Whitefish and cisco sport gill netting

Person holding cisco fish

Regulations

  • Whitefish and Cisco (also known as tullibee) netting is open to Minnesota residents only.
  • Participants must be in possession of a valid Minnesota angling license and the $10 netting license.
  • Only one gill net, not exceeding 100 feet in length and 3 feet in width may be used by a netter at any given time.
  • One end of net must have a pole, stake, or buoy projecting at least two feet above the water or ice surface.
  • Nets must have an identification tag attached near the first float of the end projecting from the water/ice.
  • Identification tags must be at least 2½ inches by 5/8 inch permanently bearing net owner’s name and address.
  • Nets may not be set or lifted between sunset and sunrise.
  • All gill nets must be tended at least every 24 hours and can only be set and lifted by the licensee.
  • Nets may not be set in any water deeper than six feet and cannot be set within 50 feet of another net.
  • Minimum gill net mesh size varies among lakes – be sure to check the attached schedules.
  • A person may not have angling equipment in possession while netting.
  • Native rough fish, as defined by Minnesota Statute 97A.015, Subd. 43, and common carp caught in the net may be retained. All other non-target fish taken while netting must be returned to the water immediately.
  • Nets used in waters infested by spiny water fleas and/or zebra mussels may not be used in any other waters.
  • Additional lakes now have net restrictions due to spiny water flea and/or zebra mussel presence. Please be sure to verify if net restrictions apply to any lake you plan to net.
  • Nets used in waters designated infested by other species (not spiny water fleas and/or zebra mussels) must be dried for a minimum of 10 days or frozen for 2 days before using in a different water body.
  • Please verify if the lake you plan to net is designated as infested. The full list of infested waters can be found online.
  • Your net should be transported in a sealed container.
  • Whitefish and cisco taken by sport gill netting may not be bought, sold, or used as bait.
  • Within the Leech Lake Reservation, the possession limits are 25 whitefish and 50 cisco.
  • Net placement should not inhibit use of the lake by other boaters.
Netting dates

The waters listed in Schedule I may be open this year. Net harvest allowances in Schedule I lakes varies from year-to-year based on assessments of game fish abundance; climatic conditions that affect the vulnerability of game fish to accidental harvest; and abundance of Whitefish and Cisco.

Schedule II water bodies exhibit less variability and are opened and closed on a pre-determined schedule. Unless otherwise noted, the names of the bodies of water refer to lakes.

Schedule I water bodies

All water bodies listed in this schedule are to be opened and closed on a 48-hour notice posted at the lake accesses and other public places. Lakes in bold and marked with asterisk(*) are designated infested with spiny water fleas and/or zebra mussels (see footnote about net use in these lakes).

Lakes

The table below indicates the minimum mesh size (based on stretch measures) allowed on each lake.

NameCounty3.5" Net1.75" NetContactOpensCloses
Basswood*LakeXTower10/30/202611/15/2026
Bear IslandSt. LouisXTower11/27/202612/27/2026
DeerItascaXGrand Rapids10/30/202612/13/2026
Devil Track*CookXGrand Marais10/30/202612/27/2026
Fall*LakeXTower10/30/202611/15/2026
Newton*LakeXTower10/30/202611/15/2026
OjibwayLakeXTower11/27/202612/27/2026
Poplar*CookXGrand Marais10/30/202612/27/2026
Shagawa*St. LouisXTower11/6/202611/29/2026
StraightBeckerXPark Rapids11/28/202612/27/2026
Turtle*ItascaXGrand Rapids10/30/202612/13/2026
Vermilion*1St. LouisXTower10/30/202611/15/2026
* Nets used in spiny water fleas and/or zebra mussel infested waters are not to be used in any other waterbody. The full list of infested waters can be found online.
1 Vermilion includes the entire lake except Pike Bay, south and west of a north-south line at narrowest portion between Echo Point and Punchers Point.
Schedule II water bodies

Schedule II waters are open based on the three netting schedules: Oct.16-Dec.13, Nov. 6- Dec. 13 and Nov. 13-Dec. 13.

Lakes in bold and marked with asterisk(*) are infested with spiny water fleas and/or zebra mussels. Nets used in these lakes cannot be used in any other waterbody.

Lakes

The table below indicates the minimum mesh size allowed (based on stretch measures) on each lake.

NameCounty3.5" Net1.75" NetOpensCloses
Ball Club*ItascaX11/06/202612/13/2026
Balsam, BigItascaX11/06/202612/13/2026
Bass*Crow WingX11/06/202612/13/2026
Bass*

(north basin & Snyder Bay to the narrows)

ItascaX11/06/202612/13/2026
BeltramiBeltramiX11/06/202612/13/2026
Bemidji, LittleBeckerX11/06/202612/13/2026
Benedict*HubbardX11/06/202612/13/2026
Black Bear*Crow WingX11/06/202612/13/2026
BlackduckBeltramiX11/06/202612/13/2026
BlackwaterCassX11/06/202612/13/2026
Bowstring*ItascaX11/06/202612/13/2026
Bowstring, LittleItascaX11/06/202612/13/2026
Boy*CassX11/06/202612/13/2026
BruleCookX10/16/202612/13/2026
Buffalo*BeckerX11/13/202612/13/2026
BuzzleBeltramiX11/06/202612/13/2026
Caribou*CookX10/16/202612/13/2026
Carr*BeltramiX11/06/202612/13/2026
Cass*BeltramiX11/06/202612/13/2026
Clear*Crow WingX11/06/202612/13/2026
ClearwaterBeltramiX11/06/202612/13/2026
CottonBeckerX11/06/202612/13/2026
Crane*St. LouisX10/16/202612/13/2026
CrookedCassX11/06/202612/13/2026
CrookedCrow WingX11/06/202612/13/2026
Crow Wing, Fifth

(channel between Sixth)

HubbardX11/06/202612/13/2026
Crow Wing, Sixth

(channel between Fifth)

HubbardX11/06/202612/13/2026
Crow Wing, Seventh

(channel between Eighth)

HubbardX11/06/202612/13/2026
Crow Wing, Eighth

(channel between Seventh)

HubbardX11/06/202612/13/2026
Crow Wing, NinthHubbardX11/06/202612/13/2026
Crystal*Otter TailX11/13/202612/13/2026
Curfman*BeckerX11/06/202612/13/2026
Cut Foot Sioux*ItascaX11/06/202612/13/2026
DeerBeltramiX11/06/202612/13/2026
DeerItascaX11/06/202612/13/2026
Detroit*BeckerX11/06/202612/13/2026
EagleCrow WingX11/06/202612/13/2026
ElbowSt. LouisX10/16/202612/13/2026
ElbowBeckerX11/13/202612/13/2026
Eunice*BeckerX11/06/202612/13/2026
Fish*Otter TailX11/13/202612/13/2026
Fish Hook*HubbardX11/06/202612/13/2026
Floyd*BeckerX11/06/202612/13/2026
Franklin*Otter TailX11/13/202612/13/2026
GilstadBeltramiX11/06/202612/13/2026
GrahamOtter TailX11/06/202612/13/2026
GrantBeltramiX11/06/202612/13/2026
GravesItascaX11/06/202612/13/2026
Greenwood*CookX11/06/202612/13/2026
Gull*

(including Wilson's Bay)

CassX11/06/202612/13/2026
Gull, Upper*CassX11/06/202612/13/2026
Hanging Horn, BigCarltonX11/06/202612/13/2026
HowardCassX11/06/202612/13/2026
Ice CrackingBeckerX11/13/202612/13/2026
Ida*DouglasX11/06/202612/13/2026
IsabellaLakeX10/16/202612/13/2026
Island*HubbardX11/06/202612/13/2026
Jessie*ItascaX11/06/202612/13/2026
Jewett*Otter TailX11/13/202612/13/2026
Kabekona*HubbardX11/06/202612/13/2026
Kabetogama*St. LouisX10/16/202612/13/2026
Kimble*Crow WingX11/06/202612/13/2026
Kitchi*BeltramiX11/06/202612/13/2026
Lake of the Woods*Lake of the WoodsX10/16/202612/13/2026
Leaf, East*Otter TailX11/13/202612/13/2026
Leaf, Middle*Otter TailX11/13/202612/13/2026
Leaf, West*Otter TailX11/13/202612/13/2026
LeavittCassX11/06/202612/13/2026
Leech*

(including Kabekona Bay and all other bays*)

CassX10/16/202612/13/2026
Lida*Otter TailX11/13/202612/13/2026
Lizzie*Otter TailX11/13/202612/13/2026
Long*BeckerX11/06/202612/13/2026
Long*HubbardX11/06/202612/13/2026
Long*Otter TailX11/13/202612/13/2026
Long, Lower South*Crow WingX11/06/202612/13/2026
Long, North*Crow WingX11/06/202612/13/2026
Many PointBeckerX11/06/202612/13/2026
MapleItascaX11/06/202612/13/2026
Margaret*CassX11/06/202612/13/2026
Marquette*BeltramiX11/06/202612/13/2026
Maud*BeckerX11/06/202612/13/2026
McCraneyMahnomenX11/06/202612/13/2026
Melissa*BeckerX11/06/202612/13/2026
MooreBeckerX11/06/202612/13/2026
MovilBeltramiX11/06/202612/13/2026
MurphyOtter TailX11/06/202612/13/2026
Namakan*

(Closed in the Narrows between Namakan And Sandpoint Lake)

St. LouisX10/16/202612/13/2026
NashwaukItascaX11/06/202612/13/2026
NetBeckerX11/06/202612/13/2026
OakHubbardX11/06/202612/13/2026
Ossawinamakee*Crow WingX11/06/202612/13/2026
Pelican*Crow WingX11/06/202612/13/2026
Pelican, Big*Otter TailX11/13/202612/13/2026
PikeBeckerX11/06/202612/13/2026
Pike, EastCookX10/16/202612/13/2026
Pike Bay*CassX11/06/202612/13/2026
PillagerCassX11/06/202612/13/2026
Pimushe*BeltramiX11/06/202612/13/2026
Pine, Big*Otter TailX11/13/202612/13/2026
Pine, Little*Otter TailX11/13/202612/13/2026
Pine Mountain*CassX11/06/202612/13/2026
Plantagenet*HubbardX11/06/202612/13/2026
Pokegama*ItascaX11/06/202612/13/2026
PortageCassX11/06/202612/13/2026
PortageCrow WingX11/06/202612/13/2026
Potato and Eagle*

(Channel Between)

HubbardX11/06/202612/13/2026
PrairieSt. LouisX11/06/202612/13/2026
Pughole* (Little Thunder)CassX11/06/202612/13/2026
RachelDouglasX11/06/202612/13/2026
Rainy*St. LouisX10/16/202612/13/2026
RoundBeckerX11/06/202612/13/2026
Round*Crow WingX11/06/202612/13/2026
RoundItascaX11/06/202612/13/2026
Rush IslandItascaX11/06/202612/13/2026
Sand, Big*ItascaX11/06/202612/13/2026
Sand Point*

(Except narrows between Sand Point & Namakan, and Sand Point & Vermilion)

St. LouisX10/16/202612/13/2026
SandyBeltramiX11/06/202612/13/2026
Sandy, BigAitkinX11/06/202612/13/2026
Sauk, Big*ToddX11/06/202612/13/2026
SideSt. LouisX11/06/202612/13/2026
Silver IslandLakeX10/16/202612/13/2026
SnyderMahnomenX11/06/202612/13/2026
SpringItascaX11/06/202612/13/2026
Stalker*Otter TailX11/13/202612/13/2026
StarCrow WingX11/06/202612/13/2026
Star*Otter TailX11/13/202612/13/2026
Steamboat*CassX11/06/202612/13/2026
StrawberryBeckerX11/06/202612/13/2026
Sturgeon, SouthItascaX11/06/202612/13/2026
Sucker, LowerCassX11/06/202612/13/2026
Swan*ItascaX11/06/202612/13/2026
Ten Mile*CassX11/13/202612/13/2026
Thunder*CassX11/06/202612/13/2026
TulabyBeckerX11/06/202612/13/2026
Turtle, BigBeltramiX11/06/202612/13/2026
Turtle, LittleBeltramiX11/06/202612/13/2026
Turtle River Lake*BeltramiX11/06/202612/13/2026
Twin LakesItascaX11/06/202612/13/2026
WabedoCassX11/06/202612/13/2026
WashburnCassX11/06/202612/13/2026
WelchCassX11/06/202612/13/2026
White Earth*BeckerX11/06/202612/13/2026
WimerOtter TailX11/13/202612/13/2026
Winnibigoshish*CassX11/06/202612/13/2026
Winnibigoshish, Little*

(except those portions within One-fourth mile of river channels)

ItascaX11/06/202612/13/2026
Wolf, Big*BeltramiX11/06/202612/13/2026
Woman*CassX11/06/202612/13/2026
* Nets used in spiny water fleas and/or zebra mussel infested waters are not to be used in any other waterbody. The full list of infested waters can be found online.

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