Upper Red Lake walleye limit for summer 2024 revealed
Walleyes caught in a trap at a DNR egg collection and fertilization station on the Pike River in Crow Wing County await their separation into male and female groups. Females are then stripped of their eggs and the eggs are fertilizers with the males
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The walleye limit for anglers on Upper Red Lake has been set for the spring and summer.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) on Wednesday announced the fishing regulations for the popular lake, noting anglers will be able to keep three walleye, but only one can be 17 inches or longer.
However, starting on June 14, anglers can keep an additional walleye, but still, only one fish can be longer than 17 inches.
"This fishing regulation is a reflection of the lake’s popularity, especially when fishing is good," said Edie Evarts, DNR area fisheries supervisor for Bemidji. "We’ve opted for a slightly more conservative bag limit for the early part of the summer to maintain the long-term health of the fishery and keep Upper Red Lake a premier angling destination."
The DNR explained the limit is due to a record-high harvest during the winter and the need to stay within the annual harvest quota.
Meanwhile, anglers on Mille Lacs Lake are only allowed to catch and release walleye during the spring and early summer months, but they will have a chance to harvest walleye later in the season.
The open water season begins on May 11.