- Active rulemaking
Continuous bass season
This rule is about creating a year-round continuous bass season. Portions of the continuous season will be catch-and-release only, while other portions will allow for bass harvest.
Status: People have until Thursday, October 23, 2025, to submit comments on this proposed rule.Rule changes for inland waters
This rule is about seasons and limits on waters entirely within Minnesota.
Status: The rule clarified fishing season dates, modified some fishing seasons, established and/or modified daily and possession limits for several fish species and clarified the northern pike management zone boundaries.- Completed rulemaking
Hook and hook use rules
Rule changes for restrictions on taking fish
This rule is about hook definitions, hook spacing and hook-setting devices.
Status: Rules became effecting Aug. 18, 2025, and clarified what constitutes a hook, increased the distance allowed between multiple hooks on a single line and allowed some through-the-ice automatic hook-setting devices.Fishing regulations for inland waters
Fishing regulations for Lake Superior and tributaries
This rule is about fishing seasons and limits for Lake Superior and its tributaries.
Status: These rules simplified and standardized trout season start and end dates, removed the restriction that only one of the five salmon allowed to be kept is an Atlantic salmon, and clarified where inland fishing regulations apply for other species. They become effective on March 1, 2026.VHS bait restrictions
Bait restrictions related to Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia
Matches exsisting rules to legislative changes made in 2021.
Status: People have only until July 8, 2025, to submit comments on this proposed rule.Taking St. Croix River fish on boundary waters
Rule changes for Minnesota-Wisconsin boundary waters of the St. Croix River
This rule is about border waters fishing regulations.
Status: This rule adjusted Minnesota’s fishing on boundary waters shared with the state of Wisconsin to ensure consistent regulations for all anglers.
Sign up to receive notices by email for changes in rules or management plans for various fish species.
Email addresses in the department lists below are private data.
- Aquaculture
- Aquatic Plant Management (APM) Fee Rules
- Bass rules and management
- Border Water rules and management
- Catfish rules and management
- Commercial Fishing
- Commercial Minnow Activities
- Fishing Contests
- Lake Superior rules and management
- Muskie and Northern Pike rules and management
- Spearing /bowfishing rules
- Sport fishing rules
- Sturgeon rules and management
- Sunfish/Perch/Crappie rules and management
- Trout rules and management
- Underutilized/Rough fish rules and management
- Walleye rules and management
To receive DNR rulemaking notices on all topics, you can subscribe at DNR rules notification list.