Minnesota Fishing Opener: Health Tips For Safe Fish Consumption

If you're heading out to wet a line this weekend as part of the Minnesota Fishing Opener here in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, there is a new warning about the amount of fish you should eat if you caught them in one of those lakes, streams, or rivers.

Among other things, Minnesota is known for its incredible fishing, right? The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) says the streams, rivers, lakes, and ponds of the North Star State are home to 162 different species of fish, 141 of which are native to Minnesota.

And with all those lakes filled with fish, it's not surprising that many of us like to get out and try our hand at reeling a few in every year. The DNR says over 1.5 million Minnesotans buy a fishing license each year, and the average angler spends 15 days fishing each year.

New Fish Consumption Warning for Minnesota Anglers

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Many of those 1.5 million Minnesotans will take to the water this weekend, when Minnesota's 2026 fishing season officially opens for walleye, sauger, and northern pike, which are some of the most popular species of fish throughout the state.

Out of the 162 different kinds of fish found in Minnesota, walleye are the most sought-after fish in Minnesota, followed by northern pike and muskie combined, panfish, bass, crappie, and trout, according to the DNR.

Which Minnesota Fish Are Safe to Eat in 2026?

But earlier this year, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) issued an updated fish consumption guideline that lists the amount of Minnesota-caught fish you can safely eat-- and how often you should eat them.

While an advisory like that might sound ominous, keep in mind that MDH regularly issues similar advisories. To compile these guidelines, MDH said it looked at the most-studied contaminants in Minnesota fish, which include mercury, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

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MDH notes that fish are an 'important part of a nutritious, well-balanced diet and part of many Minnesotan traditions and cultures,' it said. The 2026 MDH fish consumption guidance is intended to provide Minnesotans with the information they need to make informed choices for the health and safety of their family.

Full List of Minnesota Fish Consumption Guidelines

2026 Minnesota Statewide Fish Consumption Guidelines:

1 serving per week:
Bullhead, crappie, inland trout, lake herring, lake whitefish, sunfish, yellow perch
1 serving per month:
Bass, catfish, lake trout, northern pike (<28"), walleye (<20"), other MN species not listed
Avoid (Do Not Eat):
Muskellunge, northern pike (28"+), walleye (20"+)

You can check out more about the DNR's full guidance concerning fish consumption HERE. Of course, in addition to polluted fish, there are many other wild animals native to Minnesota that could also cause problems for you if you encounter one in the wild-- unless you can outrun them. Keep scrolling to see which ones they are!