Fish and fishing

Anglers and waters

  • Licensed anglers: about 1.7 million
  • Fishable lakes: 4,500
  • Miles of fishable rivers and streams: 16,000
  • Miles of trout streams: 3,800
  • Species of fish: 162 (although not every kind of fish lives everywhere)

Who goes fishing?

  • An estimated 26% of Minnesota residents aged 16 and older went fishing in 2022. 1
  • A closer look at participation by race and ethnicity found that 21% of Black, 26% of Hispanic and 27% of white Minnesotans aged 16 and older fished in 2022. 1
  • Among Minnesota residentes, 38% of males and 14% of females fished in 2022.
1 2022 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation (Minnesota report), Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies.

Back to top