USA · Midwest
Kansas
Fishing License 2026.
Fishing License & Permit · Fishing Times · Waters & Fish Species · Cost Overview
🌙Fishing Times 2026Simple license
Best fishing times
·Kansas39.01°, -98.48°
01
Fishing License & Permit
- License required?
- Yes
- Where to apply?
- Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks (KDWP) — online at GoOutdoorsKansas.com, KDWP offices, and 400+ retail agents.
- Cost
- Resident annual $27.50; Non-resident annual $52.50; Non-resident 1-day $14.50, 5-day $27.50. Trout Permit $14.50 (required on designated trout waters Nov 1–Apr 15). Combination hunt+fish resident $47.50.
- Validity
- 365-day rolling from date of purchase.
- Available online?
- Yes
Residents 15 and under and 75 and older fish free. Residents 65–74 pay reduced Senior annual ($15.50). Free Fishing Weekend: first full weekend in June. Lifetime fishing license $502.50 resident. Military on leave and Kansas-resident disabled vets get free licenses.
Buy fishing license for Kansas online
ksoutdoors.com
02
Rules & Regulations
- Closed seasons
- Most species year-round. Paddlefish snagging season March 15–May 15 on select waters (permit required). Walleye: 15" min, 5/day most reservoirs; Cheney 18" min. Flathead Catfish: no min size, 5/day combined with blues.
- Catch limits
- Largemouth/Smallmouth/Spotted Bass combined 5/day, 15" min most waters (varies by reservoir). Walleye 5/day, 15" min. White Bass 5/day (up to 20 at some lakes like Wilson). Channel Catfish 10/day. Crappie 50/day.
- Prohibited methods
- No snagging (except paddlefish season). Bowfishing permitted for rough fish only. Setlines/trotlines allowed with ID tags. Max 2 rods unless 3-pole permit purchased ($8.50).
- Catch & Release
- Voluntary — no C&R-only waters. Trophy flathead encouraged C&R especially Milford.
Paddlefish snagging permit $14.50, 2-fish season limit. Aquatic Nuisance Species Stamp built into base license. State-record flathead + blue cats routinely come from Milford and Wilson reservoirs.
03
Waters & Fish Species
Top waters
- —Milford Reservoir (15,700 acres — 'Flathead Catfish Capital', state-record 123-lb blue cat)
- —Cheney Reservoir (9,500 acres — trophy walleye, white bass, wipers)
- —Wilson Reservoir (9,000 acres — clearest lake in KS; smallmouth, striper, walleye)
- —Tuttle Creek Reservoir (12,500 acres — blue + flathead catfish, white bass, crappie)
- —Kansas River (Kaw) — flathead cats, blue cats, smallmouth in upper reaches
- Best season
- April–June walleye + white bass spawn runs on Cheney/Milford; June–August trophy flathead season (night fishing with live bait); October striper/wiper jump feeds; April paddlefish snagging at Neosho River.
- Freshwater
- Federal flood-control reservoirs dominate — 24 major impoundments built by the Corps. Shallow, turbid, prairie-influenced with extreme water-level fluctuations. Wilson is the clarity outlier (bedrock bottom). Kansas River is the main flowing-water fishery. No natural lakes of significance.
- Saltwater
- Landlocked — no saltwater fishery.
04
Practical Information
- Equipment
- Cabela's in Kansas City, Bass Pro in Olathe. Specialist catfish shops near Milford (Junction City) and Wilson (Lucas). Walmart covers general tackle statewide.
- Fishing guides
- $400–$650/day trophy flathead/blue-cat guides on Milford, Wilson, Tuttle Creek. $300–$500 walleye + white bass on Cheney. Night catfish trips common.
- Transport
- Fly into Kansas City (MCI) for eastern reservoirs (Milford, Tuttle Creek, Perry) — 2-hr drive. Wichita (ICT) for Cheney, El Dorado. Rental car required.
- Safety
- Tornado season April–June — monitor forecasts. Prairie thunderstorms produce hail and 50+ mph winds. Summer heat routinely 100°F+; dehydration and sunburn are the real risks. Winter cold fronts drop temps 40°F in hours.
05
Cost Overview
- License fees
- $27.50 resident / $52.50 non-resident annual
- Guide prices
- $300–$650/day
- Daily budget
- $50–$85 DIY; $400–$600 guided trophy cat or walleye.