As anglers prepare for the St. Croix River fishing opener on Saturday, May 3, they should be aware of several updates for the fishing season.

The following regulations have changed for the Lower St. Croix, which spans 52 miles from the Taylors Falls Dam to the St. Croix’s confluence with Pool 3 of the Mississippi River:

• The possession limit on walleye and sauger is now four combined, with a 15-inch minimum length for walleye and one walleye or sauger over 20 inches (previous limit: six)
• The possession limit on northern pike is now three, with one over 30 inches (previous limit: five)
• The possession limit on yellow perch, crappie and sunfish is now 15 of each species (previous limit: 25)
• The possession limit on white bass and yellow bass is now 10 combined (previous limit: 25)
• The possession limit on catfish is now five channel catfish, with one over 24 inches, and two flathead catfish, with one over 24 inches (previous limit: 10 combined)

Additionally, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and Wisconsin DNR have created a new spawning sanctuary from the Taylor Falls Dam to the upstream side of the Highway 8 bridge between Taylors Falls and St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin. From March 2 through June 15 each year, all fishing is prohibited in this sanctuary from both shore and boat to protect spawning fish.

These changes create consistent daily and possession limits on the St. Croix between Minnesota and Wisconsin. Lower St. Croix regulations also now largely match both states’ species limits on the Mississippi River including Lake Pepin.

“We’ve worked hard with our Wisconsin counterparts to streamline our states’ regulations on these border waters and make them easier for anglers to understand,” said TJ DeBates, Minnesota DNR East Metro area fisheries supervisor. “These updates also help us maintain healthy, sustainable fish populations while maximizing angling opportunities.”

The changes can be found in the Minnesota Fishing Regulations booklet on pages 74-77, available on the Minnesota DNR website and in print wherever Minnesota DNR licenses are sold.