Minnesota DNR Announces New Trout Fishing Regulations

I grew up with my bamboo fishing pole sitting along the banks of Spring Valley Creek and biking several miles outside of town to do trout fishing in Fillmore County.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources announced today new special angling regulations that effectively allow trout fishing all year long in that area of the state.

In a DNR news release, Lanesboro area fisheries supervisor Ronald Benjamin is quoted as saying, "We're pleased to offer this new opportunity for catch-and-release stream trout fishing during the fall, when the trout season is traditionally closed. This fills the gap between open trout seasons and makes these special regulations match the popular year-round season established in three nearby state parks."

Catch-and-release trout fishing is now being allowed in Spring Valley, Preston, Chatfield and Lanesboro.

Benjamin is also quoted in the news release, "Adding this new opportunity is great for anglers and it's sensitive to the needs of surrounding landowners. During the fall, deer hunting is a big deal here and anglers will have more places to fish, but not outside the cities where there's a greater chance anglers could disrupt deer hunts."

The change takes effect March 1.

Regulations that are specific to individual waters take precedence over statewide regulations. Special regulations can be found in their own section of the Minnesota Fishing Regulations booklet, on the www.mndnr.gov/fishmn page using LakeFinder and posted at public accesses.

Here is what the DNR specifically says about these new regulations.

"Sections of the South Branch Root River in Preston and Lanesboro; Mill Creek in Chatfield and Spring Valley Creek in Spring Valley (Fillmore and Olmsted Counties):  Catch-and-release fishing allowed roughly within these city limits from October 15 through December 31. Although the boundaries of where anglers can fish through this change roughly encompass the length of the streams in these four cities, the boundaries are not the actual city limits. Specific boundaries will be listed in the Minnesota Fishing Regulations booklet, available in March."