DNR Sets 1 Walleye Limit On Mille Lacs Lake In Spring, Fall
MILLE LACS LAKE, Minn. (WCCO) -- Anglers on Mille Lacs Lake will have two chances to keep a walleye this year.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources announced Tuesday that anglers will be allowed to harvest one walleye from May 14-May 30, and again from Sept. 1-Nov. 30. The fish must be between 21 and 23 inches or larger than 28 inches.
The summer will be restricted to catch-and-release fishing, and the DNR said there will be a two-week closure in early July "to reduce hooking mortality."
"Our goal for Mille Lacs fishing regulations now and in the future is to offer fishing opportunities while also maintaining the long-term sustainability of the lake's fish populations," DNR fisheries section manager Brad Parsons said.
Outside of opening weekend, when fishing is allowed 24 hours a day, Mille Lacs Lake will be open for fishing from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. through the summer. After Sept. 1, fishers can cast until midnight.
The DNR said that "more conservative walleye harvest regulations may be needed in coming years."