Wondering if any guys know how many bank poles you can use in Wisconsin or Minnesota and if you can what part of the state. Mississippi river border waters, Wisconsin river area. Any guys from Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, kansas, north and south Dakota or Illinois know anything about the laws there. Thanks in advance.
MN is easy…zero.
Bank poles are not legal in WI either I believe.
I always thought they were legal. I copied this from the Wisconsin DNR online guide to using them.
Set or Bank Pole and Setline Regulations
2012-2013
SET or BANK POLE and SETLINE LICENSES
A
set or bank pole
is defined as a pole equipped with one line and a maximum of
two hooks that is fished from the bank of a lake or river. In this case, a “pole” is a long,
cylindrical rod and does not include tree branches or dead falls.
A set or bank pole license authorizes the use of up to 5 set or bank poles.
Set or bank pole licenses are $3.00 and include 5 tags.
A
setline
is a staked line equipped with no more than 25 hooks.
A setline license authorizes the use of
one
setline.
A setline license is $11.00 for license and 25 cents for the tag.
Here is where I read it. http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/fishing/documents/setlinebankpole1213_web.pdf
Doesn’t a person have to be a WI resident to use them?
Quote:
MN is easy…zero.
Its hard for me to understand why Wisconsin and Minnesota does’nt allow atleast a few per person, I mean aren’t there enough catfish in both of those states, the commercial guys seem to do ok.
Here in iowa your allowed 5 and all have to be tagged with owners name and address. A simple piece of paper laminated between a plastic cover attached to the tip is all it takes. You do have to check them at minimum every 24 hrs. On another note the ice went out yesterday and its only a matter of time now.
I don’t know Brian, maybe an out of stater can with a visitors liscense, maybe.
Because in Minnesota we like to fish, not trap fish. 
Quote:
Its hard for me to understand why Wisconsin and Minnesota does’nt allow atleast a few per person, I mean aren’t there enough catfish in both of those states, the commercial guys seem to do ok.
From what I’m told Mossy, the reason it’s not allowed here is so the people from further south have a place to go to catch fish. Just what I’m told. 
That isn’t it Brian, we catch alot of fish here too but I do think it may be because Minnesota is more populated around the bigger cities where there would be more pressure. We don’t trap fish Pug except on the mississippi and only if I wanted to buy a commercial liscense, no inland water trapping of fish in any cage, except for minnows in a minnow trap, crawfish and turtles.
I believe you can use bank poles but you have to have your name and address on each pole. All you have to have is a fishing licences. I think you can have up to 50 hooks on one line. 
Sorry here in Illinois
Quote:
MN is easy…zero.
really?
don’t ya think ONE bank pole is legal, as long as there’s only one hook on the line AND you are sitting within eyesight of it (attending it) ?
of course; any line is illegal in MN once it is unattended; be it set lines/ditty poles, jugs, or (in winter) unattended tipups
Quote:
We don’t trap fish Pug except…
You missed it. I was equating setting lines out over night and then checking them the next day as trapping.
I understand now what was meant, no big deal. It sure is fun when the catfish are running and three guys can get thier possession limit in an overnight of fishing but thats usually takeing the fish off the hooks, rebaiting and going back in an hour and taking fish off again. When three of us go we have 45 hooks out and we check them once an hour from the time we set the lines until we pull them when the sun comes up, Catfish are heavy feeders at night and usually by sun up thier done. So I guess thier not left unattended during a really good bite. But alot of times we set them and do check them in the morning but we loose alot of fish because of bent and broken hooks, some hooks are completely straightened out. Most of the bare hooks are from the catfish working loose of the hook, so alot do get away when the lines are left in over night unattended. It really is fun running hooks all night long.
One night two of us put our lines in, 15 hooks apiece in the Cedar and two hours later we had only 4 fish, thats not a good bite for 30 hooks, so we decided to go down on the Iowa. We got there about midnight and the reserviour was coming up slow and washing the night crawlers out of thier holes and these crawlers were right next to the water. We set 30 hooks on two diffrent lines, 15 a piece, at about midnight and checked them once an hour. We had so many catfish we limited out by the time sun came up and you had to watch where you walked in the boat so you didn’t step on one and get horned. We usually don’t run the lines parallel with the bank but this night we did because they were up in a foot of water eating those crawlers, we killed them that night and then gave alot of fish to our friends.
mossydan, PM me on this 
. I may be able to try this where i’m at 
. Thanks.
Shawn
No Need for a pm, I’ll do it here.
I use the main line thats a bigger size and the stageings a smaller line. I use 1 OT. mustade hooks because of the bigger eye. I take my time making them and heres how. Were allowed 15 hooks per line per fisherman. I determine the length of the main line this way.
I leave about 6′ to 8′ to the first stageing where the swivel will be, then I hold out both my arms a full width which is about 6′, and do that as the distance between the stageings. If I’m useing 15 hooks it will take 15 swivels, use good swivels too or a nice fish will pull the swivel windings loose.
Heres how I tie the swivels on. I put the 15 swivels on, all of them, on the main line. I pull all the swivels to the spot where the first one will be. I then take all the swivels and make a loop, pulling through all the swivels and the first 6′ of line and then tie my first knot. Then you leave a swivel and then make another loop pulling the rest of the swivels through, and then tie anothjer knot about an 1″, so now you have a swivel between two knots that keep the swivel inplace.
Now you do the 2 full arms length to the second stageing, tie the knot buy pulling through the rest of the swivels, and just keep doing this until you get all the swivels inplace, with 6′ to 10′ at the end to tie off too a root or limb along the bank. Remember when tieing the knot to keep the swivels from sliding on the main line you always pull the remaining swivels through the loop that will be tightened into a knot, on both sides of a (1) swivel.
After the swivels are on the main line and all have a knot on both sides to keep them in place then you cut the stageing lengths. I cut mine at about 2′ or 2 1/2′ feet. I heat the ends with a lighter, one end I twist in between my fingers to get a point on the nylon line and put that through the hook, then I do the same thing for the barrel swivel end too.
After you’ve gotten the stageing line through both the hook and barrel swivel you can also heat the end up so a big ball of melted nylon line is formed, then all you do is make a loop and pull the line tight to the swivel or the hook and the melted ball keeps the line from being pulled through the knot of both the hook and the swivel. All this is done to keep from tieing a knot two or three times, you use just the melted ball of nylon line to stop the line from being pulled through. Another way is just put the line through both the hook and the swivel, tie a knot in the end of the line and then tie a single loop around the eye of the hook and swivel, and pull tight. In order for the line to pull through both eyes, the hook and the swivel eye, the knot on the end of the line has to go through the knot thats around the eye and it won’t.
Simply put the line through the eye, then just tie a knot in the end of the line. Then tie a knot or loop around the eye and pull tight, the knot won’t pull through.
Don’t buy the trotlines with the brass clips to keep the swivels from sliding, they cut the main stageing line and it will eventually break. If you need an explaination verbally call me at 319-365-4591 anytime after 6:00 at night and I’ll explain the pulling of the swivels through, when making the loop for the knot, on both sides of the barrel swivel. These are top quality lines and you can’t buy a better trotline that I ever seen.
Just having some fun with you Mossy. I suspect you have taken it as good natured ribbing.
Thats ok Pug and is no big deal but some of the guys down here take our catfishing pretty serious. Its too bad you guys up there can’t fish a couple dittypoles around log jams where the big flatheads and channels lay, thier a blast.
Wow, I had no idea. I had looked into bank pole fishing in WI about 25 years ago and if I recall right, it was a no go then. My dad (who lives in Iowa) ran some bank poles there and I thought it would be fun to try them here. Looks like I couldn’t run them in my area anyways. Learn something every day.
Quote:
I always thought they were legal. I copied this from the Wisconsin DNR online guide to using them.
Set or Bank Pole and Setline Regulations
2012-2013
SET or BANK POLE and SETLINE LICENSES
A
set or bank pole
is defined as a pole equipped with one line and a maximum of
two hooks that is fished from the bank of a lake or river. In this case, a “pole” is a long,
cylindrical rod and does not include tree branches or dead falls.
A set or bank pole license authorizes the use of up to 5 set or bank poles.
Set or bank pole licenses are $3.00 and include 5 tags.
A
setline
is a staked line equipped with no more than 25 hooks.
A setline license authorizes the use of
one
setline.
A setline license is $11.00 for license and 25 cents for the tag.
Here is where I read it. http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/fishing/documents/setlinebankpole1213_web.pdf
Quote:
…too bad you guys up there can’t fish a couple dittypoles around log jams where the big flatheads and channels lay, thier a blast.
Yeah, its too bad we have to sit on log jams with a boat and pole.
Reminds me of the “I’m better than you because….” posts that are always on the hunting boards. One guy wants to hunt for meat and the rest of the guys jump on his back because its not “sporting” enough.
Could that be put in the same situation here? Ditty pole guys fish for meat (and fun), and the rod/reel guys look down on them because its not sporting enough?
Its more about the subject of the OP.
“legality useing ditty, bank, poles in wisc, MINN“
I could care less how people manage resources in their states.
No Need for a pm, I’ll do it here.
I use the main line thats a bigger size and the stageings a smaller line. I use 1 OT. mustade hooks because of the bigger eye. I take my time making them and heres how. Were allowed 15 hooks per line per fisherman. I determine the length of the main line this way.
I leave about 6′ to 8′ to the first stageing where the swivel will be, then I hold out both my arms a full width which is about 6′, and do that as the distance between the stageings. If I’m useing 15 hooks it will take 15 swivels, use good swivels too or a nice fish will pull the swivel windings loose.
Heres how I tie the swivels on. I put the 15 swivels on, all of them, on the main line. I pull all the swivels to the spot where the first one will be. I then take all the swivels and make a loop, pulling through all the swivels and the first 6′ of line and then tie my first knot. Then you leave a swivel and then make another loop pulling the rest of the swivels through, and then tie anothjer knot about an 1″, so now you have a swivel between two knots that keep the swivel inplace.
Now you do the 2 full arms length to the second stageing, tie the knot buy pulling through the rest of the swivels, and just keep doing this until you get all the swivels inplace, with 6′ to 10′ at the end to tie off too a root or limb along the bank. Remember when tieing the knot to keep the swivels from sliding on the main line you always pull the remaining swivels through the loop that will be tightened into a knot, on both sides of a (1) swivel.
After the swivels are on the main line and all have a knot on both sides to keep them in place then you cut the stageing lengths. I cut mine at about 2′ or 2 1/2′ feet. I heat the ends with a lighter, one end I twist in between my fingers to get a point on the nylon line and put that through the hook, then I do the same thing for the barrel swivel end too.
After you’ve gotten the stageing line through both the hook and barrel swivel you can also heat the end up so a big ball of melted nylon line is formed, then all you do is make a loop and pull the line tight to the swivel or the hook and the melted ball keeps the line from being pulled through the knot of both the hook and the swivel. All this is done to keep from tieing a knot two or three times, you use just the melted ball of nylon line to stop the line from being pulled through. Another way is just put the line through both the hook and the swivel, tie a knot in the end of the line and then tie a single loop around the eye of the hook and swivel, and pull tight. In order for the line to pull through both eyes, the hook and the swivel eye, the knot on the end of the line has to go through the knot thats around the eye and it won’t.
Simply put the line through the eye, then just tie a knot in the end of the line. Then tie a knot or loop around the eye and pull tight, the knot won’t pull through.
Don’t buy the trotlines with the brass clips to keep the swivels from sliding, they cut the main stageing line and it will eventually break. If you need an explaination verbally call me at 319-365-4591 anytime after 6:00 at night and I’ll explain the pulling of the swivels through, when making the loop for the knot, on both sides of the barrel swivel. These are top quality lines and you can’t buy a better trotline that I ever seen.
Thanks for the info. Mossydan! 
I’m a little late on that thanks.
Goggle it agsin and this came up. Maybe this year I’ll give it a try. That was 6 years ago I asked. 
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