The Sturgeon C&R Season for All MN Waters

New Sturgeon Catch and Release Season starting March 1st 2015 is as follows…

Open to Catch and Release fishing except as noted.

Inland Waters-

Lake or Shovelnose Sturgeon – Opens March 1st-

Closed April 15th 2015 to June 15th 2015.

Catch and Release ONLY. No tag Needed.
(including Lake Superior and the St. Louis River)

MN/WI Border Waters Below Lock and Dam 3 at Red Wing, MN- Opens March 1st 2015

Closed April 15th 2015 to June 15th 2015.

Catch and Release ONLY. No tag Needed.

St. Louis River and the Mississippi River at L&D #3 through Lake Pepin.

MN/WI Border Waters Upstream of Red Wing, MN Mississippi River & St Croix River- Opens March 1st 2015

Closed March 2nd 2015 to June 15th 2015.

Catch and Release ONLY*. No tag Needed.

*St Croix River- Below the Taylors Falls Dam *Harvest*

Sept 5th 2015 to Sept 30th 2015 1 Lake Sturgeon Limit per year w/$5 harvest tag. (minimum size 60”)

Canadian Border Waters

No change to existing season/regulations.

Consult with the MN Rule Synopsis when available for detailed dates and regulations.

Nick Schlesser
Large Lake Specialist (Lake Pepin)
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
1801 S. Oak Street
Lake City, MN 55041
651-345-3365 x235

That sure throws a wrench in a lot of peoples plan to hit the Croix in March. Like always to good to be true.

Im confused. Open for one day?

MN/WI Border Waters Upstream of Red Wing, MN Mississippi River & St Croix River- Opens March 1st 2015
Closed March 2nd 2015 to June 15th 2015.

I am hoping it is not right but in this state it would not surprise me.

Don’t be. I thought about leaving that part out, but since that’s what it is…

The first year the regs go into effect there has to be one goofy thing. The one day season for C&R is it. Not a big deal in my mind.

I’m more concerned about finding a Best Practice for landing Sturg on ice in below freezing temps. Placing them on the ice or snow in the cold doesn’t seem to be the best way to handle them.

I was thinking of a blanket, but then there’s the slime coat.

Nick suggested a plastic tarp that we could splash some water on just before a fish was laid on it to measure before the release.

I just don’t want to see this great opportunity the DNR gave us go down the hole so to speak… because of dead frozen fish.

Catching sturg does not have a mortality issue, it’s all about how we handle them that will decide if they live on.

What say you?

I’m more concerned about finding a Best Practice for landing Sturg on ice in below freezing temps. Placing them on the ice or snow in the cold doesn’t seem to be the best way to handle them.

But the carpet a person lays them on in a boat below freezing is acceptable? Maybe I am ignorant but how does the dnr expect to figure out the best handling practices? I would think people spending time fishing vs someone sitting in St Paul would come up with the better way.

I guess I was really looking forward to early spring fishing in the boat without all the tuna boats. They only left us with late fall on the croix. Looks like I’ll be targeting different bodies of water.

Maybe I am ignorant but how does the dnr expect to figure out the best handling practices? I would think people spending time fishing vs someone sitting in St Paul would come up with the better way.

It’s not the DNR that’s asking this question. It’s me.

I was hoping that one or more of use guys sitting behind our computers could come up with a Best Practice.

There was a good article in the sports section of the Sunday, February 1, 2015 edition of the Pioneer Press about the changes to the sturgeon seasons and sturgeon fishing in general. I’m happy about getting a greatly expanded time frame to target them, but I don’t understand why the season closes about six weeks earlier on the St. Croix vs. the Mississippi downstream of Dam #3 at Red Wing. The St. Croix below Taylor falls has a closed season from March 2 – June 15 but on the Mississippi downstream of Red Wind the closed season only runs from April 15 – June 15. Does anyone know the logic behind this? If anything, I’d guess the sturgeon spawning activity on the Mississippi would occur earlier each year as it seems like the Mississippi warms up faster in the spring than the St. Croix, especially the deep, lake-like section in the St. Croix. In other words, downstream of Stillwater.

I’m in agreement with Biggill. I was looking forward to open water fishing for sturgeon on the lower St. Croix shortly after ice-out but with the closure starting March 2, the St. Croix will still be iced over. Maybe it really doesn’t matter much for open water fishing anyway as the St. Croix probably doesn’t lose its ice much before April 15th most years. I guess I wanted to see if if we could have some good spring fishing on the St. Croix like that on the Rainy river. I suppose the St. Croix doesn’t support nearly as large of migrating sturgeon population to ever have that kind of spring fishing.

A big thanks to all those involved to help bring these changes about. It’ll be nice to have the opportunity to fish for sturgeon on the St. Croix in late October and November.

Boone

Boone, I’m expecting some more clarity on the actual dates at least on the Mississippi River below the Red Wing Dam.

I’m not going to say anything more about the open and closing dates until then.