License and Regulation Questions

License requirements, catch and length limits, and legal equipment answers.

For answers to further questions, view and download a copy of our fishing regulations summary here.  These pages and this publication are not intended to be a complete listing of all Kansas fishing regulations.

If you purchased your license online:  Contact us at (620) 672-5911

If you purchased your license from a local vendor:  return to the store where the license was purchased, or contact the county clerk in the county where the license was purchased.

Yes.  To purchase a license by phone, call 1-833-587-2164.

Free copies of our regulations summary are available from most license vendors.  To download a PDF version of the regulations, click here.

If you are going to take a child fishing, buy a license for yourself.  Invariably, you will end up with the pole in your hand.

Anyone with a permanent physical disability that prevents them from fishing may apply for a Disability Assistance Permit. 

The permit allows a licensed designated person to actually harvest fish while accompanying the permit holder.  For more information or applications, contact KDWP Law Enforcement at (620) 672-5911.

Yes.  However, anyone needing assistance - due to a permanent physical disability that prevents them from fishing - may apply for a Disability Assistance Permit.

The permit allows a licensed designated person to actually harvest fish while accompanying the permit holder.  For more information or applications, contact KDWP Law Enforcement at (620) 672-5911.

Night fishing is allowed at most public waters.  Check local rules before fishing at night.

No, it is illegal to assist another person in catching his or her limit of fish.

Yes, the possession limit on all fish species is three times the daily creel limit for that species.

Yes, lighted lures may be used in Kansas.

No license is required to catch crawdads for non-commercial use.

Persons on active duty in the armed forces, who entered the service while residents of Kansas, may purchase a resident fishing license. 

Non residents on active military duty stationed in Kansas are entitled to purchase a resident fishing license, which they must have with them while fishing, along with evidence of active duty.

Non-resident children age 15 and younger are not required to purchase a fishing license. 

All non-residents 16 and older must have a valid nonresident license to fish in Kansas, unless fishing on a private pond.  Guests of landowners fishing on streams and rivers must have a fishing license

Landowners, tenets and members of their immediate family living with them are exempt from fishing license requirements for waters on land they own or lease for agricultural purposes. However, a license IS REQUIRED for all others fishing on private land if:

  1. The private impoundment has a stream or river going into and/or out of it – whether the stream is continually flowing or not.
  2. The private impoundment is owned or operated by more than one person or group. In this case, the owner(s) or operator(s) would be exempt from the fishing license requirement only while fishing on the portion of the impoundment that they own.
  3. You are a guest of landowner or operator and fishing on streams or rivers on their land.
  4. The impoundment is leased by the department from the pond owner, through the F.I.S.H. program.
  5. The impoundment has been stocked by the state within the past 10 years.

The above rules apply to watershed ponds, any man-made impoundment, or any stream or river.

Each angler is limited to two lines with not more than two baited hooks (single or treble) or artificial lures per line.

However, you may purchase an additional three pole permit, which allows you to fish with one additional pole by clicking here.

Slot limits are used by biologists to improve fish growth rates within a population. 

For instance, if the slot length limit for bass is 13-18 inches, bass from 13-18 inches long must be returned to the water.  Bass shorter than 13 inches and longer than 18 inches, however, may be kept.

Any legally taken sport fish, of legal length and having been taken by hook and line only, may be used for bait. 

No, any type of net is illegal for taking sport fish.

Sport fish species include: 

Northern Pike, walleye, sauger, saugeye, yellow perch, striped bass, white bass, wiper (white bass/striped bass hybrid), black bass (largemouth, spotted and smallmouth), trout, channel catfish, blue catfish, flathead catfish, paddlefish, and panfish (bullhead, black and white crappie, bluegill, redear sunfish, green sunfish, warmouth and rock bass).

Bait fish species include: 

Minnow or carp family (Cyprinidae), sucker family (Catostomidae), top minnows or killifish family (Cyprinodontidae), shad family (Clupeidae), sunfish family (Centrarchidae), excluding black basses and crappie.  Bait fish exclude any of those fishes specifically named by regulation as Kansas threatened or endangered species.

It is legal to bait, or ?chum? water to attract fish. 

Check city and county laws for waters managed by these localities.  Some may have local ordinances against chumming.

Yes, carp may be taken with a bow. 

All public waters are open to bow fishing, unless posted otherwise, so consult local rules before bow fishing.  Bow fishermen must have in possession a valid Kansas fishing license, unless exempt by law.  Arrows must have barbed heads, and each arrow must be attached by a line to the bow and must be shot from the bow.  Waters within 50 yards of an occupied boat dock or ramp, occupied swimming area, occupied picnic site or camping area, and other public use areas are closed to bow fishing.  Firearms may not be used to take fish.

Call Operation Game Thief toll free at 1-877-426-3843. 

This phone number is for the reporting of violations only.  Contact phone numbers for the Conservation Officer in each county are also available in the regulations handbook.