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   Due to excellent results in the fall netting assessment of walleye on Upper Red Lake, the winter season walleye limit on Upper Red will continue to be a four fish possession limit, with only one walleye longer than 17 inches allowed.

   “Our fall assessment placed us in a surplus condition, which allows us to set a more liberal target harvest,” said Brad Parsons, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources fisheries section manager. “The state waters of Upper Red Lake have a high number of spawning aged female walleye. We’re also seeing abundant numbers of young walleye, which bodes well for the future.”

   The fall gill net catch on state of Minnesota waters was 41.5 walleye per net. Net catches have been in this range for the past several years. Netting results showed the lake is full of young fish, with half the catch shorter than 14 inches. There were also good numbers of fish in the 17- to 20-inch range.

   Walleye management on Red Lake is a collaborative effort between the Red Lake Nation and the Minnesota DNR, governed by a joint harvest plan agreed upon by the Red Lakes Fisheries Technical Committee. The Upper Red Lake Citizen Advisory Committee reviews walleye harvest totals, regulation options and provides recommendations for the state waters of Upper Red Lake.

   Complete Upper Red Lake fishing regulations are available on the DNR website (mndnr.gov/fishing/upper-red-lake-regulations.html).

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