North Dakota Fishing Regulations
Not legal advice. Compiled from official government summaries. Regulations change each year — always check the official source before relying.
General Rules (barbless hooks are the #1 cause of fines)
- ⚠ Daily creel limit = max legally taken fish (by species) midnight to midnight; possession = as listed.
- ⚠ Game fish and parts thereof may not be used as bait, except yellow perch eyes and trout/salmon eggs.
- ⚠ Channel catfish east of ND Hwy 1: may only remove gills/entrails on the water (head, fillets and tail attached).
- ⚠ Special dark-house spearing/bowfishing waters for pike, walleye, channel catfish (Devils Lake complex, Sakakawea, Oahe, Missouri/Yellowstone).
Species Limits
| Species | Limit | Size / Season |
|---|---|---|
| Walleye, sauger, saugeye | 5 daily / 10 possession | Min 14 in in many waters |
| Northern pike | 5 / 10 | |
| Largemouth & smallmouth bass | 5 / 10 | |
| Salmon | 5 / 10 | |
| Trout (brown, cutthroat, lake, rainbow, tiger) | 3 / 6 | |
| Muskellunge | 1 / 1 | |
| Bluegill | 10 / 20 | |
| Crappie | 10 / 20 | |
| Burbot | 10 / 20 | |
| Yellow perch | 20 / 40 | |
| White bass | 30 / 60 | |
| Channel catfish | 5 / 5 (east of Hwy 1); 20 / 40 (west) | Max 1 over 24 in east of Hwy 1 |
| Paddlefish (legal snagging) | 1 per season | |
| Nongame fish | No limit (except smelt 5 gallons, legal baitfish 150) |
Waterbody-Specific Rules
Red & Bois de Sioux rivers
- Walleye/sauger/saugeye: 3 daily; northern pike: 3; channel catfish: 5 (max 1 over 24 in).
Red River & Bois de Sioux River
- Walleye/sauger/saugeye: 3 daily; northern pike: 3; channel catfish: 5 (1 over 24 in).
OWLS Pond (Burleigh Co.)
- All fish must be released immediately, regardless of condition.
State Fair Pond (Ward Co.)
- All fish caught Apr 1 - Jul 31 must be released immediately.
McDowell Dam (Burleigh Co.)
- All fish caught while ice fishing must be released immediately.
Buffalo Lake (Sargent Co.)
- Walleye/sauger min 14 in.
Jamestown Reservoir
- Walleye/sauger min 14 in.
Pipestem Reservoir
- Walleye/sauger min 14 in.
Lake Elsie (Richland Co.)
- Walleye/sauger min 14 in.
Lake Sakakawea
- Channel catfish may be harvested (bow/spear exception); salmon snagging below Garrison Dam; smelt harvest allowed.
Lake Oahe
- Channel catfish may be harvested (bow/spear exception); smelt harvest allowed.
Seasons
Year-round for most species with ice fishing; paddlefish snagging has a spring season (see Section 3-4).
Licence Fees
North Dakota fishing license required (resident/non-resident; fees per NDGF).
Edition: NDGF Fishing Regulations 2026-27 · Effective: 2026-27 season · Source: North Dakota Game & Fish (gf.nd.gov/regulations/fishing)
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