I was reading throught the WI regulations on bait. You guys have many more options than us MN boys. Carp and bluegills appear to be fair game (bait) for Mississippi catfishing as long as they are caught on the river and not transported??? Us Minnesotans cant use them for bait. I was wondering if I bought a WI out of state liscense would I be able to use these baitfish or am I missing something?? Anyone know the answer?
I don’t think that is the case – a while back this question was asked with respect to something else (I think it was sauger limits). The answer was that on border waters, you had to abide by the regulations of your state of residence, regardless of your out-of-state license.
I was also thinking that I asked the question about us Iowa guys having both licenses, would we still be able to use the loose regs from Wisconsin, and they said in that case, a non-resident with both licenses would have to abide by the strictest regulation on any given item. Not sure how that would be enforced, but wouldn’t want to test the theory.
Now I’m hoping that someone with authority over such knowledge could clear this up.
I guess he could do that, but he’s risking that the officer will run him through the database and see the MN license. With the electronic licensing systems we have today, it’s only a matter of time before Big Brother comes to a waterway near you.
I agree it makes little or no sense, but then there are a lot of laws like that.
I’ll give the DNR a call tomorrow if I have a chance. Wonder what a guy from, say, North Dakota would have to do. One would assume he’d follow the WI regs if thats the lisence he bought. MN residents may be the only ones who couldn’t use those baits even if they had the WI license.
Well, it looks like the MN catfisherman are out of luck. I just got off the phone with the DNR. They said I must abide by MN rules even if I had a WI out-of-state license. When I asked what a ND resident would do, of course she said they would have follow WI guidelines if that was their license. Basically, anyone from the country, except MN residents, could use bluegills and carp for bait if they had the WI out-of-state license. The persons reponse was ” I know it doesnt make any sense, but thats the way it is.” Pretty stupid if you ask me.
I was pretty sure that was the case, since someone had asked the same question before about keeping 10 saugers if you had both the MN and Wisconsin license.
We know ho wseriously you take your catfishing Dirk, so I’m wondering, when will you be moving the family to WI? 
When they say “it doesn’t make sense”, understand that interpretation is more quickly determined from your point of view.
In regard to border waters, every state has a DNR that gathers info, creates rules to abide by, and enforces those regulations. When MN puts in their conservation recommendations, that is what they feel is best for the fishery, the state, the species, and the anything else they decide to include. The ONLY way to have half a chance at enforcing these regulations on border waters is to mandate obedience to the resident state. Otherwise, you’d have all kinds of chaos with everyone who didn’t agree with a particular ruling, running out to the bordering state to purchase a “permission slip”. It’s the only way to have half a chance at regulating shared resources, according to the state DNR’s design. They’d also lose some license revenue if these loopholes were allowed.
As another sidenote to this topic, NEVER offer your non-resident license as a means escaping regulations. The license says “Non-Resident” right on it! Upon that notice, they’re likely to ask for your residence and request proof of residence, via a drivers license. No need to run anything and it’ll immediately ruin your day!
I’ll stick with my original thought that its utterly ridiculous when anyone in the whole darn country except Minnesotans can use carp and gills for bait on the Miss. Doesn’t pass the “common sense rule”. It accomplishes nothing.
By the way Stillakid. If you catch a 45 lb flathead on our outing next summer on a carp and I’m stuck with a baitstore sucker I’m throwing you overboard!!
If the property taxes wern’t so #%$ high I’d consider it. I wouldn’t have to put up with so many flipping Viking fans either. Anything that gives Mazner an edge in the cat department really frosts my cookies!!
I take it you don’t like your cookies frosted??? Nevermind!!
Back to the rest of the country, for a moment………the only reason it’s this way is because MN doesn’t have sole control of the bordering fisheries. They don’t have the power to tell everyone else what to do. So, what doesn’t make sense? That MN won’t adopt everyone else’s practices? Well, if they’d realize they have the ability to restrict specific waterways, maybe they should! But, just to give them a fair shake, I think they’re worried about those practices carrying over to waterways that shouldn’t support those practices, therefore they just make one “cover-all” ruling and just do away with the possibilities.
About this outing Dirk…………..you mean you’d actually let me use a technique if you thought it to be advantagious? I mean, if that’s the case, you’re gonna have to throw yourself in for allowing the possibility! 
That’s like Jon J. inviting me out and letting me throw 3 lines at a time, when he can only use two. I wouldn’t worry too much though, I tend to get outfished a lot no matter the applications!
Also, when we go, I should leave the ultra-lite and bread balls at home? 
StillaKid, if a guy in the front of the boat was forced to fish with a sucker while the guy in back was hauling in fish after fish using ‘gills for bait, something just doesn’t pass the sniff test. For all we know, the guys could even have neighboring cabins on the river, but since one hangs his hat in Minnesota the rest of the week, he gets the shaft.
Your perspective is that having the WI and MN DNR agencies cooperate on regulation of border waters is presumptively dismissed, and the only way to enforce “our rules” is to come down on “our people” for either agency. Personally, I like the idea of one river, one set of rules.
I checked at least a few other states regs on bait fish awhile back. Every one I checked at least allowed gills for bait on the River. What does the MN DNR know that the other states don’t?? What are they worried about?? At least with carp one could argue they dont want to risk the spread of exotics. But if you have to use bait only caught in the River what does it matter?? They’re worried about the cheaters? Overharvest? Maybe, but there are better ways to deal with that.
Allowing gills for bait would be a good way of encouraging more peole to try flathead fishing. They are abundant and easy to catch. Good bait makes all the differene in the world.
Oh well, I could go on and on but I know when I’ve been beat. At least I still have chubs and bullheads.
Dang right Comanchero!!! Lets call our representatives!! I can here them now……”what the #%% you talking about son?”
She’s a real beaut! Who’s that holding her? 
Comanchero………….you might have a real gem there, but if I were to compare character traits from the words she wrote to the women who surround my cubicle, well………….I’m not convinced that a group of women would accomplish anything different. Maybe her and the people she knows would be able to do this but this corporate group I work with are 2-faced, backstabbing, urine and moan veterans and if it doesn’t scratch their back than why should they even acknowlege it exists let alone entertain any thoughts of compromise? I think she is nothing like this group, but would soon see the challenge if she had to find solutions that would KEEP them happy! They put the “CAT” in Catty!
Gianni…………….you know I feel you “pulling my strings”, don’t you?! 
Allow me to press another button or two!
I can’t explain WHY MN makes the decisions they do but I understand WHY there are border conflicts. 2 agencies, opposing views, and expectations defined by a dual management system that deploys 2 individual management efforts. To put it bluntly, if you did the research, made your conclusions and WI said, “We don’t agree, we’re going to allow this instead”, what would you do gov.? How would you regulate? Enforce? Conclude? Permit? Especially knowing that you’ve got someone to answer to. You don’t have ownership, you’re just expected to make it all work and keep EVERYbody happy. What’s the next move? Boycott WI cheese?
I’m all for the questions and opinions but I have yet to hear any solid, workable, implimentable solutions. If the system gets your goat, do something. What? I don’t know. But they are going to ask for your research, your study results, your credibility, and your plan of action. Provide these four things and something might change.
BTW, I’m not opposed to one river, one rule…………I agree that it would make life a LOT simpler for all of us. But how an insignificant spec like myself can lead up a campaign to see a multi-state issue addressed, changed, and brought to harmony is beyond my level of creative thinking. I can only converse why there are issues, not why they were chosen or supported.
allright………..i got some more info to stir up teh mud here…
I am resident of MN, but am a full-time student at the Univeristy WI. So, sence i live here (WI) all year basically, i got a resident fishing licence….. So, i would think that i can use WI as my main residency if i am fishing the Miss. LOL…..or maybe not! 
If you have resident licenses for both states, I would definitely hide that little tidbit away from anyone poking around with a ticket book in hand.
I’m always trying to see the other point of view, so I came up with the following lame theory, here it goes…
Could Minnesota be about the only state to have more restrictive bait limitations on the Mississippi because Minnesota is the only state, other than Louisianna (do they even HAVE game laws down there? ) that considers the Mississippi a resident water instead of a border water?
It’s been confusing enough for many MN anglers with the restricted species/seasons/size/limits regulations on so many different bodies of water. If you start adding various bait restrictions for the various pools on the Mississippi, you’ll get even more confused and frustrated anglers. (though members of this board are probably MUCH more sophisticated about the Mighty Miss’ reg than the average MN angler like myself)
In theory, I like the “one river, one rule” idea; simplicity is always attractive. But realize that “one state, one rule” is also attractive, probably much more attractive to a state buearacrat than the one river rule. Also, the “one river rule” is probably too broad a brush – I have to believe that the Mississippi is a drastically different river in the Bayou country than it is up in Itasca. With 10 states bordering ‘Ol Miss, that’s a lot of territory and collaberation to accomplish. Kinda makes that “one state rule” look a lot more attractive now, eh?
Just some bait I thought I’d throw out there. (pun intended)
– Rick
“I love this board”
Dirk….. stop your crying.. you can at least enjoy watching me use bluegills……
I would like to see a slot limit on catfish on the miss…. or sometype of season….. like no fishing with trebles, and sonars from 0ct-may or maybe no taking big flatheads out leaving them on the bottom of your boat till you decide to take pictures…. and then offering to give them away to any takers after they are half dead……. how does that sound~~~
In Iowa we can use green sunfish but not bluegills. Are green sunfish legal in MN.?
You sure about that B? I don’t remember anything in the regs about it, but will check on it and let you know if I find anything.
Minnesota has a very general rule stating that “no gamefish” can be used as bait. My take on it would be that any fish that is not considered a rough fish would qualify.
“One river, one set of rules” doesn’t have to mean that same set all the way from Itasca to the delta. Certainly it doesn’t seem like too much to ask that states cooperate enough that two guys in the same boat play by the same rules.
I can’t believe I take off for a week and this thread is still alive!!! lol!
Nice to see you on the board Mavz………..we’ll be doing something about that boat soon….VERY SOON!
As for the student thing…………….don’t quote me because I don’t have the book on me BUT………I do believe it IS legal to buy a resident license if you’re a full time student, stationed by military, or…………….can’t remember the 3rd. Anyway, as for owning a resident MN license, I can only assume you’re still legal to hold one as a “permanent resident”, BUT…………..as Gianni was so kind to point out, I’d never show them at the same time. It may be legal but I wouldn’t want to tussle with the man just to prove a point. Pick one, carry one.
Next?
Gianni: I checked the on line regs and found that while green sunfish are listed as legal bait bluegills are not. It doesn’t say gills are not legal, it just doesn’t say they are. The on line regs also don’t mention nightcrawlers as being legal bait. In fact, not a single solitary word would indicate that small walleye are prohibited bait…..B
Hey, Kid……
You know me, I’m just kinda waiting for them… cat’s to start snappin again….
….. ..cya ya soon…… Mavzer
yeah…thanks SK2……thats what i thought the rules where. Plus, if i got stoped in WI, i would show the WI licence Its happend several times b4 suring the time of being a fulltime student. THey never asked for a drivers licence or anything. But if they needed ID, i could show them my school ID…hehehe. I was asked why i had MN boat registration though. 
Bass make a great cat bait! 
Those little green carp are just what the doctor ordered when it comes to big cats. They stink and oil up the water. PERFECT! Now let the flames begin!
If you are looking for something stinky and oily, I will save you a couple of my granddaughters diapers. They would stay on the hook pretty good provided you use about a 10/0 hook and would leave one hell of a chum slick!!
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