Mille Lacs Lake Approaches Walleye Season Limit

The Minnesota DNR put a 28,600 pound limit on harvestable walleye on Mille Lacs Lake. The DNR conservationists say warmer weather and water and an increase of fishing the first half of July has helped produce a greater kill rate. And with two months left of summer the DNR says Mille Lac anglers are 3,000 pounds of walleye away from the limit.

The DNR during the summer does a creel survey every two weeks to count the walleye harvest. They say over 60% of the harvested walleye has been over 22 inches. The current limits are one walleye 19-21 inches or one over 28 inches. And going over their limit will lead the end of this year’s walleye fishing season.

With the end of walleye fishing on Mille Lacs Lake on the hook, resort owners and the governor says they’re trying to drive tourism on Mille Lacs Lake into other direction than just walleye fishing.

The resort owners are nervous because they don’t think anglers casting for other fish or tourists coming to Mille Lacs for other attractions will bring in the same money as the walleye fishermen.