New Possession Limit In Place On Minnesota’s Second-Largest Lake

New Possession Limit In Place On Minnesota’s Second-Largest Lake

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On March 1, the new fishing license year began in Minnesota and ahead of that date, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources announced changes that anglers would need to be aware of.

Among the changes announced then was a new daily and possession limits on American eel, Yellow bass, Whitefish, Cisco, and Burbot. There were also changes to be aware of on specific bodies of water.

This week, the Minnesota DNR announced another regulation change, and this one impacts Minnesota's second-largest inland lake.

New Daily And Possession Limit Now In Place On Mille Lacs Lake

Located in Central Minnesota, Mille Lacs Lake is a 132,516-acre lake that covers 207 square miles and it's a popular destination for anglers and outdoor enthusiasts.

According to the DNR, starting Tuesday, March 11, the daily and possession limit for yellow perch on Mille Lacs Lake has been reduced from 20 to five. This regulation will be in place through Sunday, November 30.

The DNR says implementing the daily and possession limit is crucial as it helps maintain a good perch population for the future. Yellow perch are a key species in the Mille Lacs Lake ecosystem and young yellow perch are a primary food source for predators, especially walleye.

Therefore, maintaining an abundance of older perch means more young being produced this spring and it preserves harvest opportunities for next year.

It's worth noting that Minnesota Department of Natural Resources fisheries section manager Brad Parsons says things are looking good for anglers on Mille Lacs Lake and perch fishing has been good this winter. "With annual perch harvest never more than 7,000 pounds since 2012, this year’s rebound is a positive sign for the health of the lake”, Parsons said.

Lastly, the DNR adds that state-licensed anglers share the perch harvest on Mille Lacs with Ojibwe Tribes that retain fishing rights by treaty. To conserve the fishery, an annual safe harvest level is cooperatively established by the state and the Tribes through a government-to-government, co-management process.

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Each party then sets fishing regulations to stay within their share of the harvest. As of February 23, the state has harvested more than 43,000 pounds of perch, exceeding its share of the harvest of 36,500 pounds.

Mille Lacs Lake fishing regulations and regularly updated data on state-licensed angler catches of walleye, northern pike, and yellow perch are available to anglers through the Minnesota DNR website.

SEE NOW: 9 Spring Break Destinations Minnesotans Warned Now To Avoid

Minnesota Wildlife Bucket List, Have You Seen These Animals In the Wild?

Minnesota is known for some pretty majestic wildlife. The beautiful state is home to some really cool critters out in the wild. Get outdoors and see if you can complete the bucket list for Minnesota wild animals.

Gallery Credit: Ken Hayes

See How Minnesota's License Plates Have Evolved Since 1909

Nothing beats a nostalgia trip. It's always fun to see how things looked the year you were born and how much they've changed throughout the years.

Minnesota's license plates have certainly gone through many evolutions. The first "license plate" was actually a rectangular black leather automobile license tag with a brass number '1' on the center front. It was issued by the State Boiler Inspector in the State of Minnesota in 1903.

The first Minnesota license plate as we know it was issued in 1909. Let's take a look at that license plate and then all the plates that followed, along with some interesting Wikipedia knowledge as we go.

We've certainly come a long way, but it's also interesting that the now popular blackout plates have been around before.

Gallery Credit: David Drew

Filed Under: minnesota, outdoors, minnesota department of natural resources
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