ST. PAUL, Min. – Fishermen at Mille Lacs Lake in central Minnesota will be able to fill their wells with a little more walleye this winter.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources says that from December 1 to February 23, 2025, those with a state fishing license are now allowed to keep:
- Two walleye 18-20 inches long
- One pike-perch of 18-20 inches and one longer than 28 inches
DNR Fisheries Section Manager Brad Parsons says the changes are a continuation of the fall relaxation due to the recovery of the lake’s walleye population.
“The Mille Lacs walleye population is moving in the right direction for both adult and juvenile fish. Juvenile bass and tullibee, important forage species for walleye, are also plentiful,” Parsons said.
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The DNR says anglers caught “29,891 of the 91,550 pounds of walleye” allocated for this year’s fishing season in late September. In a 2021 report, the DNR estimated that anglers caught between 3 and 4 million walleye per year.
WCCO reported how in August the DNR’s longstanding catch and release policy on Mille Lacsplus record warmth last winter And the unusual swampiness of this summerhas deterred fishermen and hurt businesses in the area in recent years.
Randy Simons, owner of Randy’s Rentals in Onamia, called the catch-and-release policy “devastating.”
“We were really happy to see the two walleye limit come back. We really need that for our community in this lake, to get the walleye angler back here,” Simons said.
The DNR says each year’s walleye harvest numbers on Mille Lacs are determined through negotiations with state officials and leaders of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe.
NOTE: The original air date of the video for this article is August 15, 2024.
