Ohio River Regulations
Species |
Daily Bag Limit |
Minimum Size |
Largemouth Bass |
6, any combination of largemouth, smallmouth, or spotted bass |
12 inches No size limit on spotted bass |
Smallmouth Bass |
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Spotted Bass |
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Hybrid Striped Bass |
30, any combination of hybrid, white, or yellow bass |
No more than four fish may be 15 inches or longer |
Striped Bass |
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White Bass |
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Yellow Bass |
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Rock Bass |
15 |
None |
Blue Catfish |
Unlimited |
13 inches; no more than one may be 35 inches or longer |
Channel Catfish |
Unlimited |
13 inches; no more than one may be 28 inches or longer |
Flathead Catfish |
Unlimited |
13 inches; no more than one may be 35 inches or longer |
Crappie |
30 |
None |
Muskellunge |
2, any combination of muskellunge or tiger muskellunge |
30 inches |
Tiger Muskellunge |
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Walleye |
6, any combination of walleye, sauger, or hybrid walleye |
14 inches |
Sauger |
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Walleye-Sauger Hybrid (Saugeye) |
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Shovelnose Sturgeon |
Unlimited |
25 inches fork length |
Fishing on the Ohio
These regulations are the result of a cooperative effort by Indiana and five other Ohio River states. In many cases, these rules differ significantly from other laws and regulations in Indiana. These rules and regulations apply only to the main stem of the Ohio River and do not include the tributaries or embayments for which general Indiana fishing regulations apply.
An agreement between Indiana and Kentucky allows that each state will recognize the fishing license issued by the other state on the main stem of the Ohio River, excluding embayments and tributaries. This means anglers can fish the Ohio River bank to bank with a license issued by either state. To fish Indiana or Kentucky embayments or tributaries, a license from that state must be obtained. An angler must abide by the regulations of the state by which they are licensed, except when fishing from the bank. When fishing from the bank, anglers shall follow the regulations of the state in which they are fishing.
An unlimited number of poles, hand lines, or free-float lines, and not more than 2 trot lines may be used per individual. Each trot line can have no more than 50 droppers attached that are placed no closer together than 18 inches and have no more than 1 single- or multi-barbed hook.
Trot lines must be checked at least once every 24 hours. Each set line and trot line must have affixed at least one legible tag marked with the name and address of the user or the individual’s DNR-issued Customer ID number.
Trot lines can be attached only to a tree limb, a tree trunk, a bank pole, or the bank itself. Each drop line on a trot line can bear only one single- or multi-barbed hook.
Snagging is prohibited as a sport fishing method on the Ohio River.
Paddlefish may not be taken from any portion of Indiana waters of the Ohio River on a sport fishing license. It is illegal to take paddlefish from any waters of Indiana on a sport fishing license.
Invasive carp, bowfin, buffalo fish, common carp, gar, shad, and suckers may also be taken with the following methods:
- Long bow, compound bow, and crossbow with an arrow having one or more barbs and attached to a line.
- Gigging from Feb. 1 to May 10 with any pronged or barbed instrument attached to the end of a rigid object. You cannot take a fish by gigging from either a boat or platform.
- Fish spear, spear gun, and underwater spear.
Where to Fish on the Ohio
Fishing within 200 yards below any dam on the Ohio River can only be done with a fishing pole or hand line. Fishing sites include:
- J.T. Myers Dam (Uniontown Dam)—15 miles southwest of Mount Vernon in Posey County, accessible at Hovey Lake Fish & Wildlife Area
- Newburgh Dam—in the town of Newburgh off SR 66
- Cannelton Dam—follow Taylor Street south from SR 66 in Cannelton
- McAlpine Dam—located at Clarksville
- Falls of the Ohio State Park—accessible boat ramp located at George Rogers Clark Homesite in Clarksville (Access at New Albany off of Water Street in Jaycee Riverfront Park)
- Markland Dam—near Markland in Switzerland County. Accessible at DamVue River Camp or Vevay boat ramp
Access fees may be charged at some sites. See map below for dam locations.
Minnows & Crayfish
Minnows and crayfish can be taken from the Ohio River only by the following methods:
- A minnow trap that does not exceed 3 feet long and 18 inches in diameter and does not have a throat opening greater than 2 inches in diameter
- A dip net no more than 3 feet in diameter
- A minnow seine no more than 30 feet long and 6 feet deep that does not have a mesh size larger than ¼ inch bar mesh
- A cast net not to exceed 20 feet in diameter that does not have a mesh size larger than ¾ inch stretch
- Legal sport fishing methods listed on this page