{
  "name": "Muskellunge bag and size limits by U.S. state (FishLimit)",
  "description": "Daily limits, length rules and season notes for muskellunge in Indiana, Minnesota, Ohio and Virginia, one row per rule as published by each state wildlife agency. Every row carries the agency source URL and the date it was last verified.",
  "publisher": "FishLimit",
  "url": "https://fishlimit.com/fishing/muskellunge/",
  "date_modified": "2026-11-02",
  "temporal_coverage": "2026-01-01/2027-03-31",
  "notice": "Facts restated from official state wildlife agency sources; always verify with the agency before you fish or hunt. FishLimit is independent and is not a legal source of regulations.",
  "columns": [
    {
      "key": "state",
      "description": "Two-letter U.S. state code."
    },
    {
      "key": "state_name",
      "description": "State name."
    },
    {
      "key": "species",
      "description": "Species slug used in FishLimit URLs."
    },
    {
      "key": "species_name",
      "description": "Species name."
    },
    {
      "key": "agency",
      "description": "State wildlife agency that publishes the rule."
    },
    {
      "key": "regs_valid",
      "description": "Regulation period the figures apply to, as stated by the agency."
    },
    {
      "key": "scope",
      "description": "Waters or area the rule covers (for example statewide or a named water)."
    },
    {
      "key": "season",
      "description": "Open season or date window, when the rule is seasonal."
    },
    {
      "key": "daily_limit",
      "description": "Daily bag limit, restated."
    },
    {
      "key": "size_rule",
      "description": "Minimum, maximum or slot length rule, restated."
    },
    {
      "key": "note",
      "description": "Exception or clarification attached to the rule."
    },
    {
      "key": "source_url",
      "description": "Official state agency page the figures were read from."
    },
    {
      "key": "source_title",
      "description": "Title of that agency page."
    },
    {
      "key": "last_verified",
      "description": "Date (YYYY-MM-DD) FishLimit last checked the agency page."
    }
  ],
  "sources": [
    {
      "url": "https://www.eregulations.com/assets/docs/guides/26INFW_LR.pdf",
      "title": "2026-2027 Indiana Fishing Regulations Guide (DNR publication, pp. 8, 24): Indiana DNR",
      "agency": "Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Fish & Wildlife"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/rlp/regulations/fishing/fishing_regs.pdf",
      "title": "2026 Minnesota Fishing Regulations (booklet, pp. 12, 27–28, 34, 40, 61–62, 68–70, 74, 85): Minnesota DNR",
      "agency": "Minnesota Department of Natural Resources"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://dam.assets.ohio.gov/image/upload/ohiodnr.gov/documents/wildlife/laws-regs-licenses/OhioFishingRegs_English.pdf",
      "title": "2026-27 Ohio Fishing Regulations (booklet, pp. 6, 8–9, 11, 18): ODNR Division of Wildlife",
      "agency": "Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://dwr.virginia.gov/wp-content/uploads/media/creel-and-length-limits.pdf",
      "title": "Creel (harvest) and length limits, 2026 Virginia Freshwater Fishing & Boating (p. 23): Virginia DWR",
      "agency": "Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources"
    }
  ],
  "rows": [
    {
      "state": "IN",
      "state_name": "Indiana",
      "species": "muskellunge",
      "species_name": "Muskellunge (and tiger muskellunge)",
      "agency": "Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Fish & Wildlife",
      "regs_valid": "April 2026 through March 31, 2027",
      "scope": "Statewide (lakes, rivers and streams without a listed exception)",
      "season": "Open all year",
      "daily_limit": "1 per day, muskellunge or tiger muskellunge (one fish total)",
      "size_rule": "Minimum length 36 inches",
      "note": "Indiana's possession limit is twice the daily bag, i.e. 2 fish, but it does not apply to fish processed and stored at your primary residence.",
      "source_url": "https://www.eregulations.com/assets/docs/guides/26INFW_LR.pdf",
      "source_title": "2026-2027 Indiana Fishing Regulations Guide (DNR publication, pp. 8, 24): Indiana DNR",
      "last_verified": "2026-11-02"
    },
    {
      "state": "IN",
      "state_name": "Indiana",
      "species": "muskellunge",
      "species_name": "Muskellunge (and tiger muskellunge)",
      "agency": "Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Fish & Wildlife",
      "regs_valid": "April 2026 through March 31, 2027",
      "scope": "Backwater, Kiser and Webster lakes (Kosciusko County)",
      "season": "",
      "daily_limit": "1 per day, muskellunge or tiger muskellunge",
      "size_rule": "Minimum length 44 inches",
      "note": "",
      "source_url": "https://www.eregulations.com/assets/docs/guides/26INFW_LR.pdf",
      "source_title": "2026-2027 Indiana Fishing Regulations Guide (DNR publication, pp. 8, 24): Indiana DNR",
      "last_verified": "2026-11-02"
    },
    {
      "state": "IN",
      "state_name": "Indiana",
      "species": "muskellunge",
      "species_name": "Muskellunge (and tiger muskellunge)",
      "agency": "Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Fish & Wildlife",
      "regs_valid": "April 2026 through March 31, 2027",
      "scope": "Ohio River main stem (Indiana waters; not the tributaries or embayments)",
      "season": "",
      "daily_limit": "2 per day, muskellunge and tiger muskellunge in any combination",
      "size_rule": "Minimum length 30 inches",
      "note": "Indiana and Kentucky honor each other's fishing licenses on the main stem, bank to bank. Tributaries and embayments follow the regular Indiana rules.",
      "source_url": "https://www.eregulations.com/assets/docs/guides/26INFW_LR.pdf",
      "source_title": "2026-2027 Indiana Fishing Regulations Guide (DNR publication, pp. 8, 24): Indiana DNR",
      "last_verified": "2026-11-02"
    },
    {
      "state": "MN",
      "state_name": "Minnesota",
      "species": "muskellunge",
      "species_name": "Muskellunge (and tiger muskie)",
      "agency": "Minnesota Department of Natural Resources",
      "regs_valid": "March 2026 through Feb. 28, 2027",
      "scope": "Inland waters, muskellunge",
      "season": "June 6 – Nov. 30, 2026",
      "daily_limit": "1 per day (also the possession limit)",
      "size_rule": "Minimum length 54 inches",
      "note": "Daily and possession limits are the same in Minnesota unless the booklet says otherwise. The 2027 muskie opener is June 5, 2027.",
      "source_url": "https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/rlp/regulations/fishing/fishing_regs.pdf",
      "source_title": "2026 Minnesota Fishing Regulations (booklet, pp. 12, 27–28, 34, 40, 61–62, 68–70, 74, 85): Minnesota DNR",
      "last_verified": "2026-11-02"
    },
    {
      "state": "MN",
      "state_name": "Minnesota",
      "species": "muskellunge",
      "species_name": "Muskellunge (and tiger muskie)",
      "agency": "Minnesota Department of Natural Resources",
      "regs_valid": "March 2026 through Feb. 28, 2027",
      "scope": "Inland waters, tiger (hybrid) muskellunge",
      "season": "June 6 – Nov. 30, 2026",
      "daily_limit": "1 per day (also the possession limit)",
      "size_rule": "Minimum length 40 inches",
      "note": "",
      "source_url": "https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/rlp/regulations/fishing/fishing_regs.pdf",
      "source_title": "2026 Minnesota Fishing Regulations (booklet, pp. 12, 27–28, 34, 40, 61–62, 68–70, 74, 85): Minnesota DNR",
      "last_verified": "2026-11-02"
    },
    {
      "state": "MN",
      "state_name": "Minnesota",
      "species": "muskellunge",
      "species_name": "Muskellunge (and tiger muskie)",
      "agency": "Minnesota Department of Natural Resources",
      "regs_valid": "March 2026 through Feb. 28, 2027",
      "scope": "Mississippi River from Blandin Dam down to Coon Rapids Dam; Prairie River from Prairie Lake Dam down to the Mississippi",
      "season": "",
      "daily_limit": "Catch-and-release only",
      "size_rule": "No muskellunge may be kept",
      "note": "",
      "source_url": "https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/rlp/regulations/fishing/fishing_regs.pdf",
      "source_title": "2026 Minnesota Fishing Regulations (booklet, pp. 12, 27–28, 34, 40, 61–62, 68–70, 74, 85): Minnesota DNR",
      "last_verified": "2026-11-02"
    },
    {
      "state": "MN",
      "state_name": "Minnesota",
      "species": "muskellunge",
      "species_name": "Muskellunge (and tiger muskie)",
      "agency": "Minnesota Department of Natural Resources",
      "regs_valid": "March 2026 through Feb. 28, 2027",
      "scope": "Canada–Minnesota border waters",
      "season": "June 20 – Nov. 30, 2026",
      "daily_limit": "1 per day (possession)",
      "size_rule": "Minimum length 50 inches",
      "note": "",
      "source_url": "https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/rlp/regulations/fishing/fishing_regs.pdf",
      "source_title": "2026 Minnesota Fishing Regulations (booklet, pp. 12, 27–28, 34, 40, 61–62, 68–70, 74, 85): Minnesota DNR",
      "last_verified": "2026-11-02"
    },
    {
      "state": "MN",
      "state_name": "Minnesota",
      "species": "muskellunge",
      "species_name": "Muskellunge (and tiger muskie)",
      "agency": "Minnesota Department of Natural Resources",
      "regs_valid": "March 2026 through Feb. 28, 2027",
      "scope": "North Dakota–Minnesota border waters (Red River of the North and Bois de Sioux River)",
      "season": "Open all year",
      "daily_limit": "1 per day (possession)",
      "size_rule": "Minimum length 50 inches",
      "note": "",
      "source_url": "https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/rlp/regulations/fishing/fishing_regs.pdf",
      "source_title": "2026 Minnesota Fishing Regulations (booklet, pp. 12, 27–28, 34, 40, 61–62, 68–70, 74, 85): Minnesota DNR",
      "last_verified": "2026-11-02"
    },
    {
      "state": "MN",
      "state_name": "Minnesota",
      "species": "muskellunge",
      "species_name": "Muskellunge (and tiger muskie)",
      "agency": "Minnesota Department of Natural Resources",
      "regs_valid": "March 2026 through Feb. 28, 2027",
      "scope": "Wisconsin–Minnesota border waters (including the St. Louis River estuary, St. Croix River and Mississippi River/Lake Pepin)",
      "season": "May 23 – Nov. 30, 2026",
      "daily_limit": "1 per day (possession)",
      "size_rule": "Minimum length 50 inches",
      "note": "",
      "source_url": "https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/rlp/regulations/fishing/fishing_regs.pdf",
      "source_title": "2026 Minnesota Fishing Regulations (booklet, pp. 12, 27–28, 34, 40, 61–62, 68–70, 74, 85): Minnesota DNR",
      "last_verified": "2026-11-02"
    },
    {
      "state": "MN",
      "state_name": "Minnesota",
      "species": "muskellunge",
      "species_name": "Muskellunge (and tiger muskie)",
      "agency": "Minnesota Department of Natural Resources",
      "regs_valid": "March 2026 through Feb. 28, 2027",
      "scope": "Iowa–Minnesota border waters",
      "season": "May 21 – Nov. 30, 2026",
      "daily_limit": "1 per day (possession)",
      "size_rule": "Minimum length 40 inches",
      "note": "",
      "source_url": "https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/rlp/regulations/fishing/fishing_regs.pdf",
      "source_title": "2026 Minnesota Fishing Regulations (booklet, pp. 12, 27–28, 34, 40, 61–62, 68–70, 74, 85): Minnesota DNR",
      "last_verified": "2026-11-02"
    },
    {
      "state": "OH",
      "state_name": "Ohio",
      "species": "muskellunge",
      "species_name": "Muskellunge",
      "agency": "Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife",
      "regs_valid": "March 1, 2026 through Feb. 28, 2027",
      "scope": "Statewide public waters, including Lake Erie and its tributaries",
      "season": "Open all year",
      "daily_limit": "1 per day",
      "size_rule": "No minimum length",
      "note": "The booklet's Lake Erie rules change limits only for walleye, sauger, saugeye, yellow perch, black bass and white bass, so the statewide muskie rule applies there.",
      "source_url": "https://dam.assets.ohio.gov/image/upload/ohiodnr.gov/documents/wildlife/laws-regs-licenses/OhioFishingRegs_English.pdf",
      "source_title": "2026-27 Ohio Fishing Regulations (booklet, pp. 6, 8–9, 11, 18): ODNR Division of Wildlife",
      "last_verified": "2026-11-02"
    },
    {
      "state": "OH",
      "state_name": "Ohio",
      "species": "muskellunge",
      "species_name": "Muskellunge",
      "agency": "Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife",
      "regs_valid": "March 1, 2026 through Feb. 28, 2027",
      "scope": "Ohio River, Western Unit (Ohio–Kentucky) and Eastern Unit (Ohio–West Virginia): the river, its embayments and tributaries up to the first riffle or dam",
      "season": "",
      "daily_limit": "2 per day",
      "size_rule": "Minimum length 30 inches",
      "note": "These are unified rules agreed with Kentucky and West Virginia, so everyone fishing on the river or within a quarter mile of it follows them, whichever state licensed them.",
      "source_url": "https://dam.assets.ohio.gov/image/upload/ohiodnr.gov/documents/wildlife/laws-regs-licenses/OhioFishingRegs_English.pdf",
      "source_title": "2026-27 Ohio Fishing Regulations (booklet, pp. 6, 8–9, 11, 18): ODNR Division of Wildlife",
      "last_verified": "2026-11-02"
    },
    {
      "state": "OH",
      "state_name": "Ohio",
      "species": "muskellunge",
      "species_name": "Muskellunge",
      "agency": "Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife",
      "regs_valid": "March 1, 2026 through Feb. 28, 2027",
      "scope": "Pymatuning Lake (Ohio–Pennsylvania)",
      "season": "",
      "daily_limit": "2 per day",
      "size_rule": "Minimum length 30 inches",
      "note": "An Ohio or a Pennsylvania license works from a boat; from the Pennsylvania shore or any island you need a Pennsylvania license.",
      "source_url": "https://dam.assets.ohio.gov/image/upload/ohiodnr.gov/documents/wildlife/laws-regs-licenses/OhioFishingRegs_English.pdf",
      "source_title": "2026-27 Ohio Fishing Regulations (booklet, pp. 6, 8–9, 11, 18): ODNR Division of Wildlife",
      "last_verified": "2026-11-02"
    },
    {
      "state": "VA",
      "state_name": "Virginia",
      "species": "muskellunge",
      "species_name": "Muskellunge",
      "agency": "Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources",
      "regs_valid": "January 2026 through Dec. 31, 2026",
      "scope": "Statewide (waters with no listed exception)",
      "season": "Open all year",
      "daily_limit": "1 per day",
      "size_rule": "Minimum length 40 inches",
      "note": "",
      "source_url": "https://dwr.virginia.gov/wp-content/uploads/media/creel-and-length-limits.pdf",
      "source_title": "Creel (harvest) and length limits, 2026 Virginia Freshwater Fishing & Boating (p. 23): Virginia DWR",
      "last_verified": "2026-11-02"
    },
    {
      "state": "VA",
      "state_name": "Virginia",
      "species": "muskellunge",
      "species_name": "Muskellunge",
      "agency": "Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources",
      "regs_valid": "January 2026 through Dec. 31, 2026",
      "scope": "New River, Claytor Dam downstream to the Virginia–West Virginia line (June 1 to the last day of February)",
      "season": "",
      "daily_limit": "1 per day",
      "size_rule": "No muskellunge from 40 to 48 inches may be kept",
      "note": "DWR lists this as the only geographic exception to the statewide muskie rule. The table states the 40–48 inch protection without saying whether fish under 40 inches may be kept here, so ask DWR before keeping a fish under 40 inches on this stretch.",
      "source_url": "https://dwr.virginia.gov/wp-content/uploads/media/creel-and-length-limits.pdf",
      "source_title": "Creel (harvest) and length limits, 2026 Virginia Freshwater Fishing & Boating (p. 23): Virginia DWR",
      "last_verified": "2026-11-02"
    },
    {
      "state": "VA",
      "state_name": "Virginia",
      "species": "muskellunge",
      "species_name": "Muskellunge",
      "agency": "Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources",
      "regs_valid": "January 2026 through Dec. 31, 2026",
      "scope": "New River, Claytor Dam downstream to the Virginia–West Virginia line (March 1 to May 31)",
      "season": "",
      "daily_limit": "1 per day",
      "size_rule": "Minimum length 48 inches",
      "note": "",
      "source_url": "https://dwr.virginia.gov/wp-content/uploads/media/creel-and-length-limits.pdf",
      "source_title": "Creel (harvest) and length limits, 2026 Virginia Freshwater Fishing & Boating (p. 23): Virginia DWR",
      "last_verified": "2026-11-02"
    }
  ]
}