2026 regulation year
Minnesota Sunfish (bluegill) 2026 — Season, Bag Limit, Size Rules
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Sunfish — bluegill and their close relatives — are Minnesota's signature panfish and are open year-round statewide. The default daily and possession limit is 20, but under the DNR's Quality Sunfish Initiative more than 200 lakes now carry reduced limits of 10 or 5 to rebuild populations of large, slab bluegill.
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Season
Open year-round Open year-round statewide; no closed season.
Bag & possession
- Daily bag
- 20 / day (sunfish species combined)
- Possession
- 20 in possession
Size, slot, trophy rules
- Size
- No statewide minimum size
Gear restrictions
- Hook-and-line, including winter ice fishing
- Quality Sunfish Initiative: reduced daily limits of 10 or 5 on 225+ designated lakes (statewide default is 20)
Named water-body overrides
Where statewide rules differ on specific Minnesota waters:
Quality Sunfish lakes (225+ statewide)
Reduced limit of 10 (e.g. Osakis, Minnewaska, Andrew) or 5 (Moon, Round, Whiskey) — check the lake's special regulation
Lake Minnewaska
Quality Sunfish lake: reduced 10-sunfish daily limit
Lake of the Woods
Year-round; statewide 20-sunfish default applies
Official source
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources publishes the authoritative 2026 Minnesotafishing regulations. Always verify the current rule before fishing — emergency closures and in-season changes can override what's published here.
The sunfish rules on this page are sourced from Minnesota Department of Natural Resources's official sunfish regulation page.
Visit official Minnesota fishing regulations →
Emergency-order channel
Sunfish closures, slot-limit changes, and harvest pauses are posted to Minnesota Department of Natural Resources's emergency-order feed — check it before any Minnesota trip during the active season.
Frequently asked questions
- When is sunfish season in Minnesota?
- Minnesota keeps sunfish open to fishing year-round for the 2026 regulation year — there is no closed season, though the daily bag and size limits below still apply every day.
- What is the Minnesota bag limit for sunfish?
- The Minnesota daily bag limit for sunfish is 20 / day (sunfish species combined). The possession limit is 20 in possession. Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.
- What size sunfish can you keep in Minnesota?
- The Minnesota size rule for sunfish is No statewide minimum size.
- Do you need a license to fish for sunfish in Minnesota?
- Yes. Minnesota requires a valid fishing license to fish for sunfish, with the usual exemptions for young children, state free-fishing days, and some senior or disabled-veteran categories. A license is valid only in the state that issued it, so non-residents need a Minnesota license — compare resident and non-resident Minnesota fees on the state regulations page below.
- Are there gear restrictions for sunfish in Minnesota?
- Yes. In Minnesota, sunfish fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line, including winter ice fishing; Quality Sunfish Initiative: reduced daily limits of 10 or 5 on 225+ designated lakes (statewide default is 20).
- Do specific Minnesota waters have different sunfish rules?
- Yes. 3 named Minnesota waters carry rules that override the statewide sunfish regulation, including Quality Sunfish lakes (225+ statewide), Lake Minnewaska, Lake of the Woods. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.