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The Associated Press
St. Paul

DNR sets winter fishing regulations for Mille Lacs Lake

Fish houses on Mille Lacs Lake
While officials have stopped short of announcing an ice fishing season for Mille Lacs walleye, it's clear that a season will happen. Here, fish houses dotted the lake during a past winter.
Timo Gans | AFP | Getty Images 2006

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Anglers who fish Mille Lacs Lake will be allowed to keep one walleye and five northern pike this winter.

The Department of Natural Resources announced regulations for the upcoming ice fishing season for the big lake on Monday, a week after it confirmed that there will be a winter walleye season on Mille Lacs. The DNR closed the summer walleye season on the lake in August after anglers exceeded a quota that was set low to protect its struggling walleye population.

Anglers will be allowed to keep one walleye between 18 and 20 inches or one longer than 28 inches. Last winter's limit was two. The size restrictions haven't changed.

If the winter walleye harvest approaches the 5,000-pound cap, the DNR says, catch-and-release will be implemented so angling can continue.