Minnesota’s Department of Natural Resources new rules began Friday, which will allow anglers to keep up to two walleyes on Mille Lacs Lake.

Both fish can be 18-20 inches in length, or one can be 18-20 inches and the other must be longer than 28 inches, according to the DNR.

“With high angler catch rates last fall, we opted for setting conservative fishing regulations this season because we expected high catch rates to continue,” said Brad Parsons, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources fisheries section manager. “Indeed, fishing was great for the first two months of the season. But with the catch and release regulation and windy and rainy weather, far fewer people than expected fished Mille Lacs so far this season, creating room for more harvest.”

“I was doing about 10 fish an hour, lots of keepers out there,” said Joe Crapser from Keepers Guide Service, who was out on the lake Friday morning. “Being such a destination area, I’m hoping it drums up some more business.”

Mille Lacs Lake has been a destination for walleye anglers in Minnesota.

“In 15 feet of water some days, you can see the bottom — it’s like looking through a mirror — that’s the unique part of fishing Mille Lacs,” said Brad Hawthorne, a fishing guide with Hawthorne’s Guide Service in Aitkin.

Hawthorne has been busy this summer with anglers coming up to catch other types of fish.

“In all reality, we could have used the regulation change — more impactful for the economy and local area back in the end of June, early July it would have facilitated some more dollars,” said Hawthorne.

As of July 15, state-licensed anglers had harvested about 26% of their allowed walleye take, according to the DNR.

“We feel harvesting some fish is going to have no long-term consequences for the lake; the walleye population is going to be just fine,” said Brian Nerbonne, regional fisheries manager with Minnesota DNR.

DNR officials will be out to conduct a survey on the walleye later in the fall to evaluate future fishing guidelines.