Species

Walleye

Sander vitreus · family Percidae

Live · updated

Maryland's premier cool-water gamefish. Deep Creek Lake is the flagship fishery; also found in the non-tidal Potomac and the Youghiogheny River. Low-light feeder — dusk, dawn, and overcast/windy days are prime. Jigs, crankbaits, and nightcrawler harnesses are standard.

Water temp
50–72°F (ideal 62°F)
Tide
either
Moon
new
Depth
10–40 ft
Active months
Mar, Apr, May, Oct, Nov, Dec

Detroit River (Wyandotte)

Wayne Co., MI
92/100

Sandusky River (Fremont)

Sandusky Co., OH
90/100

Lake Minnetonka

Hennepin Co., MN
82/100

Leech Lake

Cass Co., MN
82/100

Lake St. Clair (Metropark)

Macomb Co., MI
80/100

Lake Powell (Bullfrog)

Garfield Co., UT · harvest closed
76/100

Lake Oahe (Oahe Downstream, Pierre)

Hughes Co., SD
76/100

Spirit Lake

Dickinson Co., IA
76/100

West Okoboji Lake

Dickinson Co., IA
76/100

Milford Lake

Geary Co., KS
76/100

Tuttle Creek Lake

Pottawatomie Co., KS
76/100

Wilson Lake

Russell Co., KS
76/100

Lake Francis Case (Chamberlain)

Brule Co., SD
76/100

Lake Sharpe (Pierre)

Stanley Co., SD
76/100

Lewis and Clark Lake

Knox Co., NE
76/100

Ludington State Park

Mason Co., MI
73/100

Lake Winnebago (Menominee Park, Oshkosh)

Winnebago Co., WI · harvest closed
72/100

Carlyle Lake

Clinton Co., IL
72/100

Lake Memphremagog (Newport)

Orleans Co., VT
72/100

Boysen Reservoir

Fremont Co., WY
68/100

Mille Lacs Lake

Aitkin Co., MN
59/100

Port Crescent State Park

Huron Co., MI
57/100

Maumee River (Side Cut Metropark)

Lucas Co., OH
56/100

31st Street Beach (Margaret T. Burroughs Beach)

Cook Co., IL · harvest closed
55/100

Marquette Park Beach (Gary, Miller Beach)

Lake Co., IN · harvest closed
55/100

Washington Park Beach (Michigan City)

LaPorte Co., IN · harvest closed
55/100

Bay de Noc (Escanaba)

Delta Co., MI
55/100

Canyon Ferry Lake

Broadwater Co., MT
53/100

Lake Sakakawea (Fort Stevenson State Park)

McLean Co., ND
53/100

Devils Lake (Grahams Island State Park)

Ramsey Co., ND
53/100

Selkirk Shores State Park

Oswego Co., NY
53/100

Elephant Butte Reservoir

Sierra Co., NM
53/100

Harlan County Reservoir

Harlan Co., NE
53/100

Lake Audubon

McLean Co., ND
53/100

Lake of the Woods (Baudette)

Lake of the Woods Co., MN
53/100

Lake Pueblo

Pueblo Co., CO
51/100

Cherry Creek Reservoir

Arapahoe Co., CO
51/100

Chatfield Reservoir

Douglas Co., CO
51/100

Horsetooth Reservoir

Larimer Co., CO
51/100

Boyd Lake

Larimer Co., CO
51/100

Glendo Reservoir

Platte Co., WY
51/100

Peninsula State Park (Nicolet Bay Beach)

Door Co., WI
50/100

Mississippi River (Clinton)

Clinton Co., IA
50/100

Jennings Randolph Lake

Garrett Co., MD
47/100

Truman Lake

Benton Co., MO
47/100

Oneida Lake

Oswego Co., NY
47/100

Green Bay (Bay Beach, Green Bay)

Brown Co., WI
47/100

St. Lawrence River (1000 Islands)

St. Lawrence Co., NY
47/100

Saginaw Bay

Bay Co., MI
45/100

Deep Creek Lake

Garrett Co., MD
41/100

Potomac River — Williamsport

Washington Co., MD
41/100

Tims Ford Lake

Franklin Co., TN
41/100

Lake Cumberland

Russell Co., KY
41/100

Mississippi River (Grafton)

Jersey Co., IL
37/100

Lake Anna State Park

Spotsylvania Co., VA
35/100

Claytor Lake

Pulaski Co., VA
35/100

Summersville Lake

Nicholas Co., WV
35/100

Cheat Lake

Monongalia Co., WV
35/100

Dale Hollow Lake

Clay Co., TN
35/100

Sturgeon Bay (Door County)

Door Co., WI

Rainy Lake (International Falls)

Koochiching Co., MN

Lake Champlain (Burlington)

Chittenden Co., VT

Kentucky Lake

Benton Co., TN

Bull Shoals Lake

Marion Co., AR

Catawba Island State Park (Port Clinton)

Ottawa Co., OH

Lake Champlain

Essex Co., NY

Beaver Lake

Carroll Co., AR

Potomac River — Point of Rocks

Frederick Co., MD

New River (Thurmond Gorge)

Fayette Co., WV

Presque Isle State Park

Erie Co., PA

Edgewater Beach (Cleveland)

Cuyahoga Co., OH

Sims Park Beach (Euclid)

Cuyahoga Co., OH

Lake McConaughy (Ogallala)

Keith Co., NE

Lake Vermilion

St. Louis Co., MN

Table Rock Lake

Taney Co., MO

Fort Peck Lake

Valley Co., MT

Connecticut River (Bellows Falls)

Windham Co., VT

Conowingo Dam Tailrace

Harford Co., MD · harvest closed

Maryland (non-tidal)

Stale: last verified 51 days ago.

non tidal

Min size
15"
Creel
5

Statewide: 15-inch minimum, 5 per day. Deep Creek Lake has an 18–21 inch protected slot (all fish in slot must be released) AND is closed March 1–April 15. Potomac River has a 20-inch protected-slot provision Jan 1–Apr 15 in some sections. Verify water-specific regulations before keeping any fish.

Source · verified 2026-04-22

Waters with special regulations in this jurisdiction

Virginia (non-tidal — VDWR)

Stale: last verified 51 days ago.

non tidal

Min size
18"
Creel
5

Non-tidal VA: 18-inch minimum (higher than MD's 15-inch), 5 per day in aggregate with saugeye. Special regulations on the flagship waters: Claytor Lake and the New River (upstream to Fries Dam) are limited to 2 per day, and no harvest of fish 19–28 inches (protected slot). Primary fisheries: New River, Claytor Lake, Smith Mountain Lake, South Holston.

Source · verified 2026-04-22

OH

Stale: last verified 14 days ago.

great lakes

Min size
15"
Creel
6

Lake Erie: 15" minimum, 6/day.

Source · verified 2026-05-29

PA

Stale: last verified 14 days ago.

great lakes

Min size
15"
Creel
6

Lake Erie: 15" minimum, 6/day.

Source · verified 2026-05-29

Stale: last verified 14 days ago.

non tidal

Min size
15"
Creel
6

15" minimum, 6/day. Closed Mar 15–first Saturday in May.

Source · verified 2026-05-29

WV

Stale: last verified 14 days ago.

non tidal

Creel
8

8/day (15" minimum on most waters).

Source · verified 2026-05-29

TN

Stale: last verified 14 days ago.

non tidal

Min size
16"
Creel
5

16" minimum, 5/day (with sauger).

Source · verified 2026-05-29

MO

Stale: last verified 14 days ago.

non tidal

Min size
18"
Creel
8

18" minimum, 8/day (walleye & sauger combined).

Source · verified 2026-05-29

MN

Stale: last verified 14 days ago.

non tidal

Creel
6

6/day statewide; Mille Lacs and many lakes carry special slot/limit rules — confirm the lake.

Source · verified 2026-05-29

OK

Stale: last verified 14 days ago.

non tidal

Min size
14"
Creel
6

14" minimum, 6/day (some reservoirs 16–18").

Source · verified 2026-05-29

KY

Stale: last verified 14 days ago.

non tidal

Min size
16"
Creel
5

16" minimum, 5/day (walleye & hybrids).

Source · verified 2026-05-29

AR

Stale: last verified 14 days ago.

non tidal

Min size
18"
Creel
4

18" minimum, 4/day.

Source · verified 2026-05-29

NY

Stale: last verified 14 days ago.

non tidal

Min size
15"
Creel
5

15" minimum, 5/day (Oneida and most waters).

Source · verified 2026-05-29

Stale: last verified 9 days ago.

great lakes

Min size
15"
Creel
5

Lake Ontario: 5 walleye/day, 15" minimum.

Source · verified 2026-06-03

NTCO

Stale: last verified 11 days ago.

non tidal

Creel
5

Statewide: 5/day, 5 in possession. Several Front Range reservoirs are more restrictive (an 18" minimum).

Source · verified 2026-06-01

Waters with special regulations in this jurisdiction

NTMTC

Stale: last verified 11 days ago.

non tidal

Creel
5

Central District: 5 walleye and sauger daily (only 2 may be sauger), 10 in possession (only 4 sauger).

Source · verified 2026-06-01

NTMTE

Stale: last verified 11 days ago.

non tidal

Creel
5

Eastern District: 5 walleye daily and 10 in possession.

Source · verified 2026-06-01

NTWY

Stale: last verified 9 days ago.

non tidal

Creel
6

Wyoming: 6 walleye/day (Boysen Reservoir and most waters); sauger share the limit on some waters.

Source · verified 2026-06-03

MI

Stale: last verified 9 days ago.

great lakes

Min size
15"
Creel
6

Michigan Great Lakes (Lake Erie, Detroit River, St. Clair River, Lake St. Clair): 6 walleye/day, 15" minimum. Michigan resets bag limits every May 1 — confirm the current rule.

Source · verified 2026-06-03

WI

Stale: last verified 9 days ago.

great lakes

Min size
15"
Creel
5

Wisconsin Great Lakes / Green Bay (Lake Michigan): 5 walleye/day, 15" minimum.

Source · verified 2026-06-03

NTND

Stale: last verified 9 days ago.

non tidal

Min size
14"
Creel
5

North Dakota: 5 walleye and sauger combined per day (no size limit on most waters; a 14" minimum applies on the Missouri River system — Lake Sakakawea — and Devils Lake).

Source · verified 2026-06-03

NTSD

Stale: last verified 9 days ago.

non tidal

Creel
4

South Dakota: 4 walleye/day, 8 in possession statewide (Lake Oahe). Lake Sharpe and some other Missouri River reaches add a 15" minimum (waived in July–August) and a one-over-20" rule — confirm the water.

Source · verified 2026-06-03

NTNE

Stale: last verified 9 days ago.

non tidal

Min size
15"
Creel
4

Nebraska: 4 walleye/day, 15" minimum, no more than one over 22" (Lake McConaughy and most reservoirs).

Source · verified 2026-06-03

NTVT

Stale: last verified 9 days ago.

non tidal

Min size
18"
Creel
3

Lake Champlain: 3 walleye/day, 18" minimum. Season May 1–Mar 15.

Source · verified 2026-06-03

NTIA

Stale: last verified 9 days ago.

non tidal

Creel
3

Iowa: 3 walleye/day. Mississippi River pools carry a 15" minimum and release of all fish 20–27" (1 over 27"); the Iowa Great Lakes use a 19–25" protected slot.

Source · verified 2026-06-03

Waters with special regulations in this jurisdiction

NTKS

Stale: last verified 9 days ago.

non tidal

Min size
15"
Creel
5

Kansas: 5 walleye/day, 15" minimum on most reservoirs (Milford, Tuttle Creek, Wilson).

Source · verified 2026-06-03

IL

Stale: last verified 9 days ago.

non tidal

Min size
14"
Creel
6

Illinois: 6 walleye/sauger per day, 14" minimum on most waters.

Source · verified 2026-06-03

NTNM

Stale: last verified 9 days ago.

non tidal

Creel
5

New Mexico: 5 walleye/day; some waters add a minimum size.

Source · verified 2026-06-03

esc