🎣 Walleye regulation 2026

Walleye quota in Quebec — daily limit & min size

— 2026-2027 cycle — MFFP General Order

Walleye (doré in French) is one of Quebec's most-fished species. Quebec has two species: yellow walleye (sander vitreus) and black walleye / sauger (sander canadensis). The 2026 General Order brings the largest quota change in years — yellow walleye limit cut to 2/day in four key zones. Below are the binding 2026 rules.

Daily limit

  • •Yellow walleye: 6/day general
  • ⚡2/day in zones 7, 8, 21, 27 (NEW for 2026)
  • •Black walleye (sauger): 6/day general
  • •Combined limit (yellow + black) per day applies in mixed zones

Minimum size

Yellow walleye carries a minimum length to protect under-size individuals from overfishing. Varies by zone:

Zone 9 (Outaouais)37 cm
Zones 7, 8 (St-Laurent + tributaries)32 cm
Most other zonesNo min size (verify on regpec)

Opening dates

Yellow walleye3rd Saturday of MayGeneral
Black walleyeJune 1 (NEW 2026)Zones 7, 8, 21, 27
WalleyeClosed Nov 1 – Dec 19 + Mar 16 – 31Zones 7, 8, 21, 27

2026 changes

  • →Yellow walleye daily limit reduced from 6 → 2 in zones 7, 8, 21, 27
  • →Black walleye now opens June 1 (separated from yellow walleye season)
  • →Full closure Nov 1 – Dec 19 + Mar 16 – 31 in zones 7, 8, 21, 27 (all species)

Best baits & techniques

Walleye is a low-light hunter. Most successful baits:

  • •Live minnow on jig (classic 1/8-3/8 oz)
  • •Soft-plastic shad/grub on jig head
  • •Crankbait suspending at 3-7 m
  • •Spinnerbait blade harness (slow troll)
  • •Senko-style worm wacky-rigged in shallow weeds

Use the MFFP regpec tool for the exact rule on your lake.

See also

→ Yellow walleye — full fact-sheet→ Pike quota→ Full regulation→ The 29 zones

For binding rules on YOUR specific lake, use the MFFP regpec tool. Limits may vary on water bodies with exceptions.