Walleye 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama Walleye |
Statewide | – | 2 | – |
| Taking walleye is banned on some named waters. Official source ADCNR official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Arizona Walleye |
Statewide | – | 6 | – |
| Secondary source: Arizona Fishing Regulations (eRegulations) AZGFD official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Arkansas Walleye |
Statewide | – | 6 | – |
| Official source AGFC official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Colorado older data Walleye, saugeye and sauger |
Statewide | – | 5 in total | – |
| Colorado | Arkansas and South Fork Republican drainages | – | 10 in total | – |
| 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 Walleye |
Statewide | 18" minimum | 2 | – |
| Official source CT DEEP official rules Checked Nov 5, 2026 | ||||
| Georgia Walleye |
Statewide | – | 8 | – |
| Secondary source: Georgia sport fishing regulations (eRegulations) Georgia DNR official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Idaho Walleye |
Magic Valley | – | 6 | All year |
| Idaho | Panhandle, Southwest, Clearwater, Upper Snake | – | No limit; harvest encouraged | All year |
| Official source2345 IDFG official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Illinois Walleye, sauger and saugeye |
Statewide | 14" minimum (not on the Mississippi and Wabash rivers) | 6 in total | – |
| Official source IDNR official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Indiana Walleye, sauger and saugeye |
Statewide | Walleye 14 in south of SR 26, 16 in north; no limit for sauger | 6 in total | All year |
| Indiana | Ohio River | 14 in | 6 in total | All year |
| Secondary source: Indiana Fishing Guide (eRegulations edition) Indiana DNR official rules Checked Nov 5, 2026 | ||||
| Iowa older data Walleye, sauger and saugeye |
Inland waters | – | 5 in total (possession 10) | All year |
| Iowa | Mississippi River | – | 6 in total (possession 12) | All year |
| Iowa | Missouri and Big Sioux rivers | – | 4 in total (possession 8) | 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 | ||||
| Kansas Walleye, sauger and saugeye |
Statewide | 15" minimum (not in rivers, streams and tailwaters) | 5 in total | – |
| Official source KDWP official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Kentucky Walleye, sauger and their hybrids |
Statewide | 14" minimum | 6 in total | – |
| Possession limit 12. Official source KDFWR official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Maryland Walleye |
Non-tidal waters | 15" minimum | 5 | Year-round (Deep Creek Lake and lower Youghiogheny closed March 1 to April 15) |
| Secondary source: Maryland fishing guide 2026 (eRegulations) Maryland DNR official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Massachusetts Walleye |
Statewide | 14" minimum | 5 | – |
| Official source MassWildlife official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Michigan Walleye |
Lower Peninsula inland waters | 15" minimum | 5 | Last Saturday in April to March 15 |
| Michigan | Upper Peninsula | 15" minimum | 5 | May 15 to March 15 |
| Michigan | Lower Peninsula Great Lakes, Lake St. Clair, St. Clair and Detroit rivers | 15" minimum | 5 | Open all year |
| Some lakes have slots, such as Lake Independence and Teal Lake (2026: 18" to 23" protected). Secondary source: Michigan fishing regulations (eRegulations) Michigan DNR official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Minnesota Walleye and sauger |
Set each year: check here. Statewide inland limit is 6 walleye and sauger combined (daily and possession). The DNR has proposed cutting it to 4 (only 1 over 20"), which would take effect March 1, 2027 if adopted. Many lakes have their own walleye limits that can change at short notice. Check the DNR before fishing. | |||
| Mississippi Walleye |
Statewide | – | 3 | – |
| Harvest banned on some waters, including Lake Lamar Bruce and the Old Tombigbee River north of Hwy 278. Official source MDWFP official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Missouri Walleye and sauger |
Statewide | 15" minimum | 4 | – |
| Missouri | Table Rock, Bull Shoals, Norfork, Current and Eleven Point rivers and others | 18" minimum | 4 | – |
| Official source MDC official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Montana older data Walleye and sauger |
Central District | – | 5, only 2 sauger | – |
| Montana | Eastern District | – | 5 (10 in possession) | – |
| Montana | Western District | – | No limit: walleye must be killed and reported to FWP within 24 hours | – |
| Note on this data: These limits come from a 2023 copy of Montana's regulations, the newest we could check, and FWP has proposed changes. Some limits may now be different. Secondary source: Montana fishing regulations (eRegulations) FWP official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Nebraska Walleye, sauger and saugeye |
Inland waters | 15" minimum; only 1 of 22" or longer | 4 (8 in possession) | – |
| Official source Game and Parks official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Nevada Walleye |
Western Region (Carson City, Churchill, Douglas, Humboldt, Lyon, Mineral, Pershing, Storey, Washoe) | – | 5 (within 15 warmwater game fish) | – |
| Nevada | Eastern Region (Elko, Eureka, Lander, White Pine) | – | Within 15 warmwater game fish | – |
| Secondary source: Nevada Fishing Regulations 2026 (NDOW guide on eRegulations)2 NDOW official rules Checked Nov 5, 2026 | ||||
| New Hampshire Walleye |
Statewide | 18" minimum | 2 | – |
| Secondary source: New Hampshire Fishing Digest 2026 (eRegulations) NH Fish and Game official rules Checked Nov 5, 2026 | ||||
| New Jersey Walleye |
Statewide | 18" minimum | 3 | January 1 to February 28 and May 1 to December 31 |
| New Jersey | Statewide | n/a | Catch and release only | March 1 to April 30 |
| Secondary source: NJ Fish & Wildlife freshwater fishing digest 2026 (eRegulations) NJ Fish & Wildlife official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| New Mexico Walleye |
Statewide | 14" minimum (per the department's warm water page) | 5 | – |
| Official source2 NMDOW official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| New York Walleye |
Statewide | 15" minimum | 5 | May 1 to March 15 |
| Official source NYSDEC official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| North Carolina Walleye |
Statewide | No minimum | 8 | – |
| Some named waters differ. Secondary source: NC inland fishing regulations (eRegulations) NCWRC official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| North Dakota Walleye, sauger and saugeye |
Statewide | No statewide minimum | 5 combined (10 in possession) | – |
| North Dakota | Red and Bois de Sioux rivers | No minimum | 3 combined (3 in possession) | – |
| 14" minimum only at Buffalo Lake, Jamestown and Pipestem reservoirs and Lake Elsie. Zander count toward the walleye limit at Spiritwood and Alkali lakes. Official source NDGF official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Ohio Walleye, sauger and saugeye |
Inland waters | No minimum | 6 in total | – |
| Official source ODNR official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Ohio Walleye (Lake Erie) |
Set each year: check here. 15" minimum. March 1 to April 30: 6 a day. The limit from May 1 is announced each April. Check ODNR before fishing. | |||
| Oklahoma Walleye, sauger and saugeye |
Statewide | 14" minimum | 6 in total | – |
| Official source ODWC official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Pennsylvania older data Walleye and saugeye |
Statewide | 15" minimum | 6 | January 1 to mid-March and early May (May 1 in 2027) to December 31 |
| 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)2 PFBC official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| South Carolina Walleye and sauger |
Statewide | No minimum | 8 combined | – |
| Secondary source: South Carolina hunting and fishing regulations 2026-27 (eRegulations) SCDNR official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| South Dakota Walleye and sauger |
Statewide | Only 1 of 20" or longer | 4 (possession 8) | – |
| Missouri River reservoirs (Oahe, Sharpe, Francis Case) and some other waters have their own walleye limits; check before fishing. Official source23 SD GFP official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Tennessee Walleye |
Statewide | 16" minimum | 5 | – |
| Official source TWRA official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Utah Walleye |
Statewide | Only 1 over 24" | 10 | – |
| Secondary source: Utah Fishing Guidebook (eRegulations) Utah DWR official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Vermont Walleye |
Statewide | 18" minimum | 3 | First Saturday in May to March 15 |
| Sauger: no open season. Secondary source: Vermont Fishing Regulations 2026-27 (eRegulations) Vermont Fish & Wildlife official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Vermont Lake Champlain (Vermont waters) |
Walleye | 18" minimum | 3 | First Saturday in May to March 15 |
| Vermont | Black bass | 12" minimum | 5 combined | Second Saturday in June to November 30 |
| Vermont | Lake trout | 15" minimum | 3 | All year |
| Vermont | Landlocked salmon | 15" minimum | 2 | All year |
| Vermont | Northern pike | 20" minimum | 5 | All year |
| Vermont | Yellow perch | No minimum | No limit | All year |
| Secondary source: Vermont Fishing Regulations 2026-27 (eRegulations) Vermont Fish & Wildlife official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Virginia Walleye and saugeye |
Statewide | 18" minimum | 5 combined | – |
| Sauger: 2 a day, no minimum. Claytor and the New River above Fries Dam: 2 a day, none between 19" and 28". Official source DWR / VMRC official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Washington Walleye |
Lakes, ponds and reservoirs | 12" minimum; only 1 over 22" | 8 | – |
| Washington | Rivers, streams and beaver ponds | No size rule | No limit | – |
| Secondary source: Washington Sport Fishing Rules 2026 (eRegulations edition) WDFW official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| West Virginia Walleye |
Statewide | No minimum | 8 (possession 16) | – |
| West Virginia | Ohio River | See regulations | 6 walleye, sauger and saugeye combined; only 2 walleye | – |
| Many waters have size or slot limits. Official source WVDNR official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| West Virginia Sauger |
Statewide | No minimum | 8 (possession 16) | – |
| Ohio River: 6 walleye, sauger and saugeye combined. Official source WVDNR official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Wisconsin older data Walleye, sauger and hybrids |
Statewide | Varies by water; check the DNR lake lookup | 5 total | – |
| 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. Many waters, especially in the Ceded Territory, have lower limits. Official source WDNR official rules Checked Nov 4, 2026 | ||||
| Wyoming Walleye |
Statewide | No statewide size limit | 6 | – |
| Secondary source: 2026 Wyoming Fishing Regulations (eRegulations edition) WGFD official rules Checked Nov 5, 2026 | ||||