Kansas Fishing Licenses, Laws, and Regulations
Kansas is considered the heartland of the United States and has some of the best waters for fishing. Its many ponds, lakes, rivers, reservoirs and outlets are populated healthily by species such as largemouth bass, black bass, flathead catfish, blue catfish, pike, striped perch, paddlefish, crappie and white perch. Unless otherwise noted, anglers must obtain a Kansas fishing license before setting off on a fishing trip to Milford Reservoir or Eisenhower State Park, or even along the banks of the Kansas Rive.
You can purchase a KS fishing license online with just a few clicks. For those less tech-savvy, a quick visit to the office or shop of a licensed agent or the Kansas Department Wildlife & Parks office is a great option.
Kansas has its own fishing rules and regulations to better address the conservation, conservation, and conservation of its water and fish resources. Note that there are specific rules and regulations for each waterway and species of fish. It is best to keep an up-to-date copy of the relevant KS angling regulations with you when fishing.
The Kansas decisions regarding the practice of trapping and releasing are a step toward conserving and protecting natural resources. The type of tools and equipment used when fishing is also important, as an unmatched equipment can harm the fish. Certain fish release instruments should also be used to protect the fish.
Obtain a Kansas fishing license
To get a Kansas fishing license, you have several options:
- Buy the license online at https://www.kshuntfishcamp.com/home.page
- On the middle page of the website is a form that says, Get your Kansas licenses and permits, reserve your cabin or campground. Be sure to click the Licenses and Permits button.
- Next, you will be asked for your birthday and asked if you are a resident or a non-resident
- After completing the previous step, you can choose your desired fishing license or combination. Choose based on the type of combi fishing, the specific species of fish such as trout permit etc. You can also filter by duration e.g. B. after annual license and short-term fishing.
- When you\’re done, add your desired fishing licenses and permits to your cart and complete your purchase.
- You will then be asked to log in or create an account.
- Once this is done, you will be able to print out your license and / or permit and you will also receive an email confirmation.
- Find your local agent in your area based on your region. Click here to go to your local agent. https://ksoutdoors.com/License-Permits/Locations-to-Buy-License-Permits
- You can visit any Kansas Department wildlife and parks office. Visit their website to find locations nearby. https://ksoutdoors.com/KDWPT-Info/Locations/Administrative-Offices
- Call 1-800-918-2877
Kansas Fishing Licenses
Name of the office | address | phone | district |
Secretary\’s office | 1020 S Kansas Rm 200 Topeka, KS 66612-1327 | 785-296-2281 | Shawnee |
Pratt operations | 512 SE 25th Avenue Pratt, KS 67124-8174 | 620-672-5911 | Pratt |
Hays region 1 | 1426 U.S. 183 Bypass P.O. Box 338 | 785-628-8614 | Hays |
Topeka region 2 | 300 SW Wanamaker Road Topeka KS 66606 | 785-273-6740 | Topeka |
Wichita Region 3 | 6232 E. 29th St. N Wichita, KS 67220 | 316-683-8069 | Wichita |
Kansas City District | 8304 Heckengasse Terrasse Shawnee, KS 66227 | 913-422-1314 | Johnson |
Dodge borough | 1001 W. McArtor RD Dodge City, KS 67801-6024 | 620-227-8609 | Evade |
Chanute district | 137 E. 21. St. Ks Chanute KS 66720 | 620-431-0380 | Chanute |
Emporia Research and Survey | 1830 merchant post box 1525 Emporia KS 66801-1525 | 620-342-0658 | Emporia |
Types of fishing licenses and costs
We have compiled a list of fishing licenses and permits / fees so you can see what grants you will need for your trip.
Lifelong Senior Resident / Hunting / Fish Combo | $ 42.50 |
Senior Resident Fish | $ 15 |
Senior resident combination hunting / fish | $ 25 |
1 day resident fishing license | $ 8.50 |
Resident fishing | $ 27.50 |
Resident combination fish & hunt | $ 47.50 |
5 year residence permit for fish | $ 102.50 |
Lifetime fishing | $ 502.50 |
Combo Lifetime Fishing & Hunting | $ 962.50 |
Non-resident fishing | $ 52.50 |
Non-resident combination fish & hunt | $ 137.50 |
Five day fishing for non-residents | $ 27.50 |
Non-resident 1 day fishing | $ 14.50 |
Trout permit | $ 14.50 |
Paddle fish permit | $ 12.50 |
Paddlefish Permit for teenagers (15 and younger) | $ 7.50 |
Hand fishing permission | $ 27.50 |
Bass pass | $ 14.50 |
Tripolar Permission | $ 8.50 |
Duplicates (all licenses / permits) | $ 2.50 |
Trout permit:
For anglers trying to fish for trout, follow these rules. The trout season runs from November 1st to April 15th. A trout license is $ 14.50. Trout permits are available from the KDWPT offices, district secretariats, license vendors, or online. The permit is valid for the current calendar year.
Teens 15 and under the limit:
Without a trout permit, these people have a daily gate limit of 2 trout. If they have a license, the daily limit on the gate is five trout.
Adult limit:
The daily hat limit is five trout and the catch limit is 15.
Year-round season:
Normally the season is November 1 through April 15, but at Mined Land Wildlife Area Unit # 30, Cherokee County, trout fishing is open year round.
Fishing spots that require a trout permit for anglers aged 16 and over:
- Dodge City Lake Charles
- Ft. Scott Gun Park Lake
- Garnett crystal lake
- Glen Elder Reservoir Outlet
- Kanopolis Seep Stream
- KDOT Baltic Sea in Wichita
- Lake Henry in Clinton SP
- Mined Land WA Unit # 30
- Pratt Centennial Pond
- Vic\’s Lake and Slough Creek in Sedgwick County Park
- Topeka Auburndale Park
- Walnut River area in El Dorado SP
- Webster Stilling Basin
Fishing sports for which a trout permit is only required for trout anglers:
- Atchison City Lake No. 1
- Cimarron grassland pits
- Colby Villa High Lake
- Father Padilla Lake in Herington
- Ft. Riley Cameron Springs and Moon Lakes
- Great Bend Veterans Memorial Park Lake
- Great Bend Stone Lake
- Holton Elkhorn Lake
- Hutchinson Dillon Nature Center pond
- Lake Shawnee
- Meade State fishing lake
- Salina Lakewood Lake
- Scott State Fishing Lake
- Scott State Park pond
- Syracuse-Sam\’s Pond
- Cherryvale Town Lake
Who Needs a Kansas Fishing License?
All persons between 16 and 74 years of age require a license. To obtain a permit, the individual must have been resident in Kansas for at least 60 days prior to obtaining the license. And a resident fishing license must be in place at the time of fishing. Everyone must be in possession of a license to fish. Individuals must present them to any Kansas Natural Resources officer for identification and proof of license at any time when fishing in public.
For non-residents, a valid foreign license must be available at all times.
Kansas Residents aged 65-74:
Kansas residents in old age from 65 to 74 years of age also need a fishing license. However, they are offered a reduced lifetime price that is half the annual fishing price that is available for purchase.
Multi-year youth license:
For youth licenses for residents aged 16-20, a one-time purchase of a fishing license is available for $ 42.50 and a multi-year hunting and fishing license combo is available for $ 72.50. In the case of multiple licenses, it ends on December 31 of the year in which the person turns 21.
People who are part of the National Guard:
The state provides free fishing and hunting licenses for active members of the National Guard.
Disabled Veterans:
Kansas residents with at least 30% disability qualify for free hunting and fishing permits. These individuals must provide evidence by providing a copy of their disabled veteran\’s authorization papers.
Indians:
Individuals who have at least a sixteenth Indian by blood and are also certified by the Bureau of Indian Affairs can apply for a free fishing license.
Expiry of the fishing license:
All licenses expire 365 days from the date of purchase, with the exception of multi-year, five-day, lifetime, and one-day fishing licenses.
Kansas fishing license extension
Hunters, anglers and visitors to the state park have the option to participate in the \»Auto-Renew\» program to automatically renew their licenses. There are no fees for auto-renewal. You can also unsubscribe from your automatic renewal if you change your mind about renewing your fishing license at any time. After the annual purchase has been made, log in to https://www.kshuntfishcamp.com/home.page and print out your licenses and permits. You will not receive a copy in the mail.
The following licenses and permits can be automatically renewed when fishing:
- Resident Annual Combo (Hunt / Fish)
- Non-resident annual combination (hunting / fish)
- Senior Annual Combo (Hunting / Fish; Ages 65-74)
- Resident 5-year combo (hunting / fish)
- Resident Annual Fish
- Non-resident annual fish
- Senior Annual Fish (Age 65-74)
- Resident 5 year old fish
- Trout permit
- Tripolar Permission
- Tournament Pale Bass Pass
- Hand fishing permission
To register for the Auto-Renew license, please follow the steps below:
- Please visit the Kansas Wildlife Parks and Tourism website: https://www.kshuntfishcamp.com/home.page.
- On this website you will find “Licenses & Permits” or “Licenses & Applications”.
- On the next page, click \»Register Now\» and log into your account with your driver\’s license number or KDWPT number.
- Enter your bank account and residence information.
- Find and select your desired fishing licenses and permits.
- Then click on \»Go to shopping cart\».
- Click on \»Proceed to checkout\».
- Please enter your payment information.
- When you\’re done, scroll down to the Auto-Renewal section. Review the Eligible Items you have to register for auto-renewal. This will ensure that you can automatically renew your license and permits.
- Provide a credit card for auto-renewal unless otherwise noted above.
- Click on \»Send Payment\».
- Then click on “Print all licenses / permits”.
Kansas fish size and limits
We have provided general guidance on the following state longitude and daytime gate limits that apply to Kansas public waters such as rivers, creeks, and ponds. There are special regulations that may differ from these rules, as well as more restrictive fishing restrictions in cities, counties and other locally administered waters. Here is a table for your reference.
Fish species | Number of fish | Length of fish |
Channel catfish | 10 | – |
Blue catfish | 5 | |
Zander, sucker, suction eye (individually or in combination) | 5 | 15 inches (does not apply to rivers, streams and underwater) |
Rainbow trout, brown trout (individually or in combination) | 5 | |
Small bass (largemouth bass, small mouth perch, spotted, individually or in combination) | 5 | 15 inches |
Flat head catfish | 5 | |
pike | 2 | 30 inches |
Striped bass | 5 | |
Wipe (white bass / striped bass hybrid) | 5 | |
Crappie | 50 | |
White perch, bullhead, bluegill and all other legal species | No limit | |
Paddle fish | 2 |
The ownership limit for all fish is three times the daily gate limit. For new anglers, the gate limit is defined by the maximum number of fish or frog species that can be caught per person in a calendar year.
Private water regulations:
While most regulations apply to public waters, many private areas also have their rules. A fishing license is required to fish on many private properties in the following situations:
- Any private impoundment that has a stream or river entering and leaving public waters
- Any private seizure that belongs to multiple people and that presumes you are not the owner. (The owner is exempt from fishing in its waters)
- Any seizure put into storage by the state within the last ten years.
Special restrictions on fishing in the Missouri River:
Length restrictions:
- Black bass: at least 12 inches
- Paddle fish: at least 24 inches
- Channel catfish: at least 15 inches
- Sucker and Walleye: at least 15 inches
Daily Creel Limits:
- Black bass: 6
- Channel catfish: 10
- Blue catfish: 5
- Crappie: 30
- Flat head catfish: 5
- Paddle fish: 2
- Zander, suckers and their hybrids: 4
- Yellow bass, striped bass, white bass and their hybrids: 15
Cleaning and Possession: All species of fish must have their head, body and caudal fin attached while in possession of the water.
The best fishing spots in Kansas
Kansas is divided into 5 different regions, with each region having its own unique qualities and fish species. The regions are Northwest, Northeast, Southwest, South-Central and Southeast. Larned Fishing Pond in Larned Kansas is one of the best-stocked fishing holes. You never have to fish long before you catch a bite or see fish rise to the surface. Anglers can expect to find black crappie, bluegill, carp, channel catfish, and largemouth bass.
For those looking to catch larger and heavier fish, Elk City Lake is an excellent place. This lake produced a world record for a flat head of 123 pounds. You will find huge catfish and crappies to enjoy. Another place with heavy fishing is Milford Lake. Fish in excess of the 50 pound line are found in this lake, and the species that are common in this area are perch and crappies.