2-Walleye Limit on Mille Lacs Lake This Winter, 4-Walleye Limit on Upper Red Lake

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources officials have announced winter season walleye limits for two major fisheries in the state.

On Mille Lacs Lake, state-licensed ice anglers will be able to keep two walleye 18-20 inches long, or one walleye 18-20 inches long and one walleye longer than 28 inches, from December 1st of this year to February 23rd, 2025.

Officials say Mille Lacs’ walleye population is trending in a good direction for both adult and juvenile fish and that the winter season regulation marks a continuation of the more liberal limit the DNR implemented this past fall. The DNR based its decision on this falls’ Mille Lacs netting assessment, which showed higher walleye abundance than in 2023, along with strong numbers of juvenile fish that are expected to contribute to the fishery in the future.

Meanwhile, due to excellent results in the fall netting assessment of walleye on Upper Red Lake, the winter season walleye limit on Upper Red will continue to be a four-fish possession limit, with only one walleye longer than 17 inches allowed.

DNR officials say the state waters of Upper Red Lake have a high number of spawning aged female walleye and that they are seeing abundant numbers of young walleye, which bodes well for the future.

The fall gill net catch on state of Minnesota waters was 41.5 walleye per net. Net catches have been in this range for the past several years.