Minnesota · USA
Mille Lacs Lake
- Region
- Minnesota, USA
- Regulation zone
- Minnesota statewide regulations
Species in Mille Lacs Lake
Black Bullhead
Black Crappie
Bluegill
Bowfin (dogfish)
Brown Bullhead
Burbot
Common Carp
Green Sunfish- Hybrid Sunfish
Largemouth Bass
Muskellunge
Northern Pike
Pumpkinseed
Rock Bass
Shorthead Redhorse
Smallmouth Bass
Tullibee (cisco)
Walleye
White Sucker
Yellow Bullhead
Yellow Perch
Tap a species for Bump Board's full tactics guide.
Seasons & limits — Minnesota statewide regulations
| Species | Season | Limit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walleye and sauger (and their hybrid) | May 9, 2026 - Feb. 28, 2027 | 6 combined total (only 1 walleye over 20" in possession) | — |
| Muskellunge | June 6 - Nov. 30 | 1 (minimum size 54") | — |
| Tiger (hybrid) muskellunge | June 6 - Nov. 30 | 1 (minimum size 40") | — |
| Largemouth and smallmouth bass — statewide (Southern and North-central zones) | Catch-and-release only Mar. 1 - May 22, 2026; harvest season May 23, 2026 - Feb. 28, 2027 (smallmouth bass catch-and-release only Sept. 14, 2026 - Feb. 28, 2027) | 6 combined total largemouth or smallmouth bass | — |
| Largemouth and smallmouth bass — Northeast Zone | Catch-and-release only Mar. 1 - May 8, 2026; harvest season May 9, 2026 - Feb. 28, 2027 | 6 combined total largemouth or smallmouth bass | — |
| Crappie (white or black and their hybrids) | Continuous | 10 combined total | — |
| Sunfish (bluegill, pumpkinseed, green, orangespotted, northern, warmouth, and their hybrids) | Continuous | 20 combined total | — |
| Rock bass | Continuous | 30 | — |
| Perch | Continuous | 20 daily, 40 in possession | — |
| Burbot (eelpout) | Continuous | 4 | — |
| Bowfin, buffalo, carp, carpsuckers, freshwater drum, goldeye, redhorse, and suckers | Continuous | No limit | — |
| Bullhead | Continuous | 100 | — |
| Northern pike | May 9, 2026 - Feb. 28, 2027 | Northeast Zone: 2 (only 1 over 40" in possession; all from 30-40" must be immediately released). North-central Zone: 10 (not more than 2 over 26"; all from 22-26" must be immediately released). Southern Zone: 2 (minimum size 24") | — |
Always confirm regulations with the official state regulations before fishing — rules change, and waterbody-specific exceptions apply.
Waterbody-specific rules
- Location: including all tributaries from the mouth upstream to posted boundaries
- Burbot (Eelpout): All burbot must be immediately released.
- Largemouth Bass: The catch-and-release season for largemouth bass is continuous on Mille Lacs Lake but there is a specific period where bass may be harvested. Beginning May 23, 2026 through Feb. 28, 2027, largemouth bass under 17 inches may be kept. Limit of three in combination with smallmouth bass. The remainder of the year all largemouth bass must be immediately released.
- Northern Pike: Beginning May 9, 2026, through March 31, 2027, all northern pike greater than 30 inches must be immediately released. Limit of five. Same regulations for spearing, which concludes Sunday, Feb. 28, 2027.
- Smallmouth Bass: The catch-and-release season for smallmouth bass is continuous on Mille Lacs Lake but there is a specific period where bass may be harvested. Beginning May 23, 2026 through Sep. 13, 2026, smallmouth bass under 17 inches may be kept. Limit of three in combination with largemouth bass. The remainder of the year all smallmouth bass must be immediately released.
- Tullibee (Cisco): Possession limit is five.
- Walleye: Beginning May 9, 2026, and continuing through Feb. 28, 2027, the daily and possession limit for walleye is three fish, which must be greater than 17 inches in length and only one of which may be greater than 20 inches in length.
- Yellow Perch: Daily and possession limit 5.
- No culling or live-well sorting: Fish taken into possession are considered part of an angler's bag limit and cannot be exchanged with another fish. However, when the season for bass is open, smallmouth bass and largemouth bass may be culled following statewide culling rules.
- Night Closure: May 11 - Aug. 31, 2026: No fishing for any species from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. except for below exemptions; Exceptions: Beginning June 6, 2026, muskellunge and northern pike may be targeted with artificial lures longer than 8 inches or sucker minnows longer than 8 inches. While fishing during the night closure, you may not possess or target any species other than muskellunge or northern pike.; Beginning June 1, 2026, bowfishing is allowed but you may not possess angling equipment while bowfishing, and only non-game fish may be in possession.; Sept. 1: All night restrictions removed.
More Minnesota lakes
Species: Minnesota state fisheries lake records, via the Bump Board dataset.