DNR: Rule Change Could Bring More Bass Tournaments To Mille Lacs
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources announced a change in fishing regulations on Mille Lacs Lake Tuesday in hopes that it will bring more bass fishing tournaments to the area.
The rule change will allow anglers to sort bass that are shorter than 18 inches and keep the largest fish. Officials say it's a rule change that's essential to securing national bass fishing tournaments. DNR officials said those tournaments would bring thousands of anglers to the area, benefitting resorts and businesses.
Anglers on other Minnesota lakes could already sort the bass they catch. Before Tuesday, anglers on Mille Lacs Lake couldn't sort fish they kept by releasing smaller fish from a livewell and replacing it with bigger fish. The rule change allows anglers to sort through small-mouth and large-mouth bass before reaching the six fish possession limit. Current regulations allow anglers to keep only one bass 18 inches or longer. The
Officials said the new rule will go into effect in the next few weeks. The new rule would not allow anglers to replace a bass 18 inches or longer even if a larger fish is caught later during that same trip.
The DNR also ended the walleye season on Monday as the lake exceeded its harvest limit for the year.