MILLE LACS FISHING OPENER 2025

By Mashkodebizhikigahbaw, Benji Sam

For everywhere who grew up in the Mille Lacs area it comes as no surprise that the Minnesota fishing opener brought a certain buzz into a busy start to the summer. With a steady flow of growing traffic north starting mid-week, trucks and trailers filled the roads with excitement for anglers seeking a few of Minnesota’s state fish that answers to many names including marble eye, gravel lizards, gold, wally-gators — the walleye.

There seems to be an increase in excitement around the area with the newly expanded walleye keeping slot limit on the Big Pond here at Mille Lacs that allows state anglers to harvest two fish between over 17 inches with only one fish allowed over 20 inches. This expanded limit comes as a success story of a rebounding walleye population as anglers have not seen an expanded slot limit on Mille Lacs for several years. This fairs well to anglers looking to enjoy a few fish dipped in batter and fried to enjoy with family and friends.

The excitement and energy can both be seen and felt while driving around the lake with accesses and resorts overflowing out onto the roads looking like department store parking lots on Black Friday sales. Ecologically speaking, the health of Mille Lacs is in a very diverse and expansive place compared to much of the last decade. With year classes of perch being represented in strong numbers from each of the last four sea sons of hatching and with an incredible growth rate, these fish will also offer great angling opportunities for the days ahead.

In combination with the forage base of shiners, minnows, perch, young-of-the-year walleye, all age-classes of tullibee present, a rebounding zooplankton population, and more the foreseeable future of Mille Lacs fishing continues to have a significantly positive outlook. With an increased forage base and ongoing high-water clarity, the actual catching of fish may be a little tougher to start the year than in year’s past. The high level of baitfish and food in the system might shorten bite windows and create more of a reaction-based bite compared to the traditional bobber fishing for hours we are all accustomed to on Mille Lacs. Nevertheless, fish must eat and with the water warming up rapidly they will have to eat multiple times per day to keep up with their metabolism and high growth rate.

The economy of Mille Lacs area fishing is also feeling a large uptick with the expanded slot limit as many new guides come to the area every day and local favorites all in the same have seen a business of their schedules that has grown into something special. Mille Lacs Band member Keenan Wind, owner and operator of Windy Fishing Guide Service, said that fishing over opener and extended has been very strong for smallmouth bass and he has also come across a lot of healthy walleyes willing to bite. This seems to be consistent with most guides around the lake. In speaking with multiple sources around the lake, there are an awful lot of walleyes in the lake, but there’s also an awful lot of bait and it can be tricky to get these fish outside of lowlight biting windows.

I’ve written it before, and I will write it again, we all do better when we all do better. In this case, when Mille Lacs Lake is in a healthy place, we can all be in a healthy place. This lake drives the economy in our part of Central Minnesota, and we all play a role in keeping this lake in a healthy spot for years to come. We are sitting on a goldmine of resources with one of the largest lakes in Minnesota that offers some of the best — if not simply the best— fishing that the Midwest has to offer. Trophy smallmouth bass, muskellunge, northern pike, jumbo perch, crappies, bluegill, and of course the coveted Mille Lacs Lake walleye — it simply has it all.

Let’s all do our part to keep the lake clean, fish responsibly, don’t overhandle fish when the water warms up, and to remember that we can all impact the future of Misiziaaga’igan so that our children’s children will know how well we all cared for the lake that gave us life.

For more up to date reports, follow Windy Fishing Guide Service on Facebook or reach out at www.windyfishing.com to get on some of the best fishing the Midwest has to offer.