Climactic conditions, invasive species introductions and a sharp increase in fish-finding technology use have changed walleye fishing in Minnesota since the current regulation was put in place in 1956.
These changes are prompting the Minnesota DNR to consider a reduction in the statewide walleye daily and possession limit from six to four fish.
Consideration of this walleye limit reduction is a potential management response to help preserve Minnesota’s great walleye fishing. If enacted during a 2026 rulemaking process, which is not currently formalized or proposed, the change would go into effect March 1, 2027.
Public input shows support
- From 2021 to 2023, more than 4,000 on-the-water interviews with anglers about their catches showed that 67% supported a reduction in the walleye bag limit, 18% opposed it and 15% were neutral.
- The DNR’s most-recent statewide angler survey in 2023 consisted of a random selection of fishing license buyers and found that 48% of respondents favored the change, 23% were opposed and the remaining respondents had no opinion.
- An online survey by the DNR in the summer of 2025 found that a change to a daily and possession limit of four had the highest approval at 61%, while the existing limit of six had the lowest level of approval at 31%.
Factors the DNR considered
- Peer-reviewed scientific studies continue to show that system changes related to climate and invasive species have been detrimental to walleye populations and more conducive to other species, such as bass, in northern temperate lakes like those in Minnesota.
- Ice fishing has exploded in popularity, as evidenced by more than 3 million hours of fishing effort in the winter of 2019 on Mille Lacs Lake and Lake of the Woods.
- Technological advances have changed everything from fishing line to mobile ice fishing houses. Anglers have become more effective at catching fish, especially due to recent advances in fish-finding electronics.
- Social media postings allow today’s mobile anglers to move to where the fish are biting much easier, potentially depleting localized walleye populations.
- All but two (Cass and Winnibigoshish) of the state’s 10 largest inland lakes, which produce about 40 percent of Minnesota’s annual walleye harvest, already have a lower limit. Lake of the Woods, Kabetogama, Leech, Pepin, Rainy and Vermilion lakes continue to be destination fisheries despite a lower walleye limit.
- All surrounding states and provinces — and Minnesota’s border waters with them — have walleye daily limits fewer than six.
- The change would simplify regulations and cause less confusion by providing walleye regulation consistency across most Minnesota lakes. The DNR would retain, through its special regulations process, the ability to offer higher limits on lakes where greater harvest is needed to bring the fish community into balance.