The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is considering several experimental and special fishing regulations for the 2025 fishing season.
One set of proposed regulations is in response to growing angler concerns about crappie and the increased stress on these fish populations from winter fishing, exacerbated by advanced technology that lets anglers to easily find and catch fish.
Each year, the DNR proposes several experimental and special fishing regulations. Experimental regulations have a set evaluation period (typically 10 years), after which the DNR must determine whether the change should become permanent.
Special regulations are selected from a suite of regulation toolbox options that have proven effective at achieving specific goals. Special regulations do not have an end date although DNR reviews their performance as part of an individual lake’s management planning cycle.
For more information on current proposals or to provide input, take our survey. Upcoming public input meetings are listed below.
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Public meetings
| Area office | Lake | County | Species | Existing regulation | Proposal goal | Proposed regulation | Meeting date | Meeting location | Meeting address | Meeting time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fergus Falls | Big Pine Lake | Otter Tail | Crappie | Statewide | Maintain or improve size quality; distribute harvest | Daily limit five. | 9/10/2024 | City of Ottertail Community Center | 93 Lake Ave, Ottertail, MN 56571 | 6 p.m.-7 p.m |
| Fergus Falls | Fish (near Fergus Falls) | Otter Tail | Crappie | Statewide | Maintain or improve size quality; distribute harvest | Daily limit five. | 9/10/2024 | City of Ottertail Community Center | 93 Lake Ave, Ottertail, MN 56571 | 6 p.m.-7 p.m |
| Fergus Falls | Fish (near Parkers Prairie) | Otter Tail | Crappie | Statewide | Maintain or improve size quality; distribute harvest | Daily limit five. | 9/10/2024 | City of Ottertail Community Center | 93 Lake Ave, Ottertail, MN 56571 | 6 p.m.-7 p.m |
| Fergus Falls | Little Pine Lake | Otter Tail | Sunfish and Crappie | Statewide | Maintain or improve size quality; distribute harvest | Crappie: daily limit five. Sunfish: daily limit 10. | 9/10/2024 | City of Ottertail Community Center | 93 Lake Ave, Ottertail, MN 56571 | 6 p.m.-7 p.m |
| Fergus Falls | Orwell Lake | Otter Tail | Crappie | Statewide | Maintain or improve size quality; distribute harvest | Daily limit five. | 9/10/2024 | City of Ottertail Community Center | 93 Lake Ave, Ottertail, MN 56571 | 6 p.m.-7 p.m |
| Fergus Falls | Star Lake | Otter Tail | Sunfish and Crappie | Crappie: statewide; Sunfish: 10 daily | Maintain or improve size quality; distribute harvest | Crappie: daily limit five. Sunfish: daily limit 5. | 9/10/2024 | City of Ottertail Community Center | 93 Lake Ave, Ottertail, MN 56571 | 6 p.m.-7 p.m |
| Fergus Falls | West Battle Lake | Otter Tail | Crappie | Statewide | Maintain or improve size quality; distribute harvest | Daily limit five. | 9/10/2024 | City of Ottertail Community Center | 93 Lake Ave, Ottertail, MN 56571 | 6 p.m.-7 p.m |
| Grand Marais | Saganaga Lake, Sea Gull Lake, Gull Lake, Sea Gull River, and Alpine River | Cook | Walleye | Possesion limit 3, minimum length limit 17, only 1 over 20 | Review expiring experimental regulation | Reviewing experimental regulation. | 9/20/2024 | Seagull Lake Community Center | 7 Seagull Lake Access Rd | 6 p.m.-8 p.m |
| Lake City | Rochester-Olmstead County Lakes | Olmstead | Multiple | Panfish: combined limit of 10; Bass: possession limit one; Northern Pike: possession limit one (on some lakes) | Simplify regulations | Add special northern pike regulation to all lakes. | 9/16/2024 | Rochester Public Library | 101 2nd St SE, Rochester, MN 55904 | 5 p.m.-7 p.m |
| Little Falls | Little Sauk | Todd | Sunfish | Walleye: Possession limit two. Largemouth bass: Possession limit one. Sunfish: possession limit five. Crappie: Possession limit five. Yellow perch: Possession limit ten. | Simplify regulations | Sunfish: Daily limit five. Repeal other special regulations. | 9/11/2024 | Little Sauk Town Hall | 18024 211th Ave, Long Prairie, MN 56347 | 6 p.m.-7 p.m |
| Ortonville | Lac qui parle | Chippewa, Lac qui Parle, Swift | Crappie | Statewide | Distribute harvest, address social concern | Daily limit five. | 9/10/2024 | Lac qui Parle WMA Area Office | 14047 20th St NW, Watson, MN 56295 | 5 p.m.-8 p.m |
| Sauk Rapids | Sauk River Chain of Lakes from State Highway 23 Bridge in T.123, R.31, S.24, downstream to the Cold Spring Dam in T.123, R.30, S.23, including connecting waters, Sauk River, and Becker, Horseshoe, Cedar Island, Zumwalde, Great Northern, Schneider, Krays, Bolfing, and Knaus Lakes | Stearns | Catfish | Possession limit 10, not more than 2 flathead. 1 over 24 | Review expiring experimental regulation | Reviewing experimental regulation. | 9/10/2024 | Richmond City Hall | 45 Hall Ave SW, Richmond, MN 56368 | 6 p.m.-7 p.m |
| Tower | Basswood | Lake | Northern Pike | 24-36 PSL, 3 fish possession, 1 over 36 | Simplify regulations, maintain existing quality | 30-40 PSL, 2 fish possession, 1 over 40; continuous angling season | 9/24/2024 | MN North College Vermilion Campus | 1900 E Camp St., Ely, MN 55731 | 6 p.m.-8 p.m |
| Tower | Basswood | Lake | Sunfish | Statewide | Maintain or improve size quality | Daily limit five. | 9/24/2024 | MN North College Vermilion Campus | 1900 E Camp St., Ely, MN 55731 | 6 p.m.-8 p.m |
| Tower | Birch Lake Reservoir, Farm, South Farm, Garden, and White Iron | Lake | Northern Pike | 24-36 PSL, 3 fish possession, 1 over 36 | Simplify regulations | Revert to zone regulation | 9/24/2024 | MN North College Vermilion Campus | 1900 E Camp St., Ely, MN 55731 | 6 p.m.-8 p.m |