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Ohio regulations

Walleye Regulations in Ohio 2026

Ohio walleye 2026 open seasons vary by 8 management regions. Statewide rules apply for 6/day and 15″ min. Pick your region in the rule table below. Sourced from DNR.

DNROfficial source

About Walleye →

Rules (11)

Ohio statewide
Daily bag
6 fish
Min size
15"
singly or in combination with Sauger, & Saugeye
Verified · View official source ↗
Lake ErieOpen
Status
Permitted
safe to eat one meal per week
Verified · View official source ↗
Lake Erie And Areas Immediately Upstream In Creeks, Rivers, And Tributaries
Daily bag
6 fish/day
singly or in combination, March 1 - April 30, 2025
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
6 fish/day
singly or in combination; March 1 - April 30, 2025
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.In season
Season opens
May 1
Season closes
Feb 28
May 1, 2025 - Feb. 28, 2026; to be announced late April
Verified · View official source ↗
Maumee RiverClosed
Status
Prohibited
All fish may be taken by hand except walleye
Verified · View official source ↗
Ohio River On Its Embayments And Tributaries To The First Riffle Or Dam In The Western Unit
Min size
14"
Verified · View official source ↗
Pymatuning Lake
Daily bag
6
Verified · View official source ↗
Sandusky RiverClosed
Status
Prohibited
All fish may be taken by hand except walleye
Verified · View official source ↗

Walleye on famous Ohio waters

Dedicated rule pages for Walleye on the most-targeted destinations in Ohio.

Other Ohio fish regulations

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

Frequently asked questions

When is Walleye season in Ohio?

Walleye season in Ohio runs from May 1 to Feb 28 per DNR.

What is the size limit for Walleye in Ohio?

Minimum size for Walleye in Ohio is 14 inches in Ohio River On Its Embayments And Tributaries To The First Riffle Or Dam In The Western Unit, per DNR. Slot limits or maximum sizes may apply in some zones.

What is the daily bag limit for Walleye in Ohio?

Daily bag limit for Walleye in Ohio is 6 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