Fishing License Sales In MN Up Slightly in 2023
Minnesota fishing license sales are up 3% compared to last year at this time. Glen Schmitt from Outdoor News indicates in 2022 Minnesota had 762,300 license sales and Minnesota has 783,000 so far in 2023. Schmitt explains early in the season license sales were down which he says was likely weather related.
Muskie fishing in Central Minnesota is an option for anglers. Glen Schmitt says many area lakes were stocked with muskies including Sugar Lake near Annandale, the Horseshoe chain of lakes near Richmond and the Mississippi River. He says the horseshoe chain was stocked with muskies as recently as 2011. Schmitt explains he's caught muskies while looking for other fish but has encountered anglers fishing specifically for muskies. There are some lakes that are traditional muskie lakes and that includes Leech, Cass, Vermillion, Mille Lacs, and Lake of the Woods.
Schmitt says muskies are big, tough fish to catch but not fish you want to eat. He did site a story a few years ago when a woman caught a 50 inch muskie and brought it to the cleaning station to clean. Schmitt explains he's never seen that before.
Hunting seasons are still a ways away but Schmitt indicates applications are being taken now for the Camp Ripley archery hunt which will be held October 27-29. The deadline to apply for that is Friday August 18. Schmitt says there is also an August 18 deadline to apply for the special youth deer hunts throughout the state and for prairie chickens in northern Minnesota.
If you'd like to listen to my conversation with Glen Schmitt it is available below.
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