Minnesota DNR proposes fish regulation changes to lakes, Pool 3 of the Mississippi

St. Paul — From as far north as Hubbard County near Park Rapids to as far south as Olmsted County in the Rochester area, the Minnesota DNR is proposing rules changes to several state waters where harvesting fish is “restricted or otherwise differentiated from other fishing regulations.”

The DNR intends to adopt rules under the expedited permanent rulemaking process for the fisheries listed below.

The goal is to complete the changes before the opening of Minnesota’s new fishing season March 1, 2026. Comments may be submitted on the proposed changes through Nov. 13 (see additional information, including requesting a hearing, below).

The proposed changes include:

• Inland portions of Pool 3

The inland portions of the Mississippi River Pool 3 share a fish community with the remainder of the Mississippi River, Lake Pepin (in Lake City), and the lower St. Croix River.

As a result, the DNR believes these collective fish populations – from walleyes and sauger to other notable game fish – should be managed consistently and not be differentiated by “inland” regulations and “Minnesota border water” regulations.

Nick Schlesser, Minnesota DNR area fisheries supervisor in Lake City, said the proposed rule changes make the fisheries regulations on inland portions of Pool 3 consistent with adjacent waters.

“Fish don’t have borders,” Schlesser said, adding that the proposed change has been in the works for roughly three years. “The proposed rule changes make it easier for anglers. They won’t have to guess where they’re at.”

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• Rochester-area lakes

According to the DNR, there are 10 small water bodies/fisheries (Gamehaven Reservoir, Cascade Lake, Manor Woods Pond, Silver Lake, Silver Creek Reservoir, Bear Creek Reservoir, Willow Creek Reservoir, Forest-Arend Lake, Kalmar Reservoir, and Quarry Hill Nature Center Pond) managed collectively as “Rochester-area lakes.” These waters have special regulations that include a limit of 10 sunfish, crappies, and yellow perch in aggregate.

Schlesser said five of the 10 fisheries are managed with a special regulation of one northern pike daily and in possession. He said the proposed rulemaking would apply the one-northern pike special regulation to all 10 Rochester lakes.

“These lakes, given that they’re in an urban environment, can be exposed to a lot of pressure,” he said. “The new proposed regulation for northern pike would make the special regulation uniform across all fisheries in the Rochester area.”

• Little Sauk Lake

According to the DNR, the 277-acre Little Sauk Lake in Todd County has been managed with a set of special regulations for several years. Eric Altena, DNR area fisheries supervisor in Little Falls, said these special regulations include a sunfish limit of five, a crappie limit of five, a yellow perch limit of 10, a walleye limit of two, and a largemouth bass limit of one.

Except for the crappie and sunfish limits of five, Altena said, the special regulations have not had the desired effect on the lake’s fish community. As a result, he and his fisheries staff are proposing to remove Little Sauk Lake – which is popular with anglers, especially ice anglers – from these special regulations and apply standard inland regulations.

However, the sunfish and crappie limits will be retained but established through a different special regulations process.

• La Salle Lake

According to the DNR, La Salle Lake near Park Rapids has been managed for more than a decade with a special regulation limit of one for northern pike. Calub Shavlik, DNR assistant area fisheries supervisor in Park Rapids, said signage at the 237-acre lake indicates a bag limit of one is in place for northern pike.

However, the current rule says that northern pike are supposed to be catch-and-release only in the lake, which has a maximum depth of 213 feet, one of the deepest in the state. Shavlik said the DNR wants to maintain the bag limit at one and is proposing the rule be changed.

“We want to clean up the confusion … and that’s why we’re proposing the rule change,” Shavlik said.

According to the DNR, interested parties have until 4:30 p.m. on Nov. 13 to submit comments to the DNR contact person listed below. You can also request a hearing on these proposed rules changes. If at least 50 people 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 would be held before an administrative law judge.

For more information: www.dnr.state.mn.us/input/rules/index.html.

A free copy of the proposed rules is available upon request.

The DNR contact person is Shannon Fisher, Minnesota DNR fisheries populations, monitoring and regulations manager. Mailing address: Minnesota DNR Section of Fisheries, 500 Lafayette Road, St. Paul, MN, 55155. Email: Shannon.fisher@state.mn.us. Phone: (651) 259-5206.