Monthly Limits on Number of Fishing Contests
The monthly limits in the table are based on the size of the lake and the size of the tournament. Sizes for multiple-basin (lake or Mississippi River pools) tournaments will be based on individual lake acreage (Note: see definition for bolded items). For boundary water lakes, the limits on the number of permitted fishing contests will be determined based on the Minnesota acreage.
Lake size (acres) | Maximum number of permitted fishing contests | Maximum number of large permitted fishing contests | Maximum number of permitted fishing contest days |
|---|---|---|---|
less than 2,000 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
2,000-4,999 | 3 | 1 | 6 |
5,000-14,999 | 4 | 2 | 8 |
15,000-55,000 | 5 | 3 | 10 |
more than 55,000 | no limit | no limit | no limit |
Rivers | Maximum number of permitted fishing contests | Maximum number of large permitted fishing contests | Maximum number of permitted fishing contest days |
|---|---|---|---|
Mississippi River pool #1,2,3,5,5a,6,7,8,9 | 4 (each pool) | 2 (each pool) | 8 (each pool) |
Mississippi River pool #4 | 5 | 3 | 10 |
Lake St. Croix | 4 | 2 | 8 |
St. Croix River | 2 | 1 | 8 |
All other rivers | 2 | 1 | 4 |
- Fishing contest waters for Mississippi River navigation pools are limited to no more than one lockage up- or down-stream from weigh-in site.
- Contest waters for Lake St. Croix are bounded by the U.S. Highway 10 bridge at Prescott upstream to the Acola bar. Contest waters for the St. Croix River are bounded by the Acola bar upstream to the Wisconsin state line.
- For all rivers other than the Mississippi River and St. Croix River border waters, contest waters are limited to no more than 60 continuous river miles.
Up to five additional permits beyond the monthly limits listed above may be issued for fishing tournaments on lakes that are 5,000 acres or larger. No more than one additional permit may be permitted on one body of water per year. The tournament applicant must demonstrate that the contest will: provide economic benefits to the local area; promote public awareness of fishing and the state's resources; and conform to best management practices for the lake. These permits are issued from the office of the Fisheries Management Chief through the regional office where the water body is located.
Weekend Limitations
- On any water body 55,000 acres or less, the DNR may require at least two weekends per month with no permitted fishing contests.
- The DNR may require that multiple-day permitted fishing contests may not include more than one weekend day from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend.
- To avoid user conflicts, permitted fishing contests may not be held during the targeted species opening weekend, Memorial Day weekend, the weekend closest to July 4th or Labor Day weekend.