Oklahoma

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Oklahoma › Fishing › Statewide Daily & Size Limits

Statewide Daily & Size Limits

Name: eRegulations
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Species	Daily Limit (for areas without special regulations)	Size Limit (for areas without special regulations)
Largemouth and/or Smallmouth Bass (A)	6 (combined)	1 (one) over 16 inches
Spotted Bass (A)	None	None
Channel and/or Blue Catfish (B)	15 (combined)	Only 1 Blue Catfish over 30 inches
Flathead Catfish (B)	5	None
White and/or Black Crappie	37 (combined)	None
Striped Bass (C)	5 (except Lake Texoma)	None
Striped Bass Hybrids (C)	20	Only 5 fish over 20 inches
White Bass	None	None
Trout (C)	See Trout Regulations
Walleye, Sauger and/or Saugeye	6 (combined)	14 inch minimum
Paddlefish (C,D)	See Paddlefish Regulations	None
Alligator Gar (D,E)	1	None
(All species not listed, except shad (F) and species of special concern I and/or II (G), have no minimum size limits)
A. In rivers and streams: black bass (largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted): six combined per day, only one of which may be a smallmouth bass. Largemouth and smallmouth bass must be 14 inches or longer. No size limit on spotted bass. B. Noodling size and daily limits are the same as statewide limits for all methods. C. Release of paddlefish, trout, striped bass and/or striped bass hybrids caught and placed on a stringer, in a livewell, or otherwise held in possession is prohibited statewide (no culling). D. Harvest of alligator gar and paddlefish must be reported within 24 hours via E-Check at wildlifedepartment.com. For any other fish species of special concern in category I or II such as black buffalo and shovelnose sturgeon (see Title 800:25-19-6) there is a daily limit of 1 and harvest must be reported. Harvest must be reported to the Wildlife Department’s Fisheries Division at (918) 683-1031. E. Alligator gar may be caught by use of rod and reel, trotline, and throwline. Alligator gar taken by bow and arrow, gigs, spears, or spearguns cannot be released. The attempt to take or harvest alligator gar is prohibited statewide May 1-31. F. It is unlawful to take or possess more than 25 nongame bait fish in rivers or streams, except for shad, of which 200 may be taken or possessed. G. Species of special concern, limit one (1), harvest reporting required (405) 521-3721
Some areas have different regulations. See “Public Fishing Waters” special regulations for daily and size limits on specific areas. No daily or size limits exist for any fish species fished from privately owned ponds and lakes.

Black Bass (Largemouth, Smallmouth & Spotted Bass)

Statewide Daily Limit:

Largemouth & Smallmouth – 6 (combined)
Spotted – None

Statewide Minimum Size Limit:

Largemouth & Smallmouth – 1 (one) over 16 inches
Spotted – None

For information on bag limit exemptions for tournaments, see www.wildlifedepartment.com/blackbass

Check "Public Fishing Waters" special regulations for areas with additional daily and size limits.

Largemouth Bass

Mouth hinge well behind eye
State record: 14 lbs., 13.7 oz.

Smallmouth Bass

Mouth hinge in front of eye
State record: 8 lbs., 7 oz.

Spotted Bass

Mouth hinge even with back edge of eye
State record: 8 lbs., 2 oz.

Tooth Patch: Another way to distinguish black bass is the presence or absence of a tooth patch on the tongue. The majority of largemouth bass have no tooth patch on the tongue, while smallmouth and spotted bass do have a tooth patch on the tongue.

Catfish

Statewide Daily Limit:

Channel and/or Blue Catfish combined – 15
Flathead Catfish – 5

Statewide Size Limit:

Channel Catfish – None
Blue Catfish – Only 1 over 30 inches
Flathead Catfish – None

Check "Public Fishing Waters" special regulations for areas with additional daily and size limits.

Channel Catfish

Curved anal fin
State record: 35 lbs., 15 oz.

Blue Catfish

Straight anal fin
State record: 98 lbs.

Flathead Catfish

Tail not forked
State record: 78 lbs., 8 oz.

Crappie

Statewide Daily Limit:

37 (combined White and/or Black crappie)

Statewide Minimum Size Limit:

None

Check "Public Fishing Waters" special regulations for areas with additional daily and size limits.

Black Crappie

No true pattern to black spots
7-8 bony spines in dorsal fin
State record: 4 lbs., 10 oz.

White Crappie

Distinct vertical bands of blue/gray spots
5-6 bony spines in dorsal fin
State record: 4 lbs., 15 oz.

Walleye, Sauger & Saugeye

Statewide Daily Limit:

6 (combined)

Statewide Size Limit:

14 inch minimum

Check "Public Fishing Waters" special regulations for areas with additional daily and size limits.

Walleye

State Record: 12 lbs., 13 oz.
No spots on spiny dorsal fin
Few or no cheek scales

Sauger

State Record: 5 lbs., 5 oz.
Distinct spots on spiny dorsal fin
Tan body with distinct brown blotches
Cheek covered with scales

Saugeye

State Record: 10 lbs.
Spiny dorsal fin with distinct spots and bars in webbing
Body gold with distinct brown blotches
Cheek covered with scales

Paddlefish

Statewide Daily Limit:

Statewide Annual Limit:

Statewide Minimum Size Limit:

None

Harvest must be reported within 24 hours via E-Check at wildlifedepartment.com.

Check Paddlefish Regulations for additional paddlefish regulations.

Culling of paddlefish is prohibited.

Distinctive rounded, protruding blade in front.
State Record: 164 lbs.

Alligator Gar

Statewide Daily Limit:

Statewide Minimum Size Limit:

None

Harvest must be reported within 24 hours via E-Check at wildlifedepartment.com.

Check "Public Fishing Waters" special regulations for areas with additional daily and size limits. The attempt to take or harvest alligator gar is prohibited statewide May 1-31.

State Record: 254 lbs., 12 oz.

Striped Bass, White Bass & Hybrids

Statewide Daily Limit:

Striped Bass - 5 (except Lake Texoma)
Striped Bass Hybrids - 20
White Bass - None

Statewide Size Limit:

Striped Bass - None
Striped Bass Hybrids - No more than 5 fish over 20 inches
White Bass - None

Check "Public Fishing Waters" special regulations for areas with additional daily and size limits.

Culling of striped bass and/or striped bass hybrids is prohibited.

Striped Bass

Back not arched
State record: 47 lbs., 8 oz.
Strong, unbroken dark lines

White Bass

Arched back
State record: 5 lbs., 1 oz.
Faint lines, usually unbroken

Striped Bass Hybrid

Back slightly arched
State record: 23 lbs., 3.7 oz.
Some broken lines

Distinguishing White Bass

White bass are also distinguished from striped bass and striped bass hybrids by tooth patches on the tongue. White bass have a single tooth patch, striped bass and striped bass hybrids have two tooth patches.

Downward Views Inside Mouth of Lower Jaw and Tongue.

Illustrations disinguishing White Bass by tooth patches on the tongue.

Trout (Rainbow & Brown)

Statewide Daily Limit:

Rainbow Trout & Brown Trout - 3 Combined

Statewide Size Limit:

None

Check Trout Regulations for areas with additional daily and size limits.

Culling of trout is prohibited.

Rainbow Trout

State record: 11 lbs., 4.3 oz.
Black spots on tail
Iridescence on sides

Brown Trout

State record: 17 lbs., 4.6 oz.
Few or no black spots on tail
Orange and red spots on side

Illustrations courtesy of Duane Raver

Measuring Fish

When measuring fish, total length is measured from the tip of the snout to the end of the tail, with fish laid flat on a ruler, mouth closed and tail fin lobes pressed together.

Image showing how to correctly measure fish length.

Nongame Fishes

Oklahoma waters boast many catchable nongame fishes in addition to the game fishes featured here. They come in all shapes and sizes, including this massive smallmouth buffalo (a native sucker often mistaken for a carp). See https://www.wildlifedepartment.com/outdoorok/ooj/fifty-fish-factoids for more info about Oklahoma's many nongame species and their valuable roles in our aquatic communities.