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Regulations for Catfish in Ohio
Disclaimer: Always check local fishing regulations, water access rights and land ownership before fishing, regardless of any catches logged in that area by the Fishbrain community. Fishbrain has mapped millions of acres of government-owned land across the USA to help you identify potential fishing access, but you are responsible for ensuring compliance with all legal requirements.
Fishing regulations in Ohio can change throughout the year. Make sure to check this page before fishing for the most up to date rules and regulations for the current season. Local regulations govern when you can fish, the max size of the fish you can keep, how many fish you can keep, and more.
Below you will see fishing regulations for catching Channel catfish as of May 16th, 2026. To view regulations for a different fish species, please click on your preferred species in the drop-down.
Channel catfish
Seasons
Open
Memorable
1 > 28
Measurement
Total Length
No minimum size limit.
No bag limit for channel catfish under 28 inches. Bag limit of 1 channel catfish 28-inches or larger.
Hoover Reservoir; bag limit = 4 fish split limit; 3 fish less than 18-inches and 1 fish 28-inches or longer may be harvested. None may be taken between 18-inches and 28-inches.
For additional site-specific regulations, see Ohio Division of Wildlife Fishing Regulations.
These species can be found in many lakes, rivers and streams throughout the area. If you are targeting a specific species, you can use the to filter catches by species and see where anglers are catching them and which baits they are using.
Catfish are caught in lakes, rivers and streams throughout Ohio. Popular fishing waters reported by Fishbrain members include Lake Erie, Great Miami River, and Nimisila Reservoir.
The allows anglers to see exact catch locations shared by other members, helping you discover productive fishing spots where Catfish have recently been caught.