2026 regulation year
Missouri Channel catfish 2026 — Season, Bag Limit, Size Rules
Ictalurus punctatus
Last updated
Channel catfish are Missouri's most widely distributed catfish — abundant in every farm pond, reservoir, and river statewide, and the species MDC stocks into urban Community Assistance Program lakes for city anglers. The Wildlife Code sets a 10-fish daily limit on channel catfish with no statewide length limit, so on most waters anglers keep what they catch. Two structures narrow it: on the big destination reservoirs (Lake of the Ozarks, Truman, Table Rock, Bull Shoals, Norfork) the daily limit is 10 catfish combined across channel, blue, and flathead; on the Mississippi River boundary water it is 20 channel and blue catfish in the aggregate. Channel catfish fishing is open year-round.
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Season
Open year-round Open year-round statewide. 10 / day with no length limit on most waters; 10 combined catfish on listed reservoirs; 20 in aggregate with blue catfish on the Mississippi River.
Bag & possession
- Daily bag
- 10 / day statewide. Mississippi River: 20 channel + blue catfish in aggregate. Lake of the Ozarks / Truman / Table Rock / Bull Shoals / Norfork: 10 catfish combined (channel + blue + flathead).
- Possession
- 20 in possession (twice the daily limit)
Size, slot, trophy rules
- Size
- No statewide length limit
Gear restrictions
- Hook-and-line; trotlines, throwlines, limb lines, bank lines, and jug lines permitted with proper labeling (check the Wildlife Code for hook + line counts)
- Mississippi River: 20 channel + blue catfish in aggregate (daily + possession)
- Missouri Fishing Permit required ages 16–64 (resident annual $13 / non-resident annual $51)
Named water-body overrides
Where statewide rules differ on specific Missouri waters:
Mississippi River
20 channel + blue catfish in aggregate (daily + possession); boundary water, MO permit covers the MO bank
Missouri River
Statewide 10 / day channel catfish; trophy channel + blue + flathead river; pallid sturgeon protected (release)
Lake of the Ozarks
10 catfish combined per day (channel + blue + flathead); 54,000-acre Osage River impoundment
Truman Lake
10 catfish combined per day (channel + blue + flathead); strong catfish + crappie reservoir
Table Rock Lake + Bull Shoals Lake
10 catfish combined per day (channel + blue + flathead)
Official source
Missouri Department of Conservation publishes the authoritative 2026 Missourifishing 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 Missouri Department of Conservation's official channel catfish regulation page.
Visit official Missouri fishing regulations →
Emergency-order channel
Channel catfish closures, slot-limit changes, and harvest pauses are posted to Missouri Department of Conservation's emergency-order feed — check it before any Missouri trip during the active season.
Frequently asked questions
- When is channel catfish season in Missouri?
- Missouri 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 Missouri bag limit for channel catfish?
- The Missouri daily bag limit for channel catfish is 10 / day statewide. Mississippi River: 20 channel + blue catfish in aggregate. Lake of the Ozarks / Truman / Table Rock / Bull Shoals / Norfork: 10 catfish combined (channel + blue + flathead).. The possession limit is 20 in possession (twice the daily limit). Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.
- What size channel catfish can you keep in Missouri?
- The Missouri size rule for channel catfish is No statewide length limit.
- Do you need a license to fish for channel catfish in Missouri?
- Yes. Missouri 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 Missouri license — compare resident and non-resident Missouri fees on the state regulations page below.
- Are there gear restrictions for channel catfish in Missouri?
- Yes. In Missouri, channel catfish fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; trotlines, throwlines, limb lines, bank lines, and jug lines permitted with proper labeling (check the Wildlife Code for hook + line counts); Mississippi River: 20 channel + blue catfish in aggregate (daily + possession); Missouri Fishing Permit required ages 16–64 (resident annual $13 / non-resident annual $51).
- Do specific Missouri waters have different channel catfish rules?
- Yes. 5 named Missouri waters carry rules that override the statewide channel catfish regulation, including Mississippi River, Missouri River, Lake of the Ozarks, and 2 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.