Summary of Off-Reservation Manoomin (Wild Rice) Harvest Regulations

For a full copy of your tribe's ordinance, see your tribal office.

 NOTE: click state to view summary regs.

Wisconsin

PERMITS:

A tribal Off-Reservation Natural Resource Harvesting Permit is required for off-reservation ricing. This permit is available free of charge at your tribal conservation department. You must carry your permit with you when ricing off-reservation.

RICING STICKS:

You must use smooth, rounded, cedar rods or sticks no longer than 38 inches. (Note: "binding" the rice is not permitted.)

BOATS:

Boats can be no longer than 17 feet, or wider than 38 inches. The gunwales of the boat cannot be modified to capture rice outside of the boat. Boats can only be propelled with push poles or paddles.

RICING HOURS:

10:00 a.m. until sunset on all date-regulated and non-regulated public rice waters.

DATE-REGULATED LAKES:

No ricing is allowed on the off-reservation lakes listed except for the days they have been named open by the tribal ricing authority. The dates that a date-regulated lake is open for harvesting will be posted at access points to the lake. Rice waters not listed may be harvested whenever the rice is ripe.
Minnesota

PERMITS:

A tribal Off-Reservation Natural Resource Harvesting Permit is required for off-reservation ricing.  This permit is available free of charge at your tribal conservation department.  You must carry your permit with you when ricing off-reservation.

RICING STICKS:

You must use smooth, rounded, cedar rods or sticks no longer than 32 inches in length and which are held and operated by hand.. (Note: "binding" the rice is not permitted.)

BOATS:

Boats can be no longer than 18 feet, or wider than 38 inches. The gunwales of the boat cannot be modified to capture rice outside of the boat. Boats can only be propelled with push poles or paddles.

RICING HOURS:

9:00 a.m. until sunset on all public waters.

OPEN SEASON:

No member shall harvest wild rice in any body of water except during the times(s) as such body of water is posted open by the Mille Lacs Wild Rice Authority.  Posting will be done on the shores of and at places of access to the wild rice waters.
Michigan

Unregulated

Map of Manoomin Waters

 NOTE: click map icons for opening notes and aerial photos.


Open

Open dates vary

Closed

Not date-regulated, open when rice is ripe

Manoomin Waters



Rice Abundance Information for Manoomin Waters
Aerial Photos & Surveys


 NOTE: click on a column heading to sort table.


*Please Note: The poor quality of the 2021 aerial photos is due to smoke from forest fires in the western US and CA.*


State County Waterbody Survey Results Opening Notes Notes
MIGogebicCrooked LakePoorThis water is not date-regulated
MIGogebicOntonagon RiverGoodThis water is not date-regulated
WIBarron, WashburnBear LakePoorOpened on 2023-08-30
WIBayfieldChippewa LakeFairOpened on 2023-09-05
WIBayfieldTotagatic LakePoorClosed for the season
WIBurnettBashaw LakePoorThis water is not date-regulated
WIBurnettBriggs LakeGoodOpen August 27. Closed August 28 and 29. Open August 30 for the remainder of the season.
WIBurnettClam Lake (West side ripens before east side)GoodOpened on 2023-08-30
WIBurnettClam River FlowageAverageThis water is not date-regulated
WIBurnettGaslyn LakePoorOpened on 2023-08-29
WIBurnettLong LakeFairOpened on 2023-08-29
WIBurnettLower Hay Creek FlowageGoodThis water is not date-regulated
WIBurnettMud Hen LakeFairThis water is not date-regulated
WIBurnettMud Lake - Town of Oakland (Historic Lake)PoorClosed for the season
WIBurnettNorth Fork Flowage (Crex Meadows)GoodThis water is not date-regulatedWater levels low.
WIDouglasLower Ox LakePoorThis water is not date-regulated
WIDouglasMulligan LakePoorClosed for the season
WIDouglasSt Croix (Gordon) FlowageAverageThis water is not date-regulated
WIDouglas, WashburnMinong FlowageAverageOpened on 2023-09-02East side of Smith Bridge ready to harvest on opening date. West side of Smith Bridge needs several days to ripen before harvesting.
WIForestWabikon LakeFairOpening date has not been determined
WIIronLittle Turtle FlowageGoodThis water is not date-regulated
WIIronTurtle Flambeau Flowage (Murray's Landing)Very GoodThis water is not date-regulated
WIOneidaBig LakePoorClosed for the season
WIOneidaBig Lake ThoroughfareAverageOpened on 2023-09-01
WIOneidaSpur LakePoorClosed for the season
WIOneida, VilasLower Ninemile LakeAverageThis water is not date-regulated
WIPriceBlockhouse LakePoorThis water is not date-regulated
WIPriceLower Steve Creek FlowagePoorThis water is not date-regulated
WIPriceMusser LakePoorThis water is not date-regulated
WIRuskLea Lake FlowageFairThis water is not date-regulated
WISawyerBlaisdell LakePoorThis water is not date-regulated
WISawyerPacwawong LakeFairOpened on 2023-09-07
WITaylorMondeaux FlowageGoodThis water is not date-regulated
WIVilasAllequash LakePoorClosed for the season
WIVilasAurora LakeVery GoodOpened on 2023-09-03
WIVilasIrving LakePoorClosed for the season
WIVilasIsland LakeAverageOpened on 2023-09-01
WIVilasLittle Rice LakePoorClosed for the season
WIVilasMud CreekGoodThis water is not date-regulated
WIVilasNixon LakePoorClosed for the season
WIVilasWest Plum LakePoorClosed for the season
WIWashburnDilly LakeAverageThis water is not date-regulated
WIWashburnLittle Mud LakeGoodThis water is not date-regulated
WIWashburnLong LakeFairThis water is not date-regulated
WIWashburnMud LakePoorThis water is not date-regulated
WIWashburnSpring Lake (Minong Township)PoorClosed for the season
WIWashburnTranus LakeFairOpened on 2023-09-02


General Notes: This summary report is provided as a service to harvesters. The estimates of rice abundance are compiled from air surveys in Minnesota, and both air and ground surveys in Wisconsin. Wisconsin waters are divided into date-regulated lakes and non-date regulated waters. If the water you are interested in is not on the list of date-regulated waters, you may harvest it whenever the rice is ripe. (All other ricing regulations still apply.)


For each water, the crop is listed as either Poor, Fair, Average, Good or Very Good; these relative terms compare the crop to other recent years for that individual water. A "Fair" crop on a lake that generally supports large beds may represent more rice than a "Good" crop on a smaller water. Air surveys are not yet completed; additional waters will be flown if conditions permit.


Remember, if the rice is not falling well, and still has empty hulls or milky seeds, PLEASE stop ricing and give the bed more time to mature.


It is important to note that even where rice plants appear to be relatively abundant, seed production can be poor due to disease or other factors. In addition, heavy rain events and other factors can change the status of the beds after surveys have been conducted. You are encouraged to use this information as an initial guide, and conduct your own scouting trips to the waters you are considering harvesting.


Best wishes for a great season!