Sunfish bag limit reduction

[Lee Borgersen]

Bag limit reduction for sunfish proposed for 6 lakes in Morrison, Todd and Crow Wing counties



 
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The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources will hold two meetings to discuss proposed experimental fishing regulations for sunfish on six lakes in the Little Falls fisheries management area: Long (Higgins), Moose, and Maple lakes in Todd County; Green-Prairie Fish and Sullivan lakes in Morrison County; and Platte Lake in Crow Wing County.



 




The meetings will be held at the following times and places:

• 7- 9 p.m., Sept. 8, Club of the Pines, 21900 370th Ave., Hillman.

• 6- 8 p.m., Sept. 9, Long Prairie City Hall, 615 Lake St S., Long Prairie.

DNR staff also will be available to discuss and take comments on these proposals at an open house covering all fishing regulations under review around the state on Sept. 23, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at the DNR Central Office, 500 Lafayette Road in St. Paul.


Larger sunfish have become increasingly rare in Central Minnesota. Reducing bag limits from the statewide 20 per day to 10 per day, on lakes that have shown potential for good growth and survival of sunfish, has increased the availability of larger sunfish. The six lakes proposed for the reduced bag limit in the Little Falls management area have shown potential for larger sunfish based on netting efforts since 1999. The regulations, if adopted, would be in effect from 2016-2026 with frequent assessments of sunfish populations during this period.


Public input on an experimental 10 sunfish daily bag limit regulation will help DNR fisheries staff determine whether those regulations should be adopted. People unable to attend the public input meetings may submit written comments to the DNR Little Falls area fisheries office, 16543 Haven Road, Little Falls, MN 56345. Comments also will be taken via email at eric.altena@state.mn.us, or by phone at 320-616-2450, ext. 225.