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Proposed Changes to Special and Experimental Fishing Regulations for 2026

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is considering changes to several experimental and special fishing regulations for the 2026 fishing season.

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.  

The DNR is considering regulation changes that would affect these fisheries:

  • Walleye in Sand Lake and connected waters (Itasca County)
  • Walleye in Rainy Lake (St. Louis and Koochiching Counties)
  • Sunfish in Platte Lake (Crow Wing County)
  • Sunfish in Sullivan Lake (Morrison County)
  • Sunfish in Green Prairie Fish Lake (Morrison County)
  • Sunfish in Long (Higgins) Lake (Todd County)
  • Sunfish in Maple Lake (Todd County)
  • Sunfish in Moose Lake (Todd County)
  • Sunfish in Rush Lake (Otter Tail County)
  • Sunfish in North and South Ten Mile Lakes (Otter Tail County)
  • Sunfish in German Lake (Otter Tail County)
  • Sunfish in Jewett Lake (Otter Tail County)
  • Sunfish in Rabideau Lake (Beltrami County)

Please complete this survey to provide your input on these potential regulation changes -- if you are only interested in some of the lakes, feel free to skip questions. This survey should take approximately 15 minutes to complete and will be open through September 30, 2025.

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Walleye in Sand Lake (Itasca County)

An experimental walleye regulation was initiated in 2016 to stabilize the walleye population and provide more consistent catch of large walleye for anglers. The regulation is a 17 to 26-inch protected slot limit, where all walleye caught that measure between 17 to 26 inches must be released and only one walleye over 26 inches is allowed to be kept. This regulation expires at the end of this fishing season.

The regulation appears to have met the goal of stabilizing the population and the Grand Rapids Fisheries management staff would like to either:

  • keep the 17 to 26-inch protected slot (with only one walleye over 26 inches allowed to be kept) indefinitely as a special regulation or
  • narrow the protected slot to a range of 20 to 24 inches (with only one walleye over 24 inches allowed to be kept).


The narrower protected slot is a fisheries management option for maintaining quality walleye size structure that developed under a more restrictive (wider) protected slot. The DNR would like to understand support for both regulations options.

If you do not fish these waters/are not interested in fisheries management on these lakes, you may skip these questions.

1.  

Do you ever fish these waters?

If no, you may choose to skip the following questions related to this regulation.
2.  

How much do you support continuing the current regulation permanently as a special regulation on Sand Lake? (17 to 26-inch protected slot, only one walleye over 26-inches allowed to be kept.)

3.  

How much do you support changing the protected slot limit to 20 to 24 inches (with only one walleye over 24 inches allowed)?