GRAND RAPIDS — The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is accepting public input on walleye slot limits on Sand Lake.
The DNR will host a public meeting 6-8 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 15, at the Squaw Lake Community Center, 60162 County Highway 4, in S. Lake.
Sand Lake has a history of boom-and-bust angling cycles. The protected slot limit for walleye between 17 and 26 inches was implemented in 2016 to create more stable fish populations.
"Results show that the regulation is working as intended, with the walleye population stabilizing and including higher quantities of larger fish," the DNR stated in a news release.
The DNR is seeking comments on whether to keep the current regulation, modify the limit to a 20- to 24-inch protected slot, or revert to the statewide walleye regulation.
The bag limit is set the same as the statewide limit, with one fish allowed over 26 inches and a limit of six fish.
Comments can be submitted at the Wednesday meeting, by sending an email to grandrapids.fisheries@state.mn.us, by calling 218-328-8836 or by mailing NE Regional Headquarters, Area Fisheries, 1201 East Highway 2, Grand Rapids, MN 55744.
In a separate rulemaking process, the DNR is exploring reducing the statewide walleye limit to 4 fish, with that rule expected to be implemented in 2027.
-
And: Four Northland organizations recieve child care grants; men encouraged to wear sunscreen and get skin checks; and Eveleth plans to replace the "Big Stick."
-
The U.S. Forest Service is also banning campfires amid dry conditions. The closures and campfire ban go into effect July 11, 2026.
-
And: Minnesota partners hope opioid prevention success spreads to youth; and a community storytelling initiative aims to capture recovery stories in St. Louis County.
-
The plan will guide the implementation of voluntary conservation projects and programs in the northeastern Minnesota watershed over the next decade.
-
A foundation coordinating with local partners says the opioid crisis isn't over, and a new Minnesota grant is an example of the urgency felt in preventing youth tragedies.
-
The Grand Rapids area fishing guide and former Itasca County deputy died in his home on July 5, 2026. He contributed to the Minnesota fishing community in numerous ways.
-
Bruce Larson was reported missing July 9, 2026, in the Wabana area, north of Grand Rapids. He was found safe later that morning.
-
And: Carlton County continue discussion of data center moratorium; MN could have its first saint; and business owners assess paid leave law
-
A motion was started at the Carlton County Committee of the Whole meeting July 7, 2026, for an interim ordinance on the development of data centers.
-
Plus: Second Harvest Northland selects a new site for the Grand Rapids Food Shelf; and the St. Louis County Landfill may get double the trash with expansion in the five-county region.