Subdivision 1. Dates for certain species. (a) The open seasons to take fish by angling are as follows:

(1) for walleye, sauger, northern pike, muskellunge, largemouth bass, and smallmouth bass, the Saturday two weeks prior to the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend to the last Sunday in February;

(2) for lake trout, from January 1 to October 31;

(3) for the winter season for lake trout, brown trout, brook trout, rainbow trout, and splake on all lakes located outside or partially within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, from January 15 to March 31;

(4) for the winter season for lake trout, brown trout, brook trout, rainbow trout, and splake on all lakes located entirely within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, from January 1 to March 31;

(5) for brown trout, brook trout, rainbow trout, and splake, between January 1 to October 31 as prescribed by the commissioner by rule except as provided in section 97C.415, subdivision 2; and

(6) for salmon, as prescribed by the commissioner by rule.

(b) The commissioner shall close the season in areas of the state where fish are spawning and closing the season will protect the resource.

Subd. 2. Continuous season for certain species. For sunfish, white crappie, black crappie, yellow perch, catfish, rock bass, white bass, yellow bass, burbot, cisco (tullibee), lake whitefish, and rough fish, the open season is continuous.

History: 1986 c 386 art 3 s 41; 1989 c 242 s 2; 1991 c 259 s 23; 1Sp1995 c 1 s 42; 2005 c 146 s 46; 2008 c 368 art 2 s 67; 2009 c 176 art 2 s 63; 2012 c 277 art 1 s 75; 1Sp2019 c 4 art 3 s 73