Minnesota DNR seeks input on proposed special fishing regulations

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is asking for input on several special fishing regulation proposals.

Each year, the Minnesota DNR reviews all existing fishing regulations, proposes new special regulations that apply to individual waters and asks the public for input about the proposals. All new special regulations are reviewed on a regular basis to evaluate effectiveness.

The DNR is proposing either new regulations or changes to existing experimental and special fishing regulations for the 2026 fishing season that address the following topics:

• Sand Lake walleye (Itasca County)
• Rainy Lake walleye (St. Louis and Koochiching counties)
• Platte Lake sunfish (Crow Wing County)
• Sullivan Lake sunfish (Morrison County)
• Green Prairie Fish Lake sunfish (Morrison County)
• Long (Higgins) Lake sunfish (Todd County)
• Moose Lake sunfish (Todd County)
• Maple Lake sunfish (Todd County)
• Jewett Lake sunfish (Otter Tail County)
• North and South Ten Mile Lakes sunfish (Otter Tail County)
• German Lake sunfish (Otter Tail County)
• Rush Lake sunfish (Otter Tail County)
• Rabideau Lake sunfish (Beltrami County)

The Minnesota DNR is taking input on these proposals via an online survey (mndnr.gov/fishing/special-fishing-regulations-input.html) through Tuesday, Sept. 30. For additional details or to comment directly by email, U.S. mail, or phone about individual proposals, contact the area fisheries office (mndnr.gov/areas/fisheries) for the proposal you wish to comment on. General input may also be submitted through Tuesday, Sept. 30 to Shannon Fisher at shannon.fisher@state.mn.us or 651-259-5206, or via U.S. mail to Fishing Regulations/Shannon Fisher, Box 20, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, 500 Lafayette Road, St. Paul, MN 55155.

The Minnesota DNR is also hosting a virtual open house and an in-person open house for Rainy Lake, and an in-person open house in the Twin Cities metro area to cover all proposals.

For those who want to attend one of the open houses, information can be found on the Minnesota DNR website (mndnr.gov/fishing/special-fishing-regulations-input.html) or by calling an area fisheries office (mndnr.gov/areas/fisheries).

Notification of the proposed changes to fishing regulations has been posted at the accesses at each lake included in the proposal.