Wow fastest way to kill a sport….

is let the dnr get involved.

Dont get me wrong but i just got a crap ticket for having water in my boat, my DUCK boat!! the plug was pulled and draining out.. I made it 100ft out of the boat launch and he pulled me over. 6 game wardens checked us and watched us leave knowing we were already having a rough day because of motor issues. I know thats not an excuse but it still would have been nice to have had one of them say hey… Glad to see this is the type of person that are supposed to be looking out for everyone. That said this will be my last year of duck hunting in the state of MN which sucks because I was really looking forward to this year since I missed all of hunting season last year.

ok my rant is done.

Sorry about your bad day but I’d like to learn from your experience.

If you had your plug pulled the ticket was because the water didn’t drain at the landing? Or was there water elsewhere in your boat?

I want to make sure I shouldn’t be taking towels with me to dry any and all water on the inside of my boat.

Chris

It was because it didn’t all drain out at the landing. He said it was 5 gallons, which would have swamped my little 12 ft boat, in all reality it was about 1/2 a gallon just the stuff that wouldn’t drain without tipping the boat up in the air.

I’m siding with you, then. I’ve seen plenty of boats not purge all of the water in their hull until the forward pull of the tow vehicle causes water to flow to the back of the boat so it can drain. If the DNR is going to ticket people for things like this, and like your case where the water would have drained, they are loopy.

I suppose they would say that we need to pull the plug at the ramp and wait… or maybe they’ve already said that. That should urine more people off at the ramp.

I’m sorry, but if I lived in MN I would be gone by now. That crap is just too strict to enjoy hunting/fishing. I’m not sure if I will be taking any more trips to MN. When I take a trip somewhere I want to relax and have a good time, not worry about all the stupid AIS rules constantly.

Anyone who has ever duck hunted knows the boat will get wet and not all the water will drain… to ticket someone for that is just asinine and will kill MN’s reputation for a duck state.

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I’m sorry, but if I lived in MN I would be gone by now. That crap is just too strict to enjoy hunting/fishing. I’m not sure if I will be taking any more trips to MN. When I take a trip somewhere I want to relax and have a good time, not worry about all the stupid AIS rules constantly.

Anyone who has ever duck hunted knows the boat will get wet and not all the water will drain… to ticket someone for that is just asinine and will kill MN’s reputation for a duck state.

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No ducks in Minnesota anyway.

As a WI guy I can’t imagine putting up with all the overbearing regulations, and over-reaction MN sportspeople are over AIS. I make it to the Redwing area twice a year, and usually put in at the boat landing there, just because of the good docks and such when I am alone. I’m thinking they have scared me away.

Sorry to hear about your terrible experience…. it really isn’t right. Not only does it effect the sport, but the overall reputation of the MN DNR, and the wish for the average person to support their efforts, and policies. It hurts tourism, and everyone involved.

Take it to court and plead your case to the judge.

PM sent. Please let me know the outcome.

The State of MN has tons of invasives to worry about. They only chose to expedite those that they can make the most money off of. Buckthorn grows rampant and they turn a blind eye. No money there. Boaters/fishermen are lots more profitable jerr

Does kinda make me think if the dnr is around I’ll sit on the launch until I’m sure every little drop is drained out, no matter how long it takes.

We all start doing that we can cause a bit of a stir…imho

Al…who thinks the Peter principle has finally won in MN

I would make them work hard for that ticket money. plead not guilty. Someone is going to die over this pulling the plug law. Way to easy to forget in the morning. Was it federal or state CO’s?

The DNR should have thanked you for for spilling the Ais infected water on land where they can’t survive.(D)amn (N)ear (R)idiculus better smarten up and realize who signs their paycheck.

I don’t think the wife and I will go to Minnesota to fish simple bullheads this fall, too much to worry about.

I agree Chris. Fastest way to steer people away from something is to put more regulation on it. Follow it up with fines and that will just put it on the fast track. For myself I just fully expect to get a fine or two a year for the amount of boating and trailering I do. It just takes a missed weed or some rain water to get in my boat while stored outside. If its a $100 fine who ever gives it to me better expect $100 worth of chewing in return.

Someone mentioned pulling your plug while on the ramp. Yep that is what you need to do to be in compliance. Stop there. Pull the plug and wait until every last drop of water is drained. Dont do it this way and risk getting a ticket. Please be careful with those boats and vehicles on the steep inclines. Sooner or later someone will get run over by their own rig I just hope its note anyone here.

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6 game wardens checked us and watched us leave

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Chris, I have no reason to doubt you and knowing you I have more reason to believe you….

If what your statement above is true, you will win in court. You will lose because of time lost from work ect, but it’s better then having a ding on your record IMO.

If they checked your boat and still allowed you to start to leave without saying something like “you have too much water in your boat, it needs to be drain before you leave”, it’s wrong.

‘Course it’s a good way to make the AIS violation tickets go up and that’s what this is really all about. Doing something so they can say…”We are actively doing something about AIS”. The news release should be coming out in the next couple months.

You have me wondering how far a guy has to go to remain within the law. Last week when I launched in Winona, the marina was completely filled with snot weed crap. We loaded the boat and I pulled the plug and drained the livewell. However the trailer and boat had so much crap on it that it took a trip to the car wash. I had no alternative, no wash station, no clear water along the docks to pull buckets of water from So was I to leave my boat for 3 days sitting on the ramp waiting for everything to dry out????

What are we supposed to do when it gets colder and our boats get ice covered? I’ve come off the water with gallons of water turned to ice in my splash well after cold nights on Mille lacs and here on pool 4.

I’m pretty sure that won’t drain.

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You have me wondering how far a guy has to go to remain within the law. Last week when I launched in Winona, the marina was completely filled with snot weed crap. We loaded the boat and I pulled the plug and drained the livewell. However the trailer and boat had so much crap on it that it took a trip to the car wash. I had no alternative, no wash station, no clear water along the docks to pull buckets of water from So was I to leave my boat for 3 days sitting on the ramp waiting for everything to dry out????

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Yes, with the truck doors locked and a sign on the front deck saying ” Mn. DNR has mandated that I dry my boat completely for 3 days in the fight to stop AIS. Thank you for understanding.”

What’s the protocol if the drain in your live well prevents all of the water from draining? I probably have 1 or 2 cups of water left in it after it drains.

Sounds like you ran into an officer who went overboard. That stinks and I’m sorry to hear it. Then again, it happens. That’s what judges are for — go to court and I’ll bet you the cost if your ticket you’ll win.

P.S. Sounds like the AIS laws will at least keep some of the IA and WI invasives out!

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What’s the protocol if the drain in your live well prevents all of the water from draining? I probably have 1 or 2 cups of water left in it after it drains.

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They will give you a ticket if they see it.

Too bad there was a drought this summer.

The MN-DNR would have made a FORTUNE writing tickets to people with rain drops on the inside of their boats….

That sucks Redneck. I’m all for reducing the odds of transfering AIS or exotics but this stuff you MN boys are having to deal with is way over the top IMO. Sounds to me more like a DNR money grab using AIS or other exotics as an excuse.

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What’s the protocol if the drain in your live well prevents all of the water from draining? I probably have 1 or 2 cups of water left in it after it drains.

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Stop by an auto store and grab a big sponge….

On another note we sold the Ranger and purchased a Gold Wing. So far no AIS hassles…. In the meantime it’s time to support the guides throughout the midwest.

AIS really bites when you have the MN DNR watching over it…

This is getting ridiculous. I was talking to the DNR officer at the Game Fair and he told me that the way the law is written, if you even take your water bottle with you on the water and when you return to shore if you don’t dump your water bottle out, sealed or opened, you are in violation of the law. I told him that is a bunch of crap. He said that most officers would never enforce it, yea right. I asked about my cooler then, he said all residual water that was in the cooler that went onto the lake should be drained and wiped. I said what about the ice, he said it should be ok but it would be a violation if it went on the lake.

This crap has to stop. I will be talking to my state legislator tomorrow. My vote for him this year will depend on his ability to bring sanity back to our sport.

AIS law

Not to rub it in guys from Minnesota but I like to fish the wingdams on the Miss from LaCrosse up. Its been awhile since I’ve fished there but with all the laws I’ll be buying my liscense on the Wisc. side and ramping from there. With things so strict, getting right down to the water in your water bottle and cooler, why in the heck would anyone want to study what the rules are for a couple days just so they won’t or maybe not get a ticket. This sounds and is like complete overkill. What are you going to do with the water bottle when your done drinking it, fill it up with river water incase you get thirsty again. I really feel for you guys up there. Out of curiousity why such a big diffrence between those two states and thier only seperated by the Miss., got any ideas?

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Not to rub it in guys from Minnesota but I like to fish the wingdams on the Miss from LaCrosse up. Its been awhile since I’ve fished there but with all the laws I’ll be buying my liscense on the Wisc. side and ramping from there. With things so strict, getting right down to the water in your water bottle and cooler, why in the heck would anyone want to study what the rules are for a couple days just so they won’t or maybe not get a ticket. This sounds and is like complete overkill. What are you going to do with the water bottle when your done drinking it, fill it up with river water incase you get thirsty again. I really feel for you guys up there. Out of curiousity why such a big diffrence between those two states and thier only seperated by the Miss., got any ideas?

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Wisconsin will follow next year.

Monkey see, monkey do.

The new slogan is…

“Land of 10,000 Empty Lakes”
Please enjoy from a safe distance.

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Out of curiousity why such a big diffrence between those two states and thier only seperated by the Miss., got any ideas?

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Uniformed and pressured Governor
Uninformed and pressured Water District Commissioners
Uninformed and pressured Legislature
Pressured DNR

Showing the video of the Asian Carp in the IL River and not pointing out the Mississippi is not at all like the IL River doesn’t help much either. Without all the info of this video, it scares people (in office).

Someone’s screwed up notion of citizens being guilty of transporting AIS with out the government proving it, is wrong.

Innocent until proven guilty is gone in Minnesota.

Boat plugs in does not prove ais is being transported.
Water in a boat does not prove ais is being transported
Water in a cooler does not prove ais is being transported
Water in a sealed from the factory container does not prove ais is being transported.

This BS won’t be happening in WI while the current Governor is in office. He calls BS…BS.

It’s politically correct and “nobel” to support these laws. No one wants to take the stand and say “I don’t support the ais laws”.

Well, it’s time for me to fill my boat with gas. It’s cheaper in Red Wing and I do have to pick up some groceries over there, but I’ll be filling the boat in WI then dropping the boat off before I go to Red Wing.