Minnesota DNR Seeks Public Input on Fisheries Plans for Lake County Waters

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is asking anglers, lake associations, and local governments across the state to weigh in on fisheries management plans before Tuesday, March 31, as part of a statewide effort to update plans for 197 lakes in 52 counties this year.

Lake County waters are among those scheduled for updates, and the DNR wants to hear from anyone with a stake in how those fisheries are managed. To submit input, contact the area fisheries office for the specific lake by phone or email before the March 31 deadline. The complete list of lakes scheduled for 2026 plan updates, organized by county, is available at mndnr.gov/lakemanagement.

"We're inviting anyone interested in the health and quality of Minnesota's fisheries to contact us during this critical part of the DNR's fisheries lake management planning process," said Ryan Maki, a DNR fisheries management consultant. "These plans establish fisheries management goals and objectives for each lake and define the work fisheries biologists do each year. Observations and input from a lake's stakeholders are essential to the planning effort."

The DNR uses fisheries management plans to set goals and guide the day-to-day work of fisheries biologists across Minnesota's roughly 4,500 actively managed lakes. Plans for the state's 10 largest lakes follow a similar but separate update process.

When preparing comments, the DNR suggests thinking through questions such as what kind of fishing experience you're looking for, whether you prefer catching big fish or high numbers of fish, what habitat concerns you've observed, and whether you have worries about a lake's popularity or angler pressure. The DNR is looking for input not just from individual anglers but also from outdoors groups, conservation organizations, lake associations, and local units of government.

Comments submitted before March 31 will be factored into each plan's update. Depending on what the initial round of feedback surfaces, area fisheries managers may reach back out for additional public input during the summer or fall before finalizing a plan. The DNR will post information about any follow-up engagement opportunities at mndnr.gov/lakemanagement.