Mille Lacs Lake has been in the news this week, after the Minnesota DNR set limits for perch effective March 11 and walleye regulations in place for the open water season.
Open water regulations set – 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. Read more here.
New perch regulations in effect on Mille Lacs Lake Starting March 11, the daily and possession limit for yellow perch on Mille Lacs Lake was reduced from 20 to five. This regulation will be in place through Nov. 30.The Minnesota DNR implemented this adjustment to the daily and possession limit to help maintain a good perch population for the future. Yellow perch are a key species in the Mille Lacs Lake ecosystem and young yellow perch are a primary food source for predators (especially walleye). Maintaining an abundance of older perch will result in more young being produced this spring and preserve harvest opportunities for next year. Read more here.
