Fishing for large walleyes on Lake Mille Lacs just got better on July 15. A new mid season regulation just took affect that stated that anglers now must release all walleyes 20”-28” long. This is a change from the 18”-28” length! A limit of four walleyes is still in place and only one of the four can be longer then 28 inches.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources broadened the harvest opportunity because angler harvest and hooking mortality is below the threshold necessary to maintain the current and more protective slot limit. This change was a result of a public input group called the Mille Lacs Lake Fisheries, said Dick Peterson, DNR fisheries section chief. “It provides a good balance of resource protection and angler opportunity, while at the same time pursuing the need for consistency in regulations from year to year.”
Another reason this change took place was that the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources instituted a policy on a trial basis that calls for relaxing the walleye regulation when harvest and hooking mortality is low, restricting the regulation when the harvest and hooking mortality is high, and keeping the regulation the same when the harvest is not significantly high or low.
This new walleye size limit will remain in effect until December 1, when it returns to the 18”-28” regulation for the ice fishing season. Believe it or not, it is not that far away either. Nevertheless, there is plenty of time to catch that bigger walleye on Mille Lacs yet this summer and fall!
Perhaps walleye are not your favorite to catch and you wish to go to another lake in the state of 10,0000+ lakes. Check out the lake finder to find out more about the lakes in Minnesota!
Check out these other articles from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources!
Blandin Paper and the Minnesota DNR announce the largest conservation easement in MN
Moose Lake State Park has open house July 17-18, free admission and events
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