2026 regulation year
Clinton Lake 2026 — Kansas Fishing Regulations
Kansas statewide rules apply unless overridden below.
Last updated
Clinton Lake carries 6 special-regulation overlays on top of Kansas's 2026 fishing rules — covering Wiper (hybrid striped bass) + striped bass, Largemouth bass, Smallmouth bass, Crappie (white + black combined), and 1 more species. Verify the agency booklet before launching: in-season changes are not yet wired to this page.
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State-level special regulation
Largemouth + smallmouth bass 18 in min + 5 / day combined; walleye + saugeye + sauger 15 in min + 5 / day; wiper 18 in min + 2 / day; crappie 10 in min + 20 / day combined; blue catfish 10 / day (only one over 30 in — KDWP-introduced fishery); channel catfish 10 / day, flathead 5 / day; Lawrence-area urban-accessible reservoir
Source: Kansas special-water list
Per-species rules on Clinton Lake
Wiper (hybrid striped bass) + striped bass regulations →
Wiper 18 in min, 2 / day; Lawrence-area reservoir
18 in min, 5 / day combined; Lawrence-area urban-accessible reservoir
18 in min, 5 / day combined; Lawrence-area reservoir
Crappie (white + black combined) regulations →
10 in min, 20 / day combined; Lawrence-area reservoir
15 in min, 5 / day (walleye + saugeye + sauger); Lawrence-area reservoir
Official source
Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks (KDWP) publishes the authoritative 2026 Kansas fishing regulations. Special-regulation lakes and rivers are listed in the agency booklet — always verify before fishing.
Visit official Kansas fishing regulations →
Emergency-order channel
In-season closures, slot-limit changes, and run-count-driven harvest pauses are posted to Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks's emergency-order feed — check it before any Kansas trip during the active season.
Other special-regulation waters in Kansas
Frequently asked questions
- What special fishing regulations apply at Clinton Lake?
- Clinton Lake carries 6 special-regulation overlays that override Kansas' statewide 2026 rules, covering Wiper (hybrid striped bass) + striped bass, Largemouth bass, Smallmouth bass, Crappie (white + black combined), and 1 more. One of them reads: "Largemouth + smallmouth bass 18 in min + 5 / day combined; walleye + saugeye + sauger 15 in min + 5 / day; wiper 18 in min + 2 / day; crappie 10 in min + 20 / day combined; blue catfish 10 / day (only one over 30 in — KDWP-introduced fishery); channel catfish 10 / day, flathead 5 / day; Lawrence-area urban-accessible reservoir." Every overlay on this water body is listed in full above.
- Do I need a fishing license to fish Clinton Lake?
- Yes. Clinton Lake is in Kansas, so a valid Kansas fishing license is required just as it is anywhere else in the state, issued by Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks (KDWP). The special regulations on this page change the bag, size, slot, or gear rules for Clinton Lake; they do not waive the license requirement. Free-fishing days and youth exemptions follow the statewide Kansas rules.
- Do Clinton Lake's special rules replace Kansas' statewide limits?
- Only where they conflict. Kansas' statewide 2026 regulations apply on Clinton Lake by default; the overlays above replace the matching statewide rules for the species or gear they name, while everything not specifically overridden still follows the statewide rule. When a water-body rule and the statewide rule disagree, the water-body rule wins.
- Which species have special rules on Clinton Lake?
- Wiper (hybrid striped bass) + striped bass, Largemouth bass, Smallmouth bass, Crappie (white + black combined), and Walleye have a water-body-specific rule on Clinton Lake, each linking to its full Kansas regulations above. Species not listed here follow the statewide Kansas limits.