The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is proposing numerous changes to its list of designated trout water and seeking public comments through Friday, September 11.  Please take a few minutes to tell the DNR you support adding designation to these trout streams. 

Of particular interest to members in the Twin Cities area is the addition of Wells Creek in Goodhue County and the unnamed creek near the Mall of America known as Hust Creek or Ikes Creek.  Wells Creek has supported a self-sustaining population of brown trout for many decades and naturally reproducing brook trout in some of its tributaries.  The official designation of this bona fide trout stream is long overdue.  Members are urged to comment in support of this addition.

Kudos to the Lake City and Lanesboro area offices for their proposals to add designation to 96 miles trout water!

The additions are welcome, but the removal of several trout streams requires scrutiny and additional information.  The DNR claims that the streams it proposes to remove protections from are no longer able to support trout, but it fails to provide evidence to support these claims.  The information the DNR provided about the proposed removals is limited to maps only. Instead, the DNR should provide detailed public information concerning each water body that it proposes to remove protection from.  

The DNR updates its list of designated trout streams and lakes every few years

How to comment

You can view the maps of proposed removals and designations on the DNR’s website. To provide a comment, contact the relevant area fisheries office or Dean Paron, the DNR’s stream habitat supervisor, at 651-259-5205 or dean.paron@state.mn.us