October 2, 2025: Invasive Aquatic Plant Challenges Ahead
Hi everybody.
For MN-FISH, the issues, discussions and questions about fish and fishing in our great state never seem to end. That’s fine. Keeps us involved. And you, too.
Here are some of our recent activities:
Invasive Aquatic Plant Management — Challenges Ahead
Since last summer MN-FISH has been diving into a topic that have gone largely unnoticed by the public. Jonny Range and the Westonka Walleye group, along with some concerned Lake Minnetonka residents, shared concerns about the DNR’s Invasive Aquatic Plant Management and Aquatic Plant Management programs and the impacts they are having on Lake Minnetonka and other waters across the state.
These are two similar but different programs.
The Minnesota Invasive Aquatic Plant Management program, overseen by the DNR, provides funding and permits for local entities to control invasive aquatic plants like Eurasian watermilfoil and starry stonewort. Grants up to $400,000 are available to local entities such as lake associations, watershed districts, cities and counties for control efforts (both chemical and mechanical).
The Aquatic Plant Management oversees individual lakeshore landowners’ efforts to eliminate aquatic plants on and immediately in front of their property.
MN-FISH facilitated two meetings with DNR leadership to try and understand what is going on within our lakes and effects on fish and fish habitat.
It was clear that the cumulative impacts of these two programs administering chemical herbicides into our public lakes to control lake weeds need further re-evaluation and program updates. We’ve heard reports of Minnetonka bays being completely weed free, including native species. We’ve also heard about uncontrolled chemical spraying as lakeshore owners do as they damn well please.
And this is happening in many other lakes across the state. Stay tuned. This issue is getting hot. And that’s good. Chemical weed control is a lake issue that’s been under the table for too long.
Walleye Possession Limit Proposal
In August MN-FISH met with MN DNR’s Fisheries Chief Brad Parsons on the proposed statewide limit reduction. We gave Brad time to explain the rational for the DNR’s desire to change the state walleye possession limit from 6 fish to 4 and then opened it up for board members to ask their questions.
In the next MN-FISH newsletter, we’ll share a link to the meeting so you can listen to the entire conversation. We’ll also share the questions and the answers received so you on up to date on what’s being discussed.
MN-FISH’s “World’s Greatest Ice Fishing Auction” Coming Soon!
Get ready! Coming in December!
We are in the process of building our fall auction just in time for the upcoming ice fishing season. Great opportunities for world class ice Fishing destinations, professionally guided trips, new electronics, ice shelters, and other ice fishing gear!
New MN-FISH Website Coming Soon!
One of our summer projects was to redesign the MN-FISH website. Our goal is to make it easier for us to communicate and share more information through video content. Watch for updates.
Ron Schara
President MN-FISH
