Hutchinson area fisheries staff perform management, habitat and oversight work for 94 fishing lakes and 38 rivers and streams in McLeod, Meeker, Sibley, Nicollet, Brown, Redwood, Renville and western Wright counties.
Popular area waters are Minnie-Belle Lake, Belle Lake, Washington Lake and much of the middle Minnesota River. These lakes offer fantastic walleye and bass fishing, great panfish action and the Minnesota River remains a fantastic angling resource for a variety of fish species.
- News and notices
Fishing season is here
Minnesota's open water fishing season is officially open. Get out there and chase a few walleye and northern.Get started fishing
We can help you get started fishing. Check out our tips and links to information on how to fish, filleting fish, frying fish and more.- Fishing opportunities
Learn to fish
Fishing piers & boat ramps by county
- Resources
Welcome!
...to the lakes and streams within the Hutchinson Fisheries Management Area. The management area includes over 550 water bodies found in Brown, McLeod, Meeker, Nicollet, Redwood, Renville, and Sibley counties. Those managed for fishing include over 50 lakes, 8 kids fishing ponds, 5 trout streams, and 5 major rivers including the Minnesota River.
The remaining water bodies consist of small streams and ditches, wetlands, shallow waterfowl lakes, and natural ponds used for walleye production. In addition to water bodies, Hutchinson Area Fisheries manages parcels of land as Aquatic Management Areas (AMA) to protect fish habitat and promote angling access. Our clientele include sporting clubs, lake associations, and thousands of anglers that fish in the management area annually.
General information
Surveys of fish populations and aquatic habitats are carried out periodically on each managed lake or stream. The information collected is used to monitor fish populations, evaluate management activities, and to develop new management plans. These reports contain information on fish populations such as abundance, sizes, age, and growth rates. Along with fish information, the reports include information on water chemistry, shoreline and watershed characteristics, aquatic vegetation and much more.
- Talk with us
Hutchinson staff
Slide text left for phones & emails
Name
Position
Phone
Email
Scott Mackenthun Area supervisor 320-753-0324 [email protected] Tanner Stevens Assistant area supervisor 320-753-0343 [email protected] Chris Foster Fisheries specialist 320-753-0328 [email protected] Hannah Anema Fisheries technician 320-753-0329 [email protected] Anthony Sindt Minnesota River fisheries specialist 320-753-0333 [email protected] Vacant Office administrative specialist 320-753-0323
Anglers who catch walleye in Collinwood, Manuella, Stella and Washington lakes might find themselves landing a walleye banded with a jaw tag.
We'll be talking climate and hydrology now that winter is over.