bait question

I’m sure this question has been asked before but I couldn’t find it. Is it legal for a Wisconsinite to use bluegills for bait when he is west of the “imaginary line” in the Mississippi River?

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There is no imaginary line. If you have a Wisconsin license you can use bluegills and three lines on the border water. When fishing the border water you must follow the laws of the state from which you are licensed. A MN resident can not obtain a Wisconsin out of state license to fish the border water and avoid Mn laws. On Border waters the whole water is the line.

or read this also

Mudshark,

I think the way you phrased your question got you a confusing answer. Your question was if a Wisconsin angler was fishing the MN side would they get cited. I am sure they understood this to be outside the railroad tracks to be on the MN side because there is no MN or WI side of a border water. it is the line. If you want to limit your options go ahead but it is wrong and you are perfectly legal obeying the laws from the state that issued you your license as long as you stay between the railroad tracks. I would suggest a follow up question: How do I know what side I am on? If I am fishing in the channel which laws do I follow? If the river changes over time can a hole be legal one year and illegal the next?

Being a WI angler, you must abide by the WI laws.. so, which ever way you can interpit the regs, is how you must fish. Its a pretty grey area.

I think the real question is… does a WIlicense give the same privedge of a MN license on border waters where BOTH sides of the river and tributaries can be fished.. or any area considered border waters? We dont have to worry about an imaginary line while fishin(hunting is different), at the same time, we cant take advantage of WI laws on the WI side of the river, we can fish it, but with mn border regulations.

SO… the question is…. DOES A WI ANGLER have to abide by an imaginary line regulation? If you do, I have no idea what is allowed on the MN side, if you dont, I dont see why there would be more restrictions anywhere on border waters. At an earlier date, I automaticly assumed WI anglers had the same water use under their laws as us.. arguements since then have suggested otherwise.

I really dont know, but wish someone could find the black & white out of the WI regs to settle this question once and for all so we can all share accurate info on this often repeated question.

I think the thread that Mudshark posted in which he got responses from warderns on both sides made it pretty black and white:

1. There IS a border line between the two states – look at any good map and it will show you where it is – usually right down the middle of the main channel, but it changes in places like La Crosse and follows other channels for small distances.

2. If you are fishing on the WI side, regardless of where you are from, a WI warden will not cite you if you are within the WI regs, and a MN warden will not cite you if it is a law which differs between WI and MN. Meaning whichever state you’re from, you can fish with three lines and live bait on the WI side.

3. If you are on the MN side, regardless of which state you are from, you must follow MN rules.

The fact that hunting was brought up is a good point – we can’t hunt in MN just because it is between the tracks – there is clearly a WI side and a MN side within the boundary waters.

For the umpteenth time – there IS an imaginary line! It’s not that hard – if you’re on the MN side of the main channel, for 90% of the river, you are fishing in MN!

Note that this includes below dams – where the main channel is technically the lock, which is usually all the way to one side or the other. Fishing below a dam with the lock on the WI side means fishing in MN, unless you’re fishing from the wall. So… below the dams at Trempeauleau and Genoa, you’re fishing in MN, but below the dam at Dresbach, you’re fishing in WI.

So.. a MN guy can fish the WI side in a illegal way and we wont get ticketed(3 lines, walleye for bait, whatever)

” bad joke pun intended ” but true.

If the logic above holds true, wouldn’t you be required to buy a MN license to fish the wrong side of the river? Once again, I have been checked by cos from Ia, Wi, and MN fishing both sides of the channel and never has any CO told me I was wrong. I will add that I don’t know the La Crosse area as the Goose Island is the farthest north I have fished on the river. The regs are very clear you can fish between the tracks.

The logic above was clearly spelled out by wardens. Apparently both states agree that they don’t want to restrict anglers from fishing the boundary waters, but they don’t agree on the details (regs).

And DS – not “illegal”. Walleyes have size limits, but you could conceivably use one over 15″ for bait on the WI side. That’s not “illegal” it’s just different than on the MN side. It’s also not a great bait option – use mooneyes if you want bigger bait!

Its just layed out in a very foolish way wiskerkev..

It seems WI are allowed to fish all the water like mn residents, but for some crazy reason, their extra privledges dissapear at the *state line*. Either that or the CO’s are humanly turning the other way when WI residents are fishing our side of the river, as long as they abide to mn laws… like I said, I dont have any WI regs handy.

Pesonally, I think its crazy that their are variables in what is allowed by each stateon a border water. Obviously, there is an unspoken common law that CO’s justify everyone abiding by the same laws on each side of the river, although MN residents legaly cant use 3 lines anywhere on the border waters… opening dates and possesion limits are even different!

Is it anything less than foolish that a few people dont sit down for an afternoon and figure out a universal law for the same body of water? When it takes a whole panel of law-weary fisermen, an a few letters to the DNR to each side to translate what is really allowed.. on or off paper.. something is very wrong. The regulations should not be confusing.

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And DS – not “illegal”. Walleyes have size limits, but you could conceivably use one over 15″ for bait on the WI side. That’s not “illegal” it’s just different than on the MN side. It’s also not a great bait option – use mooneyes if you want bigger bait!

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It was just a outlandish example.. I dont suggest walleyes either.. but I’d be willing to bet a bass would kick like crazy! It was an example that its 2 entirely different worlds allowed by regulation on the same body of water. The only exotic allowed by the mn guy is a bullhead.. tecnically a WI guy could put a legal musky on the hook.

Best stated.. its a very different world on each side of the river even though its not printed that way on the mn side.

I think the part about “You must obey the Regs of the state in which you are fishing” Actually means you must obey the laws of the state whose license you have. The definition of WI MN border water applies to the stretch of the Mississippi shared by Wi & MN lying between the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe railroad tracks on the Wisconsin side (only place it mentions sides) and the Chicago, Milwaukee, St Paul, and Pacific tracks on the MN side… The map border you see going down channels does not apply to fishing, and I see no exception to this definition for La Crosse where the border doesn’t go down the main channel. I think a MN CO would scrutinize a MN angler and hold them to the higher (did I say that) standard. I think the same CO would check to make sure a WI angler had a license, life jackets, proper lighting, and that is it. I also think if Wisconsin CO caught a MN angler fishing with 3 lines they wouldn’t say boo to them as it is legal in Wisconsin. They wouldn’t be able to prosecute in WI for something that isn’t illegal here. I personally don’t give a rats tail about any laws in MN.

I can’t get enough of the confusing threads on this post. i am telling you, Minnesota should just claim it as ours and push Wisconsin back about a mile along the river. Go Minnesota Merchant Marines, Go!

3. If you are on the MN side, regardless of which state you are from, you must follow MN rules.

I’m in disagreement with this one. I have not fished from the barge in Genoa for quite a few years. I have however fished next to the barge and even behind the barge from my boat with multiple lines. (and off the barge years ago)
And I have been checked by a MN CO. They certainly did not have a problem with that or I would have been written up on the spot.

I do not believe it makes any difference where you are fishing on the river. You abide by the law of the license you are holding and the state within which you reside.
If you reside in one State, you can buy a license from the other, but it would be foolish to think the regulations for that State are going to be applied while you are fishing on the bondary waters of Wisconsin and Minnesota.
The regulations from the State in which you reside will be applied!

The only exception that I could think of is if you were from Wisconsin, and did not hold a Wisconsin fishing license. Instead you only held a Minnesota license. In this circumstance, I would think that you would have to follow Minnesota laws.

Boog

Funny Pug, I think we should let you have Mudshark as he already follows your laws. I do have some land for sale. It goes all the way to the middle of the channel. It is under water for the whole year. What more could a fisherman want? It has a very nice wingdam and an eddy. The neighbors will all be jealous of you.

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Funny Pug, I think we should let you have Mudshark as he already follows your laws. I do have some land for sale. It goes all the way to the middle of the channel. It is under water for the whole year. What more could a fisherman want? It has a very nice wingdam and an eddy. The neighbors will all be jealous of you.

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Whisker…….my original intent was not to comment any more than the CO’s reponse…it should be clear…if not…. I tried……

But when you mock and make fun of me.. I’ve had enough…

If you do not understand or believe in what a legal state border line is… that’s ok…But I know which state I’m in..and I’m a dumb#*s.

But to give me that kind of treatment just because of what a CO says is BS..

Go ahead…..fish the way you want…..it’s YOUR money when you get cited….you can think whatever you wish,it’s fine with me, but when the judge pounds that gavel it’s what HE thinks that counts…

Joel,David……PLEASE!! call your local CO…….it’s much better that way …they can explain the everything much better than I.

Now I’ve REALLY had enough of this topic…and I’m done

Joel,

The reg is specific that if you are a resident of either state whose boundary the water is between, that you must have a license from your state.

Its funny, or not funny, how often this topic keeps coming up. And nobody really seams to have any clue what is right, wrong, legal, or otherwise.

What I do know is I need a MN license (I’m a MN resident) to fish the Mississippi border water with WI, and follow MN’s regulations.

I also know, that as a MN resident, that I can NOT purchase a WI nonresident license to fish this same body of water. I cannot “buy” WI resident rights to fish the Mississippi border water.

So does this mean I cannot fish on the WI side of the imaginary line running down the channel? No. I can fish on the WI side but I have to follow Minnesota’s rules and regulations for the border water. Heck, I can even launch on the WI side.

Since I’m not a WI resident, I have no clue what WI regulations are for the border water, and will not pretend to either.

MN/ND border waters (Red River) are a little more clear cut. Thankfully, the regs, seasons, and limits coordinate a little better as well. I can launch on the ND side and fish the entire river shore to shore with a MN license, abiding by MN rules and regs.

As far as I know, the only place where a line does exist down the middle of a river is the Rainy River border water with Canada. Do NOT cross that line!

As a MN resident, if I choose to fish the WI side, there is no way in heck I’m going to even attempt to fish 3 rods (like was mentioned previously). Nope. Nada. Not going to do it.

I just shot a mail to my buddy who is a Wisconsin warden. When he replies we will have a book answer.

There is some confusion on the boundary water regulation regarding which state’s laws must be followed. The regulation says that you must obey the regulations from the state in which you are fishing. Some feel that once you cross the middle of the channel that you are then fishing in MN.

Can a Wisconsin angler legally fish west of the channel using 3 lines and bluegills as bait assuming they did not go west of the railroad tracks?
Could a MN Conservation Officer site the Wisconsin angler if they did so again assuming they are still east of the tracks and west of the channel?

Ok…I lied…I’m not quite done..

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I just shot a mail to my buddy who is a Wisconsin warden. When he replies we will have a book answer.

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That’s all I asked for my friend

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The regulation says that you must obey the regulations from the state in which you are fishing. Some feel that once you cross the middle of the channel that you are then fishing in MN.

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The middle of the channel is not always the state line…any good map will show this.

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Can a Wisconsin angler legally fish west of the channel using 3 lines and bluegills as bait assuming they did not go west of the railroad tracks?
Could a MN Conservation Officer site the Wisconsin angler if they did so again assuming they are still east of the tracks and west of the channel?

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I thought I asked these same questions of both CO’s?
Please reread my original post.

Your question said on the Minnesota side. Vague… Got a vague answer in return.

I’m anxious to hear the answer Whisker… You’ve been pounding this “no imaginary line” drum for as long as the topic’s been brought up, despite any argument to the contrary. We already have the opinions of two COs. Is this guy someone who is anywhere near the border himself, or someone from Madison?

“On the Minnesota side” is not at all vague. The entire discussion is about boundary waters, so the fact that it’s between the tracks is a given.

Go duckhunt across that imaginary line sometime if you don’t believe it exists….

After all these confusing answers I went right to the source. I called the regional DNR Office in Eau Claire and the gentleman there told me that when I was fishing on the Minnesota side of the river I would have to abide by Minnesota fishing laws. He said there are cases in court battling over this exact issue. From what he told me, if I was approached by a CO from either state, the Wisconsin warden would be the one more apt to ticket me than the Minnesota one. From what he said, the Minnesota officers seem to think you should abide by your licensing state laws, whereas the Wisconsin wardens think you should abide by the laws of the state in which you are fishing(ie boundary waters). I don’t think I would “bet the farm” on it either way. Actually, after I got done talking to him I was quite sure that I didn’t want to try and fish with ‘gills on the Minnesota side.

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The regulation says that you must obey the regulations from the state in which you are fishing. Some feel that once you cross the middle of the channel that you are then fishing in MN.

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This is one of those KEY differences that has the debate going for so long. If the WISCONSIN regs state you must fish by the laws of the state in which you are fishing if your statement is accurate.

The MN regs define the entire river and tributaries considered to be border waters, and states clearly that we must abide by MN border water regulations(everywhere on that border water).

MN fishermen dont have an imaginary line to cross to gain less strict regulation.. we have to abide by mn border laws everywhere. WI fishermen have less strict regulatons if they keep the cheese on their side of the line, if you cross it, you have to abide by our regulations.

So.. if the quoted statement is accurate, my statement should be 100% accurate… no matter what the CO’s of any side will let one get away with.

BINGO…..we have a winner

I stand corrected.

You are correct! If you cross the “imaginary” line between the two states, when you are on the MN side of the boundary water you must follow the MN regulations (no blue gills for bait, etc.). On the Wisconsin side of the boundary water you should follow our regulations.

(NOTE: Wisconsin does NOT have a 3 rod regulation – our regulation reads – it is illegal to fish with more than 3 hooks/bait/lures – this means if you have one fishing pole with 3 hooks/baits/lures – you are AT YOUR MAXIMUM period – or in another example you could have one rod with 1 hook/bait/lure and one rod with 2 hooks/baits/lures – again at your maximum.)

A MN Conservation officer would not cite you if you had stayed on the Wisconsin side of the boundary water. However, if you cross the imaginary line and are East of the tracks – but west of the center of the channel (i.e. in the state of MN by definition) – they could cite you for any rules infraction – like using blue gills for bait – if you were doing so and if this would be considered one of their regulation infractions. I am not versed in the MN fishing regulations. I do know that the Wisconsin and Minnesota DNR staff work together and try very hard to keep the Wisconsin and Minnesota regulations as identical as we possibly can – however some things may slip through which are different – depending on which state you are in – and for that we apologize.

I hope this has been helpful to you. If you still have further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. Thank you for contacting the Bureau of Fisheries Management.

From everything I’ve read, it seems as if MN CO’s do not patrol/cite on the WS side and WI CO’s enforce WI laws. It doesn’t take a brain surgeon to figure out which laws to follow if you are on the WI side