SHARES
A surveyor for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources holds a bluegill measured during a lake survey. Image: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
By Taylor Haelterman
Growing public concern about shrinking sunfish sizes led to lower daily harvest limits across Minnesota this year.
Avid angler Ron Schara has noticed a decrease in bluegill size over time.
“Minnesota has had a problem for maybe 20 years or more,” Schara said. “A lot of our lakes have bluegills that are no bigger than a silver dollar.”
The new regulations seek to resolve this issue by lowering the number of fish anglers can take home each day at 94 lakes and streams, adding to the 57 that already had reduced limits, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.