MILLE LACS, Minn. — Minnesota fisheries managers have tightened the walleye slot limit on Mille Lacs Lake following one of the busiest fishing openers since 1993 and a superb month of fishing in May, according to Ron Payer, director of the fisheries division of the Department of Natural Resources.

As of Tuesday, the 16- to 20-inch slot limit was shrunk to 16 to 18 inches. In addition, anglers can no longer take one walleye over 28 inches.

The previous regulations were recommended by the Mille Lacs Fisheries Input Group last February, with the understanding that if it was too liberal, a change would be implemented in mid-season to keep walleye harvest under the state's allocation of 310,000 pounds for the 2001 season. The Mille Lacs Fisheries Input Group includes Mille Lacs resort owners, fishing guides, bait dealers, local and state government officials, tournament representatives, and angling group representatives.

On the fishing opener, anglers harvested 52,000 pounds, which is the highest harvest in eight years. The high harvest continued through Memorial Day weekend. The total harvest adds up to 167,000 pounds as of Monday, including hooking mortality. The harvest is significantly more than the 135,000-pound threshold that triggers a harvest slot change.

"Fishing has been the best it has been since 1992 and 1993," said Rick Bruesewitz, DNR treaty biologist. "May fishing is a good indicator of fishing success for the rest of the season. If we don't implement this tighter restriction now, we would be looking at a harvest that could be more than 450,000 pounds by the end of October."

A harvest of 450,000 pounds could result in a significant penalty reduction of the harvest quota for state anglers in 2002. The state quota will also be reduced next year due to the tribal quota increasing 15,000 pounds next year in accordance with a fish harvest plan approved by the federal courts.

A smaller proportion of the harvest quota for non-band anglers may result in an even tighter regulation next year. Anglers can help avoid a penalty reduction by complying with the reduced harvest slot of 16 to 18 inches.

"We've harvested over half of this year's total allocation in one month," Bruesewitz said. "As unappealing as this harvest slot may be, this tighter restriction should help distribute the remaining harvest over the rest of the year and help angler harvest stay within the established quota."

Excellent catch rates and fabulous fishing weather are part of the reason that the threshold was exceeded.

"Anglers are still coming to Mille Lacs Lake to catch fish in spite of the restrictive regulations," Payer said. "While there was a late spring ice out, continual warm temperatures have resulted in ideal water temperatures and excellent fishing. We expect fishing to continue to be very good, with higher-than-average catch rates for big fish. The recycling of big fish that we have seen the last two years will continue this season and will again provide some of the highest catch rates for big fish in the state."

Although the harvest slot of 16 to 20 inches was expected to keep harvest below the allowable quota, it was explained to and understood by the Mille Lacs Lake Fisheries Input Group that by moving the slot up two inches from 14 to 18 inches, the quota could be exceeded more easily, simply because it takes fewer 18- and 19-inch fish to make up the same poundage as 14- and 15-inchers.

Conservation Officer Nikki Hollenbeck said anglers are catching a lot of fish, many of which are big. While anglers must return these big fish to the water immediately, anglers are seeing that special regulations are working to maintain the health of the lake and stay within the state's allocation.

"Catching fish is the fun part," Hollenbeck said. "People are happy about the excellent fishing and they enjoy taking their picture with the big fish and letting them go into the lake."

Currently, the tribes have taken about 45,000 pounds of walleye, and have not been actively fishing since the end of spawning season just prior to the opener. The tribal quota is 85,000 pounds. They have until the end of March 2002 to harvest their allocation.

Federal courts have ruled since 1994 that fish and game in the 1837 Treaty ceded territory must be shared with eight Chippewa Indian bands. To ensure the health of the Lake Mille Lacs fishery, the DNR has managed the yearly walleye harvest at Lake Mille Lacs so that it does not exceed 24 percent of the total catchable population as provided by the court order.

Stickers with the new Mille Lacs harvest slot of 16 to 18 inches will be available next week at Mille Lacs area Electronic Licensing System agents, resorts and bait shops. Anglers should always check public access signs, bait shops and resorts to find out the current regulations. Information is also available by calling the DNR Information Center at (651) 296-6157 or toll-free at (888) 646-6367, or check the DNR Web site at www.dnr.state.mn.us.