When is walleye season in Kansas?

Kansas keeps walleye 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 walleye?

The Kansas daily bag limit for walleye is 5 / day per angler statewide; 2 / day on Milford + Cheney + El Dorado; 3 / day on Marion (one over 21 in). 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 walleye can you keep in Kansas?

The Kansas size rule for walleye is 15 in min statewide (no minimum in rivers, streams + tailwaters); 21 in min on Milford + Cheney + El Dorado; 21 in min on Cedar Bluff (up to 2 fish 15–18 in); 18 in min on Glen Elder + Kanopolis + Pomona + Perry + Hillsdale + Lovewell + Melvern + Keith Sebelius; 18 in / 3 (one over 21 in) on Marion. Trophy rule: Glen Elder is KS's premier walleye stronghold (state-record walleye 13 lb 1 oz, 1996); Milford + Cheney + El Dorado run a 21 in min + 2 / day, Cedar Bluff a 21 in min + 5 / day; KDWP stocks ~5 million walleye fry + fingerlings annually statewide.

Do you need a license to fish for walleye in Kansas?

Yes. Kansas requires a valid fishing license to fish for walleye, 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 walleye in Kansas?

Yes. In Kansas, walleye fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; trolling permitted (jigging + crank-bait crawling shoreline points most-effective spring tactic); Live minnow + nightcrawler bait permitted; KS Fishing Licence required ages 16+ ($27.50 res / $52.50 NR annual); Confirm current-year KDWP Fishing Regulations Summary for trophy waters list.

Do specific Kansas waters have different walleye rules?

Yes. 23 named Kansas waters carry rules that override the statewide walleye regulation, including Waconda Lake, Cedar Bluff Reservoir, Milford Lake, and 20 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

2026 regulation year

Kansas Walleye 2026 — Season, Bag Limit, Size Rules

Sander vitreus

Last updated June 8, 2026

Kansas walleye fishery centers on the western + north-central KS reservoirs — Glen Elder / Waconda Lake (12,586 acres on the Solomon River in Mitchell County — Bureau of Reclamation 1969, KS's premier walleye stronghold producing the state-record walleye 13 lb 1 oz in 1996), Cedar Bluff Reservoir (6,000 acres on the Smoky Hill River in Trego County — 21 in min, up to 2 walleye 15–18 in kept), Wilson Lake (9,000 acres on the Saline River — 15 in statewide minimum), Lovewell Reservoir (3,000 acres on White Rock Creek in Jewell County, near the NE border), Webster Reservoir (3,700 acres on the South Fork Solomon River in Rooks County), and Milford Lake (15,709 acres on the Republican River — Kansas's largest reservoir). Glen Elder + Cedar Bluff + Wilson have self-sustaining naturally-reproducing walleye populations on tributary spawning runs; the other reservoirs are KDWP-stocked + supplemented. KDWP stocks ~5 million walleye fry + fingerlings annually statewide. The statewide standard rule is a 15-inch minimum + 5 fish per angler per day (with no minimum length in rivers, streams and tailwaters). KDWP tightens it on the big reservoirs: Milford + Cheney + El Dorado carry a 21-inch minimum + 2 fish per day, Cedar Bluff a 21-inch minimum + 5 fish (up to 2 walleye 15–18 inches may be kept), Glen Elder + Kanopolis + Pomona + Perry + Hillsdale + Lovewell + Melvern an 18-inch minimum + 5 fish, and Marion an 18-inch minimum + 3 fish (only one over 21 inches). Open year-round statewide. The April – June spawning run on the Solomon River arm of Glen Elder + the Smoky Hill arm of Cedar Bluff is the densest fishing window of the year — walleye stage on tributary inflow + shallow rocky shoals for spawning, and the spring trolling + jigging fishery produces the densest catches of the year. KS state-record walleye 13 lb 1 oz (Glen Elder Reservoir, 1996).

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Season

Open year-round Open year-round statewide; April – June spawning run on Glen Elder + Cedar Bluff + Wilson + Milford + Lovewell + Webster is the densest fishing window of the year.

Bag & possession

Daily bag: 5 / day per angler statewide; 2 / day on Milford + Cheney + El Dorado; 3 / day on Marion (one over 21 in)
Possession: 15 in possession (3× the daily creel — KDWP standard)

Size, slot, trophy rules

Size: 15 in min statewide (no minimum in rivers, streams + tailwaters); 21 in min on Milford + Cheney + El Dorado; 21 in min on Cedar Bluff (up to 2 fish 15–18 in); 18 in min on Glen Elder + Kanopolis + Pomona + Perry + Hillsdale + Lovewell + Melvern + Keith Sebelius; 18 in / 3 (one over 21 in) on Marion
Trophy rule: Glen Elder is KS's premier walleye stronghold (state-record walleye 13 lb 1 oz, 1996); Milford + Cheney + El Dorado run a 21 in min + 2 / day, Cedar Bluff a 21 in min + 5 / day; KDWP stocks ~5 million walleye fry + fingerlings annually statewide

Gear restrictions

Hook-and-line; trolling permitted (jigging + crank-bait crawling shoreline points most-effective spring tactic)
Live minnow + nightcrawler bait permitted
KS Fishing Licence required ages 16+ ($27.50 res / $52.50 NR annual)
Confirm current-year KDWP Fishing Regulations Summary for trophy waters list

Named water-body overrides

Where statewide rules differ on specific Kansas waters:

Glen Elder Reservoir / Waconda Lake
18 in min, 5 / day; KS state-record walleye 13 lb 1 oz Glen Elder 1996; KS's premier walleye stronghold
Cedar Bluff Reservoir
21 in min, 5 / day (up to 2 walleye 15–18 in may be kept); western KS trophy walleye flagship
Milford Lake
21 in min, 2 / day; major central-KS walleye fishery
Cheney Reservoir
21 in min, 2 / day; Wichita-area sport-fishing flagship
El Dorado Reservoir
21 in min, 2 / day; south-central KS flagship
Kanopolis Lake
18 in min, 5 / day (walleye + saugeye)
Pomona Lake
18 in min, 5 / day (walleye + saugeye)
Perry Lake
18 in min, 5 / day (walleye + saugeye + sauger); Topeka-area reservoir
Hillsdale Lake
18 in min, 5 / day; suburban Kansas City reservoir
Marion Reservoir
18 in min, 3 / day (only one fish 21 in or longer)
Lovewell Reservoir
18 in min, 5 / day; north-central KS reservoir near the NE border
Council Grove Lake
15 in min, 5 / day (walleye + saugeye)
Clinton Lake
15 in min, 5 / day (walleye + saugeye + sauger); Lawrence-area reservoir
Wilson Lake
15 in min, 5 / day (statewide)
Webster Reservoir
15 in min, 5 / day
Keith Sebelius Reservoir (Norton)
18 in min, 5 / day (walleye + saugeye); NW-Kansas BuRec reservoir SW of Norton
Melvern Reservoir
18 in min, 5 / day (walleye + sauger + saugeye); USACE reservoir S of Topeka
Big Hill Reservoir
18 in min, 5 / day; SE-Kansas reservoir near Cherryvale
Bone Creek Reservoir
18 in min, 2 / day; SE-Kansas reservoir near Girard
Scott State Fishing Lake
18 in min, 5 / day (walleye + saugeye); Lake Scott State Park near Scott City
Crawford State Fishing Lake
18 in min, 2 / day (walleye + saugeye); Crawford State Park near Girard
Lyon State Fishing Lake
18 in min, 5 / day (walleye + saugeye); SFL N of Emporia
Chase State Fishing Lake
18 in min, 5 / day (walleye + saugeye); Flint Hills SFL near Cottonwood Falls

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

Walleye 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 walleye season in Kansas?: Kansas keeps walleye 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 walleye?: The Kansas daily bag limit for walleye is 5 / day per angler statewide; 2 / day on Milford + Cheney + El Dorado; 3 / day on Marion (one over 21 in). 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 walleye can you keep in Kansas?: The Kansas size rule for walleye is 15 in min statewide (no minimum in rivers, streams + tailwaters); 21 in min on Milford + Cheney + El Dorado; 21 in min on Cedar Bluff (up to 2 fish 15–18 in); 18 in min on Glen Elder + Kanopolis + Pomona + Perry + Hillsdale + Lovewell + Melvern + Keith Sebelius; 18 in / 3 (one over 21 in) on Marion. Trophy rule: Glen Elder is KS's premier walleye stronghold (state-record walleye 13 lb 1 oz, 1996); Milford + Cheney + El Dorado run a 21 in min + 2 / day, Cedar Bluff a 21 in min + 5 / day; KDWP stocks ~5 million walleye fry + fingerlings annually statewide.
Do you need a license to fish for walleye in Kansas?: Yes. Kansas requires a valid fishing license to fish for walleye, 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 walleye in Kansas?: Yes. In Kansas, walleye fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; trolling permitted (jigging + crank-bait crawling shoreline points most-effective spring tactic); Live minnow + nightcrawler bait permitted; KS Fishing Licence required ages 16+ ($27.50 res / $52.50 NR annual); Confirm current-year KDWP Fishing Regulations Summary for trophy waters list.
Do specific Kansas waters have different walleye rules?: Yes. 23 named Kansas waters carry rules that override the statewide walleye regulation, including Waconda Lake, Cedar Bluff Reservoir, Milford Lake, and 20 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

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