New Bass Season Among Many Minnesota Fishing Regulations Changes

It's the time of the year when temperatures throughout Minnesota can greatly differ, so the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has released its annual reminder to anglers about fish house removal deadlines.

The first removal deadline is at 11:59 p.m. on Monday, March 2, for inland waters in the southern two-thirds of the state, after which removal deadlines will continue to move further north throughout March.

The next major date is the 2026 Minnesota fishing opener for walleye, sauger, northern pike, and other game fish, which is Saturday, May 9, 2026. However, anglers can now fish for bass year-round, thanks to a new catch-and-release season, which is just one of many regulation changes to be aware of this year.

New Catch-And-Release Season For Bass Now Underway In Minnesota

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources reminds anglers that they can now fish for bass before the traditional May fishing opener. That's because 2026 Minnesota fishing regulations include a new catch-and-release season that allows fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass open all year on inland waters.

The DNR notes that since bass spawning peaks in late May, which is later in the year than some other species, there is no biological evidence that catch-and-release bass fishing poses a conservation issue for the fish. The DNR will continue to monitor bass populations to ensure additional angling opportunities do not have a negative impact.

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The Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe (Gaa-zagaskwaabiganikaag) and the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe (Misi-zaaga'iganiing) are supportive of the catch-and-release season.

It's important to note that the harvest season dates for bass remain the same, only now bass seasons will alternate between harvest seasons and catch-and-release seasons with no fishing closures.

Also, anglers will need to follow separate regulations for border waters, which are available in the fishing regulations on the Minnesota DNR website.

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Other Minnesota Regulations Changes Of Note

The changes for bass fishing can be found on pages 13-14 of the regulations book, where you'll also find several other 2026 regulations changes, including:

• There are new and modified regulations in effect for nine bodies of water located in Beltrami, Crow Wing, Itasca, Jackson, Martin, Morrison, and Todd counties.
• The season opener for stream trout harvest is now the second Saturday in April every year.
• The limit of one Atlantic salmon on Lake Superior has been removed. The limit is now five combined total for all salmon.
• The season closure date for brook trout and splake on Lake Superior and tributaries below posted boundaries is now September 30.
• A new rule allows up to three hooks within 18 inches on a single tackle configuration.
• Updated language clarifies that only one bait is allowed per line and stinger hooks are only allowed on artificial baits.
• Ice anglers may use nonmotorized hook setting devices.
• There is updated information on harvesting crayfish in infested waters and on labeling traps.
• There is no closed season for taking dead freshwater mussel shells.
• Inland portions of Mississippi River Pool 3 now conform with adjacent Wisconsin-Minnesota border waters regulations listed as “Mississippi River Pools 3-8, including Lake Pepin.”

The regulations book additionally includes the Minnesota Department of Health fish consumption guidance based on information about known contaminants in Minnesota waterbodies.