From the Minnesota DNR website – New slot kicks in today:
DNR expands walleye slot limit for Lake Mille Lacs (2004-02-19)
Anglers who fish Lake Mille Lacs will be allowed to keep more walleye under a less restrictive slot limit announced today by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
The season will open May 15 with a regulation that will allow anglers to keep four walleye up to 20 inches, which may include one trophy over 28 inches. Anglers must release all walleye from 20 to 28 inches.
The new slot limit will also allow more opportunities for angling harvest in mid-summer, when the bite on Mille Lacs traditionally slows. Starting July 15, anglers will be allowed to keep walleye up to 22 inches with one trophy over 28 inches in the four fish limit. All walleye from 22 to 28 inches must be released. The slot will revert to four walleye up to 20 inches with one over 28 inches in the four fish limit on Dec. 1.
“This regulation will allow anglers to harvest more fish this year,” said John Guenther, DNR director of fish and wildlife. “We will get closer to the 380,000 pounds of walleye (including hooking mortality) allotted to the state.” Eight bands of Minnesota and Wisconsin Ojibwae may take 100,000 pounds of walleye.
Although it will allow more harvest, the new slot limit will still protect future fishing opportunities. “The majority of our spawning stock biomass – large, mature fish – remains protected under this regulation,” Ron Payer, DNR fisheries chief, said.
The large number of walleye hatched in 2002, which will reach 10 to 13 inches this year, will not be harmed under the new regulations, he added. “If an angler deep hooks a 10 to 13 inch fish, this regulation allows anglers the flexibility to take that fish home and fry it up,” Payer said. “However, we are encouraging anglers to release these smaller fish that are likely to survive.”
Last year, anglers harvested 67,000 pounds of walleye under a slot limit that required the release of walleye from 17 to 28 inches with one allowed over 28 inches. The state was allotted 400,000 pounds of walleye.
This year’s regulation is similar to special walleye regulations on other popular walleye lakes such as Rainy, Big Sand and Winnibigoshish.
“This new regulation protects the long-term health of the fishery, allows excellent opportunity for anglers and safeguards economic interests,” Payer said. “The decision to expand the regulation was made based on the best biological data, with input from anglers and resort owners.”