2024-2025 Mille Lacs Winter Regs are out!

What we know
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) on Wednesday announced it has retained the two-walleye limit on the popular lake for the winter season, which runs from Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, through Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025.

RELATED: Upper Red Lake walleye limit stays at 4 fish this winter
Licensed ice anglers can keep two walleye that are 18-20 inches long or one walleye that’s 18-20 inches long and one walleye that’s longer than 28 inches, the DNR says.

What the DNR is saying
“Mille Lacs’ walleye population is trending in a good direction for both adult and juvenile fish,” said Brad Parsons, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources fisheries section manager. “Juvenile perch and tullibee, important forage species for walleye, also are abundant.”

A more liberal limit
This is a continuation of a more liberal walleye limit the DNR implemented last fall, the DNR said. The DNR based its decision on this fall’s Mille Lacs nesting assessment, which showed higher walleye abundance than in 2023. It also showed strong numbers of juvenile fish that are expected to contribute to the fishery in the future.

Anglers share the Mille Lacs Lake harvest with Ojibwe tribes that retain treaty fishing rights. The total harvest for the fishing year is set through agreements between the state and tribes.

As of Sept. 30, anglers have harvested 29,891 of the 91,550 pounds of walleye they are allocated for the 2024 fishing season.

Finally something you all can argue about to entertain me the rest of my work day.

I don’t think there is anything to argue about. I’m happy with a 2 fish limit!

“RELATED: Upper Red Lake walleye limit stays at 4 fish this winter
Licensed ice anglers can keep two walleye that are 18-20 inches long or one walleye that’s 18-20 inches long and one walleye that’s longer than 28 inches, the DNR says.”
What size are the other 2 fish? Or was that a crappy copy pasted error on your part?

Pretty sure the “RELATED: Upper Red Lake walleye limit stays at 4 fish this winter” was a link to another story in the article. The 18-20 reg is Mille Lacs regs.

Here are the Red Lake Regs:

News release: Minnesota DNR retains 4 walleye limit on Upper Red Lake for winter season
November 13, 2024

Due to excellent results in the fall netting assessment of walleye on Upper Red Lake, the winter season walleye limit on Upper Red will continue to be a four fish possession limit, with only one walleye longer than 17 inches allowed.

“Our fall assessment placed us in a surplus condition, which allows us to set a more liberal target harvest,” said Brad Parsons, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources fisheries section manager. “The state waters of Upper Red Lake have a high number of spawning aged female walleye. We’re also seeing abundant numbers of young walleye, which bodes well for the future.”

The fall gill net catch on state of Minnesota waters was 41.5 walleye per net. Net catches have been in this range for the past several years. Netting results showed the lake is full of young fish, with half the catch shorter than 14 inches. There were also good numbers of fish in the 17- to 20-inch range.

Walleye management on Red Lake is a collaborative effort between the Red Lake Nation and the Minnesota DNR, governed by a joint harvest plan agreed upon by the Red Lakes Fisheries Technical Committee. The Upper Red Lake Citizen Advisory Committee reviews walleye harvest totals, regulation options and provides recommendations for the state waters of Upper Red Lake.

Complete Upper Red Lake fishing regulations are available on the DNR website.

CaptainMusky wrote:

What size are the other 2 fish? Or was that a crappy copy pasted error on your part?

I think it was a copy issue when he pasted the article. The Mille Lacs regs are 2 fish that are 18-20 or 1 that is 18-20 and 1 that is over 28.

Thanks Gim that is what I thought after I replied so I edited my post.

Good news for the winter anyway if we get ice