DNR Proposes Reducing Sunfish Limits On 50 Lakes

(KNSI) – The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is seeking public comment before reducing the number of sunfish anglers can keep on dozens of lakes.

The changes are part of the Quality Sunfish Initiative which will reduce the harvest limits on sunfish from 20 sunfish a day to five or ten sunfish per day on around 50 lakes.

Grand Rapids area fisheries supervisor Dave Weitzel explains why the changes are being put in place.

“These new regulations would continue our response to angler concerns about the declining sizes of some of our state’s most prized and frequently caught fish. We’re aiming to protect and improve sunfish sizes on select lakes with the biological potential to produce large sunfish.”

The proposed changes would go into effect in March 2022.

Some lakes also have similar proposals for lower crappie daily bag limits.

Comments can be submitted until October 31 through an online survey by contacting an area fisheries office or attending an in-person meeting this fall.

Details about the meetings will be posted and publicized later this summer.

Through the Quality Sunfish Initiative, nearly 100 lakes received bag limit reductions in March of 2021.

Some of those lakes included Becker, Bolfing, Cedar Island, Great Northern, Horseshoe, Knaus, Krays, Schneider, and Zumwalde Lake in Stearns County.

The DNR plans to increase the number of lakes with reduced bag limits to approximately 210 by 2023.

Minnesota fishing regulations use sunfish as the generic name for bluegill, pumpkinseed, green sunfish, orange-spotted sunfish, longear, warmouth, and hybrids.

More about sunfish biology, the Quality Sunfish Initiative, and lists of lakes proposed for special sunfish regulations can be found on the DNR website.

See what lakes may have their sunfish limits changed by clicking here.