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

CaptainMusky wrote:

“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?

Yes, sorry. That was my bad. The Red Lake article was a link in the copied story from Fox9.

I’m excited as most are for the area and to get some meals from the Big Pond. The whole 21-23″ slot was to big IMHO. I don’t want 23″ fish. But I’ll take all the 18-20″ they will allow. Yum Yum!!!

Absolutely amazing how well the lake has rebounded from the spring survey!

This is great news for the local businesses though as long as they get good ice. I will be making a couple trips up there this winter mostly targeting perch but wouldn’t hate catching a slot fish. Spring and summer, at least for us, the majority of the walleyes boated were 21-23 though.

Hunting24seven wrote:

Spring and summer, at least for us, the majority of the walleyes boated were 21-23 though.

This is what I’m curious about. Wouldn’t they want the harvested fish to come from the strongest year class?

Like instead of almost every 18-20” walleye going into a live well and making that size/year class lopsided, wouldn’t they rather chip away at slots where there is already an excess?

I do agree with 21-23” being a little too big for regular eating, at least for my liking. I Much prefer 15-18”, MAYBE a 20” here and there.

Hunting24seven wrote:

Absolutely amazing how well the lake has rebounded from the spring survey!

This is great news for the local businesses though as long as they get good ice. I will be making a couple trips up there this winter mostly targeting <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>perch but wouldn’t hate catching a slot fish. Spring and summer, at least for us, the majority of the walleyes boated were 21-23 though.

Ironic yes. Also ironic it comes after the state took 1/3 of harvest and the catch rate dropped dramatically with the forage base late summer early fall.

Dan

“This is what I’m curious about. Wouldn’t they want the harvested fish to come from the strongest year class?

Like instead of almost every 18-20” walleye going into a live well and making that size/year class lopsided, wouldn’t they rather chip away at slots where there is already an excess?

I do agree with 21-23” being a little too big for regular eating, at least for my liking. I Much prefer 15-18”, MAYBE a 20” here and there.”

Come on now you know they are not that smart. One step at a time.

Nothing wrong with eating a 21 to 23 if you think about how they increase predation vs the smaller fish. THe size structure has been lopsided for about a decade if not more. They had it all wrong years ago in how to manage it, but lets not go there. A 21 inch walleye will taste just fine. We ate a 29 inch walleye from LOW because it wouldnt release and aside from the fillets being giant you wouldnt even know it wasnt a 15 incher. Plus you have cheeks and those wonderful walleye wings!

I’m planning a trip to fish on Mille Lacs out of a sleeper shack from January 13-15. Coming from St. Louis, and thinking about arriving a day or two early to try fishing on our own. If anyone has recommendations for accessible lakes in the area that offer some good fishing, I’d appreciate a private message. We’re willing to walk as far as needed but would prefer smaller more walkable bodies of water since we don’t have any equipment to get out onto the ice (unless I decide to risk my truck… without knowing the lakes I’m hesitant). I’m not familiar with the area, don’t know anyone in the state, and promise not to blow your favorite lake/spot. My fiance’s family lives in WI which is how I got hooked on ice fishing. I convinced my friends to join me on this trip and I’m just hoping to give them a good first experience so that they’ll join me again next year. Thanks in advance!

Unless we get a warm snap, resorts will have roads plowed out to the reefs/flats and you will have small homes out on Mille Lacs. There will be very little risk to going through the ice in mid January, especially if you follow others.

Not sure what side you’ll be on but a couple mile west of Garrison is Borden Lake which has a healthy crappie bite.