Photo: Pro Walleye Trail

From the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources - November 25, 2020

Mille Lacs Lake winter anglers allowed one walleye starting Dec. 1
Winter anglers on Mille Lacs Lake will enjoy a walleye harvest this winter for the fifth season in a row. Starting Tuesday, Dec. 1, anglers will be allowed to keep one walleye between 21-23 inches or one fish longer than 28 inches.

This winter’s regulation is the same as the last two winter seasons. Winter regulations are set after the DNR completes its annual fall netting assessment. The DNR’s 2020 assessment found that the walleye population has remained relatively stable over the past four years, having rebounded from population lows in 2012 to 2016.

Harvest from the winter of 2020-21 will be counted toward the state’s 2021 annual share of walleye from Mille Lacs Lake under the 1837 treaty. State anglers share harvest with eight Ojibwe tribes that have fishing rights under the treaty. Information about Mille Lacs Lake, including complete fishing regulations, is available on the DNR website at mndnr.gov/millelacslake.

Red Lake walleye limit reduced

Anglers reminded of Upper Red Lake walleye regulations change for winter season 
Anglers fishing during the winter season on Upper Red Lake in northern Minnesota are being reminded that the regulations have changed from a four-walleye bag limit to a three-walleye bag limit, with only one walleye longer than 17 inches allowed.

Heavy winter fishing over the last four years necessitated more restrictive regulations. Winter angling on Upper Red Lake averaged 1.6 million angler hours with a harvest of 130,000 pounds annually over this period. The bag limit change, became effective Nov. 1.

The Red Lake Nation and the Minnesota DNR manage walleye harvest on Red Lake under a joint harvest plan that the Red Lakes Fisheries Technical Committee revised in 2015. Upper Red Lake fishing regulations are available at mndnr.gov/regulations/fishing.