DNR lifts night fishing ban on Mille Lacs Lake

Fishing under the stars, it’s a summer tradition that won’t hit Mille Lacs Lake until next week. Minnesota’s Department of Natural Resource says next week they’ll lift the night fishing ban on the lake. And the local businesses hope it lures the Cities fisherman back to Mille Lacs Lake .
Twin Pines Resort owner, Linda Eno, says, “Fishing after ten is a Minnesota tradition. Our normal fishing launch in the summer is an eight to midnight. That’s 75% of my business.”
Minnesota State Representative, Joe Radinovich, says, “They can hope in, you know after work. Cruise up and be up by about six o’clock or so. Go out for about three or four hours and then come back in. I don’t know if they necessarily want to fish all night, but to have the ability to fish past ten o’clock or something like that is going to be helpful.”
The Twin Pines Resort say the night ban has caused their worst season because it’s driven fishermen away from Mille Lacs Lake. The DNR and Twin Pines Resort differ in why there hasn’t been as many fish caught this summer.
DNR Aitkin area fisheries supervisor, Rick Bruesewitz, says, “Yearling perch from the 2013 class that are providing ample food for the walleye in the system. That means they’re less likely to bite anglers’ lines.
Eno says, “Because the fish aren’t biting and the social media, that’s an outright lie. People are not coming because they’re angry at the regulations.
The DNR says they’ve seen a lower than expected number of walleyes harvested from Mille Lacs Lake and they felt lifting the night ban after the peak fishing months of May and June wouldn’t endanger future walleye numbers.
The business owners hope this move will bring the fishermen back to a lake that’s been unseasonably empty this summer.

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By — Lakeland PBS

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