The Minnesota 2025 walleye season has recorded rising fishing licensure since its May 10 opener, in a run lasting till November 30.
According to WJON on May 16, 2025, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) put annual license sales as up by 6%.
Some of the licensees have rushed to the bounteous northern lakes’ region where they have recorded early gains.
It has been a big hit particularly in the Canada-bordering Lake of the Woods, where anglers have landed walleyes and panfish aplenty.
As the walleye capital, the lake’s shallower parts have enabled fishers haul 16-27 inch fish from 16 feet-deep waters.
DNR’s daily limit per harvester is two walleye, each at least 17 inches long but only one above 21 inches.
Harvesters however compensate the daily limits via premium retail pricing of this perch family fish, worth $20 to $25 a pound.
Technology is also helping some anglers, who are using Global Positioning Systems (GPS) to spot-float boats in walleye-rich areas.
Others are benefiting from the use of jigs, which are artificial baits that anglers plug in and out of the waters.
During each season, natural baits such as leeches and minnows, alongside artificial ones, reach their sales heights. For this season, the biggest sales happened in the weekend of May 10-11, 2025.
Weather Supportive
Although central Minnesota was in the week ending May 18 seeing a drop in temperatures, weather has been generally stable.
Around the Lake of Woods, temperatures for the maiden season were a lukewarm 60ºF (15.56ºC) and the southeasterly winds below 10 mph.
Current fishing operations will only have to deal with a minor drop in temperatures, which could make fishing slow.
Fishing Rights
Along with the manageable weather are ample harvesting rights on the Mille Lacs Lake, which is an Ojibwe Tribes’ trustee fishery.
The state licensees on this lake will land 113,600 pounds in 2025 versus the 88,000 pounds for Ojibwe fishermen.
This limiting of the total landings depends on the status of the walleye stock each year. For 2025, a healthy stock owing to the proliferation of juvenile yellow perch and plankton from 2024 is supportive.
The Ojibwe trust also allows catch-and-release fishing for state harvesters whose hauls should not exceed 15% of their harvest limit.
So, a good harvest start currently defines the seasonal walleye fishing in Minnesota, and which could improve through summer. For more on the status of this species in the North-Central state, review the statistics below.
Minnesota Walleye Fishing Statistics
Wallaye (Stizostedion vitreum/Sander vitreus) is an important freshwater perch family food fish and sporting fish inhabiting 50 of Minnesota’s many lakes. The state has been averaging 407,967 pounds of the fish between 1995 and 1999, per the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The target has been a 430,000-pound yearly output. Most of the fish are cultured by breeders who buy juveniles from Canada and put them into lakes and ponds.
Do juvenile walleyes generate revenue in Minnesota and 12 other states?
In 2023, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported 46 businesses that cultured walleye in 13 states. Minnesota led the count with 8 businesses. All 13 states sold fingerlings worth $2.832 million while stockers generated $1.119 million. As one of 13 states that culture fingerlings, Minnesota sells its stockers (near mature juvenile walleye) at $2.50 apiece.
Are retail walleye expensive in MN and other states?
According to 2023 data, most walleye sell wholesale in skin-on fillets at between $6 and 12 per pound. However, premium skinless fillets hit retail rates of $20 per pound and above. Most of the fish are in the market range of 4 to 10 ounces in weight and average 12 inches in length.