Minnesota Administrative Rules
6262.0575 WATERS WITH RESTRICTIONS ON TAKING FISH.
Subpart 1.
Treaty lakes.
The commissioner may modify seasons and limits under Minnesota Statutes, section 84.027, subdivision 13, or sections 97A.0451 to 97A.0459, to accommodate tribal declarations for fish harvest in the 1837 Ceded Territory in compliance with the court ruling in Mille Lacs Band of Chippewa v. Minnesota, 119 S.Ct. 1187 (1999). Changes shall be posted at water access sites and the Department of Natural Resources website.
Subp. 2.
Inland waters of Mississippi River pool 3.
While on or fishing in the following waters, the limits and seasons in items A to J apply.
A.
The walleye and sauger daily and possession limit is four in aggregate. All walleye must be 15 inches or greater in length. Only one walleye or sauger may be 20 inches or greater in length.
B.
The largemouth and smallmouth bass daily and possession limit is five in aggregate, and all must be 14 inches or greater in length.
C.
The northern pike daily and possession limit is three, and only one may be 30 inches or greater in length.
H.
The channel catfish and flathead catfish daily and possession limit is ten in aggregate, and only one may be 30 inches or greater in length.
I.
The muskellunge daily and possession limit is one, and all muskellunge must be 50 inches or greater in length.
J.
The muskellunge season is from the Saturday nearest Memorial Day through November 30. The flathead catfish season is April 1 through November 30. Seasons for channel catfish, walleye, sauger, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, white bass, yellow bass, sunfish, crappie, and yellow perch is continuous.
| Name | Location | County |
| Inland waters of Mississippi River pool 3 | from the railroad tracks on the Minnesota-Wisconsin border upstream to the dam at Hastings, Minnesota | Dakota, Washington |
Subp. 5.
Minnows in southwestern counties.
A person shall not take minnows for personal use, except by angling, from a stream, stream tributary, sidechannel, oxbow, backwater, or other seasonally or permanently connected water of the Missouri River watershed that is in Lincoln, Pipestone, Murray, Rock, or Nobles County and that lies south of U.S. Highway 14 to the Iowa border and west of U.S. Highway 59 to the South Dakota border. These waters include, but are not limited to, Medary Creek, Flandreau Creek, East Branch Flandreau Creek, Willow Creek, Pipestone Creek, North Branch Pipestone Creek, Split Rock Creek, Beaver Creek, Little Beaver Creek, Springwater Creek, Rock River, East Branch Rock River, Ask Creek, Little Rock River, Little Rock Creek, Kanaranzi Creek, Norwegian Creek, East Branch Kanaranzi Creek, Elk Creek, Champepadan Creek, Mound Creek, Poplar Creek, Chanarambie Creek, North Branch Chanarambie Creek, and Mud Creek.
Subp. 6.
Minnows in south-central counties.
A person may not take for personal use any tadpole madtoms (Noturus gyrinus) or stonecats (Noturus flavus), except by special permit, from a stream, stream tributary, side channel, oxbow, backwater, or other seasonally or permanently connected water that is in Dodge, Freeborn, or Mower County.
Subp. 8.
Annie Battle Lake including inlets and outlets.
While a person is on or angling in the following waters, the daily and possession limit for black crappie is five and sunfish is five. Angling for largemouth bass and smallmouth bass is limited to catch and release only, whereby any largemouth bass or smallmouth bass caught must be immediately returned to the water. Catch-and-release angling for largemouth bass and smallmouth bass is legal during the open season for these species in inland waters. It is unlawful for anyone to have in possession, regardless of where taken, any largemouth bass or smallmouth bass while on or angling in the following waters. While on or fishing in the following waters, angling for northern pike is limited to catch and release only, whereby any northern pike caught must be immediately returned to the water. Catch-and-release angling for northern pike is legal during the open season for this species in inland waters. It is unlawful for anyone to have in possession, regardless of where taken, any northern pike while on or fishing in the following waters. A person may not possess a motorized ice auger or electronic fish finding devices while on or fishing in the following waters. Electronic fish finding devices include depth finders; fish finders; underwater videos or cameras; sonars; global positioning systems; and temperature, oxygen, and pH meters.
| Name | Location | County | ||
| A. | Annie Battle Lake | T.133, R.39,40, S.13,18,19,24 | Otter Tail | |
| B. | Annie Battle inlet stream beginning at the exit point of Molly Stark Lake to the confluence with Annie Battle Lake | T.133, R.40, S.24 | Otter Tail | |
| C. | Annie Battle outlet stream beginning at the northwest exit of Annie Battle Lake to Blanche Lake | T.133, R.40, S.12 | Otter Tail |
Subp. 9.
Largemouth bass and northern pike catch-and-release regulations.
While on or fishing in the following waters, angling for largemouth bass and northern pike is limited to catch and release only, whereby any largemouth bass and northern pike caught must be immediately returned to the water. Catch-and-release angling for largemouth bass and northern pike is legal during the open season for these species in inland waters. It is unlawful for anyone to have in possession, regardless of where taken, any largemouth bass or northern pike while on or fishing in these waters.
| Name | Location | County |
| Stieger | T.116, R.24, S.11,12,13,14 | Carver |
Subp. 10.
Black Bass Lake.
While on or angling in the following waters, the daily and possession limit for sunfish is five and angling for northern pike and largemouth bass is limited to catch and release only, whereby any northern pike or largemouth bass caught must be immediately returned to the water. A person may not possess a motorized ice auger or electronic fish finding devices while on or fishing in the following waters. Electronic fish finding devices include depth finders; fish finders; underwater videos or cameras; sonars; global positioning systems; and temperature, oxygen, and pH meters.
| Name | Location | County |
| Black Bass Lake | T.42, R.27, S.11-14 | Mille Lacs |
Subp. 11.
Sunfish and crappie possession limits and catch-and-release fishing for northern pike and largemouth bass.
While a person is on or fishing in the following waters, the daily and possession limit for sunfish is ten and for crappie is five and fishing for northern pike and largemouth bass is limited to catch and release only, whereby any northern pike or largemouth bass caught must be immediately returned to the water. Catch-and-release fishing for northern pike and largemouth bass is legal during the open season for these species in inland waters. It is unlawful for anyone to have in possession, regardless of where taken, any northern pike or largemouth bass while on or fishing in the following waters.
| Name | Location | County | |
| A. | Fladmark | T.135, R.42, S.13,14,24 | Otter Tail |
| B. | Twenty One | T.135, R.42, S.16,21 | Otter Tail |
Subp. 12.
Rochester Area Lakes regulations.
A.
The Rochester Area Lakes are the ten waters listed in item C. Daily and possession limits provided in item B apply to the ten waters listed in item C as a whole.
B.
While a person is on or fishing in the Rochester Area Lakes:
(1)
the daily and possession limit for sunfish, black crappie, white crappie, and yellow perch in aggregate is ten, of which not more than five may be black crappie or white crappie in aggregate;
(2)
the daily and possession limit for largemouth bass and smallmouth bass in aggregate is one; and
Subp. 13.
Lester Lake catch-and-release regulations.
While a person is on or angling in the following waters, angling is limited for all species to catch and release only, whereby any species that are caught must be immediately returned to the water.
| Name | Location | County |
| Lester Lake | T.142, R.32, S.5,6 | Hubbard |
Subp. 14.
La Salle Lake.
While a person is on or angling in the following waters, the daily and possession limit for black crappie is five, for sunfish is five, for yellow perch is ten, for walleye is two, and for northern pike is one. Angling for largemouth bass and smallmouth bass is limited to catch and release only, whereby any largemouth bass or smallmouth bass caught must be immediately returned to the water. Catch and release angling for largemouth bass and smallmouth bass is legal during the open season for these species in inland waters. It is unlawful for anyone to have in possession, regardless of where taken, any largemouth bass or smallmouth bass while on or angling in the following waters.
| Name | Location | County |
| La Salle | T.145, R.35, S.30,31,32 | Hubbard |
Statutory Authority:
MS s 14.386; 84.027; 97A.045; 97A.101; 97C.001; 97C.005; 97C.025; 97C.325; 97C.401; L 2015 1Sp4 art 5 s 30
History:
24 SR 1849; 28 SR 629; 30 SR 904; 32 SR 1039; 37 SR 1431; 39 SR 822; 40 SR 826; 42 SR 250; 50 SR 764
Published Electronically:
April 9, 2026
Official Publication of the State of Minnesota
Revisor of Statutes