Mille Lacs Lake Summer 2025 Fishing Regulations Released
Today the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MNDNR) released the 2025 summer open water fishing regulations for Mille Lacs Lake walleye. Walleye regulations are relaxed and anglers will have the opportunity to be able to keep two walleye per angler per day. Mille Lacs is also a world class bass, northern pike and muskie lake.
Here is a summary of the open water regulations:
Walleye: Starting with the Minnesota Open Water Fishing Opener at 12:01am on Saturday, May 10, 2025 and continuing through Sunday, February 22, 2026, anglers can keep two walleyes over 17″. Of the two walleyes allowed in possession, only one can be over 20″. All other walleyes must be immediately released.
Smallmouth and Largemouth Bass: All bass greater than 17 inches must be immediately released. Bass are catch-and-release only from Saturday, May 10, 2025 from through Friday, May 23, 2025. The largemouth bass angling season is then open until Sunday, February 22, 2026. The smallmouth bass angling season is then open until Sunday, September 7, 2025 and returns to catch-and-release only through Sunday, February 22, 2026. The combined bass limit is three (3).
Northern Pike: All pike greater than 30 inches must be immediately released. From Saturday, May 10, 2025 through Tuesday, March 31, 2026 the possession limit is three (3). The spearing season lasts from Saturday, November 15, 2025 to Sunday, February 22, 2026.
Muskellunge: All muskie less than 54 inches must be immediately released. The season lasts from Saturday, June 7, 2025 to Sunday, Monday, December 1, 2025. If night fishing for muskie between the hours of 10pm to 6am, anglers can only target with artificial lures or sucker minnows longer than 8 inches.
Tullibee (Cisco): The tullibee season is continuously open. Possession limit is five (5).
Perch: The perch season is continuously open. The daily and possession limit is five (5). See our related blog post here.
Burbot (Eelpout): All burbot must be immediately released.
Night Closures: From Tuesday, May 13, 2025 through Sunday, August 31, 2025, night closures will be in effect on Mille Lacs. from 10pm to 6am. Night fishing is allowed from Monday, September 1, 2025 to Sunday, November 30, 2025.
Night Closure Exceptions: Pike and muskie fishing – beginning Sunday, June 1, 2025 and with artificial lures or sucker minnows longer than 8 inches – is allowed at night. Bow fishing is also allowed at night so long as neither angling equipment nor anything other than rough fish are in an angler’s possession.
We’re looking forward to the open water fishing season at The Red Door Resort. Watch our various social media channels for catch photos, lodging updates and relaxation opportunities. And remember that the north shore of Lake Mille Lacs is only two hours from the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro. Hope to see you soon!
The full MNDNR press release is copied below.
Current Mille Lacs Lake open water fishing regulations can be found here. Statewide Minnesota fishing regulation information can be found here.
Summaries of past Mille Lacs Open Water Fishing Regulations can be found using the links below:
2024 Mille Lacs Open Water Regulations
2023 Mille Lacs Open Water Regulations
News release: Minnesota DNR sets open water fishing regulations for walleye on Mille Lacs Lake
Anglers on Mille Lacs Lake will have the opportunity to harvest two walleye daily during the upcoming open water season, which begins on Saturday, May 10, and continues through Sunday, Nov. 30. Harvested walleye must be 17 inches or greater, and only one of them can be over 20 inches.
Following years of restrictive regulations, the Mille Lacs Lake walleye (ogaa in Ojibwe) fishery appears to be in a healthy state, a viewpoint shared by both state and Tribal fisheries biologists.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and Ojibwe treaty Tribes drastically cut harvest more than a decade ago, concerned by a number of factors including changing ecological conditions and lower survival rates of young walleye. This approach has paid off.
“The walleye population in Mille Lacs is currently in a good place,” said Brad Parsons, Minnesota DNR fisheries section manager. “Ojibwe Tribes and the Minnesota DNR limited harvest, which allowed for an increased number of adult spawning walleye, and a strong 2024 year class that bodes well for the future health of the fishery.”
There also is an abundance of forage in the lake due to strong yellow perch and cisco 2024 year classes that are keeping walleye in a healthy condition. Higher availability of forage can reduce the risk of excessive angler catch rates.
State-licensed anglers share the harvest on Mille Lacs Lake with Ojibwe Tribes that have reserved rights to fish, wildlife and other natural resources under an 1837 Treaty. Ojibwe treaty Tribes — including Mille Lacs Band and Fond du Lac Band — established the Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission in 1984 to help oversee off-reservation resource protection, enhancement and harvest seasons in a three-state region.
“Our commitment to ongoing research, science and using all available evidence to inform Mille Lacs Lake stewardship has benefitted everyone,” said Alexandra Bohman, GLIFWC director of biological services. “Interagency resource management works.”
To conserve the fishery, an annual harvest level is set through discussion and agreement between the state of Minnesota and treaty Tribes. Each party manages its own share of the harvest. This year’s agreement considered various factors, including the lake’s increased adult walleye population, and resulted in a safe harvest limit of 113,600 pounds for state-licensed anglers and 88,000 pounds for Ojibwe treaty fishers.
“We are pleased that anglers will have an increased harvest opportunity this season,” Parsons said. “Mille Lacs Lake continues to surprise us, making it hard to assume conditions will be the same from year to year. We appreciate coming to an agreement with the Tribes that allows some additional flexibility for the state to manage its fishery through these changes. This includes the ability, in the event we exceed the state share of harvest, to allow catch and release walleye angling as long as the state share of harvest is not exceeded by 15%. Any amount above the state share of harvest would be deducted from state harvest next year.”
People who fish are reminded to protect Mille Lacs Lake and all Minnesota waters from aquatic invasive species by cleaning and draining watercraft and equipment and disposing of unwanted bait in the trash. A decontamination station is available 24 hours, seven days a week at the Shaw-Bosh-Kung Bay public access on the west side of Mille Lacs Lake about 8 miles south of Garrison on U.S. Highway 169.
Mille Lacs Lake continues to experience changes in part because of invasive species such as zebra mussels and spiny water fleas. State and Tribal biologists collaboratively study the lake’s complex food web and other developments such as the recent increase in large yellow perch (asaawe in Ojibwe). Additional information about aquatic invasive species and Minnesota’s prevention efforts is available on the Minnesota DNR website.
Also of note, on March 11, the daily and possession limit for yellow perch on Mille Lacs Lake was reduced from 20 to five, a regulation that will be in place through Nov. 30. Complete Mille Lacs Lake fishing regulations and regularly updated surveys that show ongoing state-licensed angler catches of walleye, northern pike and yellow perch are available on the Minnesota DNR website.
