Ice anglers on Lake Mille Lacs will be able to keep one walleye a day this winter, officials announced Monday.
The restrictive limit — one walleye daily between 18 and 20 inches or longer than 28 inches — is as stringent as any walleye rules ever enforced on the lake but similar to rules in effect for much of the open-water season.
However, open-water fishing for walleye was closed in August after the state exceeded a historically low quota that was designed to protect Mille Lacs’s legendary walleye population, which has been in decline for years.
The closure of fishing for the state fish on one of Minnesota’s marquee lakes sent ripples far beyond the towns of Garrison, Isle and other communities whose economies are intertwined with walleye fishing. Gov. Mark Dayton pushed for a special session of the Legislature to approve economic aid to affected businesses, while legislators opposed to the idea held committee hearings.
Meanwhile, resorts and guides awaited word on whether walleye ice fishing — a season that has become as significant economically as the open-water season — would be allowed at all.
Last week, the Department of Natural Resources announced that the population appeared healthy enough to handle a modest winter season, and a number of business owners expressed relief.
State officials will monitor the situation closely. Last week, state officials announced a first-ever winter quota on walleyes of 5,000 pounds. The figure was a result of meetings between state and tribal officials from eight bands of Chippewa Indians with court-affirmed treaty rights to the lake’s fish.
On Monday, the DNR said if officials believe the 5,000-cap is reached this winter, they’ll make walleye fishing catch-and-release for the rest of the winter.
The walleye rules will take effect Dec. 1, ice or not, and will last until the statewide walleye season closure Feb. 28.
On Monday, the DNR also announced that, beginning Dec. 1, the daily limit on northern pike will be reduced from 10 fish to five. One pike per day longer than 30 inches can be kept, but that larger fish must be “earned” by the angler first catching and keeping two fish shorter than 30 inches.
The pike season continues through March 27.
Regulations for the 2016 open-water season won’t be set until spring.
Dave Orrick can be reached at 651-228-5512. Follow him at twitter.com/OutdoorsNow.
