What is the limit on panfish here. The book says 25 in total of bluegill and sunfish but 25 each crappie and perch so can i walk off the ice with 25 gills 25 crappie and 25 perch i really dont think i can but the book says i can so if anyone can tell me where it states icant please let me know. The DNR really has to start making that book a little more freindy to understand thats just my 2 cents worth thanks alot 
You are correct in thinking you can walk off with 25, crappie, 25 sunfish, and 25 perch unless you are in Pool 5, 5A, or 8. Then you are limited to 10 sunfish. I don’t think the chart in the regs could get any easier. 
I think you mean the mn side
Do any of you guys take home your 75 fish limit combining gills, crappie and perch?
The bag limit in Wisconsin is 25 total panfish combined.
• Wisconsin residents need a Wisconsin fishing license and Minnesota residents need a Minnesota license to fish in these boundary waters. Residents of other states need a nonresident license from Wisconsin or Minnesota. Regulations on these waters may differ between states. You must obey the regulations of the state in which you are fishing.
• Fishing is prohibited within 300 feet below the Red Wing Dam and Alma Dam from March 1 through April 30 and within 300 feet below the Onalaska Dam from March 15 through April 25.
• Ice fishing: Angler name and address must be prominently displayed on ice fishing shelters (portable or otherwise) in the WI/MN boundary waters.
Make sure you know where the border runs on the Mississippi, it is not the middle of the channel!!!
Limits are not the same on the boundary water from MN to WI.
Who the ell would want to clean that many in one sitting?
Not on the miss it’s a seperate reg
Arnt those regulations for inland lake not the river not that i would ever keep 75 fish would just like to know what it really is.. I do remember there use to be a thing in the book for boundry waters that you could only have 50 panfish in total
If you would open the link I provided for the WI regulations it has all WI boundary waters and the general inland lake limits.
MN/WI boundary on the Wisconsin side of the river is 25 each. Make sure you check the limits for the MN side with the MN fishing regulations link I also provided if you are fishing the Minnesota side.
You nailed it,gotta read the regs for the water you’re fishing
Isn’t the MN/ WI Boundary water track to track on the river?? If you are a Wi resident you need a Wi license and you follow Wi Reg between the tracks…. you don’t need to know where the imaginary line is….right.
The state that you are fishing is the license that you purchase. If I have a Wi license and fishing the Mn side doesn’t mean I all of a sudden have to start following MN regulations when fishing the MN side of the river.
Mn residents have to buy a Mn license and follow MN Reg. That doesn’t mean they can’t fish the Wi side. It does mean they are limited to MN limits, fishing the WI side
Right Whatsa
You better know where the line is. It is not imaginary!!!! Above in bold it can’t be any clearer….WI, you must follow the regulations of the state you are fishing in.
At the top of Page 60 it states the boundary is track to track. The state that you are fishing is the license that you need to purchase, at least that is the way i interpret it.
I interpret it as 25 Perch and 25 Crappie and 25 blue gill and Sunfish combined….If you have a WI license. Again you have to purchase the license from the state that you reside in. People from other states can purchase either.
Whatsa
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If I have a Wi license and fishing the Mn side doesn’t mean I all of a sudden have to start following MN regulations when fishing the MN side of the river.
In all actuality, yes it does. Take for example the Lawrence Lake area in Brownsville. This body of water is in the WI/MN boundary waters area. Now, I would be fishing with a WI resident license but fishing on the MN side of the line. WI states I can fish with 3 lines, MN states 2 lines (ice fishing) and I can not use treble hooks on my tip-ups without some sort of spinner or blade device. Being I am from WI and on the MN side, I CANNOT use more than 2 lines and cannot use plain treble hooks on my tip-ups. Basically, I have to follow the MN rules even though it is a boundary water. This is coming from asking the DNR directly while out on the ice to clarify this rule.
I really didnt want to stat a fight over this just wanted to get some input. Ive been fishing these waters for more than 20 years and hear alot of different things. Like i said before the book use to say 50 panfish in total no more than 25 could be more than one kind. I just dont think its right for someone to leaglly keep 25 gills 25 crappies 25 perch. I also agree with the track to track meaning boundry waters. The dnr really has to fix this mix up in my opinion, i really want my kids to enjoy what i use to as a kid. By the way coming to lake onalaska with the kids on fri night hoping to have some fun and teach them a few things. Thanks for all your inputs and again sorry for causing so many problems with this question.
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I really didnt want to stat a fight over this just wanted to get some input. Ive been fishing these waters for more than 20 years and hear alot of different things.
You didn’t start any fight, this is a good post that comes up every year 
This post had a lot of readers learn something about fishing boundary waters on the Mississippi River
If this issue comes up every year, wouldn’t it make sense for both WI & MN DNR to clearly state in their respective regulations whether or not you have to abide by differing state’s laws if you cross an imaginary line? Or maybe they should just come to agreement on a common set of laws for any shared water (I don’t mean to start a fight with this one). It just seems leaving things ambiguous creates public relations problems between sportsmen & regulating officials. One question to add… Is it legal to fish from MN shoreline while only holding a WI license on the boundary waters?
Track to track what’s that mean……You can launch from either side.
I’ve got a call into the Wi CO to hear it with my own ears…I’ll update when I hear back from him.
Whatsa
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Track to track what’s that mean……You can launch from either side.
I’ve got a call into the Wi CO to hear it with my own ears…I’ll update when I hear back from him.
Whatsa
You do that
Page 48 of the MN Regs
“Anglers may launch
and fish from either shore and may transport their catch by the most
direct route to the state in which they are licensed. This includes children
who are not required to have a license.
Licensing
Canada-Minnesota Border Waters: Anglers who have a Minnesota
resident or nonresident license may fish only the Minnesota portion of
Canada’s border waters.
Other Borders: Minnesota has a reciprocal agreement with each of
its bordering states: Wisconsin, Iowa, South Dakota, and North Dakota.
Residents of Minnesota or a bordering state may fish throughout the
waters bordering the two states only if they possess a valid resident
license from their resident state. Lake Superior is not covered under this
agreement (see pages 21-24). Nonresident anglers who have a nonresident
license from either Minnesota or the bordering state may also fish
throughout the border waters between the two states. Anglers may launch
and fish from either shore and may transport their catch by the most
direct route to the state in which they are licensed. This includes children
who are not required to have a license.
When Minnesota’s fishing regulations differ from a bordering state’s
regulations, Minnesota residents and persons fishing under a Minnesota
nonresident license must comply with the Minnesota regulations and
may not exercise more liberal fishing privileges in the waters of the
bordering state. Please check other state regulation booklets and the
Experimental and Special Regulations section of this booklet (pages
25-46) for different regulations that might apply.
Unless otherwise noted, all general regulations relating to angling
methods, licensing, seasons, limits, possession and transportation of fish,
apply to border waters (see pages 9-13 & 18-24). While on or fishing
these waters, all fish must be within the specified length limits regardless
of where caught.
Dates
That is what has been being said all along, I’m not sure what your dispute is Whatsa 
It states clear that between the tracks if you have a MN license you have to abide to the MN regulations regaurdless if you are on the MN side or the WI side. That is just as clear as the WI regulations stating for WI residence, while fishing between the tracks and if on the MN side of the boundary I have to abide to the MN regulations.
Dispute what dispute….this has been very informational.
He said they have been working with Mn to get the verbage in the reg’s the same. He agree’s they are confussing. Brett is correct when on the other side of the imaginary line you do need to follow the other states reg’s.
I’ll toss in the info I received today.
The fella from the MN DNR that I asked about this…actually I asked when are the two dnr’s going to get together and fix the border water confusion?
He said they had the joint border waters meeting a couple weeks ago. (Some) “members of he committee were confused about the laws.”
(Even though in the rules summary it’s very clear)
This is old news but at least more people are informed and help insure they have a enjoyable outing.
Just to clear up my mind in wi-minn boundy waters you are allowed to keep 25 sunfish 25 perch and 25 crappie but if you are past the imaginary line you can only keep 10 panfish in total even though the boundry waters between track to track say you can keep 25 of each in the wi book that is. Bye the way was out by the airport light this weakend with my 9 year old son and he got a 5lb 21 inch bass that he is making me mount because it was his first bass on a tip-up and the first bass he ever caught it was really cool 
well once again thaks everyone
If you have a wi license and are fishing the wi side of the boundry waters you can have 25 each. If you have a wi license and are fishing the mn side you may only keep whatever there limit is for the particular pool you are fishing in ex-pool 5.The boundry waters are the whole body of water that divides the states or countries ex(mn -canada) within those boundry waters there is a line that seperates the 2 states or countries and therefore the limits may vary. The wi regs are for the wi side only and mn regs are for the mn side. I suggest you read both and if you still have ?s call the DNR.Congrats to your boy i bet he had fun
Oh what the heck…
I was talking with a WI Fisheries Team Supervisor today on an unrelated subject when this thread came up.
He explained it this way.
A fishing license is just like a drivers license. When we cross the state line we can still fish, but we have to follow the laws of the state that we are in.
So just because I-94 going into Hudson WI is 75 mph on the MN side, does not mean we can travel at 75 when we go into WI and it’s posted limit is 65 mph.
In fact, he went on to say that the MN laws are illegal. If you or I receive a ticket from a MN CO for breaking a MN law on the WI side that is legal in WI, (like fishing with 3 rods) we should be asking for a court date in WI (where the ticket was issued). (Edit:good luck with that)
I find it odd that the Dakota County Sheriff will not investigate a boating mishap on the WI side because it’s out of his jurisdiction, but a MN CO can issue a game violation ticket in WI(???)
This is one of the few times I think the Federal Government should pop in and tell these two entities to “get it figured out”.
Sorry to reactive this dead horse. 
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Sorry to reactive this dead horse.
Beating dead horses keeps me out of the better half’s hair 
As a sportsman that can read regulations for the boundary waters, IA, MN and WI….why would I ever put myself in the position of getting a ticket? Follow the speed limits 
On the waters of pools 7,8 and 9 I have never been hassled but have always got some good info from all sides of the fence
I agree one set of rules would be great, just like more Deer in Northern WI But that’s just not the way it is yet 
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Beating dead horses keeps me out of the better half’s hair
Think I did this on my own? 
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