Minnesota DNR proposes yellow bass limit increase for the Fairmont chain

St. Paul — The Minnesota DNR is proposing to increase the daily limit for yellow bass on the Fairmont chain of lakes (Amber, Hall, Budd, Sisseton, and George) in Martin County, as well as in Lake Imogene in Martin County and Clear Lake in Jackson County.

The proposed special regulation would increase the daily possession limit of yellow bass from 30 to 100.

“While the yellow bass is a native species in the Mississippi River, it is not native in southern Minnesota lakes but now makes up a significant portion of the fish in the Fairmont chain of lakes,” said Ryan Doorenbos, Windom area fisheries supervisor. “In our fisheries surveys, the abundance of yellow bass in the Fairmont chain of lakes increased from zero in 2013 to nearly 300 per net in just four years, dominating the overall fish community, with abundance continuing to increase.”

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The DNR placed a 30-fish limit on the species ahead of the 2025 fishing season to align with a statewide goal to remove unlimited harvests for species. However, as staff in the area communicated with local anglers, there was the expectation that a special regulation specific to the area could be pursued to potentially increase that limit on the Fairmont chain.

“We believe the proposed 100-fish special regulation is a logical and well-supported step that aligns with both biological management objectives and social expectations for Fairmont area lakes,” said Craig Soupir, DNR southern region fisheries manager.

A public input meeting about the proposal will be held 6-7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 10, at Fairmont Public Library. DNR staff will give a presentation summarizing the status of fish populations in the proposed lakes, and attendees will be able to offer comments.

For those unable to attend in person, an online option for the Sept. 10 meeting will be available on the Windom area fisheries page.

People may also provide comment by contacting Doorenbos at (507) 832-6013, emailing ryan.doorenbos@state.mn.us, or mailing comments to 175 County Rd. 26, Windom, MN 56101.