Fish On

New winter lake trout season dates for 2010

(Released December 21, 2009)

 

Winter season for lake trout on all lakes located entirely within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW), will open Friday, Jan. 1 and close Wednesday, March 31, 2010, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

In 2009, winter lake trout season dates were the same for lakes within and outside the BWCAW.  Legislation enacted after the 2009 Minnesota Fishing Regulations booklet was printed changed the lake trout opener on lakes entirely within the BWCAW to Jan. 1, making the information printed on page 19 and 51 obsolete.

The winter season for lake trout lakes outside and partially outside the BWCAW remains the same. That season opens Friday, Jan. 15, and closes March 31. Lakes partially outside the BWCAW are Snowbank, Magnetic, Seagull, Clearwater, East Bearskin and Saganaga.

Winter season for stream trout lakes remain unchanged. That season opens Jan. 15 and closes March 31. The only exception to this statewide winter season is lakes in Becker, Beltrami, Cass, Crow Wing and Hubbard counties. Those lakes are closed to winter stream trout fishing.  Blue Lake in Hubbard County is the only lake within those counties where stream trout can be caught during the winter season.

Up to date winter season dates for lake trout and stream trout in lakes, as well as other corrections and changes, are listed online.