Ohio River Fishing Regulations
Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virginia have worked to unify fishing regulations on the Ohio River since 1994. The following daily (bag) limits and minimum length limits apply to the Ohio River and its embayments and tributaries to the first dam or riffle. These differ slightly between the Ohio and Kentucky border (Western Unit) and the Ohio and West Virginia border (Eastern Unit).
Western Unit (Kentucky/Ohio border only) – Lawrence County west of South Point, and Scioto, Adams, Brown, Clermont, and Hamilton counties. Ohio and Kentucky will honor the other state’s fishing licenses along their common borders on the mainstem and from the banks of the Ohio River, excluding the embayments and tributaries.
The following regulations are the only unified regulations between Ohio and Kentucky in the Western Unit:
| Species |
Daily Limit |
Minimum Size |
| Walleye, Sauger, & Saugeye |
10 (singly or in combination) |
None |
| Striped, Hybrid Striped, White, & Yellow Bass |
30 (no more than 4 over 15 inches) |
None |
| Muskellunge |
2 |
30 inches |
| Black Crappie & White Crappie |
30 |
None |
Anglers in Ohio's Management Jurisdiction
The following Ohio regulations apply only to boat anglers when fishing in Ohio waters, shoreline anglers when fishing on the Ohio shoreline, and all anglers in Ohio embayments and tributaries with the Western Unit.
| Species |
Daily Limit |
Minimum Size |
| Largemouth, Smallmouth, and Spotted Bass |
6 (singly or in combination) |
12 inches (now includes spotted bass) |
Anglers in Kentucky's Management Jurisdiction
The following Kentucky regulations apply to boat anglers fishing the mainstem of the Ohio River, shore anglers fishing the Kentucky shoreline, and boat and shore anglers fishing Kentucky embayments and tributaries within the Western Unit.
| Species |
Daily Limit |
Minimum Size |
| Largemouth, Smallmouth, and Spotted Bass |
6 (singly or in combination) |
12 inches (except for spotted bass) |
For all other regulations in the Western Unit, anglers must abide by those of the state by which they are licensed, except that Ohio anglers must abide by Kentucky regulations when fishing from the Kentucky shoreline, and Kentucky anglers must abide by Ohio regulations when fishing from the Ohio shoreline. Therefore, anglers fishing from a boat must follow the daily and length limits of the state in which they are fishing if not in the table above.
Reminder: Catfish regulations differ between the states of Ohio and Kentucky. In Ohio, anglers may only keep 1 channel catfish 28 inches and longer, 1 flathead catfish 35 inches and longer, and 1 blue catfish 35 inches and longer per day. Kentucky does not have regulations regarding the numbers or lengths of catfishes that may be kept.
Eastern Unit (West Virginia/Ohio border only) – Lawrence County east of South Point, and Gallia, Meigs, Athens, Washington, Monroe, Belmont, Jefferson, and Columbiana counties. Ohio and West Virginia will honor the other state’s fishing licenses along their common borders on the mainstem of the Ohio River, including its banks and embayments and tributaries to the landmark location listed in Publication 404, Waterfowl Hunting and Fishing on the Ohio River. This agreement applies to Ohio and West Virginia residents only.
The following regulations are the only unified regulations between Ohio and West Virginia in the Eastern Unit:
| Species |
Daily Limit |
Minimum Size |
| Largemouth, Smallmouth, & Spotted Bass |
6 (singly or in combination) |
None |
| Striped, Hybrid Striped, and White Bass |
30 (no more than 4 over 15 inches) |
None |
| Muskellunge |
2 |
30 inches |
Anglers in Ohio's Jurisdiction
The following Ohio regulations apply only to shore anglers when fishing on the Ohio shoreline and all anglers in Ohio embayments and tributaries within the Eastern Unit.
| Species |
Daily Limit |
Minimum Length Limit |
| Walleye, Sauger, and Saugeye |
10 (singly or in combination) |
none |
| Northern Pike |
None |
none |
| Black and White Crappie |
30 (singly or in combination) |
none |
Anglers in West Virginia's Jurisdiction
The following West Virginia regulations apply to boat anglers fishing the mainstem of the Ohio River, shore anglers fishing the West Virginia shoreline, and boat and shore anglers fishing West Virginia embayments and tributaries within the Eastern Unit.
| Species |
Daily Limit |
Minimum Length Limit |
| Walleye, |
2 |
18 inches |
| Sauger and Saugeye |
10 (singly or in combination) |
none |
| Northern Pike |
2 |
28 inches |
For all other regulations, Ohio anglers must abide by West Virginia regulations when fishing the river mainstem and its banks, embayments, and tributaries in West Virginia, and West Virginia anglers must abide by Ohio regulations when fishing from the riverbanks, embayments, and tributaries in Ohio.
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