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Mississippi River Channel Catfish Fishing Regulations 2026
Mississippi River channel catfish 2026 open seasons vary by 407 management regions. Statewide rules apply for 1/day and 15″ min. Pick your region in the rule table below. Sourced from Conservation / TWRA / DNR / DNR.
Rules (443)
Missouri (14)
Bull Shoals Lake Lakewide
- Daily bag
- 10 fish/day
combined total of blue, channel, and flathead catfish
Mississippi River - Pools 20-26
- Daily bag
- 10 fish/day
- Daily bag
- 20 fish/day
Mississippi River, Including Pools 20–26
- Daily bag
- 20 fish
- Daily bag
- 20 fish
- Daily bag
- 10 fish
- Possession
- 20 fish
- Possession
- 20 fish
- Possession
- 10 fish
combined total of these species.
Norfork Lake Lakewide
- Daily bag
- 10 fish/day
combined total of blue, channel, and flathead catfish
Table Rock Lake Lakewide
- Daily bag
- 10 fish/day
combined total of blue, channel, and flathead catfish
Tennessee (39)
Bridgestone/Firestone Centennial Wilderness Wma Ponds
- Daily bag
- 5 fish/day
Browns Creek Lake
- Daily bag
- 5 fish/day
in combination with Blue Catfish
Coy Gaither-Bedford Lake
- Daily bag
- 5 fish/day
- Min size
- 14"
in combination with Blue Catfish
Davy Crockett Lake (Crockett Co.)
- Daily bag
- 5 fish/day
in combination with Blue Catfish
Gibson County Lake
- Daily bag
- 5 fish/day
in combination with Blue Catfish
Glenn Springs Lake
- Daily bag
- 5 fish/day
in combination with Blue Catfish
Herb Parsons Lake
- Daily bag
- 5 fish/day
- Min size
- 16"
in combination with Blue Catfish
Lake Halford
- Daily bag
- 5 fish/day
- Min size
- 16"
in combination with Blue Catfish
Laurel Hill Lake
- Daily bag
- 5 fish/day
- Min size
- 14"
in combination with Blue Catfish
Maples Creek Lake
- Daily bag
- 5 fish/day
in combination with Blue Catfish
Mississippi River (Includes Adjacent Sloughs, Bayous, And All River Runs And Chutes, That Are Accessible By Boat From The River Proper)
- Max size
- 34"
only one (1) fish over 34 inches in length may be harvested per day.
Vfw Lake
- Daily bag
- 5 fish/day
- Min size
- 14"
in combination with Blue Catfish
Williamsport Lakes (4 Lakes)
- Daily bag
- 5 fish/day
- Min size
- 14"
in combination with Blue Catfish
Tennessee statewideOpen
- Status
- Permitted
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
- Min size
- 15"
no limit on catfish, except only one (1) fish may exceed 34 inches Only one (1) catfish over 34 inches may be harvested per day.
Illinois (358)
Burning Star State Fish And Wildlife Area, All Lakes And Ponds
- Daily bag
- 6 fish/day
Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge-Honker’s Pond
- Daily bag
- 6 fish/day
Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge-Little Grassy Lake
- Daily bag
- 6 fish/day
Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge-Restricted Use Area Ponds
- Daily bag
- 6 fish/day
Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge-Visitor’s Pond
- Daily bag
- 6 fish/day
Crawford County State Fish & Wildlife Area Ponds
- Daily bag
- 6 fish/day
Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge-All Ponds
- Daily bag
- 6 fish/day
Dupage County Forest Preserve District Lakes & Ponds
- Daily bag
- 6 fish/day
- Min size
- 12"
Duquoin State Fair Grounds – All Lakes And Ponds
- Daily bag
- 6 fish/day
Fulton County Camping And Recreation Area Waters
- Daily bag
- 6 fish/day
Jim Edgar/Panther Creek State Fish And Wildlife Area – All Lakes And Ponds
- Daily bag
- 6 fish/day
Jim Edgar/Panther Creek State Fish And Wildlife Area – Drake Lake
- Daily bag
- 6 fish/day
Jim Edgar/Panther Creek State Fish And Wildlife Area – Gridley Road Lake
- Daily bag
- 6 fish/day
Kane County Forest Preserve District Lakes And Ponds
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
Lake Shelbyville
- Daily bag
- 6 fish
Channel Catfish 6 Fish Daily Harvest Limit
Mississippi River (Between Il & Mo)
- Daily bag
- 10 fish/day
- Daily bag
- 20 fish/day
Ohio River (Between Il & Ky)
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
- Min size
- 13"
for Fish greater than or equal to 28 inches
Shawnee National Forest – Bay Creek Lake #5 And #8
- Daily bag
- 6 fish/day
Shawnee National Forest – Lakes And Ponds Less Than 10 Acres
- Daily bag
- 6 fish/day
Siloam Springs State Park – Buckhorn Unit Waters
- Daily bag
- 6 fish/day
Silver Springs State Fish And Wildlife Area - Big Lake And Area Ponds
- Daily bag
- 6 fish/day
Snakeden Hollow State Fish And Wildlife Area – McMaster Lake & Other Site Waters
- Daily bag
- 6 fish/day
Sparta World Shooting And Recreational Complex Lakes
- Daily bag
- 6 fish/day
Spring State Lake
- Daily bag
- 6 fish
Channel Catfish 6 Fish Daily Harvest Limit
Wabash River
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
- Min size
- 13"
for Fish greater than or equal to 28 inches
William W. Powers State Recreation Area
- Daily bag
- 6 fish
Channel Catfish 6 Fish Daily Harvest Limit
Illinois statewideOpen
- Status
- Permitted
- Gear
- Angling Only
No Harvest Or Size Limits Except In Those Waters Listed Under Site Specific Regulations. May be taken by pitchfork, underwater spear gun, bow and arrow or bow and arrow device, spear or gig.
Wisconsin (32)
All Wisconsin-Michigan Boundary WatersOpen
- Status
- Open
- Daily bag
- 10
Open all year
Calumet County
- Daily bag
- 25 fish
except on Lake Winnebago system waters
Iowa Boundary Waters (Mississippi River)
- Daily bag
- 100 lbs/seine haul
(Oct 1–Apr 30)
Minnesota Boundary Waters (Mississippi / St. Croix)
- Daily bag
- 100 lbs/seine haul
(Oct 1–Apr 30)
Mississippi River (Pools 3-9)
- Daily bag
- 10 fish/day
- Daily bag
- 10 fish/day
- Possession
- 1 fish
- Possession
- 1 fish
in total only one over 30” may be kept
Prairie Du Sac Dam Downstream To The Highway 12 BridgeIn season
- Season opens
- May 2
- Season closes
- Nov 30
St. Croix River Downstream Of The St. Croix Falls Dam To Prescott
- Possession
- 1 fish
only one channel catfish over 24” may be kept
St. Louis River And St. Croix River Upstream Of The St. Croix Falls Dam
- Daily bag
- 10 fish/day
in total
Waupaca Countywide
- Daily bag
- 25 fish
except on Winnebago system waters
Waushara Countywide
- Daily bag
- 25 fish
except on Winnebago system waters
Winnebago Countywide
- Daily bag
- 25 fish
except on Winnebago system waters
Winnebago System Waters
- Daily bag
- 25 in total
but only 24 if one fathead catfsh is possessed
Wisconsin River (Including All Sloughs, Bayous, Flowages, And Tributaries Upstream To The First Dam Or Highway Bridge)In season
- Season opens
- May 3
- Season closes
- Nov 30
- Daily bag
- 10 fish
from the Prairie du Sac Dam downstream to the Highway 12 bridge
Wisconsin River (Including Lake Wi And All Sloughs (Gallus Slough), Bayous, Flowages, And Tributaries Upstream To The First Dam Or Highway Bridge)
- Season opens
- Jan 1
The season for catfish is open all year
Wisconsin River (Including Lake Wi And Sloughs, Bayous (Okee Bay, Whalen’s Grade), Flowages And Tributaries Upstream To The First Dam Or Highway Bridge)In season
- Season opens
- May 2
- Season closes
- Nov 30
- Daily bag
- 10 fish/day
from the Prairie du Sac Dam downstream to the Highway 12 bridge
Wisconsin statewide
- Daily bag
- 5 fish/day
- Daily bag
- 25 fish/day
- Possession
- 50 fish in total
Statewide: General
Also known as
Rules above match the following common names in our regulations database: Channel Catfish, Catfish, Channel/Blue Catfish, Flathead Catfish, Blue And Channel Catfish, Blue Catfish, Blue Or Channel Catfish.
Frequently asked questions
When is Channel Catfish season on Mississippi River?
Channel Catfish season on Mississippi River runs from May 2 to Nov 30 (varies by state) per Conservation / TWRA / DNR / DNR.
What is the size limit for Channel Catfish on Mississippi River?
Minimum size for Channel Catfish on Mississippi River is 14 inches in Campbell Lake. Slot or maximum sizes may apply elsewhere on the water; see the table above.
What is the daily bag limit for Channel Catfish on Mississippi River?
Daily bag limit for Channel Catfish on Mississippi River is 10 fish/day in Bull Shoals Lake Lakewide.
Reference only. Regulations change mid-season. Always verify with the official source before keeping a catch.