MN 2 lines/new regs

Joe Scegura wrote:

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.

Back when I lived in Wisconsin which allows 2 lines, I (and many others) when muskie fishing would set up a big sucker on a quick strike rig, hang it off the side or back of the boat and then cast jerkbaits or whatever other artificial lure. Typically the muskie would follow your artificial offering and then grab the sucker. Easy to manage, you’d just drop your casting rod and grab the sucker rod and set the hook. Quick strike rig would hookup before the muskie had a chance to swallow the sucker. I know this represents a minuscule percentage of anglers, but this would be an example of 2 lines without compromising the resource.
My other thought on 2 lines was being able to set 2 rods while trolling being able to experiment with different depth and lure color. Joe brings up a good point though, about possibly getting a double and then dragging a fish while playing the other…not good!!

“If a second line allowed you to fill your limit in a half hour vs a full hour ”

having 2 lines wouldn’t help me with this. I cant remember the last time I limited out on fish in open water. I just enjoy fishing, catching is a bonus. There are others like me.

Fishing the Miss. and inland Wi. waters my whole life (40 plus years) I could not imagine not fishing without two rods. The whole concept is really boggling to me. Bobber fishing, jigging, dragging, sucker fishing, cat fishing, TROLLING, etc, etc, etc.

I guess I have never fished an inland lake in MN. so I have never encountered this limitation but glad I seen post. I would have never thought twice about using 2 lines in MN. before seeing this. Just a good reminder to make sure and check the regulations in a area you are fishing.

Thanks,

RVRDUX

Explain to me if two lines is such a concern for the State of MN resources then why allow two lines during ice fishing season?

You want to talk fishing pressure and beating up a resource that’s the ice season.

Wisconsin has amazing fisheries. It’s amazing the open water fishing pressure in Wisconsin during the spring run. It’s like a mn opener every weekend and they allow 3 lines per person which has had no impact to the fishery. Once again I will spend 6 to 10 weekends fishing the Wisconsin spring run while mn remains closed. Good for the Wisconsin economy. I can only hope that someday MN will move on from the 60’s.

Remember I was talking if they reduced the regulations. So I don’t think extra line would really hurt if your limit was lower. I love fishing other states with two lines. Like said different bait different depths.

I don’t think with two lines all the world is going to limit out too.

I liked the 60’s. Things were simpler then. There wasn’t $2,000 worth of locators on every boat. 16′ boats with a 25 hp motor was a big thing. Fishing in the middle of Mille Lacs, Leech, Winni and the other big lakes happened a couple times a year. Running up to Millac Lacs involved a weekend trip for most not a afternoon speed trip. In the 60’s we waited for the once a week fishing reports in the newspaper. A fishing thread was a piece of thread from our hat. Maybe 2 or 3 fishing shows on tv. The 60’s were a time you stood on the dock and swapped fishing lies with someone you didn’t know but turned out to be a decent guy.

With all of todays advantages maybe we should reduce the seasons and bag limits insread of looking for additional lines & limits?

Nobody is looking for additional limits. In fact the vast majority would agree to having their limit cut if using 2 lines. Just like our surrounding states- multiple lines or beer being sold on sunday hasn’t ended the world there. It wouldn’t here either in the land of 10,000 laws. Common sense isn’t so common.

I am fine with one line in MN. I have been doing it that way for 52 years and I am not starving to death. I’m with you on this one Dutch!! Go out with one line and enjoy fishing without the worry of having to fill the livewell

Walleyestudent Andy Cox wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Joe Scegura wrote:</div>
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.

Back when I lived in Wisconsin which allows 2 lines, I (and many others) when muskie fishing would set up a big sucker on a quick strike rig, hang it off the side or back of the boat and then cast jerkbaits or whatever other artificial lure. Typically the <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>muskie would follow your artificial offering and then grab the sucker. Easy to manage, you’d just drop your casting rod and grab the sucker rod and set the hook. Quick strike rig would hookup before the <em class=”ido-tag-em”>muskie had a chance to swallow the sucker. I know this represents a minuscule percentage of anglers, but this would be an example of 2 lines without compromising the resource.
My other thought on 2 lines was being able to set 2 rods while trolling being able to experiment with different depth and lure color. Joe brings up a good point though, about possibly getting a double and then dragging a fish while playing the other…not good!!

Agree completely about the muskie scenario! I’d love to have a sucker down while casting. That said I still think one line is plenty.

tharms wrote:

Explain to me if two lines is such a concern for the State of MN resources then why allow two lines during ice fishing season?

Good day on the water is 25 walleye. Great day is 50-75 walleye.

Good day on the ice is 6 walleye. Great day is 15-20 walleye. That’s with two lines. Nuff said.

I still find this subject amazing every time it’s brought up…..being from WI I really don’t understand it…..
Why all the dire predictions when our fishery is just fine with 3?
The fish-hogs exist everywhere no matter what the law is……..

Joe Scegura wrote:

Good day on the water is 25 walleye.

Your good days are much gooder than mine

Mudshark wrote:

I still find this subject amazing every time it’s brought up…..being from WI I really don’t understand it…..
Why all the dire predictions when our fishery is just fine with 3?
The fish-hogs exist everywhere no matter what the law is……..

EXACTLY!! We can leave our law at one and head over to Wisconsin where we can use 3 lines and catch all the fish we want.

Mudshark wrote:

I still find this subject amazing every time it’s brought up…..being from WI I really don’t understand it…..
Why all the dire predictions when our fishery is just fine with 3?
The fish-hogs exist everywhere no matter what the law is……..

I don’t want to start a debate on which state has better fishing but I have 10-12 customers from WS that come every year. They say in general there’s no comparison in the quality of the fishing. Hence they plan vacations in MN.

Other than Green bay I can’t fathom a reason to fish WS. Keep your 3 lines and MN will keep our quality fishery.

Give you credit for your strong passion to only fish one line. Like I said I can only hope along with many others that someday MN will follow suite like the surrounding states. I truly believe there will be no impact to the resource.

Joe Scegura wrote:

I don’t want to start a debate on which state has better fishing but I have 10-12 customers from WS that come every year. They say in general there’s no comparison in the quality of the fishing. Hence they plan vacations in MN.

And that my friends is the message the guides on the DNR Workshop Groups are giving to the DNR. Darn near verbatim with the exception that it just WI waters it’s better fishing here then in any 48 continental States with the possible exception of FL.

Please keep in mind those are not my words or thoughts. I fish for other fish besides walleyes which is always what’s talked about.

Kinda like the Sunday liquor bill eh tharms.

If a person doesn’t want to fish with more then one line, they don’t have to.

tharms wrote:

Give you credit for your strong passion to only fish one line. Like I said I can only hope along with many others that someday MN will follow suite like the surrounding states. I truly believe there will be no impact to the resource.

Or, the surrounding states could follow Minnesota’s lead and reduce to one line. After all, who to say which approach is right?

Dutchboy wrote:

Or, the surrounding states could follow Minnesota’s lead and reduce to one line. After all, who to say which approach is right?

And now you know why the border water rules are so @#$@@ up.

Bingo Brian!!!!!!

I’m still trying to figure out how I’ll cast two fly rods at once

SR

I suppose I should feel sorry for you guys who need two lines to catch a fish. I never understood it was that hard. BTW, everyone of you guys who grew up in Minnesota have been following the same law all your lives and you still love to fish. Is it really that big of a hardship?

Joe Scegura wrote:

Other than Green bay I can’t fathom a reason to fish WS. Keep your 3 lines and MN will keep our quality fishery.

Well Joe…..I will,respectfully disagree….We have way more than Green Bay…..
You forget most of upper Wi,Lake Michigan,Lake Winnebago,The Brule,Green Lake,the Mississippi,the driftless region for Trout,Chequamegon and more….
We have a few ‘sotan’s that come over here too Joe…..
Come on over for the White Bass run on the Wolf in a few weeks and we’ll BS and have fun….
Love to share a boat with ya….

Growing up and living in WI, I couldn’t imagine being limited to 1 line in the water. When I’m jigging, I have 1 line in with a jig/minnow and another rod in with a ripping rap or jig/plastic. When trolling I run all 3 lines out.

Having the added lines increases the chance of catching fish (or snags) but it doesn’t change how many I can keep.

When I panfish, I usually use just 1 rod as I cast a lot

I think 2 lines gets blown way out of proportion. I am not going back and reading all the replies, but anyone of you that has worked with the DNR know their actual reasoning? Have they looked at studies to back up their fears?

Multiple lines really is just another technique to use in certain situations. Yes, cat, sturgeon and river fishermen will be stronger proponents for it, because for them it makes sense.

There are 3 situations I’d use it for in MN. When fishing alone I might have a sucker under a bobber while casting for bass. Bottom fishing a river from shore or a boat when alone. Lastly, trolling by myself.

If it was anything like the states that allow 2 lines or more, I’d be willing to bet that a fisherman uses more than one line less than 50% of the time they fish.

Personally I think the line rule is not needed. But also, just be happy that it is legal to fish.

I’ll throw a new wrinkle into this thread. I’m from WI and think BOTH states should be 2. Simplifies regs for border waters and enforcement. Other than trolling and stationary fishing (bobber or bottom fishing) no one can fish 3 lines at once anyway.

I guess some folks like to catch fish, eat some fish and be able to bring some fish home to share with friends, neighbours and family members, one can do that in Wi. I still don’t get how this thread got to be a we can but you can’t debate, what a joke, what’s the big deal when your out fishing enjoying everything that goes with it, you obide by the laws in the state or waters your in. I know I threw the sconnie thing in, we appreciate your spending time here.