Minnesota DNR announces winter walleye rules for Upper Red Lake

(FOX 9) - Upper Red Lake's walleye population is in excellent shape, but anglers will still face a four-fish limit this winter.

Upper Red Lake winter walleye rules

By the numbers:

The Minnesota DNR said the winter season on Upper Red Lake will use a four-fish possession limit from Nov. 15 through Feb. 28, 2027. Anglers can keep only one walleye longer than 17 inches.

The agency said this will be the fourth winter in a row with this regulation. It differs from the 2026 open-water season, when the possession limit was five fish.

Local perspective:

The Minnesota DNR said the Upper Red Lake Citizen Advisory Committee reviews walleye harvest totals and regulation options, then provides recommendations for the state waters of Upper Red Lake.

Survey findings behind the limit

What they're saying:

The Minnesota DNR said the fall survey confirmed a healthy walleye population and supported the current harvest plan for the lake.

"Our fall assessment indicated that the walleye population continues to be in excellent shape. We are dropping the bag limit to four because winter angling on Red Lake is so popular," said Shannon Fisher, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources fisheries section manager, in a provided statement. "Lake-wide numbers of spawning-age female walleye remain excellent. We’re also seeing strong numbers of young walleye that are just reaching harvestable size, which should make for exceptional fishing over the next few years."

The backstory:

The Minnesota DNR said the fall gill net catch in state waters was 35.2 walleye per net, with fish of all sizes represented. More than half the catch was between 13 and 16 inches.

Walleye management on Red Lake is a joint effort between the Red Lake Nation and the Minnesota DNR, according to the agency. Officials said the Red Lakes Fisheries Technical Committee oversees a shared harvest plan, and the full Upper Red Lake regulations are posted online.

The Source: This story uses information from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources