Lake Erie walleye & yellow perch limits
Limits on this page were last verified .
Summary only, last verified . The agency's own regulations control. Not legal advice.
Each state sets its own Lake Erie limits, and several reset them every spring. Each cell shows the period it covers. When a period ends or we haven't re-checked a number in 13 months, the cell switches to a link to the agency instead of an old number.
| Jurisdiction | Walleye | Yellow perch | Covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio · West Zone | 6 walleye a day, 15-inch minimum (May 1, 2026 – Feb 28, 2027) Mar 1, 2027 – Apr 30, 2027: 6 walleye a day, 15-inch minimum | 30 a day, no minimum size (Ohio waters west of 82°30' W, Unit 1) | May 1, 2026 – Apr 30, 2027 |
| Ohio · Central Zone | 6 walleye a day, 15-inch minimum (May 1, 2026 – Feb 28, 2027) Mar 1, 2027 – Apr 30, 2027: 6 walleye a day, 15-inch minimum | 10 a day, no minimum size (between 82°30' W and 81°20' W, Unit 2) | May 1, 2026 – Apr 30, 2027 |
| Ohio · East Zone | 6 walleye a day, 15-inch minimum (May 1, 2026 – Feb 28, 2027) Mar 1, 2027 – Apr 30, 2027: 6 walleye a day, 15-inch minimum | 20 a day, no minimum size (east of 81°20' W, Unit 3) | May 1, 2026 – Apr 30, 2027 |
| Pennsylvania | 6 walleye a day, 15-inch minimum; season January 1 - March 14 and the first Saturday in May (May 2, 2026) - December 31 | 30 a day; 7-inch minimum December 1 - April 30, no minimum May 1 - November 30 | Apr 21, 2026 – Apr 15, 2027 (set Apr 21, 2026) |
| New York | 6 walleye a day, 15-inch minimum; season May 1 - March 15 | 50 yellow perch a day, no minimum size, open all year | Apr 1, 2026 – Mar 31, 2027 |
| Michigan · Lake Erie | 6 walleye a day, 15-inch minimum, open all year (three rods per angler) | 50 yellow perch a day, no size limit, open all year | walleye May 1, 2026 – Apr 30, 2027; perch Apr 1, 2026 – Mar 31, 2027 |
| Michigan · Detroit River | 6 walleye a day, 15-inch minimum, open all year (three rods per angler) | 25 yellow perch a day, no size limit, open all year (statewide limit) | walleye May 1, 2026 – Apr 30, 2027; perch Apr 1, 2026 – Mar 31, 2027 |
| Ontario · Zone 19 | Open all year; 6 a day on a sport license, 2 on a conservation license (walleye and sauger combined) | Open all year; 50 a day on a sport license (possession 100), 25 on a conservation license (possession 50) | as published; "sport" = sport license, "conservation" = conservation license |
- Ohio: no one may keep more than 30 yellow perch or 6 walleye in a day, whatever zones they fish, and Ohio's limits apply to anyone landing at an Ohio port.
- Ohio zones: West Zone = Ohio waters west of 82°30' W; Central Zone = between 82°30' W and 81°20' W; East Zone = east of 81°20' W. ODNR zone boundary map
- Ohio sets its Lake Erie walleye and perch limits each spring; new limits can start May 1.
- Pennsylvania walleye season: January 1 – March 14 and the first Saturday in May – December 31. Minimum 15 inches. Pennsylvania perch: 7-inch minimum December 1 – April 30, no minimum May 1 – November 30.
- New York walleye season: May 1 – March 15, minimum 15 inches.
- Michigan updates these walleye limits each May 1 for the next 12 months.
- Ontario publishes these limits for Fisheries Management Zone 19, a Great Lakes zone that takes in its Lake Erie areas such as Long Point Bay and Port Colborne. Two lines may be used from a boat in open water there. You need an Ontario license to fish Ontario waters. Which license?
- Size limits, seasons for other species and gear rules aren't on this page. Check the agency.
Questions
Why do Lake Erie limits change every year?
The five jurisdictions share the lake's walleye and yellow perch harvest. Each year biologists model the populations, the Lake Erie Committee sets a total allowable catch in late March, and each state then sets daily limits and size limits to keep its anglers within its share. Pennsylvania announced its 2026 limits on April 21, 2026. Michigan updates its walleye limits each May 1.
Can I keep a limit in Ohio and another in Michigan the same day?
Ohio caps what one person may take or possess in a day at 30 yellow perch or 6 walleye, whatever zones they fish, and its limits apply when you land at an Ohio port. Check each state's rules before fishing two jurisdictions in one day.
Does the charter captain know the current limit?
Ask. Captains are expected to follow every rule for the waters they fish.
Sources
- ODNR, Lake Erie Walleye and Yellow Perch 2026-2027 Daily Bag Limits — verified
- PFBC, PFBC Sets 2026 Daily Creel Limits for Lake Erie Yellow Perch and Walleye (Apr 21, 2026); 58 Pa. Code §69.12 — verified
- NYSDEC, Great Lakes and Tributaries Special Regulations (Lake Erie) — verified
- NYSDEC, Statewide Freshwater Fishing Seasons, Sizes, and Catch Limits — verified
- Michigan DNR, Fishing regulations (walleye regulations at a glance) — verified
- Michigan DNR, 2026 Michigan Fishing Regulations (Note 5) — verified
- Michigan DNR, 2026 Michigan Fishing Regulations — verified
- Ontario Fishing Regulations Summary, Fisheries Management Zone 19 — verified
- ODNR, Lake Erie Fishing Guide (Publication 5276); 2026-27 Ohio Fishing Regulations — verified
- ODNR Division of Wildlife, Lake Erie Walleye & Yellow Perch Management Process (007LE, updated January 2022) — verified