Pike Regulations Unchanged for Lake of the Woods as Border Water
You have very possibly seen announcements from the MN DNR about new pike regulations throughout MN that go into effect May 12, 2018. None of the new pike regulations affect Lake of the Woods as it is considered border water and has special regulations.
The management of northern pike on Lake of the Woods is going very well and is managed to provide trophy pike fishing opportunities. Most anglers consider a trophy pike 40 inches or longer. The regulations currently and through 2018 are as follows:
Season: Continuous, meaning the pike season is open all year long. 
Possession limit and size… 3 fish (All from 30″ through 40″ must be immediately released. Only one 
over 40″allowed in possession)
Lake of the Woods supports a very quality trophy pike fishery. Each year, good numbers of pike exceeding 40 inches are caught by anglers. Some are caught for those intending to target pike and many are caught by anglers targeting other species.
Trophy pike are also accounted for during the fall gill net assessments done each year by the MN DNR. The DNR also targets the assessment of pike through their ice out trap nets, set up in traditional spring pike areas such as the Winterroad River, Wabanica Creek, Bostic Creek, Zippel Creek and the Warroad River.
To monitor the size structure of the Northern Pike population, it is sampled every 5 years using trap nets at known spawning sites.
Two spawning sites were sampled in the spring of 2016. Due to weather issues, we were not able to sample a third site that was on the schedule. This site will be sampled in the spring of 2017. These assessments have indicated a steady increase in the number of pike over 40 inches. This increase coincides with implementing pike regulations as a protective slot limit for pike 30-40 inches. 
Samples collected in the spring of 2016 show that the percentage of Northern Pike longer than 40 inches has remained stable at 6 to 8% of the females that were sampled, but the percentage of mid-size Northern Pike has declined a bit. Percentages are strongly influenced by the production of strong year classes, so the sample collected in 2017 should shed some light on if the decline is real or if there was simply a strong year class produced that diluted the percentage of the mid-sized fish.
Pike anglers fishing in MN with the exception of border waters with neighboring states or provinces looking at new pike regulations for 2018…
Pike issues
Northern pike zones
Because pike populations differ in various regions of the state there isn’t just one issue – or one solution.
In the northeast, pike are present in relatively low numbers and at relatively large sizes. They reproduce naturally. Although they grow slowly, they can grow quite large because relatively few anglers scatter limited fishing pressure across a large number of lakes.
In southern Minnesota, pike are less abundant and don’t reproduce as well as in the north. Southern Minnesota has high fishing pressure and a high harvest rate relative to the number of pike; however, these fish grow fast.
The north central area is plagued by too many small pike. There is moderate to high fishing pressure and high harvest of large and medium size pike. Pike grow slowly here, and an over-abundance of small pike is the result.
One size doesn’t fit all
North central
When new regulations take effect in spring 2018, the majority of the state will be in the north-central zone, where the issue is overpopulation of small pike. The objectives are to allow more harvest of abundant small pike and shift population size structure to more medium-sized pike.
The north-central regulation zone will start on a line stretching roughly from Hastings to just south of the Twin Cities and over to Ortonville; and in the north from Duluth along U.S. Highway 53 until it reaches International Falls.
In the north-central zone, anglers will be able to keep 10 northern pike, but not more than two pike longer than 26 inches; and all from 22 to 26 inches must be released. Northern pike taken by spearing follow the same rules except one pike may be between 22 and 26 inches or two larger than 26 inches.
Northeast
The approach here is meant to maintain harvest opportunity and protect large fish already present.
In the northeast zone, anglers will be able to keep two pike. All from 30 to 40 inches will require release and only one over 40 inches is allowed in possession. Spearers will also be able to take two pike but only one may be larger than 26 inches.
South
The approach here is meant to increase pike abundance and improve the size of fish harvested.
In the southern zone, anglers and spearers will be able to keep two fish, with a minimum size of 24 inches.
Other areas
Lakes with special or experimental regulations will remain in place until the special regulation has been evaluated and a decision made through a public process to continue the special regulation, modify it or convert to the zone regulation.
The new zone regulations will not apply to border waters with neighboring states or provinces.
