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How live bait affects walleye catch-and-release

Two fisherman floated on Lake Mille Lacs.
Two fisherman floated on Lake Mille Lacs as the sun sets Aug. 4.
Matthew Hintz for MPR News

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It'll be catch-and-release only for anglers who get out for the fishing opener on Lake Mille Lacs Saturday.

The lake's walleye population has been struggling, and that's led to increasingly tight restrictions.

The DNR says catch-and-release is necessary this year to allow the population to rebuild. The agency originally went even further, with a ban on live bait, but later reversed that rule after outcry from anglers.

For more on how bait plays into the equation, MPR's Cathy Wurzer spoke with Deer River-based fishing guide Jeff Sundin.