The following waters in the portions designated are closed to the taking of all fish during the periods specified to protect fish spawning areas. Look for signs at access sites and in the areas as noted. All dates are inclusive.
Additional closures or openings may be posted here up to 48 hours prior to the law taking effect.
Seasonal closures help protect fish when they are concentrated in areas during their spawning season. The number of spawning area closures is highest on years when winter persists longer than normal.
Current closures
Last update: Monday, April 06, 2026 @ 02:01 pm CDT UFN=Until Further Notice
Slide text left for complete information
| Name | Location | County | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bear Island River | Both sides of Highway (1 T.62, R.12, S.23,26) | St. Louis | April 26-May 9 |
| Birch River | Both sides of County Road 21 (T.61, R.13, S.26,27) | St. Louis | April 26-May 9 |
| Blackduck River | County Rd 32 north to Red Lake Reservation boundary | Beltrami | April 24 - May 8 |
| Burntside River | Both sides of County Road 88 at bridge (T.63, R.13, S.26) | St. Louis | April 26-May 9 |
| Cannon River and Hay Creek Floodplain | includes floodplain lakes and streams in the area bounded on the northwest by the Vermillion River, on the south and southwest by Canadian Pacific Railroad track, and on the north and east by the Mississippi River | Goodhue | April 1 - May 15 |
| Clearwater River | Below Clearwater Lake Dam for 900 feet | Clearwater | April 24 - May 8 |
| Coburn Creek | State Highway 71 to Blackduck Lake T.151, R.32, S.11,12,13 | Beltrami | April 24 - May 8 |
| Cross River (inlet to Gunflint Lake) | From the Gunflint Trail to Gunflint Lake including 300 yards from the mouth of the Cross River into Gunflint Lake | Cook | April 1 - May 22 |
| Dead River | Downstream of County Highway 14 to Walker Lake (T.134, R.40, S.2,3) | Otter Tail | April 1-May 20 |
| Devil Track River | S.11,12, T.61, R.1E, From 1.1 to 1.6 miles above the mouth | Cook | September 1 - May 31 |
| Dittberner Creek | Tributary to Lake Miltona (T.130 R.38 S.14,15,23,24) | Douglas | April 15 - May 31 |
| Fall Lake | Below hydropower facility (T. 63, R. 11, S. 17, 20) | Lake | April 26-May 9 |
| Gauthier Creek | S.27, T.62, R.3E | Cook | September 1 - May 31 |
| Granite River | At Saganaga Lake (S.4, T.66, R.4), from Saganaga Falls downstream to Saganaga Lake, including Saganaga Lake within 300 yards of the mouth of the Granite River. | Cook | April 1 - May 31 |
| Gull River | From the United States Army Corps of Engineers dam (Government Lot 1, S.20, T.134N, R.29W) downstream 250 feet. | Cass | May 9 -May 22 |
| Jewett Lake | Southwest shore (T.134, R.43, S.23) | Otter Tail | April 1-June 30 |
| Junco River | From the first log dam above County Road 57, downstream to Devil Track Lake, including Devil Track Lake within 300 yards of the mouth of the Junco River (T.62, R.1, S.21,28) | Cook | May 09 - May 22 |
| Kadunce Creek | S.2, T.61, R.2E, From 0.2 to 0.4 miles above the mouth | Cook | September 1 - May 31 |
| Lake Maud | Southwest Bay | Becker | May 1 - June 10 |
| Little Gunflint-Little North channel | The channel between Little Gunflint and Little North Lakes, including Little Gunflint Lake within 300 yards of the channel mouth, and Little North Lake within 100 yards of the channel head (T.65 R.2 S.16). | Cook | April 1 - May 31 |
| Mississippi River | Below Ottertail Power Dam to County 12 | Beltrami | April 24 - May 8 |
| Mississippi River (Pool 4) | 300 ft below Lock and Dam 3 (MN Waters, but WI also has same closure distance and period) | Goodhue | March 1 - April 30 |
| Mississippi River (Pool 5) | 300 ft below Lock and Dam 4 (MN Waters, but WI also has same closure distance and period) | Wabasha | March 1 - April 30 |
| Moody's Creek | Upstream From CR 432 1/2 Mile | Itasca | April 9 - May 31 |
| Pelican River | 500 feet upstream and 500 feet downstream from Dunton Locks Bridge between Muskrat Lake and Lake Sallie | Becker | April 17-May 5 |
| Pelican River | Below Bucks Mill Dam to Buck Lake and from Big Detroit Lake upstream to State Highway 34 | Becker | April 17-May 5 |
| Sea Gull River | From Sea Gull Lake including Gull Lake to Saganaga Lake approximately 1/3 mile north of the narrows (S.19,30,31, T.66, R.4, and S.25,36, T.66, R.5) | Cook | April 1 - May 22 |
| Shagawa River | Both sides of both road crossings at Winton (T.63, R.11, S.19; T.63, R.12, S.24) | St. Louis and Lake | April 26-May 9 |
| Shotley Brook | State Highway 72 to Upper Red Lake | Beltrami | April 24 - May 8 |
| Smith Creek | Smith Creek from the crossing of Eight Mile Road T.54, R.26, S.36, downstream to Little Pokegama Lake (T.54, R.26, S.25) | Itasca | April 9 -May 31 |
| St. Louis River | from the State Highway 23 bridge upstream to the Minnesota-Wisconsin boundary cable crossing the river | St. Louis and Carlton | Feb 28 -May 18 |
| Tamarac River | From Upper Red Lake upstream to Beltrami- Koochiching county line | Beltrami | April 24 - May 8 |
| Toad River | Toad River Inlet to Big Pine Lake upstream to Co. Rd. 13 | Otter Tail | April 1-May 20 |
| Turtle River | Below Three Island Dam to Turtle River Lake | Beltrami | April 24 - May 8 |
| Unnamed Creek | Flowage between Lake Ida and Lake Charlie (T.129 R.38 S.25,26,36) | Douglas | April 15 - May 31 |
| Unnamed Stream | Between Big Sand Lake and Emma Lake (T.141, R.34, S.23) | Hubbard | April 25 - UFN |
| Unnamed creek (M-117-011-003) known locally as Greenfield Creek | from East County Line Road (Itasca County Road 241) downstream to Hill Lake T.52, R.26, S.2 | Aitkin | April 7 - May 31 |
| Ripple River | from 445th Place (Dan Boggs Road) to Aitkin County Road 11 T.45, R.27, S.5,6; between Little Pine and Hickory Lakes T.45, R.27, S.27; and from the water control structure below Spirit Lake (near County State-Aid Highway 28) downstream 100 yards T.46, R.27, S.26,27 | Aitkin | April 7 - May 31 |