So with all the scuttle about lowering the fishing limit in Minnesota do you think there will every be a chance of 2 lines for summer fishing? It would be so nice to run confident lure and then switch colors and sizes on another line. Just a wishful thought if they lower limits they could give an extra line.
From what I’ve seen, I doubt it. But then after saying that, I never thought we would have a closed flathead season or open up a catch and release sturgeon season in my life time either.
No point for two lines. Would it be nice? Sure, but so would winning the lottery.
See no reasons not to allow 2 lines. Makes total sense to me. Let’s get caught up with the times.
Whats wrong with the times?
Whats wrong with the times?
Hello,
You cannot buy alcohol on Sundays!!
You can come to the WI side of the river and fish 3 lines. We can cross over to the MN side and only fish 2 lines.
We can use bluegills for catfish on this side of the river and you cannot.
We have spotted cow we can buy in our stores. You cannot buy it in your stores.
We still have a football team.
We have spotted cow we can buy in our stores. You cannot buy it in your stores.
Alright, now you’ve gone too far! 
You also have the Brewers. So i’d say we are even.
You all have pro football and baseball teams! 
We have none
We have 3 lines to fish with and we can liquor most anywhere! 
Does that put anyone up on top? No.
Spotted cow thing was low. Good beer it is.
Heck I would even pay a second line fee 5-10 dollars. We all know the state and DNR only really care about money and getting more of it. 
I don’t think 2 lines should be allowed…We have Sunday liquor now, so we will obviously need one hand to hold beer 
I don’t think 2 lines should be allowed…We have Sunday liquor now, so we will obviously need one hand to hold beer
Rod holders
Why is there a limit in the first place?
The MNDNR (under the current administration) will never make the change. Over the past 5 years, the Catfish species has beat that dead horse into a bloody pulp and has not made any headway whatsoever. What needs to happen is that we as a fishing community need to be proactive and form alliances and contact our legislators, because ultimately the only way it will get changed is through legislative action. Lest we forget, we had a 2 line bill passed by both the House and Senate about 5 or 6 years ago and only a simple signature away from being a reality. It could be done again, but we as a group need to step up rather than just wishing in one hand and crapping in the other.
To add to Darren’s message… All and when I say ALL, I mean ALL of the species workshop groups, with the exception of the Catfish Group are against two lines.
Most notable was the out spoken guide in the Brainard area. He felt that when people come to MN and fish with bobbers and a leech they let the walleyes have it for too long with one rod and end up gut hooking them.
After I spoke out in favor of two lines I was told by one of the Pike Group fellas “If you want to fish with two lines for your catfish, go to Iowa”.
There might be a little room for education needed for these lake people, but the bottom line is the DNR has it’s feet firmly planted.
I would be interested in knowing what the reasoning is. I heard hooking mortality which would increase stocking (funding) but I can’t recall ever seeing anything written.
I think you get an extra line for bringing your dog along. After all they are family.
Mike
My nickles worth (which nobody will want) is other than trolling where would it be beneficial? Also, when you go fishing do you go to fill your limit or to enjoy the activity of fishing? If a second line allowed you to fill your limit in a half hour vs a full hour are you quitting and going home or catching and releasing those next few hours? If a second line was allowed would you be OK with all hooks being circle hooks or barbless?
I don’t want a second line until there are enough CO’s working to enforce our fish & game laws as they are written. To me a second line offers as much a chance for the slobs of our society to rape the resource as it offers benefit to the law abiding sportsman.
Like others have bragged at other times, the surrounding states offer multi line opportunities to those who need them.
My nickles worth (which nobody will want) is other than trolling where would it be beneficial?
A lot of people fish a lot of different ways. For myself personally, I really enjoy to catch cats and sturgeon. The cats specifically can really have a preference for 2 different kind baits, live or dead. On waters where it’s legal, my enjoyment factor is exponentially greater by being allowed to have 1 line out with a live bait and one line out with a chunk of meat. On waters where I’m only allowed one I have to make a difficult choice. The popular consensus is that big flatheads love a big lively bait, yet 3 of my 5 biggest fish ever have been on a piece of cut bait. All I ask is for the opportunity to have one bait of each out. I’m sure I’ll get skunked just as often as I would with 1 line, but at least I won’t spend the next day wondering if I should have had a different bait out instead. I can accept defeat much easier. LOL
Also… artificial baits are slowly starting to catch on in the Catfish World. If I was legally able to toss out a bottom rig and then be able to work an artificial, I might build some confidence and start to work it into my fishing more often. But until then, I can’t justify sitting out all night working an artificial only when I have a MUCH better chance with a live bait rig.
My nickles worth (which nobody will want) is other than trolling where would it be beneficial?
Hmm where to start.
Live bait rigging
Bobber fishing
Shore or boat fishing: Bottom rigging
Dubuque rigging with one rod
Stacking cranks
Blade bait fishing
Jigging rap fishing
Jig fishing
However, I do agree with you on the resource abuse, if we move to 2 lines statewide. If we want to fish two lines we can fish border waters…as a matter of fact maybe I will just move to a boarder water.
Is it safe to say MN has the most fisherman per capita? or just the biggest idiots ha. It don’t seem to hear as many WIs or SDs or NDs so worried about resource abuse and they have much looser regs. Why always the huge worry in MN?
I’d be fine with a 2-line law if it only allowed a single live bait rig to be used. Excellent idea DTRO!
I would pay double the license fee to use 2 lines.
I would pay double the license fee to use 2 lines.
So, if you get skunked 1/2 the time you go fishing would the second line reduce the amount of times you get skunked? 
Another thought popped into my pea brain.
If you could buy & use a second line license but it had to be 100% catch and release on both lines, would you?
Rivers and lakes are so very different. At least the inland rivers of our state could handle two hooks per angler and the bordering state people would argue 3 per angler.
That wouldn’t cost more stocking money because the rivers are seldom stocked.
Barbless, circle hooks and extra fee would all cut down on the perceived hooking mortality.
I can fish two or three lines on Pool 4 depending on where I’m at on the river. It just makes me scratch my head that not that far up stream it’s not allowed. ‘ell P2 is catch and release anyway.
I seldom keep anything. Redneck feels sorry for me once or twice a year and I’ll get some fillets from him bless his heart.
Dutch I agree with needing more CO’s but even on the St Croix which might be the most heavily patrolled portion of river in the US, there are still ding dongs out there. It’s not like we can have a CO following every fisherman.
As a public service reminder enter your State’s TIP line into your cell phone directory…then use it when need be. If a CO can’t make it in time…well you did your part.
Dang, I didn’t know I had this much to say on this. 
Another thought popped into my pea brain.
If you could buy a stamp; use a second line license but it had to be 100% catch and release on both lines, would you?
Yes. Assuming that when I used one line I could keep fish.
I fish Wisconsin and I like the multiple lines law, it allows you to present two depths on one pass and learn that much quicker what the fish prefer. I also love jig fishing and a slip bobber or a dead stick. Tactical fishing using multiple methods keeps me entertained. It also allows you to try different set ups without perceived penalty.
Mike
I’m on board with you Dutch, but I do see DTRO’s point as well. Then Brian brings this little gem up….” the bordering state people would argue 3 per angler”. Lots of little glitches to contend with and you are right, Dutch, about waiting until we have co numbers high enough to enforce the laws.
Until then I’d be fine with lowering the limits on most all of the game fish and making culling in MN a big no-no.
I’ve always been OK with using just one rod and feel that if people want more rods in the water take the wife and/or kids along. As far as having Sunday liquor now, maybe we should insist on laws to not allow any alcohol on in or on any form of watercraft…..then maybe two rods could be held. Until then, I feel one rod is fine.
Two lines would be great but…do we really need it? Everyone is talking about how these fish are ever going to have a chance with all of our technology and so on. Well a start would be keeping it at one line.
Most people can’t handle one line. Can you imagine the gut hooked fish if you had two live bait rods in the summer?
Trolling is just as bad. I’ve seen MANY guys get doubles and reel one fish in while they drag the other one for 5 min at 2mph. Really? No one can tell me our resource would be better off with two rods.
Look I live in WI and we can fish three and most of the time I fish one. Reason being is I want to concentrate on one line. I fish mostly catch and release and probably cast more than soak a bait for any species of fish, panfish included… But I DO LIKE to catch fish!!! It does afford me the opportunity to determine which bait might be working better the occasional times I fish bait on slow drifts after dark where I can work a lighted slip bobber or two while maintaining my finger on the line of a jig. dtro, I feel your pain as when I do work bait for walleyes in the summer it is nice to be able to try all three… leeches, crawlers & minnows… heck your only asking for live and dead bait, wouldn’t it be nice to try bullheads, bluegills and cut bait!!!
But again, most of the time I would rather cast soft and hard baits, but a couple of my better summer bites are with bait…
Mark
Part of the problem is that people look at this issue and only have tunnel vision as to how it would impact the way that THEY FISH. It needs to be looked at on a statewide basis and how it would impact ALL species. I will gladly admit that if everyone had an extra line out while slip bobber fishing for walleyes, the hooking mortality rate would likely go up. Whereas if you have 2 live bait rigs out for Sturgeon it wouldn’t move the needle. What the state needs to do is take a hard look at offering the opportunity for those willing to pay for it. Whether it be by tying the extra line in with a conservation license, or just straight up offering a bonus line permit (such as they do in Iowa). We keep hearing about license increases yet ignoring new forms of revenue. Also, by far, the biggest hypocritical debacle in this whole debate is that we allow 2 lines in the winter, which to me is actually a bigger opportunity for hooking mortality (deadsticks, tip ups, rattle reels, and unattended lines).
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