2026 regulation year
Douglas State Fishing Lake 2026 — Kansas Fishing Regulations
Kansas statewide rules apply unless overridden below.
Last updated
Douglas State Fishing Lake carries 2 special-regulation overlays on top of Kansas's 2026 fishing rules — covering Largemouth bass. 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 bass 13–18 in protected slot + 5 / day (must release bass 13–18 in); saugeye 18 in min + 2 / day; channel catfish 15 in min + 5 / day; flathead 5 / day; crappie 50 / day; 180-acre SFL NE of Baldwin City (Lawrence area)
Source: Kansas special-water list
Per-species rules on Douglas State Fishing Lake
13–18 in protected slot, 5 / day (release bass 13–18 in); SFL near Baldwin City (Lawrence area)
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 Douglas State Fishing Lake?
- Douglas State Fishing Lake carries 2 special-regulation overlays that override Kansas' statewide 2026 rules, covering Largemouth bass. One of them reads: "Largemouth bass 13–18 in protected slot + 5 / day (must release bass 13–18 in); saugeye 18 in min + 2 / day; channel catfish 15 in min + 5 / day; flathead 5 / day; crappie 50 / day; 180-acre SFL NE of Baldwin City (Lawrence area)." Every overlay on this water body is listed in full above.
- Do I need a fishing license to fish Douglas State Fishing Lake?
- Yes. Douglas State Fishing 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 Douglas State Fishing Lake; they do not waive the license requirement. Free-fishing days and youth exemptions follow the statewide Kansas rules.
- Do Douglas State Fishing Lake's special rules replace Kansas' statewide limits?
- Only where they conflict. Kansas' statewide 2026 regulations apply on Douglas State Fishing 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 Douglas State Fishing Lake?
- Largemouth bass has a water-body-specific rule on Douglas State Fishing Lake, each linking to its full Kansas regulations above. Species not listed here follow the statewide Kansas limits.