Minnesota
Fishing
A resident fishing license in Minnesota costs $22 a year and a non-resident license $51, as of May 2026. This guide lists 5 top species (Walleye, Muskellunge, Northern pike, Crappie, Smallmouth bass) and 5 notable waters, led by Lake of the Woods and Mille Lacs Lake. Minnesota has no saltwater coast and no notable wild trout fishery; it earns an A+ grade here, shared with 4 other states.
Top Species
Resident License
Non-Resident License
Notable Waters
Saltwater Access
Trout Streams
World-Class Distinction
Wildlife Agency
Minnesota calls itself the Land of 10,000 Lakes — the actual count is 11,842. Walleye is the state fish and the dominant cultural obsession. Lake of the Woods on the Canadian border is world-record walleye territory, producing fish over 17 pounds. Leech Lake, Mille Lacs, and Red Lake are nationally recognized walleye fisheries. Northern pike grow large in the weedy bays of countless lakes. Muskie — "the fish of 10,000 casts" — draw dedicated hunters to Leech Lake and the border country lakes.
Smallmouth bass fishing in the boundary waters along the Canadian border is exceptional and underutilized. Lake Superior produces lake trout, coho, and Chinook for those willing to fish big water.
Resident licenses cost $22. Minnesota has invested heavily in fisheries management, and it shows. Ice fishing culture here is fully developed — heated houses, underwater cameras, and sophisticated jigging rigs are standard. If you move to Minnesota, you will ice fish, regardless of what you think now. The infrastructure around it is too good and the winter too long to resist. This is the strongest overall freshwater fishing state in the country.
Minnesota has 11,842 named lakes and is universally recognized as the walleye fishing capital of the world. Lake of the Woods straddles the Canadian border and produces world-record walleye. Leech Lake and Mille Lacs are iconic destinations for muskie.
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Also on Minnesota: the full Minnesota profile covers taxes, cost of living, crime and schools, and the county map lets you compare every county in the state. For related rules, read the Minnesota country music guide and the Minnesota gambling laws guide.
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Sources: State wildlife agencies, US Fish & Wildlife Service, Bassmaster, Field & Stream, In-Fisherman, Fly Fisherman magazine. License costs reflect annual resident/non-resident fishing license only; additional stamps (trout, salmon) may apply. Updated May 2026.