Waters with restrictions on taking fish

The proposed expedited rules apply to several waters of the state where taking fish is restricted or otherwise differentiated from other fishing regulations. The proposed rule changes apply to the inland portions of Pool 3, Little Sauk Lake, Rochester Area Lakes and La Salle Lake.

1. Inland Portions of Pool 3: The inland portions of Mississippi River Pool 3 share a fish community with the remainder of the Mississippi River, Lake Pepin, and the lower St. Croix River. Therefore, the fish populations in all these waters should be managed consistently and not be differentiated by “inland” regulations and “Minnesota-Wisconsin border water” regulations. The proposed rule changes make the fisheries regulations on inland portions of Pool 3 consistent with adjacent waters.
2. Little Sauk Lake: Little Sauk Lake has been managed with a set of special regulations for several decades. These special regulations, however, have not had the desired impact and the fish community. Therefore, local fisheries staff are proposing that we remove Little Sauk Lake from this rule and apply the standard inland regulations. The Sunfish daily and possession limit of five will be retained but established through a different special regulation process.
3. Rochester Area Lakes: Five of the ten Rochester Area Lakes are managed with a special regulation of one northern pike daily and possession limit. Northern pike, however, are not present in other Rochester Area Lakes and need to be protected. Therefore, the proposed rulemaking would apply the one northern pike special regulation to the other five Rochester Area Lakes.
4. La Salle Lake: La Salle Lake has been managed for more than a decade with a special regulation limit of one on northern pike. Signage at the lake indicates a bag limit of one is in place. However, the current rule indicates that northern pike are supposed to be catch-and-release only in La Salle Lake. Area staff believe maintaining the bag limit at one is appropriate and are proposing that the rule be changed.

Anglers and boaters that utilize any of the waters listed above.

You have until 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025, to submit comments to the DNR contact person listed below. You may request a hearing on these rules. If at least 50 persons submit a valid request for a hearing and a sufficient number do not withdraw their requests (reducing the number below 50), then a public hearing will be held before an administrative law judge. The Notice of Intent to Adopt Expedited Rules tells you how to submit a request for hearing to the DNR contact person.

• Proposed rules
• Notice of Intent to Adopt Expedited Rules

If you want a free copy of the proposed rules, call or email the DNR contact person listed below.

Shannon Fisher
Fisheries Populations Monitoring and Regulations Manager
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Section of Fisheries
500 Lafayette Road, St. Paul, MN 55155
651-259-52066
[email protected]