Hopefully someone out there can answer this for me. On Lake Pepin (and the rest of the border waters) If you are a Wisconsin resident & possess a Wisconsin fishing license, you can run 3 rods I believe. Minnesota license holders can run 2 rods. What if you are a Minnesota resident with a valid Wisconsin license. Can you then run 3 rods?? Any help would be appreciated
Jimmy Siewert
Jim,
I would suggest calling the respective DNR departments, but my understanding is this. I’m a MN resident, so I have to follow the MN regulations, whether I have a non-resident license or not. I also have understood it as a WI resident must stay on the WI side of the river. Please don’t quote me on this, but this is my understanding of the rules.
John
Quote:
I’m a MN resident, so I have to follow the MN regulations, whether I have a non-resident license or not.
This is correct….if you talk to a MN CO…the story changes if you are stopped by a WI CO…play it safe and follow the MN rules.
You are only allowed 2 lines regardless of what state your license is from. There are border water regulations that are seperate from the 2 states regular regs. I got this info off Minnesotas DNR regs. online.
Whenever fishing any border water the stricker law applys to the license you have.”example mn. lincense you must go by wis, no cull reg.’
I don’t believe that is true. Wisconsin-Minnesota border regulation states nothing about only using two line. Wiscosin residents I beleve can fish with three lines. The wiscosin regulation state that:
Wisconsin residents need a Wiscinsin license and Minnesota residents need a Minnesota license to fish these boundry waters. Residents of other states need a non-resident lisense from Wi or MN. Regulation on these waters may differ between states. You must obey the regulations of the state in which you are fishing.
This is out of the Wi Fishing Regulation on-line service.
I’d say that means if your a Wisonsin resident you can fish with three lines on the Wi side and two on the Mn side and vise versa for Mn
It might be best to contact the DNR office for clarification.
Whatsa
I just talked to the WI DNR. You can run three lines in WI on the border waters. You need to follow the regulations of the state that you are fishing.
Whatsa
Go to Minnesota regulations and read them. It will set you straight. The same holds true for eather state license holder. That is why the boarder rules differ from the rest of the state. Here is the link scroll down to page 50 and read it. http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/rlp/regulations/fishing/fishing.pdf
If you guys want to have some real fun….
Write down a list of questions…with two answer colums..on for MN and one for WI.
Ask each state the same question…then post it…
Start out with
1. Is there a MN side and a WI side to the St Croix.
2. If I’m from MN and hold a non resedent WI lic. can I fish with two lines.
3 Same as above..only can I use a cast net.
4 Is a pdf in a unlocked compartment considered “accessable”
5 Can the “throwable” floatation device be in an unlocked compartment.
6. If I’m from MN and hold a non resedent WI lic. can I fish with sunfish or other game fish.
I’m sure there are more. If you feel real spunky, call a couple sheriff’s offices and ask them about how their water patrol enforces number 4 and 5.
I think you will be quite surpised…and confused…maybe it’s just me!
Quote:
Go to Minnesota regulations and read them. It will set you straight. The same holds true for eather state license holder. That is why the boarder rules differ from the rest of the state. Here is the link scroll down to page 50 and read it. http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/rlp/regulations/fishing/fishing.pdf
Not so simple bassmaster. It really comes down to the state you reside in. If you buy a WI non-resident license but reside in MN, when in controversy you must still follow the restrictions enforced by your state of residency. Residency is the determing factor in this argument. You cannot tell me, a WI resident, with a resident license, to go pick up a MN book of regulations and follow those rules simply because it’s border water. Read the WI regs and it permits RESIDENT license holders 3 lines on all inland and border waters. This is what the WI book says about WI/MN boundary waters and this is what will protect me in MN court all day long.
“Wi residents need a WI fishing license and MN residents need a MN license to fish in these boundary waters. Residents of other states need a nonresisdent license from WI or MN. Regulations on these waters may differ between states. You must obey the regulations of the state in which you are fishing.”
How do I know which state I’m fishing in? First and foremost, I’m a WI resident so boundary or not, by definition of the law, I’m fishing in WI water. When does it become MN?
The “boundary water” concerning the Mississippi River is defined as the area between two sets of railroad tracks. ANY AREA between them, by definition of the law, is WI water when I’m the fisherman in question. There is no half.
It’s like this…… when the MN DNR tickets me, I’m going to walk up to the judge and show him these two things: One, if MN regs are required to fish with a WI resident license, the burden of proving this is upon him….. and it won’t happen. Two, the definition of border water is all water up to “stated structure”, which means my regulatory obligations are subject only to MY state of residence, which permits 3 lines. Until I’m in sole MN jurisdiction, this doesn’t change.
The confusion between DNR offices is because the MN DNR is for enforcing MN law, which for MN residents, is in fact 2 lines. They expect controversy because of the WI regs and are going to stick to MN regs every time. But in MN court, it won’t stand against a WI resident fishing his resident water. If you’re a WI resident, you’re entitled to WI provisions. If you’re a MN resident, you’re entitled to MN provisions. If you try to jump the border to gain a provison, you’ll be busted. If you try to practice resident law in non-resident water, you’re asking for trouble.
Briank……. about those other questions….. stick to residency to clear any confusion. 
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