Minnesota Fishing – November 2016
Mille Lacs Lake winter walleye fishing opens Dec. 1
The winter walleye regulation on Mille Lacs Lake will allow anglers to keep one walleye between 19 and 21 inches or one longer than 28 inches.
The 2016-17 winter regulation continues last winter’s one fish limit but moves the harvest slot up slightly from last year’s 18 to 20 inches. The winter walleye season begins Thursday, Dec. 1, and extends through Sunday, Feb. 26, 2017.
State record fish hooked in Vadnais Lake
Excellent fishing abounds in Minnesota and travel to far-off locations is not a requirement to hook into state record fish – as shown by angler Kanchic Yang of St. Paul, who caught the state record white bass.
Yang was fishing with a minnow and 8-pound test line on Oct. 10 at Vadnais Lake in Ramsey County when he hooked the record white bass. The fish weighed 4 pounds, 8 ounces, was 20 inches long and had a girth of 16 inches. The previous white bass state record of 4 pounds, 2 ounces stood since 2004.
The DNR certifies two types of state records. One is for weight of a harvested fish. The other is for length of caught-and-released muskellunge, flathead catfish and lake sturgeon.
Apply by Nov. 6 to serve on DNR fish work groups
Volunteers can apply by Sunday, Nov. 6, to join one of five citizen-agency work groups that will discuss how the DNR manages fish. There will be individual work groups for bass, catfish, panfish and walleye, and one that will focus on both northern pike and muskellunge. Visit the DNR website for more information or an application form.
Q&A: Interest in conservation can start small
Fishing and curiosity have always gone hand in hand, and when it comes to cleaning fish, some anglers have memories of examining the stomach of a catch – perhaps finding minnows, crawfish or the occasional oddity on the cutting board. One group of Boy Scouts got a chance to analyze the stomach contents of fish, led by a MinnAqua program intern for the DNR.
Turenne wins 2017 walleye stamp contest
Richfield artist Timothy Turenne won the 2017 Minnesota Walleye Stamp contest. The painting was selected by judges from among eight entries for the annual contest sponsored by the DNR.
Turenne’s painting of a walleye foraging on minnows will be featured on the 2017 walleye stamp. This is the second time Turenne has won the walleye stamp contest, his first win being in 2010. What’s more, Turenne has now won all four state stamp contests he’s entered this year – leaving out only the pheasant stamp. And the only reason he didn't enter the pheasant stamp contest this year was because he won that contest last year and was ineligible to enter.
What DNR does with illegally taken fish and animals
For those animals that are taken illegally, the DNR tries to ensure they are not wasted. Meat from illegally harvested wild game such as deer is often donated to food shelves and other groups that serve those less fortunate. However, sometimes meat must be thrown away or destroyed. This has been especially true for fish. The DNR has an agreement with the Minnesota Department of Health to dispose of meat, such as pre-packaged fish fillets, because it often is difficult to tell whether or not the packaging was done properly.
