Muskellunge (muskie) limits by state
Check before you keep a fish. These are statewide rules. Lakes, rivers and coastal zones often have their own limits, and rules can change during the year. Each state below has a link to its official rules.
- Free
- Official sources first
- Checked monthly
- Independent, not a state website
| State | Where | Size | Daily bag | Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado older data Tiger muskie |
Statewide | 36" minimum | 1 | – |
| Note on this data: These limits come from a 2023 copy of Colorado's regulations, the newest we could check. Some may have changed since. Secondary source: Colorado fishing regulations (eRegulations) CPW official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Connecticut Northern pike and tiger muskie |
Statewide | 26" minimum | 2 | – |
| Bantam Lake, Little Pond, the Connecticut River and Lake Lillinonah have their own rules. Official source CT DEEP official rules Checked Nov 5, 2026 | ||||
| Idaho Tiger muskie |
All regions | None under 40 in | 2 | All year |
| Official source234567 IDFG official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Illinois Muskellunge and tiger muskie |
Statewide | 36" minimum | 1 | – |
| Official source IDNR official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Indiana Muskellunge and tiger muskie |
Statewide | 36 in (44 in at Backwater, Kiser and Webster lakes) | 1 | All year |
| Secondary source: Indiana Fishing Guide (eRegulations edition) Indiana DNR official rules Checked Nov 5, 2026 | ||||
| Iowa older data Muskellunge and hybrid (tiger) muskie |
Statewide | 40 in | 1 (possession 1) | All year |
| Note on this data: Size limits aren't shown: we couldn't confirm them from an official source. Bag limits and seasons are shown where we could. Many waters have exceptions (Iowa Admin. Code 571-81.2) not shown here, including length limits. Secondary source: Iowa Administrative Code 571-81.1 (Cornell Legal Information Institute) Iowa DNR official rules Checked Nov 5, 2026 | ||||
| Kentucky Muskellunge |
Statewide | 30" minimum | 1 | – |
| Possession limit 2. Official source KDFWR official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Maryland Muskellunge and tiger muskie |
Non-tidal waters | 36" minimum | 1 | – |
| Secondary source: Maryland fishing guide 2026 (eRegulations) Maryland DNR official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Massachusetts Tiger muskellunge |
Statewide | 28" minimum | 1 | – |
| Official source MassWildlife official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Michigan Muskellunge |
Statewide | 42" minimum | 1 per year (April 1 to March 31), must be registered | Catch and release all year; keeping from the first Saturday in June |
| Secondary source: Michigan fishing regulations (eRegulations) Michigan DNR official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Minnesota Muskellunge |
Statewide | 54" minimum | 1 | – |
| Official source MN DNR official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Missouri Muskellunge |
Statewide | 36" minimum | 1 | – |
| Official source MDC official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Nebraska Muskellunge and tiger muskie |
Statewide | 40" minimum | 1 (2 in possession) | – |
| Official source Game and Parks official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| New Jersey Muskellunge and tiger musky |
Statewide | 40" minimum | 1 combined | All year |
| Secondary source: NJ Fish & Wildlife freshwater fishing digest 2026 (eRegulations) NJ Fish & Wildlife official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| New Mexico Tiger muskie |
Bluewater and Quemado lakes | 40" minimum | 1 | – |
| Official source NMDOW official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| New York Muskellunge and tiger muskellunge |
Muskellunge | 40" minimum | 1 | June 1 to November 30 |
| New York | Tiger muskellunge | 30" minimum | 1 | May 1 to March 15 |
| Official source NYSDEC official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| North Carolina Muskellunge |
Statewide | 42" minimum | 1 | – |
| Secondary source: NC inland fishing regulations (eRegulations) NCWRC official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| North Dakota Muskellunge (pure or hybrid) |
Statewide | 48" minimum | 1 (1 in possession) | – |
| Official source NDGF official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Ohio Muskellunge |
Statewide | – | 1 | – |
| Official source ODNR official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Pennsylvania older data Muskellunge and tiger muskellunge |
Statewide | 40" minimum | 1 combined | All year |
| Note on this data: Lake Erie, Presque Isle Bay and their tributaries aren't covered here: their limits differ from the inland rules shown. Figures from the 2025 summary; the Commission's 2026 book confirms the dates noted. Check the current summary book before fishing. Secondary source: Pennsylvania Fishing Summary (eRegulations, 2025 edition) PFBC official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| South Dakota Muskellunge and tiger muskie |
Statewide | n/a | Catch and release only | – |
| Official source2 SD GFP official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Tennessee Muskellunge |
Statewide | 36" minimum | 1 | – |
| Official source TWRA official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Utah Tiger muskellunge |
Statewide | Over 40" only | 1 | – |
| Secondary source: Utah Fishing Guidebook (eRegulations) Utah DWR official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Vermont Muskellunge |
Statewide | n/a | 0 (catch and release only, artificial lures and flies) | All year |
| Secondary source: Vermont Fishing Regulations 2026-27 (eRegulations) Vermont Fish & Wildlife official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Virginia Muskellunge |
Statewide | 40" minimum | 1 | – |
| New River (Claytor Dam to the West Virginia line) has stricter seasonal rules. Official source DWR / VMRC official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Washington Tiger muskie |
Statewide | 50" minimum | 1 | – |
| Tiger muskie is a pike-muskellunge hybrid. Secondary source: Washington Sport Fishing Rules 2026 (eRegulations edition) WDFW official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| West Virginia Muskellunge and tiger musky |
Statewide | 30" minimum | 1 (possession 2) | – |
| Some waters have 40" or 52" minimums. Official source WVDNR official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Wisconsin older data Muskellunge and hybrids |
Statewide | Varies by water; check the DNR lake lookup | 1 | Inland waters: May 2 to December 31, 2026 (open water only) |
| Note on this data: Only statewide daily bag limits are shown. Size limits, and many bag limits, are set lake by lake, so they aren't listed here. Official source2 WDNR official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Wyoming Tiger muskie |
Statewide | 36" minimum | 1 | – |
| Secondary source: 2026 Wyoming Fishing Regulations (eRegulations edition) WGFD official rules Checked Nov 5, 2026 | ||||