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March 11, 2026
Stay informed! Here’s a summary of upcoming fisheries and habitat management activities and ways you can discover, explore and experience Minnesota’s outdoors.
Bass fishing is open before the May fishing opener
 Courtesy of Brian Hegg
The Minnesota fishing regulations for 2026 include a new catch-and-release season that makes fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass open all year on inland waters.
The DNR made this improvement in bass fishing opportunities after hearing strong support from anglers for earlier bass fishing. Bass populations are thriving, with increased abundance and sizes. And compared with past decades, bass have broader geographic distribution in our state.
Since bass spawning peaks in late May, which is later in the year than some other species, there is no biological evidence that catch-and-release bass fishing poses a conservation issue for the fish.
Going forward, bass seasons will alternate between harvest and catch-and-release seasons with no fishing closures. Anglers will need to follow separate regulations for border waters which are available in the fishing regulations on the DNR website.
Fishing regulations 2026: What else is new?
 There are some new regulations for inland waters and border waters, and for specific lakes and rivers.
Please make sure to check what’s new before heading out fishing. New regulations are listed on pages 13-14 of the regulations book, available on the DNR website. Printed copies are available anywhere Minnesota fishing licenses are sold.
New regulations for 2026 include:
- There are new and modified regulations in effect for nine bodies of water located in Beltrami, Crow Wing, Itasca, Jackson, Martin, Morrison and Todd counties.
- The season opener for stream trout harvest is now the second Saturday in April every year.
- The limit of one Atlantic salmon on Lake Superior has been removed. The limit is now five combined total for all salmon.
- The season closure date for brook trout and splake on Lake Superior and tributaries below posted boundaries is now Sept. 30.
- A new rule allows up to three hooks within 18 inches on a single tackle configuration.
- Updated language clarifies only one bait is allowed per line and stinger hooks are only allowed on artificial baits.
- Ice anglers may use nonmotorized hook setting devices.
- There is updated information on harvesting crayfish in infested waters and on labeling traps.
- There is no closed season for taking dead freshwater mussel shells.
- Inland portions of Mississippi River Pool 3 now conform with adjacent Wisconsin-Minnesota border waters regulations listed as “Mississippi River Pools 3-8 including Lake Pepin.”
Please share your input on fisheries management plans
 March is the month to connect with DNR fisheries offices across the state. We’re updating fisheries management plans for 197 lakes in 52 counties in 2026, and you’re invited to reach out and share your input.
Call or email an area fisheries office before March 31. Area fisheries teams will consider the public’s observations and comments as they develop updates for each management plan. The DNR is also interested in comments from organizations or their representatives, including outdoors groups, conservations organizations, lake associations and local units of government.
A list of lakes scheduled for plan updates in 2026 is on the DNR website. Fisheries management plans for Minnesota’s 10 largest lakes follow a similar but separate update process.
Three-walleye limit continues on Mille Lacs Lake
 Anglers on Mille Lacs Lake will have the opportunity to harvest three walleyes starting on the fishing opener on Saturday, May 9. Harvested walleyes must be 17 inches or greater, with only one over 20 inches. The three-walleye limit was in place late last summer through the ice fishing season. Read more in the DNR news release.
As a reminder the daily and possession limit for yellow perch on Mille Lacs Lake was reduced from 10 to five, effective Feb. 9. This regulation will be in place through Nov. 30, 2026.
Complete Mille Lacs Lake fishing regulations and regularly updated surveys that show state-licensed angler catches of walleye, northern pike and yellow perch are available on the DNR Mille Lacs Lake webpage.
Fishing in the Neighborhood program has a busy winter
 This walleye was caught during youth fishing event at Fish Lake in Scott County. From left are DNR staff members Mitchell Konieczny, Levi Suchla and Isabella Ingraham.
At the end of February, the Fishing in the Neighborhood program wrapped up the 2026 ice fishing event season. From January through February the FIN program hosted or collaborated with community partners on 16 youth fishing events, with more than 900 participants, in addition to three outreach events with more than 400 participants.
The FIN program from the DNR aims to increase angling opportunities, public awareness and environmental stewardship within the seven-county metro region. FIN uses existing urban fisheries management activities such as fish stocking, aeration, and enhancement of shore-fishing and pier-fishing opportunities to reduce barriers and increase accessibility to fishing and recreation within cities. The program works with local parks and recreation departments, lake associations, schools, and other organizations to promote good stewardship and the value of our freshwater resources. To find out more, check out the FIN webpage.
Fishing photo highlight
 “My son, Malcolm, ice fishing on Lake Demontreville,” courtesy of Josh Nguyen
Do you have any fishing photos you want to share? Consider uploading them using the DNR photo uploader. We use many of these photos in email newsletters, our webpages and other communications.
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