Maybe we are approaching this bait issue all wrong

I think we may be approaching the MN-WI border waters fishing issues with the wrong approach. We have been attacking the issue by attempting to change the Minnesota minnow rules. I am not sure that bigger bullheads is going to get us what we really want. I personally would prefer to be able to buy a Wisconsin non-resident fishing license and by being properly licensed in Wisconsin be able to follow the Wisconsin fishing rules and regulations on the border waters. I cannot afford to sell my home and move to Wisconsin but I can afford a Wisconsin yearly non-resident fishing license. All that I personally want is parity with my Wisconsin neighbors plus I believe their fishing rules and regulations better serve the needs and wishes of the catfishing community.

Page 46 of the 2004 MN Fishing Regulations states under “Border Waters”: “When Minnesota’s fishing regulations differ from the bordering state’s regulations, Minnesota residents and persons fishing under a Minnesota non-resident license must comply with the Minnesota regulations and may not exercise more liberal privileges in the waters of the bordering state. …” This has been interpreted to mean that if you are a MN angler and even if you have a WI non-resident fishing license you must follow the MN fishing rules and regulations when fishing the border waters. I think we need to attack this rule and get it changed. We need the OK to be able to use WI rules and regulations on border waters if we have a proper WI non-resident fishing license. This would resolve the bait issue (we could use sunfish, bullheads, etc) and it would resolve the number of fishing rods issue also. I really think the Minnesota catfishing community needs to focus on this as our effort to resolve the bait complaints. Obviously it won’t help on the inland waters, Minnesota River and upper Mississippi, but it will improve the fishing opportunities on the St Croix and Mississippi Pools 3,4,5.

That is my two cents worth while we all sit around and sharpen hooks in anticipation of warm weather catfishing.

i believe they have the rules set the way they are is for easier mn law enforcement. it’s called a boundary water between states, but the main channel divides it into mn/wi/etc. i know i like to fish the waters, but with a one pole hook regulation, i don’t go very often. i am unsure why there is an issue problem with the live bait. the only thing i can think of would be entering in an non native species. with all the non-native species entering the waterway from commercial ships, using sunfish as a bait should be allowed. i don’t know how you would go about winning this battle in mn. i am glad i reside here in wi. granted we may or may not agree with the dnr, but to change the rules is easy with the fishing and hunting public forums that are held, they at least listen to what we would like to see changed. good-luck!

You know Steve? That would be the BEST and most common sense way to address this issue. But Fish4blue is correct about enforcement to a point. More importantly to the MN DNR is control.

This is my opinion that I’ve formed from talking to these folks. Their main job is to protect the “resources of the state”. Anything that would threaten their control would be dead in the water…so to speak.

Don’t get me wrong, I think your idea is the easiest way around all this mumbo jumbo….but let’s say they did this…then next year WI changes it’s law to a 10 eye limit… It would be a year before MN could respond. Maybe that’s not the best example…but you get the drift.

The finacial person…I forget his name wouldn’t go along with it because of the potential loss of revenue. Someone that lives in MN along the boarder waters wouldn’t buy a MN license because they have a non res on from WI…which has more libreral rules. I’m not saying that they would be a noticable decrease, but the bean counters see it as a potental decrease.

Keep thinking outside the bun! We need more ideas ’cause the answer is in this forum.

FYI~ The DNR really isn’t working on changing the minnow size for bullheads. They’re working towards making it legal to transport bullheads over seven inches.

I know there are some out there that don’t see the need to increase the size of bullheads for bait. That’s ok by me and this change doesn’t have to effect those folks. They can still use bullheads under 7 inches.