Minnesota Administrative Rules

6262.0200 FISHING REGULATIONS FOR INLAND WATERS.

Subpart 1.

General inland fishing regulations.

Fish may be taken in inland waters by angling during the time specified for each of the following species; however, certain waters of the state are subject to experimental or special regulations or are closed for taking and possessing fish. When the closing date of a season falls on a Saturday, the season extends through the following Sunday.

	Species and Open Season	Daily and Possession Limits
A.	Largemouth and smallmouth bass.	6 in aggregate.
(1)	In all waters lying east and north of U.S. Highway 53 from Duluth to International Falls and Pelican and Ash Lakes, St. Louis County.
	Saturday two weeks prior to the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend to the last Sunday in February.
(2)	In all other waters.
	From the Saturday two weeks prior to the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend to the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend, angling for bass is limited to catch and release only. Any bass must be immediately returned to the water. It is unlawful for anyone to have in possession, regardless of where taken, any bass while on or fishing in these waters. The Saturday of Memorial Day weekend to the last Sunday in February is the harvest season.
	From the second Monday in September to the end of the season, angling for smallmouth bass is limited to catch and release only. Any smallmouth bass must be immediately returned to the water and it is unlawful for anyone to have in possession, regardless of where taken, any smallmouth bass while on or fishing in these waters.
B.	Brown trout. Except as provided in part 6264.0400, subparts 35, 36, 37, and 117, the following restrictions apply.
(1)	In all streams in Houston, Fillmore, Mower, Dodge, Olmsted, Winona, Wabasha, and Goodhue Counties. January 1 to October 15.	5 in aggregate with rainbow and brook trout and splake. No more than 1 may be over 16 inches in length. Angling for trout is limited to catch and release only from January 1 up to but not including the Saturday nearest April 15 and from September 15 to October 15. During these time periods, all trout must be immediately returned to the water. It is unlawful for anyone to have in possession, regardless of where taken, any trout while on or fishing in these waters. All legal methods of taking trout are allowed.
(2)	In all other streams, except those in part 6262.0300, subpart 6, item C, for St. Louis, Lake, Carlton, and Cook Counties. Saturday nearest April 15 to September 30.	5 in aggregate with rainbow and brook trout and splake. No more than 1 may be over 16 inches in length.
(3)	In lakes only:	5 in aggregate with rainbow and brook trout and splake. No more than 3 may be over 16 inches in length.
(a)	Statewide. Saturday two weeks prior to Saturday of Memorial Day weekend to October 31.
(b)	All lakes entirely within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
	January 1, except when January 1 falls on a Sunday, Monday, or Tuesday, then opening day is the preceding Saturday (Saturday nearest January 1), to March 31.
(c)	All lakes entirely or partly outside the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
	Saturday nearest January 15 to March 31.
(d)	Little Andrus (Snowshoe) Lake, Cass County; Allen and Pleasant Lakes, Crow Wing County; and Bad Medicine Lake, Becker County, are closed for the winter season.
C.	Brook trout and splake.
	Except as provided in part 6264.0400, subparts 35, 36, 37, and 117, the following restrictions apply.
(1)	In all streams in Houston, Fillmore, Mower, Dodge, Olmsted, Winona, Wabasha, and Goodhue Counties. January 1 to October 15.	5 in aggregate with rainbow and brown trout and splake. No more than 1 may be over 16 inches in length. Angling for trout is limited to catch and release only from January 1 up to but not including the Saturday nearest April 15 and from September 15 to October 15. During these time periods, all trout must be immediately returned to the water. It is unlawful for anyone to have in possession, regardless of where taken, any trout while on or fishing in these waters. All legal methods of taking trout are allowed.
(2)	In all other streams, except those in part 6262.0300, subpart 6, item B, for St. Louis, Lake, Carlton, and Cook Counties. Saturday nearest April 15 to September 30.	5 in aggregate with brown and rainbow trout. No more than 1 may be over 16 inches in length.
(3)	In lakes only:	5 in aggregate with brown and rainbow trout. No more than 3 may be over 16 inches in length.
(a)	Statewide.
	Saturday two weeks prior to Saturday of Memorial Day weekend to October 31.
(b)	All lakes entirely within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
	January 1, except when January 1 falls on a Sunday, Monday, or Tuesday, then opening day is the preceding Saturday (Saturday nearest January 1), to March 31.
(c)	All lakes entirely or partly outside the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
	Saturday nearest January 15 to March 31.
(d)	Little Andrus (Snowshoe) Lake, Cass County; Allen and Pleasant Lakes, Crow Wing County; and Bad Medicine Lake, Becker County, are closed for the winter season.
D.	Rainbow trout, including steelhead.
	Except as provided in part 6264.0400, subparts 35, 36, 37, and 117, the following restrictions apply.
(1)	In all streams in Houston, Fillmore, Mower, Dodge, Olmsted, Winona, Wabasha, and Goodhue Counties. January 1 to October 15.	5 in aggregate with brown and brook trout and splake. No more than 1 may be over 16 inches in length. Angling for trout is limited to catch and release only from January 1 up to but not including the Saturday nearest April 15 and from September 15 to October 15. During these time periods, all trout must be immediately returned to the water. It is unlawful for anyone to have in possession, regardless of where taken, any trout while on or fishing in these waters. All legal methods of taking trout are allowed.
(2)	In all other streams, except those in part 6262.0300, subpart 6, item A, for St. Louis, Lake, Carlton, and Cook Counties. Saturday nearest April 15 to September 30.	5 in aggregate with brook and brown trout and splake. No more than 1 may be over 16 inches in length.
(3)	In lakes only:	5 in aggregate with brook and brown trout and splake. No more than 3 may be over 16 inches in length.
(a)	Statewide.
	Saturday two weeks prior to Saturday of Memorial Day weekend to October 31.
(b)	All lakes entirely within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
	January 1, except when January 1 falls on a Sunday, Monday, or Tuesday, then opening day is the preceding Saturday (Saturday nearest January 1), to March 31.
(c)	All lakes entirely or partly outside the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
	Saturday nearest January 15 to March 31.
(d)	Little Andrus (Snowshoe) Lake, Cass County; Allen and Pleasant Lakes, Crow Wing County; and Bad Medicine Lake, Becker County, are closed for the winter season.
E.	Lake trout.	2
	Statewide.
	Saturday two weeks prior to Saturday of Memorial Day weekend to September 30.
	All lakes entirely within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
	January 1, except when January 1 falls on a Sunday, Monday, or Tuesday, then opening day is the preceding Saturday (Saturday nearest January 1), to March 31.
	All lakes lying entirely or partly outside the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
	Saturday nearest January 15 to March 31.
F.	Walleye and sauger.	6 in aggregate.
	Saturday two weeks prior to the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend to the last Sunday in February.
G.	Northern pike.
	Saturday two weeks prior to the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend to the last Sunday in February.
	The restrictions in this item do not apply to boundary waters.
(1)	Northeastern management zone.	2
	The northeastern management zone includes all inland waters lying east and north of U.S. Highway 53 from International Falls to Duluth.	When taking northern pike by angling, only 1 over 40 inches in length may be in possession; all northern pike from 30 to 40 inches in length must be immediately returned to the water.
		When taking northern pike by dark house spearing, only 1 over 26 inches in length may be in possession.
(2)	North-central management zone.	10
	The north-central management zone includes all inland waters lying west and south of U.S. Highway 53 from International Falls to Duluth and north of a line described as follows: from the South Dakota border, along State Highway 7 to State Highway 22, thence south on State Highway 22 to U.S. Highway 212, thence east on U.S. Highway 212 to State Highway 41, thence south on State Highway 41 to the near or north bank of the Minnesota River, thence along the near banks of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers to the Wisconsin border. The north-central management zone does not include waters of the Minnesota or Mississippi Rivers where those waters create the southern boundary of the zone.	When taking northern pike by angling, only 2 over 26 inches in length may be in possession; all northern pike from 22 to 26 inches must be immediately returned to the water. When taking northern pike by dark house spearing, either: (a) only 2 over 26 inches in length and none from 22 to 26 inches in length may be in possession; or (b) only 1 from 22 to 26 inches in length and 1 over 26 inches in length may be in possession.
(3)	Southern management zone.	2
	The southern management zone includes all inland waters lying south of a line described as follows: from the South Dakota border along State Highway 7 to State Highway 22, thence south on State Highway 22 to U.S. Highway 212, thence east on U.S. Highway 212 to State Highway 41, thence south on State Highway 41 to and including the waters of the Minnesota River, thence along the Minnesota River to and including the waters of the Mississippi River, to the Wisconsin border.	The minimum size is 24 inches in length, and includes northern pike taken by angling or dark house spearing.
(4)	Certain experimental and special management waters.	3
	This subitem applies to waters regulated under parts 6264.0300, subparts 74 and 76; and 6264.0400, subparts 19, 25, 54, 59, 71, 72, 73, 74, 76, 77, 79, 80, 94, 98, and 102.
H.	Muskellunge (including muskellunge-northern pike hybrid).
	The first Saturday in June to December 1.
(1)	In all inland waters not listed in subitem (2).	1 in aggregate. The minimum size limit is 54 inches in length.
(2)	In the following lakes in Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, and Washington Counties:	1 in aggregate. The minimum size limit is 40 inches in length.
	Lake:	County:
	Bryant	Hennepin
	Bush	Hennepin
	Calhoun	Hennepin
	Cedar	Hennepin
	Cedar	Scott
	Clear	Washington
	Crystal	Dakota
	Crystal	Hennepin
	Eagle	Carver
	Elmo	Washington
	Gervais	Ramsey
	Island	Ramsey
	Isles	Hennepin
	Johanna	Ramsey
	Nokomis	Hennepin
	Orchard	Dakota
	Phalen	Ramsey
	Pierson	Carver
	Silver	Ramsey
	Wasserman	Carver
	Weaver	Hennepin
I.	Rock bass.	30
	Continuous.
J.	White (striped) bass.	30
	Continuous.
K.	Crappies.	10
	Continuous.
L.	Sunfish.	20
	Continuous.
M.	Flathead and channel catfish.	5 in aggregate. No more than 1 may be over 24 inches and no more than 2 may be flathead catfish.
	Continuous, except for flathead catfish, the season is closed from December 1 to March 31.
N.	Perch.	100 to November 30, 2000.
	Continuous.	20 daily, 50 in possession, December 1, 2000, to November 30, 2001.
		20 daily, 40 in possession, December 1, 2001, and thereafter.
O.	Bullheads.	100
	Continuous.
P.	Sturgeon.	0
	June 16 to April 14 for catch and release only. Closed April 15 to June 15. When the closing date of a season falls on a Saturday, the season does not extend through the following Sunday.
Q.	Carp, bowfin, redhorse, sheepshead, suckers, burbot, gar, whitefish, goldeyes, tullibees, buffalo, smelt.	No limits.
	Continuous.

Subp. 2.

Taking of smelt from inland waters.

Rainbow smelt may be taken by licensed anglers and those exempt from licensing at any time by angling and dip net. Smelt may be taken in inland lakes by minnow seines, not more than 25 feet in length or four feet in depth. Seines may not be used within 100 feet of any outlets or mouths of any stream that empty into or out of Grindstone Lake, Pine County. Live smelt may not be possessed or transported.

Statutory Authority:

MS s 14.388; 84.027; 97A.045; 97C.005; 97C.025; 97C.041; 97C.045; 97C.325; 97C.371; 97C.375; 97C.395; 97C.401; 97C.405; 97C.411; 97C.415; 97C.811; L 2014 c 290 s 62,63,64,66

History:

18 SR 83; 19 SR 2222; 20 SR 2287; 22 SR 292; 23 SR 348; 23 SR 373; 24 SR 1849; 25 SR 1964; 27 SR 1017; 30 SR 394; 32 SR 1039; 34 SR 1165; 35 SR 1396; 37 SR 1664; 39 SR 5; 39 SR 486; 39 SR 822; 42 SR 250

Published Electronically:

March 6, 2020