When is channel catfish season in North Dakota?

North Dakota 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 North Dakota bag limit for channel catfish?

The North Dakota daily bag limit for channel catfish is 5 / day east of ND Hwy 1 (5 in possession); 20 / day west of ND Hwy 1 (40 in possession); 5 / day on the Red + Bois de Sioux rivers regardless of the number of state/provincial licenses held. The possession limit is 5 in possession east of ND Hwy 1; 40 in possession west of ND Hwy 1. Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.

What size channel catfish can you keep in North Dakota?

The North Dakota size rule for channel catfish is No statewide minimum length; on all waters east of ND Hwy 1 (incl. the Red + Bois de Sioux rivers) only 1 channel catfish over 24 in may be taken or possessed. Trophy rule: Red River of the North one of North America's premier trophy channel catfish fisheries — channel cats routinely 15-25 lb with 30+ lb fish reported annually; ND state-record channel catfish 42 lb 1 oz Moon Lake (Barnes County) 2009 (Tina Willis).

Do you need a license to fish for channel catfish in North Dakota?

Yes. North Dakota 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 North Dakota license — compare resident and non-resident North Dakota fees on the state regulations page below.

Are there gear restrictions for channel catfish in North Dakota?

Yes. In North Dakota, channel catfish fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; bow / spear harvest of channel catfish permitted in the Missouri River System; Cut bait (sucker / goldeye / frozen shad) + nightcrawlers + stinkbait most-effective Red River tactics; Red + Bois de Sioux river limit is 5 / day regardless of the number of state or provincial licenses an angler holds; ND Fishing Licence + Combined Fishing Stamp required ages 16+ ($16 res + $1 stamp / $45 NR + $25 stamp annual); Confirm current-year ND G&F Fishing Regulations for the ND Hwy 1 east / west boundary.

Do specific North Dakota waters have different channel catfish rules?

Yes. 6 named North Dakota waters carry rules that override the statewide channel catfish regulation, including Red River of the North, Missouri River main stem, Lake Darling, and 3 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

2026 regulation year

North Dakota Channel catfish 2026 — Season, Bag Limit, Size Rules

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Last updated June 8, 2026

North Dakota channel catfish fishery is anchored by the Red River of the North — the 550-mile ND/MN boundary river (from Wahpeton / Breckenridge downstream to the Manitoba border at Pembina) is widely regarded as one of the premier trophy channel catfish fisheries in North America. The Red is the only major US river that flows north, and its cold-water, long-growing-season, nutrient-rich prairie geology grows channel cats far larger than the typical southern-US warm-water tier — Red River channel cats routinely run 15-25 lb with 30+ lb fish reported annually, drawing trophy-catfish anglers from across the Upper Midwest to the Grand Forks-to-Pembina reaches. Channel catfish are the dominant catfish gamefish in North Dakota (there is no established blue catfish fishery in the state); the Missouri River main stem (including the free-flowing reach below Garrison Dam), the James River, the Sheyenne River, Lake Darling (Souris River, Minot area), Jamestown Reservoir, and Lake Ashtabula all carry secondary channel catfish populations. ND G&F regulates channel catfish with a distinctive east/west split at North Dakota Highway 1: waters EAST of ND Hwy 1 carry a 5-fish daily limit (5 in possession), while waters WEST of ND Hwy 1 carry a liberalized 20-fish daily limit (40 in possession — established in the 2024-26 cycle). On the Red River and the Bois de Sioux River the limit is 5 catfish per day regardless of the number of state or provincial licenses an angler holds (the ND/MN/Manitoba boundary-water rule). There is one length restriction: on all waters east of ND Highway 1 (including the Red and Bois de Sioux rivers) it is illegal to take or possess more than one channel catfish greater than 24 inches — a partial-protection rule for the trophy cats that makes the Red a prized big-fish destination. No statewide minimum length. Open year-round; the May – September warm-water season is the densest window, and bow / spear harvest of channel catfish is permitted in the Missouri River System. ND state-record channel catfish 42 lb 1 oz (Moon Lake, Barnes County, 2009 — Tina Willis).

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Season

Open year-round Open year-round statewide; May – September warm-water window densest; the Red River of the North fishes through the open-water season for trophy channel cats.

Bag & possession

Daily bag: 5 / day east of ND Hwy 1 (5 in possession); 20 / day west of ND Hwy 1 (40 in possession); 5 / day on the Red + Bois de Sioux rivers regardless of the number of state/provincial licenses held
Possession: 5 in possession east of ND Hwy 1; 40 in possession west of ND Hwy 1

Size, slot, trophy rules

Size: No statewide minimum length; on all waters east of ND Hwy 1 (incl. the Red + Bois de Sioux rivers) only 1 channel catfish over 24 in may be taken or possessed
Trophy rule: Red River of the North one of North America's premier trophy channel catfish fisheries — channel cats routinely 15-25 lb with 30+ lb fish reported annually; ND state-record channel catfish 42 lb 1 oz Moon Lake (Barnes County) 2009 (Tina Willis)

Gear restrictions

Hook-and-line; bow / spear harvest of channel catfish permitted in the Missouri River System
Cut bait (sucker / goldeye / frozen shad) + nightcrawlers + stinkbait most-effective Red River tactics
Red + Bois de Sioux river limit is 5 / day regardless of the number of state or provincial licenses an angler holds
ND Fishing Licence + Combined Fishing Stamp required ages 16+ ($16 res + $1 stamp / $45 NR + $25 stamp annual)
Confirm current-year ND G&F Fishing Regulations for the ND Hwy 1 east / west boundary

Named water-body overrides

Where statewide rules differ on specific North Dakota waters:

Red River of the North
5 / day regardless of the number of state/provincial licenses held, only 1 over 24 in (ND/MN/Manitoba boundary-water rule, all waters east of ND Hwy 1); premier trophy channel catfish fishery — routinely 15-25 lb, 30+ lb annually
Missouri River main stem
20 / day no minimum (west of ND Hwy 1); bow / spear harvest permitted in the Missouri River System up to the first tributary bridge
Lake Darling
20 / day no minimum (west of ND Hwy 1, Minot / Souris River area)
James River
5 / day east of ND Hwy 1, only 1 over 24 in (20 / day on reaches west of ND Hwy 1)
Sheyenne River
5 / day east of ND Hwy 1, only 1 over 24 in (20 / day on reaches west of ND Hwy 1)
Jamestown Reservoir
5 / day east of ND Hwy 1, only 1 over 24 in

Official source

North Dakota Game & Fish Department (ND G&F) publishes the authoritative 2026 North Dakotafishing 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 North Dakota Game & Fish Department (ND G&F)'s official channel catfish regulation page.

Visit official North Dakota fishing regulations →

Emergency-order channel

Channel catfish closures, slot-limit changes, and harvest pauses are posted to North Dakota Game & Fish Department's emergency-order feed — check it before any North Dakota trip during the active season.

Frequently asked questions

When is channel catfish season in North Dakota?: North Dakota 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 North Dakota bag limit for channel catfish?: The North Dakota daily bag limit for channel catfish is 5 / day east of ND Hwy 1 (5 in possession); 20 / day west of ND Hwy 1 (40 in possession); 5 / day on the Red + Bois de Sioux rivers regardless of the number of state/provincial licenses held. The possession limit is 5 in possession east of ND Hwy 1; 40 in possession west of ND Hwy 1. Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.
What size channel catfish can you keep in North Dakota?: The North Dakota size rule for channel catfish is No statewide minimum length; on all waters east of ND Hwy 1 (incl. the Red + Bois de Sioux rivers) only 1 channel catfish over 24 in may be taken or possessed. Trophy rule: Red River of the North one of North America's premier trophy channel catfish fisheries — channel cats routinely 15-25 lb with 30+ lb fish reported annually; ND state-record channel catfish 42 lb 1 oz Moon Lake (Barnes County) 2009 (Tina Willis).
Do you need a license to fish for channel catfish in North Dakota?: Yes. North Dakota 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 North Dakota license — compare resident and non-resident North Dakota fees on the state regulations page below.
Are there gear restrictions for channel catfish in North Dakota?: Yes. In North Dakota, channel catfish fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; bow / spear harvest of channel catfish permitted in the Missouri River System; Cut bait (sucker / goldeye / frozen shad) + nightcrawlers + stinkbait most-effective Red River tactics; Red + Bois de Sioux river limit is 5 / day regardless of the number of state or provincial licenses an angler holds; ND Fishing Licence + Combined Fishing Stamp required ages 16+ ($16 res + $1 stamp / $45 NR + $25 stamp annual); Confirm current-year ND G&F Fishing Regulations for the ND Hwy 1 east / west boundary.
Do specific North Dakota waters have different channel catfish rules?: Yes. 6 named North Dakota waters carry rules that override the statewide channel catfish regulation, including Red River of the North, Missouri River main stem, Lake Darling, and 3 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

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