2026 regulation year
Minnesota Walleye 2026 — Season, Bag Limit, Size Rules
Sander vitreus
Last updated
Walleye is Minnesota's state fish and the headline opener every angler waits for. Inland-water season runs from the second Saturday in May through the end of February; border-water seasons vary. Several flagship lakes (Mille Lacs, Red Lake) carry per-lake slot limits enforced via DNR special-reg booklets.
Season
Inland: 2nd Sat in May – Feb close. Border waters vary by treaty.
– Inland waters
2026–27 season runs from opener through Feb close
Bag & possession
- Daily bag
- 6 / day (only 1 over 20 in; not more than 1 over 24 in)
- Possession
- 6 in possession (inland aggregate rule)
Size, slot, trophy rules
- Size
- Lake-specific slot limits apply (Mille Lacs, Red Lake, Lake of the Woods)
- Slot
- Per-lake protected slots on listed waters
Gear restrictions
- Hook-and-line only on most public waters
- Live minnows permitted except where listed lakes restrict them
- Night fishing restrictions on some border lakes during run
Named water-body overrides
Where statewide rules differ on specific Minnesota waters:
Lake Mille Lacs
Special slot + reduced bag; in-season closures issued by DNR — check before fishing
Red Lake
Tribal + state co-management; slot and bag set annually
Lake of the Woods
Border water with ON; walleye + sauger combined bag, reciprocal licence rules
Rainy Lake
Border water with ON; reciprocal licence required to cross line
Leech Lake
Statewide slot; tribal co-management may adjust in-season
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.