limit, Size Rules

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Last updated June 8, 2026

Kansas holds the most famous flathead-catfish credential in the world: the all-tackle WORLD-record flathead catfish — 123 pounds, caught by Ken Paulie from Elk City Reservoir (Montgomery County) on May 19, 1998 — is a Kansas fish, and it is simultaneously the Kansas state record and the IGFA world record. Flathead catfish are a native apex predator found throughout the major reservoirs and the Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, Neosho, and Verdigris river systems, growing to enormous size in the Corps reservoirs and big-river scour holes. The statewide rule is 5 fish per angler per day with no length limit. Unlike blue catfish, flathead are not split by reservoir — it is a flat 5 / day everywhere. Flathead are caught almost exclusively on live bait (live sunfish, bullheads, large shiners) fished tight to woody cover, log jams, and rip-rap; they rarely take prepared or cut baits. Big-river anglers also pursue them with setlines, trotlines, and bank lines under KDWP's separate line-fishing rules. Elk City + Milford + Tuttle Creek + the Kansas + Neosho rivers are the premier trophy-flathead waters; the June–September warm-water period is the peak trophy bite.

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Season

Open year-round Open year-round statewide; June – September trophy bite on the big reservoirs + Kansas / Neosho / Missouri rivers is the peak. No closed season.

Bag & possession

Daily bag: 5 / day per angler statewide
Possession: 15 in possession (3× the daily creel — KDWP standard)

Size, slot, trophy rules

Size: No statewide length limit
Trophy rule: Elk City Reservoir produced the 123 lb all-tackle WORLD-record flathead (Ken Paulie, May 19 1998) — also the KS state record and the IGFA world record; Milford + Tuttle Creek + the Kansas + Neosho rivers are premier trophy-flathead waters

Gear restrictions

Hook-and-line; setlines, trotlines, floatlines, and banklines permitted under KDWP-specific rules (separate tagging requirements — check current regs)
Live bait (sunfish, bullheads, large shiners) fished tight to cover is the standard tactic; flathead rarely take prepared / cut baits
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:

Elk City Reservoir
5 / day, no length limit; produced the 123 lb all-tackle WORLD-record flathead (1998)
Milford Lake
5 / day, no length limit; premier reservoir trophy flathead
Kansas River main stem
5 / day, no length limit; big-river trophy flathead near Topeka + Kansas City
Missouri River main stem
5 / 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 flathead catfish rules on this page are sourced from Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks (KDWP)'s official flathead catfish regulation page.

Visit official Kansas fishing regulations →

Emergency-order channel

Flathead 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 flathead catfish season in Kansas?: Kansas keeps flathead 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 flathead catfish?: The Kansas daily bag limit for flathead catfish is 5 / day per angler statewide. The possession limit is 15 in possession (3× the daily creel — KDWP standard). Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.
What size flathead catfish can you keep in Kansas?: The Kansas size rule for flathead catfish is No statewide length limit. Trophy rule: Elk City Reservoir produced the 123 lb all-tackle WORLD-record flathead (Ken Paulie, May 19 1998) — also the KS state record and the IGFA world record; Milford + Tuttle Creek + the Kansas + Neosho rivers are premier trophy-flathead waters.
Do you need a license to fish for flathead catfish in Kansas?: Yes. Kansas requires a valid fishing license to fish for flathead 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 flathead catfish in Kansas?: Yes. In Kansas, flathead 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); Live bait (sunfish, bullheads, large shiners) fished tight to cover is the standard tactic; flathead rarely take prepared / cut baits; 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 flathead catfish rules?: Yes. 4 named Kansas waters carry rules that override the statewide flathead catfish regulation, including Elk City Reservoir, Milford Lake, Kansas River main stem, and 1 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

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