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Ohio regulations

Smallmouth Bass Regulations in Ohio 2026

Ohio smallmouth bass 2026 open seasons vary by 8 management regions. Statewide rules apply for 5/day and 12″ min. Pick your region in the rule table below. Sourced from DNR.

DNROfficial source

About Smallmouth Bass →

Rules (14)

Ohio statewide
Daily bag
5 fish
Min size
12"
singly or in combination with Largemouth, & Spotted Bass
Verified · View official source ↗
Lake Erie
Min size
19"
Verified · View official source ↗
Lake Erie And Areas Immediately Upstream In Creeks, Rivers, And Tributaries
Daily bag
5 fish/day
Min size
14"
singly or in combination, June 28, 2025 - Feb. 28, 2026 June 28, 2025 - Feb. 28, 2026
Verified · View official source ↗
Lake Erie And Its Embayments Including Maumee Bay, Sandusky Bay, East Harbor, Middle Harbor, And West Harbor, And From Where Lake Erie Tributaries Enter The Lake Upstream To The Following End Points
Daily bag
5 fish/day
Min size
14"
singly or in combination; June 28, 2025 - Feb. 28, 2026 June 28, 2025 - Feb. 28, 2026
Verified · View official source ↗
Lake Erie And Its Embayments Including Maumee Bay, Sandusky Bay, East Harbor, Middle Harbor, And West Harbor, And From Where Lake Erie Tributaries Enter The Lake Upstream To The Following End Points: Arcola, Wheeler, Cowles, And Indian Creeks : U.s. Route 20 Bridges; Ashtabula River: E. 24th Street Bridge; Black River: State Route 611 Bridge; Conneaut Creek: Main Street Bridge (Downtown To Conneaut); Euclid Creek And Chagrin River: State Route 283 Bridges; Rocky River: Detroit Road Bridge; Sandusky River: Waterworks Dam In Tiffin; Maumee River: First Dam Upstream (Grand Rapids, Ohio); Vermilion River: State Route 2 Bridge; Grand River: State Route 535 Bridge; Cuyahoga River: Harvard Road Bridge.Out of season
Season opens
Jun 28
Season closes
Feb 28
Min size
14"
June 28, 2025 - Feb. 28, 2026
Verified · View official source ↗
Ohio Waters, Ohio Shoreline, And All Ohio Embayments And Tributaries Within The Western Unit
Daily bag
6 fish/day
singly or in combination
Verified · View official source ↗
Ohio Waters, Ohio Shoreline, And Ohio Embayments And Tributaries Within The Western Unit
Daily bag
6 fish/day
singly or in combination
Verified · View official source ↗
Ohio Waters, Shoreline Anglers When Fishing On The Ohio Shoreline, And All Anglers In Ohio Embayments And Tributaries Within The Western Unit
Daily bag
6 fish
singly or in combination with Largemouth, & Spotted Bass
Verified · View official source ↗
Rivers, Lakes, Ponds
Min size
18"
Verified · View official source ↗

Other Ohio fish regulations

Other regulated species in Ohio with current rule pages — same DNR source, same verification cadence.

Also known as

Smallmouth Bass is also called smallies. Anglers in different regions use different names for the same fish, and the rules on this page apply to all of them in Ohio.

Frequently asked questions

When is Smallmouth Bass season in Ohio?

Smallmouth Bass season in Ohio runs from Jun 28 to Feb 28 per DNR.

What is the size limit for Smallmouth Bass in Ohio?

Minimum size for Smallmouth Bass in Ohio is 19 inches in Lake Erie, per DNR. Slot limits or maximum sizes may apply in some zones.

What is the daily bag limit for Smallmouth Bass in Ohio?

Daily bag limit for Smallmouth Bass in Ohio is 5 fish/day in Lake Erie And Areas Immediately Upstream In Creeks, Rivers, And Tributaries, per DNR.

Official sources cited

Reference only. Regulations change frequently, often mid-season. Always verify with DNR before keeping a catch.

← All Ohio fishing regulations