Minnesota fisheries

If you might want to keep northern pike, please familiarize yourself with the regulations and be prepared to measure the fish. Minnesota has three northern pike zones that apply to inland waters and reflect the differing characteristics of pike populations across the state:

• North-central: Limit of 10 northern pike, but not more than two pike longer than 26 inches; all fish 22 to 26 inches must be released.
• Northeast: Two northern pike; anglers must release all fish 30 to 40 inches, with only one fish over 40 inches allowed in possession.
• South: Two northern pike; minimum size 24 inches.

Throughout the state, special regulations that cover individual lakes, rivers and streams remain in effect and take precedence over the zone regulations. The northern pike zone regulations do not apply to border waters. Find more details on the DNR northern pike page.

Remember to closely check the fishing regulations booklet and signs at water accesses for new sunfish limits that are in effect.

The new regulations went into effect March 1 on 94 waters. Lower limits on specific waters are part of an initiative to protect and increase sunfish sizes. These changes are in response to angler-driven concerns over the declining sizes of sunfish in Minnesota. Find more infromation on the DNR sunfish page.

We’d like your help in reporting fish die-offs in lakes and streams, which happen occasionally and usually result from natural causes.

Reporting dead fish right away helps us determine whether an investigation is needed.

To make a report, call the state duty officer at 651‐649‐5451 or 800‐422‐0798 if you encounter several dead fish in a lake or a stream. Doing so provides a single point of contact for the incident. The state duty officer is available 24 hours per day, seven days a week. An early report also allows timely water sampling or other response actions, if needed. It’s especially helpful to know what fish types and sizes you see in a fish die-off.

If there is an immediate threat to life or property, call 911 first. Find more information on the DNR fish die-off page.

The DNR made a change this year that brings us into compliance with laws and helps prevent licenses going to those with violations or unpaid fines.

The change requires both spouses who purchase a married combination license to provide and verify their DNR customer records for these licenses. If purchasing in person, both spouses must be present. Find more details on the DNR married combination license page.

Boaters, remember to give yourself enough time to renew your watercraft registration if it has expired.

To avoid a wait, the DNR is encouraging boaters to renew boat registrations online or at a local deputy registrar’s office, rather than by mail. If you renew online, you can print out the confirmation page as your temporary permit. You also may write down your temporary authorization number from the confirmation page.

Your registration card and expiration decals will then be mailed to you. To renew online visit the DNR online license sales webpage and click on “Get Started” and follow the prompts. To renew in person, visit a deputy registrar. Deputy registrar locations are available on the Minnesota Department of Public Safety website.

To protect spawning fish, the DNR has begun to close certain portions of some Minnesota waters.

The closings are routine and based on local conditions. Closings occur each year as ice-out begins and waters begin to warm. The DNR closes the spawning locations to fishing only where habitat is limited and fish are very concentrated in one location, such as a river or the bay of a lake where fish congregate during spawning.

Areas closed to fishing are listed and updated on the DNR website. Portions of waters closed to fishing also are posted at access sites and in other visible areas. Anglers may fish in areas that are not posted. The closures are listed on the DNR temporary fishing closure page.

Anglers looking to get fishing questions answered can find answers at the DNR fishing page.

The DNR fishing page helps answer questions like what species can I fish for? What kind of bait is legal? What kind of fish can I keep? The page is a mobile-friendly destination for information on when, where and how to fish. Users will find a links to LakeFinder, which provides maps and detailed information on lakes throughout the state, and the new StreamFinder tool that provides a description, species list, regulations and access information for trout streams throughout Minnesota.

Trout anglers can find more information on the DNR trout fishing page.

Anglers will find information about fishing opportunities in all the trout fishing regions of Minnesota, as well as a new StreamFinder tool, modeled after the DNR LakeFinder.