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image links to mn dnr news release News Release September 5, 2025 "Applications Open MN DNR Advisory Groups"

"The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is recruiting new members to serve on key advisory groups related to fish and wildlife management, recreation, natural heritage, and conservation policy and funding. Interested people can learn more and apply until 4:30 p.m. Friday, October 3, 2025 on the >> Engage with MN DNR webpage.

“Advisory groups are one really important way that the DNR works with Minnesotans to advance the department’s mission,” said DNR Commissioner Sarah Strommen. “I encourage anyone who is passionate about our public lands, waters, fish and wildlife to explore how you can participate in one of these appointed roles.”

Most terms begin in 2026 and span three years. DNR advisory groups generally meet four to six times per year, with in-person and online options for joining meetings. Exceptions to this pattern are noted below where applicable.

“The DNR strives for each advisory group to include people from a diverse mix of backgrounds, perspectives, locations and experiences,” Strommen said. “A diversity of knowledge and insight ensures our advisory groups reflect the various perspectives of Minnesotans, fostering better outcomes and helping us be better stewards of our natural resources.”

Natural Heritage Advisory Committee

The Natural Heritage Advisory Committee advises the DNR on issues relating to sustaining the state’s natural heritage, biological diversity and ecosystem services. Members make recommendations to help protect high quality prairies, forests, wetlands and other native habitats, and the diversity of plants and animals they support.

Applicants should be Minnesota residents with knowledge, demonstrated dedication or experience related to natural resource management, conservation biology, ecological education and outreach, and other aspects of Minnesota’s natural heritage.

New member appointments will begin in January 2026 and extend through December 2028. More information is available here on the >> DNR Natural Heritage Advisory Committee Website .

Wildlife and fisheries groups

Seats are currently available on several committees that advise the DNR about important fisheries and wildlife topics.

Applications are being accepted for the Deer Advisory Committee, the Catfish Fisheries Work Group, the Lake Kabetogama Fisheries Input Group, and the Fish and Wildlife Advisory Committee.

Members will serve two- to three-year terms. The Fish and Wildlife Advisory Committee meets monthly from January to July, while the other groups meet approximately quarterly. Detailed committee and application information for each group is available by following the links below.

The Deer Advisory Committee

Committee advises the DNR on statewide deer management, including policies, research and monitoring priorities, programs, and regulations. >> MN DNR Deer Advisory Committee website.

Catfish Fisheries Work Group

The DNR has six fisheries work groups, each focused on a different species. This year, the catfish work group has openings. The group meets several times each year to discuss research, population, harvest trends and catfish management with DNR fisheries staff. Members represent a variety of viewpoints and work together to address topics such as recreation, water quality, fish habitat, fish management and effects on local economies. Catfish Fisheries Work Group

Lake Kabetogama Fisheries Input Group

Large lakes fisheries input groups recruit when there is a need to update a management plan for one of the state’s 10 “large lakes.” This year, the DNR is recruiting for the Lake Kabetogama group, which will advise the DNR on issues relevant to the state’s management of the lake, provide important stakeholder perspectives, and inform their constituencies of the planning process. Lake Kabetogama Fisheries Input Group

Fish and Wildlife Advisory Committee

The Fish and Wildlife Advisory Committee makes recommendations to the legislature and DNR commissioner related to protecting, restoring and enhancing fish and wildlife habitat; monitoring and research; communications and engagement; and effective management and use of money in the Game and Fish Fund.

Minnesota residents with a hunting, fishing or trapping license or an active critical habitat license plate can apply. Fish and Wildlife Advisory Committee."


image links to fishing reports by Jeff Sundin September 3, 2025 "Better Pike Fishing Through Zoning Out"

image of Ashley Clevenger with northern pike caught while fishing in Minnesota with jeff Sundin Sometimes, believe it or not, my customers want to target “eating size” northern pike. For folks like the Clevenger family, my crew from yesterday, Northern Pike, not only put up a great fight, but actually top the list of favored fish to eat. So, whenever I see their names on my calendar, I start plotting a trip to one of the area’s better pike fishing lakes. The problem is that often, the better places to catch pike, are not compatible with the goal of gathering ‘eaters”.

My customers have heard me say in jest, “All my life, I’ve wanted to be a big-time pro fishing guide in hot pursuit of little fish.” The reason I say that is because ever since the implementation of the pike zone regulations in Minnesota, anglers who fish here, in the northern zone, must embrace little fish if they want to eat them. The 22-to-26-inch protected slot, on many lakes, means that the only “keep-able” pike we get in a day are those fish under 22 inches in length. Catching fish over the slot, 26 inches or longer, is rare and sometimes even impossible. There are lakes in my home area where I can count on 1 hand, the total number of 26-inch pike we’ve caught in over 40 years of guiding.

Okay, you might be thinking just keep the 21-inch fish and be happy, and I’d probably agree with you if there were enough 21-inch fish to meet the demand. The problem is that 21-to-22 inches is the minimum length of pike that folks begin to show any interest in harvesting them. Unless an individual fish is exceptionally fat, they simply do not accept the idea of harvesting 18, 19 or even 20-inch fish. This means that all of the pressure on fish deemed as "harvestable" is within a 1-to-2-inch size range. You may disagree, but in my experience, there simply are not enough fish in that size range to go around.

The result, on many of my fishing charters has become predictable. Whenever I'm watching folks reel in a northern pike, and hear them say, “ooh there’s a good one” I can almost bet the farm that the fish will be protected, measuring 22.0 inches, or longer.

Speculating whether or not anything can be done about the current zone regulations is outside the scope of this article. At the least, it will likely require lengthy discussion, so for now, let's set that aside. Instead, let's talk about one of my workarounds, which is to seek out lakes that have special regulations that vary from the general northern zone restrictions.

image of Ryan Clevenger holding large northern pike caught on fishing charter with jeff Sundin Yesterday’s fishing trip (See September 3, 2025) provided a good example of one regulation that I prefer. The “special regulation” on it protects all of the northerns from 24 to 36 inches in length. The regulation here allows anglers to harvest 3 fish total, with no more than 1 pike over 36 inches long. Most days this means that we’ll capture, if we’re lucky, 3 fish under 24 inches, but occasionally, we do harvest one fish over 36 inches: albeit rarely.

Yesterday, the extra 2 inches at the low end of the size range meant that we were allowed to keep a total of 9 fish, 3 per each customer. Of the 9 fish, 5 were still below the 22-inch, northern zone’s blanket regulation, but 4 of them were between 23 and 24 inches. I know that still doesn’t sound fantastic, but the average size of the finished fillets is much better than we could produce from most of the other lakes in my region. Besides catching more “keepers”, the 24-to-36-inch protected slot also means that we catch and release a good number of larger fish. Yesterday, we caught numerous fish in the 25-to-27-inch range, 1 29-inch fish and 1 30-inch fish. So, in addition to gathering eaters, there were ample opportunities to snap some quick photos of larger pike too.

I realize that there are a lot of lakes in my region that would not benefit from this special regulation. Lakes like Bowstring for example, that have miles of ideal spawning habitat for pike simply produce too many fish. The competition for food and space creates a population of stunted fish.

That said, I do think that there are some lakes that would benefit from this, or similar, special regulations. On some of those lakes, the current 10 fish harvest limit works against the goal of improving size structure. Most folks are not greedy, and would happily accept the 3 fish harvest, especially if it meant catching a handful of larger fish along the way.

“Okay Jeff, so what do you do special to catch these larger fish?” You may be asking. Nothing, that’s the beauty of it for me. My customers can catch these fish using the same, or similar presentations that we’d use on most any lake. Tolling spinners works, casting swim baits or spinnerbaits works too and so do many other everyday presentations. The secret to catching larger pike isn’t how we fish for them, it’s that the lake has larger pike in it.

Fish locations are typical too, fishing the weedline in water depths of 9 to 12 feet was the ticket yesterday. Sometimes, pike move out to the tips of shoreline points or will hold tight to steep breaklines in 15 to 20 feet of water. I don’t think it takes much effort to find them, a willingness to move around the lake and experiment with depths should get you to the right spot for the day.

Over harvest, over the years, is the number 1 reason why we can’t catch big pike in most north central Minnesota lakes. If you ask me, we’re gonna have to face that fact and get serious about protecting larger pike. Opinions vary, but for me, eating some fish in the 22-to-24-inch size range is acceptable. Sometimes people would take more if they could, but for most, releasing fish in the 24-to-36-inch size range is generally acceptable too, provided there are some keepers in the livewell.

I believe that the review period for Minnesota’s pike zone regulations is coming up. What are you experiencing out there? I’d love to hear your thoughts about what works, and what doesn’t work for you. fish smiley image — Jeff Sundin, The Early Bird Fishing Guide Office Cell Call or Text 218-245-9858 or Email on Facebook on X


image links to wired2fish Wired2Fish "Is Tournament Fishing Dead?"

image links to fishing artcile about the decline of professional bass fishing tournaments"Tournament bass fishing in America, once a thriving cornerstone of the angling world, is showing signs of wear and tear. From someone who has been deeply immersed in the scene since 1979, I can say this is not easy to admit. The question I find myself facing more and more lately is: Is tournament fishing dying? And while I don’t believe it’s dead yet, it’s certainly not the same sport it used to be.

Over the decades, I’ve watched the industry evolve — from its golden years fueled by camaraderie and competition, to today’s fragmented environment marked by negativity, rising costs, and a loss of direction. The decline isn’t just anecdotal; numbers in national circuits like the BFL, Federation events, and even local tournaments are dwindling. Trails are folding. Enthusiasm is fading. And no one seems to have the fix.

Forward-Facing Sonar: A Scapegoat, Not the Source: Many blame modern technology like forward-facing sonar for the downfall. While it has certainly ..." Read Full Story to Learn More >> Is Tournament Fishing Dead?


image links to fishrapper.com Ely Area, Arrowhead Outdoors Fishing Report September 3, 2025

"Walleye - Many anglers reported good fishing for walleyes this last week as stable warm weather came to the Ely area. Majority of anglers reported that while minnows worked, night crawlers fished on a lindy rig or 1/4oz jig produced the biggest fish and better numbers. Anglers reported finding walleyes from 11 to 26 feet of water. Clear sign walleyes are transitioning from summer to fall locations. Smaller walleye were often found on the sharp breaks while bigger walleyes were often found on the flats above a break or at the base of breaks or sunken islands. Orange/chartreuse, black/orange and pink.

Smallmouth - Smallmouth Bass reports are showing that smallies have begun to move to their fall locations. Majority of the best reports for smallies have them out on sunken islands in 8 to 20 feet of water, close to deep water. Smallies out here are hitting spinnerbaits, chatterbaits and square bills on the shallower humps. For the deeper humps anglers have been drop shotting 3 to 4 inch soft plastic minnow baits.

Pike - Reports of quality northern pike continue to grow in frequency. Big pike have been hitting large, active Creek Chubs, fished under a bobber just off the weedlines. Weedlines with deep water right next to them were the most productive for the biggest pike. Anglers looking to cast or troll hardware have been having good luck with large spoons, large swimbaits, and large spinnerbaits.

Panfish - Crappies and sunfish reports continue to be good. Anglers have been finding them mainly relating to weedlines. Sunfish are still being found in weedbeds but increasingly reports are saying anglers are finding them on the weedlines and a few mixed in with the crappies relating to deeper water just off the weedlines.

Red worms fished under a bobber has remained the most effective way to catch quality gills. Crappies are increasingly being seen out over deeper water during the day. The last hour of light, crappies move into the shallow weedbeds to feed aggressively. Here search baits like small beetle spins or jig/twister have been most effective in finding the biters before the window closes.

Stream trout - Lots of anglers targeted stream trout this last week and weren't disappointed. As water temps continue to drop rainbows activity continues to increase. Many anglers had good luck floating a night crawler 5 to 15 feet deep, suspended under a bobber, right off shore. If anglers were fishing from a boat trolling small minnow baits or small trolling spoons again 5 to 15 down produced excellent results for them. Good rule of thumb is the brighter the bait the better.

Lake Trout - Quite a few anglers targeted lake trout this last week, but reports continue to be slow as water temps remain high for lake trout. Anglers that caught lake trout did so with down riggers set 30 to 50 feet down while trolling large trolling spoons. Covering water was the name of the game for successful anglers" — Arrowhead Outdoors, 218-365-5358


image links to fishing reports by Jeff Sundin September 2, 2025 "Riding the Roller-Coaster"

The average roller coaster ride lasts only a few minutes, but sometimes “feels” longer. The trip to the peak feels slow as anticipation builds. Then, the car reaches the top, creeps over the crest and suddenly, after a fast thrill, the ride downhill is over.

I know that Minnesota’s open water fishing season lasts a lot longer than a roller coaster ride, but to me, arriving in September feels a lot like one. Here we arrive at the top of the ride, just before heading into the big drop. The days are shorter now; water temperatures are falling and weed growth is receding. The fall fishing season, a time that anglers anticipate eagerly, is upon us. From here on out, the days are going to pass quickly, like the downward slope of a roller coaster.

Labor Day Weekend, the last holiday for me and my family has passed, Over the weekend, we spent a little time on the lake, savoring the tail end of summer fishing patterns, and ushering in the arrival of some early fall trends. Walleyes, for me, are a "work day" fish, so I avoided lakes that have walleyes in them. Northern pike, one of Susan's preffered fish, were the target species. We came close to getting one that we could use for our coconut pike recipe, but at 25 inches, her best one didn't make the cut.

Notable was a reduction in bass and bluegill activity. The warm water fish were active enough to occasionally strike at spinners tipped with night crawlers. Catching numbers of them required slow and intentional presentations using small lures and live bait, delivered almost motionlessly. Too much action stopped fish from striking and they snubbed lures like jig-spinners, twirl tails and paddle tails.

Fish location hasn’t changed; there were schools of the semi-active sunfish holding in and around weeds. Key water depths ranged from 8 to 14 feet deep, depending on the type of vegetation. Once located, the simple live bait jig, tipped with a cut chunk of night crawler and held steady over the edge of the boat easily triggered strikes.

Crappies have begun, in some lakes to transition away from weed cover, into deeper open water. I’ll caution against making an assumption that all crappies, in all lakes, have entered the transitional period though. Last week, on one lake, there were suspended fish holding in 6 to 10 feet of water, over a 20-foot-deep open water flat. At the same time, there were crappies on another lake still holding along the edges of thick coontail patches. On yet another lake, there were crappies holding tight to the rocks, on shallow mid-lake lakes in 10 to 16 feet of water.

Crappies on all three lakes were responsive to trolling using spinners tipped with minnows.

Then there was a fourth lake, a multi species one that is known to have nice crappies in it. Here, crappies could neither be caught, nor apparently located by me. While we caught bass, northern pike and even a couple of walleyes, crappies snubbed us. On that lake, panfish were buried deep in mats of shallow coontail, and northern milfoil. I believe that the weeds held crappies, and maybe we’d have caught some during the evening, but that is speculation. The Hippie Chick did catch a crappie amidst a school of sunfish on Sunday evening, as the sun was going down and that offered some support for my working theory.

It appears that today, the skies will be grey, and maybe rainy during my first charter of September. That should encourage panfish to be more active, and hopefully, northern pike too. I’ll have an update for you about that tomorrow. fish smiley image — Jeff Sundin, The Early Bird Fishing Guide Office Cell Call or Text 218-245-9858 or Email on Facebook on X


image links to fishrapper.com Lake of the Woods, LOW Tourism September 2, 2025

"image of pay it forward event angler, Will Hangman with huge walleye It was another excellent week of fall walleye fishing on the south end of Lake of the Woods. Anglers fishing in Big Traverse Bay say that they're catching good numbers of walleyes that continue to hold over the deep mud basin in 28 to 32 feet of water. The walleyes, reported by many, have been very cooperative. Typical of most lakes, not all walleyes focus on similar food sources, other reports show fish sliding up into shallower water, 20 to 22 feet deep.

Anglers are catching fish using a variety of techniques. Drifting or trolling spinners at 1.0 to 1.25 mph with crawlers has been very productive. Top spinner colors this week were gold/pink, gold/red, and silver/blue. Trolling crankbaits is also putting fish in the boat.

Productive colors include gold, chrome/blue, chartreuse, pink, and firetiger. Covering water over the deep mud remains an effective approach. Some anglers are now anchoring up and jigging with a jig and frozen emerald shiner. Once a school of fish is located, this method allows anglers to sit tight and entice steady action.

Jumbo perch remain a bonus catch, mixing in with the walleyes across the basin.

Veterans attending the 12th annual Pay It Forward veterans event caught good numbers of walleyes this week, filling coolers of ice on charter boats along with some trophy fish. A walleye over 31 inches took big fish honors with a handful of walleyes over 28 inches in the mix as well.

The Lake of the Woods wave buoys report water temps at 68 degrees.

On the Rainy River, activity is picking up on the Rainy River. With cooling water temperatures, both walleyes and sturgeon are becoming more active. Anglers with dock lights are reporting increased shiner activity, a sure sign that the annual emerald shiner migration from the lake into the river is just beginning. Bird activity has also noticeably increased, another signal of bait movement.

Walleyes are being caught jigging with minnows or by trolling crankbaits along current breaks and deeper holes. Sturgeon fishing has been solid as well/ Anglers are anchoring up and fishing with 3-ounce no-roll sinker and a sturgeon rig packed with crawlers continues to produce big fish. Some sturgeon over 60 inches along with many smaller fish in the mix as well. Sturgeon anglers report catching some walleyes and suckers while waiting for the sturgeon bite.

Up at the Northwest Angle fishing remains strong, with good numbers of walleyes spread across the deep mud of Little Traverse Bay (east and NE of Little Oak Island). Covering water with spinners or crankbaits has been the best way to connect with pods of fish. Other productive areas include north of Garden Island and west of Little Oak Island, where anglers are finding walleyes, saugers, and jumbo perch.

On the Ontario side, jigging with frozen emerald shiners has been very effective. With 14,552 islands starting at the Angle and stretching into Ontario, anglers have countless spots holding walleyes, saugers, pike, smallmouth bass, crappies, and jumbo perch. Muskie fishing has been consistent, with good numbers of fish reported boated this past week. As days shorten and water temperatures cool, the bite will only continue to improve.

September and October are prime months for fishing on Lake of the Woods. Fish are actively feeding, water temperatures are dropping, and the scenery is unmatched as fall colors take hold. Whether chasing walleyes on the main lake, jigging the Rainy River, or casting for muskies at the Angle, anglers are set up for some of the best fishing of the year."  Lake of the Woods Tourism, (800) 382-FISH


image links to wired2fish Wired2Fish "Top Tactics For Summertime Smallmouth"

image links to fishing artcile about fishing for summertime smallmouth bass"When anglers think about fishing during the summer months, one word comes to mind: tough!

Being cool-water fish, smallmouth bass tolerate the warm waters of the summer, but don’t exactly thrive. It’s just that time of year that makes you pull your hair out of your head. They are there in many of the spots you probably know but getting them to bite is like pulling teeth.

So what should you do when the water is 80 degrees and the smallmouth aren’t cooperating? Is there a certain technique that works better than others? Is there a magical depth that they love to hide out in? Summertime smallies can ..." Read Full Story to Learn More >> Top Tactics For Summertime Smallmouth


You Are Invited To Become A Duly Deputized Fishrapper Cub Reporter Too!

image links to fishrapper facebook page If you've been waiting for a gold engraved invitation to participate in the daily reports, then stop waiting and consider this your own personal invitation.

Helping your fellow fishermen and women stay abreast of fishing conditions in your area is good for everybody and it's easier than you think! You don't have to write a book, you don't have to share your secret fishing spots and you don't even have to mention your lake. You see, with just a few words about general trends, seasonal patterns or local weather conditions you can help steer your fellow anglers to more gratifying fishing experiences. So, be like Dan and Sean, and become a duly deputized "Cub Reporter", it's good for fishing and that's good for everybody!

Use the Contact Us page, or if you prefer to be "social", use our community page on facebook Fishing Reports Minnesota, that is the Facebook counterpart to this page and it is open to the public, so you can post your own fishing update or just share a photo of a nice catch.