Walleye Limits To Be Changed On Popular Minnesota Lake

Earlier this year, walleye limits and restrictions were announced on two popular Minnesota Lakes.

The restrictions included a three-walleye possession limit, with only one walleye longer than 17 inches allowed, on Upper Red Lake, and a catch-and-release-only policy on Mille Lacs Lake at the beginning of the season and into summer.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources had said that the potential existed on Mille Lacs, Minnesota's second-largest inland lake, for anglers to begin harvesting walleye in August if conditions allow.

Now that August has arrived the DNR has announced an official change in policy on the 132,516-acre lake.

Mille Lacs Lake Starts Conservatively, But Things Have Changed

Brad Parson, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources fisheries section manager, says the initial conservative fishing regulations were a result of high angler catch rates last fall that he expected to continue into this year.

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However, despite a strong start to the fishing season, the catch-and-release regulations, combined with windy and rainy weather, lead to far fewer people than expected fishing Mille Lacs.

As of July 15, state-licensed anglers had harvested about 26% of their allowed walleye take. All of this has enabled the DNR to make a change on Mille Lacs Lake.

New Regulation Announced By The DNR Is Even Better Than Expected

Based on meteorologists’ projections for a hot and dry summer, along with data on the fishery and past angler effort, the DNR originally hoped regulations could be changed at some point to allow Mille Lacs Lake anglers to keep one fish 21 to 23 inches or longer than 28 inches.

However, population surveys suggest that Mille Lacs now has relatively high numbers of walleye measuring 18-20 inches, allowing the DNR to expand the possession limit even more than they had originally planned.

Beginning Friday, August 16, Mille Lacs walleye anglers can harvest up to two walleye through Saturday, November 30. Both fish can be 18-20 inches long or one can be 18-20 inches, and the other must be longer than 28 inches.

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The DNR says Minnesota anglers have advocated for relaxing walleye regulations when conditions allow, so it hopes they will come out to Mille Lacs and take advantage of this opportunity.

Complete Mille Lacs Lake fishing regulations and regularly updated angler surveys that show ongoing state-licensed angler catches of walleye, northern pike, and yellow perch are available on the Minnesota DNR's Mille Lacs Lake webpage.