I had a dream

Three years ago I was at my first MN DNR Roundtable event where the DNR meets with advisory boards for many fish species in our State. After listening to the presenters for the groups of Walleyes, Trout, Bass, Muskies, Pike and Panfish I wondered why catfish and sturgeon were not represented. Are they not of concern to the anglers of MN? Sure seems like there are many that enjoy catching them and many that target both channel and flatheads. Heck, the DNR felt strong enough about cats to stock a number of Metro lakes with them.

We started the Minnesota Catfish and Sturgeon Alliance to make contacts of fellow cat/sturgeon enthusiasts through out the state. We talked about what was important to each person in each area.

Then we started talking with the DNR officials about creating a Catfish Advisory Board. There was some discussion and in the end, we had a win of the DNR committing to 2 or three Catfish Workshops. To be honest, I don’t think anyone had a good idea on how this was going to work walking into it, but KUDOS to all that became involve in the workshops and brought the information to the table of their friends and members that have interest in the sport.

At the end of the workshops, we came to an agreement that bait harvest could be the single most limiting factor in catfishing at this time…and it’s not looking like it’s going to get better.

Steve DeMars led the way with an impressive presentation at this January’s Roundtable presenting the outcome of our group effort.

Today, I recieved an email with an update.

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Hello Catfish Workgroup: the proposed language change for taking bait in infested waters for catfish angling on rivers is currently in bills being heard in the House and Senate. Becomes law only if approved and signed into law. -Jack

HF2164
line 9.26
https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/bldbill.php?bill=H2164.2.html&session=ls87

SF1830
line 53.1
https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/bldbill.php?bill=S1830.2.html&session=ls87

Jack Lauer
Regional Fisheries Manager
261 Hwy 15 South
New Ulm, MN 56073

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No, it’s not law yet, but it is being talked about in the legislature and that’s a huge feat in itself.

Hat’s off to Dirk W. He’s the guy that started the whole larger then 6 inch bullhead law change, to the many sent emails explaining their points of view along with the folks that drove far to attend the workshops.

With out each one of you contributing, we would still be sitting at our computers complaining about these laws.

Last but not least, Dirk Peterson, Jack Lauer and all of the DNR biologists and CO’s that aided us long the way…

Forgot to mention…

We still have a few other issues to resolve, but with the DNR listening…well, that’s more than half the battle.

Brian,

Thanks for posting this.

On this website we tend to do a lot (understatement) of griping about the work that the DNR does for our state. This is a great example of motivated citizens working with the DNR in a positive way. Kudos to them both.

A positive post about the DNR…

Nice. Be sure to read carefully as it say this would only apply to bodies of water designated as infested ONLY by Eurasion milfoil. Be sure to check the list in the guidebook as to why the body of water is designated infested!

Great to hear! Gotta start somewhere, now for a closed cold water season, and size and creel limits.

I may be wrong about only milfoil. How does everyone else read the rule?

Here is the language:

(2) bait purposes for noncommercial personal use in waters that contain Eurasian

10.2water milfoil, when the infested waters are designated solely because they contain

10.3Eurasian water milfoil and if the equipment for taking is limited to cylindrical minnow

10.4traps not exceeding 16 inches in diameter and 32 inches in length; and

10.5(3) harvest of bullheads, goldeyes, mooneyes, sheepshead (freshwater drum), and

10.6suckers for bait from streams or rivers designated as infested waters, by hook and line for

10.7noncommercial personal use. Other provisions that apply to this clause are:

10.8(i) fish taken under this clause must be used on the same body of water where caught

10.9and while still on that water body;

Doug, this is what’s wrong with the laws. You or I or any Joe Catfisher should be able to read it and know what the heck it means.

I believe subpart #3 stands alone. The milfoil goes with the minnow trapping (and transporting).

IMHP<<<

DFresh, it seems like you are looking at Subd 3 B (2)

But what the new language is in Subd 3 B (3)

10.5(3) harvest of bullheads, goldeyes, mooneyes, sheepshead (freshwater drum), and
10.6suckers for bait from streams or rivers designated as infested waters, by hook and line for
10.7noncommercial personal use. Other provisions that apply to this clause are:
10.8(i) fish taken under this clause must be used on the same body of water where caught
10.9and while still on that water body;
10.10(ii) fish taken under this clause may not be transported live from or off the water
10.11body;
10.12(iii) fish harvested under this clause may only be used in accordance with this
10.13section. Any other use of wild animals used for bait from infested waters is prohibited;
10.14(iv) fish taken under this clause must meet all other size restrictions and requirements
10.15as established in rules; and
10.16(v) all species listed under this clause shall be included in the person’s daily limit as
10.17established in rules, if applicable.

Hey Buzz. The only thing that disturbs me a bit is that the ‘and’ is before the (3), which seems to make it inclusive? Again, I may be wrong. Some clarification may be needed on this.

Essentially, the recent rule change for AIS restricts the harvest of bait from waters infested with AIS. However, you can harvest bait from waters infested solely with Eurasian Water Milfoil only. Furthermore, this change made it entirely illegal to catch bait and use it on the same body of water if its an infested water. For instance, you can no longer go to the Mississippi River and catch a freshwater drum, cut it up, and use it for bait since the Mississippi is technically infested with zebes. The rule change was to protect the potential transport of AIS from one body of water to the next but in turn, it overshot the target and now entirely restricts the harvest of bait despite zero transport. Herein lies the problem – anglers are allowed to catch and release fish from infested waters (i.e. throwing back a small walleye) and lawfully harvest fish as long as length/limits are followed. However, anglers are NOT allowed to catch, hook, and cast out legal baitfish form infested waters. If harvesting “underutilized” fish from an infested body of water and subsequently using them on the same body of water is considered a threat to the spreading of AIS, then we need be equally restrictive on the release of “utilized” species. How can catching and releasing a walleye be any less of a threat than catching, hooking, and casting out a redhorse from the same body of water? The answer is – there isn’t a difference.

I applaud the efforts made by the by all the folks involved in the recent rule changes over the past several years. Very few people actually read between the legal lines to truly understand the letter of the law and how one small sentence in a rule can overwhelmingly ruin fishing opportunities for enthusiasts like ourselves (i.e. catfisherman). The proposed rule change that BK provided is below. I got rid of all the line notation to make it somewhat “easier” to understand. The bold is the proposed change.

I agree that the proposed change is for the better, however, playing devils advocate I do have one gripe. As the proposed rule reads, bait harvested from infested waters will be restricted to hook and line (no netting or traps). It is already illegal to transport aquatic plants and water from one place to the next, and to be completely honest there is just as much threat to the transport of AIS by fishing line/lures as there is with minnow traps (IMO). Additionally, I don’t see why bait harvest in infested waters has to be restricted to five species/types of fish when the law itself already prohibits transporting bait away from the water body. In my opinion, it seems more logical (and easier to enforce) if the proposed change referenced what has already been defined as legal bait (minnows, bullhead size, ect) rather than saying “bullheads, goldeyes, mooneyes, freshwater drum, and suckers” and “any other use of wild animals used for bait from infested waters is prohibited.” According to the proposed rule change, it will still be illegal to use gizzard shad, fatheads, emerald shiners, etc harvested from infested waters.

Subd. 3. Bait harvest from infested waters.
(a) Taking wild animals from infested waters for bait or aquatic farm purposes is prohibited, except as provided in paragraph (b) and section 97C.341.
(b) In waters that are designated as infested waters, except those designated because they contain prohibited invasive species of fish or certifiable diseases of fish, as defined under section 17.4982, subdivision 6, taking wild animals may be permitted for:
(1) commercial taking of wild animals for bait and aquatic farm purposes according to a permit issued under section 84D.11, subject to rules adopted by the commissioner; and
(2) bait purposes for noncommercial personal use in waters that contain Eurasian water milfoil, when the infested waters are designated solely because they contain Eurasian water milfoil and if the equipment for taking is limited to cylindrical minnow traps not exceeding 16 inches in diameter and 32 inches in length; and
(3) harvest of bullheads, goldeyes, mooneyes, sheepshead (freshwater drum), and suckers for bait from streams or rivers designated as infested waters, by hook and line for noncommercial personal use. Other provisions that apply to this clause are:
(i) fish taken under this clause must be used on the same body of water where caught and while still on that water body;
(ii) fish taken under this clause may not be transported live from or off the water body;
(iii) fish harvested under this clause may only be used in accordance with this section. Any other use of wild animals used for bait from infested waters is prohibited;
(iv) fish taken under this clause must meet all other size restrictions and requirements as established in rules; and
(v) all species listed under this clause shall be included in the person’s daily limit as established in rules, if applicable.