Mille Lacs Lake walleye limit to increase
Minnesota fishing opener on Lake Mille Lacs Saturday May 9, 2015 Malmo, Minn. (Photo By Jerry Holt/Star Tribune via Getty Images). (Getty Images)
MILLE LACS COUNTY, Minn. (FOX 9) - Anglers will soon be able to harvest two walleye from Mille Lacs Lake, an increase from the one-walleye limit that was established in the spring.
Officials with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) say this increased limit will begin on Friday, Aug. 16 and will remain in place until Nov. 30. Both fish can be 18–20 inches long, or one can be between 18–20 inches and the other must be longer than 28 inches, according to a DNR announcement.
READ MORE: Mille Lacs Lake walleye limit for summer 2024 revealed
Walleye fishing on Mille Lacs Lake was initially catch-and-release only during the spring and early summer months.
What they're saying
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Section Manager Brad Parsons said "With high angler catch rates last fall, we opted for setting conservative fishing regulations this season because we expected high catch rates to continue. Indeed, fishing was great for the first two months of the season. But with the catch and release regulation and windy and rainy weather, far fewer people than expected fished Mille Lacs so far this season, creating room for more harvest."
DNR officials say the increase in the possession limit, along with moving the fish size range, will allow anglers to catch and keep more of the "eaters" widely preferred.
This most recent assessment comes after early-season conditions created more opportunities for the late fishing season.
Officials were initially expecting a hot and dry summer, leading to the originally planned regulation that would have only allowed anglers to keep one fish 21 to 23 inches or longer than 28 inches.
Background
As of July 15, state-licensed anglers harvested about 24,000 pounds out of a potential harvest of 91,550 pounds, or about 26% their allowed walleye take, according to DNR data. Meanwhile, the tribal fishing harvest has been 53,671 pounds of the allowed 65,950 pounds.
The DNR adds that anyone with a Minnesota fishing license can fish on Mille Lacs Lake because of fishing rights retained by a treaty with Ojibwe tribes. Harvest limits are established through discussion between the state and the tribes.
More information on Mille Lacs Lake fishing regulations can be found on the Minnesota DNR website.