Minnesota DNR seeking feedback from Mississippi River anglers

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is asking anglers who fish the Mississippi River between Hastings and the Iowa border to fill out an online questionnaire.

Officials said they want input from local anglers as the DNR reviews bag and size limits for gamefish on that stretch of the river. The agency said many fishing regulations for the river have not changed in several decades.

The DNR said regulations for all gamefish species are being examined, including sunfish, crappie, largemouth and smallmouth bass, northern pike, white bass, walleye, sauger, catfish and yellow perch.

"We don't have any specific proposals in mind, but some of these limits have been around a long time, so we'd like to hear what people think about them," Minnesota DNR Lake City area fisheries supervisor Kevin Stauffer said in a news release.

The survey ends on July 31st. Interested anglers should email lakecity.fisheries@state.mn.us to receive a link to the survey.

The survey follows five public meetings held earlier this year by the DNR in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Input from the meetings, survey and other data may be used to recommend regulation changes agreed to by both states. Any proposed changes would require additional chances for public comment.