Minnesota DNR sets open water fishing regulations for walleye on Mille Lacs Lake
Anglers on Mille Lacs Lake will have the opportunity to harvest two walleye daily during the upcoming open water season, which begins on Saturday, May 10, and continues through Sunday, Nov. 30. Harvested walleye must be 17 inches or greater, and only one of them can be over 20 inches.
Following years of restrictive regulations, the Mille Lacs Lake walleye (ogaa in Ojibwe) fishery appears to be in a healthy state, a viewpoint shared by both state and Tribal fisheries biologists.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and Ojibwe treaty Tribes drastically cut harvest more than a decade ago, concerned by a number of factors including changing ecological conditions and lower survival rates of young walleye. This approach has paid off.
“The walleye population in Mille Lacs is currently in a good place,” said Brad Parsons, Minnesota DNR fisheries section manager. “Ojibwe Tribes and the Minnesota DNR limited harvest, which allowed for an increased number of adult spawning walleye, and a strong 2024 year class that bodes well for the future health of the fishery.”
There also is an abundance of forage in the lake due to strong yellow perch and cisco 2024 year classes that are keeping walleye in a healthy condition. Higher availability of forage can reduce the risk of excessive angler catch rates.
State-licensed anglers share the harvest on Mille Lacs Lake with Ojibwe Tribes that have reserved rights to fish, wildlife and other natural resources under an 1837 Treaty. Ojibwe treaty Tribes — including Mille Lacs Band and Fond du Lac Band — established the Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission in 1984 to help oversee off-reservation resource protection, enhancement and harvest seasons in a three-state region.
“Our commitment to ongoing research, science and using all available evidence to inform Mille Lacs Lake stewardship has benefitted everyone,” said Alexandra Bohman, GLIFWC director of biological services. “Interagency resource management works.”
To conserve the fishery, an annual harvest level is set through discussion and agreement between the state of Minnesota and treaty Tribes. Each party manages its own share of the harvest. This year’s agreement considered various factors, including the lake’s increased adult walleye population, and resulted in a safe harvest limit of 113,600 pounds for state-licensed anglers and 88,000 pounds for Ojibwe treaty fishers.
“We are pleased that anglers will have an increased harvest opportunity this season,” Parsons said. “Mille Lacs Lake continues to surprise us, making it hard to assume conditions will be the same from year to year. We appreciate coming to an agreement with the Tribes that allows some additional flexibility for the state to manage its fishery through these changes. This includes the ability, in the event we exceed the state share of harvest, to allow catch and release walleye angling as long as the state share of harvest is not exceeded by 15%. Any amount above the state share of harvest would be deducted from state harvest next year.”
People who fish are reminded to protect Mille Lacs Lake and all Minnesota waters from aquatic invasive species by cleaning and draining watercraft and equipment and disposing of unwanted bait in the trash. A decontamination station is available 24 hours, seven days a week at the Shaw-Bosh-Kung Bay public access on the west side of Mille Lacs Lake about 8 miles south of Garrison on U.S. Highway 169.
Mille Lacs Lake continues to experience changes in part because of invasive species such as zebra mussels and spiny water fleas. State and Tribal biologists collaboratively study the lake’s complex food web and other developments such as the recent increase in large yellow perch (asaawe in Ojibwe). Additional information about aquatic invasive species and Minnesota’s prevention efforts is available on the Minnesota DNR website (mndnr.gov/invasives/ais/index.html).
Also of note, on March 11, the daily and possession limit for yellow perch on Mille Lacs Lake was reduced from 20 to five, a regulation that will be in place through Nov. 30. Complete Mille Lacs Lake fishing regulations and regularly updated surveys that show ongoing state-licensed angler catches of walleye, northern pike and yellow perch are available on the Minnesota DNR website (mndnr.gov/millelacslake).
