When is crappie season in North Dakota?

North Dakota keeps crappie 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 crappie?

The North Dakota daily bag limit for crappie is 10 / day combined black + white crappie per angler statewide. The possession limit is 20 in possession. Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.

What size crappie can you keep in North Dakota?

The North Dakota size rule for crappie is No statewide minimum length. Trophy rule: Jamestown Reservoir the state's best crappie fishery; Devils Lake produces the occasional true slab; ND keeps two crappie state records tied at 3 lb 4 oz — Lake Oahe 1998 (Don Newcomb) + Jamestown Reservoir 2013 (Chris Rick).

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

Yes. North Dakota requires a valid fishing license to fish for crappie, 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 crappie in North Dakota?

Yes. In North Dakota, crappie fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; ice-fishing tip-ups + jiggers permitted during the December – March season; Small jigs + minnows + waxworms most-effective tactics; 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 any reservoir-specific exceptions.

Do specific North Dakota waters have different crappie rules?

Yes. 4 named North Dakota waters carry rules that override the statewide crappie regulation, including Jamestown Reservoir, Devils Lake, Lake Ashtabula, and 1 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

2026 regulation year

North Dakota Crappie 2026 — Season, Bag Limit, Size Rules

Pomoxis spp.

Last updated May 30, 2026

North Dakota crappie fishery (both black crappie, Pomoxis nigromaculatus, and white crappie, Pomoxis annularis) centers on the state's prairie reservoirs and the Devils Lake basin. Jamestown Reservoir (on the James River north of Jamestown) is regarded as the best crappie fishery in the state — its productive prairie-reservoir habitat grows slab crappie that draw heavy ice-fishing pressure. Devils Lake (200,000+ acres, the country's largest natural prairie lake) produces the occasional true slab among its enormous perch and walleye biomass, and Lake Ashtabula (Baldhill Dam on the Sheyenne River), Lake Darling, and a string of smaller prairie-pothole reservoirs round out the crappie tier. ND G&F sets a statewide crappie limit of 10 fish per day combined across black and white crappie (20 in possession) with no statewide minimum length. Open year-round; the April – May pre-spawn and spawn push crappie shallow into brush and shoreline cover for the densest open-water catches, while the December – March ice-fishing season concentrates them in basin schools (Jamestown Reservoir and Devils Lake are marquee hard-water crappie destinations). North Dakota keeps two crappie state records that happen to tie at 3 lb 4 oz — one from Lake Oahe (1998, Don Newcomb) and one from Jamestown Reservoir (2013, Chris Rick).

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Season

Open year-round Open year-round statewide; April – May pre-spawn + spawn densest open-water window; December – March ice-fishing season (Jamestown Reservoir + Devils Lake marquee hard-water crappie waters).

Bag & possession

Daily bag: 10 / day combined black + white crappie per angler statewide
Possession: 20 in possession

Size, slot, trophy rules

Size: No statewide minimum length
Trophy rule: Jamestown Reservoir the state's best crappie fishery; Devils Lake produces the occasional true slab; ND keeps two crappie state records tied at 3 lb 4 oz — Lake Oahe 1998 (Don Newcomb) + Jamestown Reservoir 2013 (Chris Rick)

Gear restrictions

Hook-and-line; ice-fishing tip-ups + jiggers permitted during the December – March season
Small jigs + minnows + waxworms most-effective tactics
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 any reservoir-specific exceptions

Named water-body overrides

Where statewide rules differ on specific North Dakota waters:

Jamestown Reservoir
10 / day no minimum; best crappie fishery in the state; tied state-record crappie 3 lb 4 oz Jamestown Reservoir 2013
Devils Lake
10 / day no minimum; occasional true slab among the perch + walleye biomass
Lake Ashtabula
10 / day no minimum; Baldhill Dam / Sheyenne River crappie tier
Lake Darling
10 / day no minimum; Minot-area crappie tier

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 crappie rules on this page are sourced from North Dakota Game & Fish Department (ND G&F)'s official crappie regulation page.

Visit official North Dakota fishing regulations →

Emergency-order channel

Crappie 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 crappie season in North Dakota?: North Dakota keeps crappie 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 crappie?: The North Dakota daily bag limit for crappie is 10 / day combined black + white crappie per angler statewide. The possession limit is 20 in possession. Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.
What size crappie can you keep in North Dakota?: The North Dakota size rule for crappie is No statewide minimum length. Trophy rule: Jamestown Reservoir the state's best crappie fishery; Devils Lake produces the occasional true slab; ND keeps two crappie state records tied at 3 lb 4 oz — Lake Oahe 1998 (Don Newcomb) + Jamestown Reservoir 2013 (Chris Rick).
Do you need a license to fish for crappie in North Dakota?: Yes. North Dakota requires a valid fishing license to fish for crappie, 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 crappie in North Dakota?: Yes. In North Dakota, crappie fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; ice-fishing tip-ups + jiggers permitted during the December – March season; Small jigs + minnows + waxworms most-effective tactics; 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 any reservoir-specific exceptions.
Do specific North Dakota waters have different crappie rules?: Yes. 4 named North Dakota waters carry rules that override the statewide crappie regulation, including Jamestown Reservoir, Devils Lake, Lake Ashtabula, and 1 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

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