MN/WI Water Ditty Pole Q?

Reading the regulations for border water an angler must be within 400 ft of “tip-ups” (pg 65 2018 MN regs)

I do not think they literally mean “Tip-Ups”.
Fishing rods in rod holders on the bank seem to qualify under the same distance regulation.
Same with lines down in your ice house (Rattle reels, rods, etc.)
Same with “Finiky Foolers or I FiSh Pros, etc. etc.

All this leads me to believe that “Tip-up” isn’t to be taken literally (Especially since the regs do not define a tip-up as far as i can tell)

So with that thought the ditty pole enters the conversation.

What i would like to know is can i use a bank ditty pole as long as i am continuously within 400 ft and maintain a line of sight to the pole?
If the answer is NO, then it seems like i could fasten a “Tip-up” to a ditty pole and be legal.

Seems like an excellent tactic to place some baits in locations where i normally couldn’t. Boat into a snag, set a line, boat back out and wait patiently.

Ditty Poles, set line are illegal in MN.
You’ll have to expand outside of the border water regs to see the laws around the distance from a hook and line you can be.

In other words, not all fishing regs are in the border water section.

How does a fishing rod in a bank holder differ from a ditty pole or set line?

It’s the act of leaving the line unattended that makes it illegal in MN, not the act of placing the rod in a holder on a bank. If you want to argue the definition of “unattended” then have fun with that. Sounds… not as fun as fishing!

The tip-up only helps your scenario if used on ice. See below.

2017 Minnesota Statutes

97C.321 RESTRICTIONS ON UNATTENDED LINES.
Subdivision 1.General prohibition. A person may not take fish by angling with a set line or an unattended line except as provided in this section and rules adopted under the game and fish laws.
Subd. 2.Ice fishing. A person may use an unattended line to take fish through the ice if:
(1) the person is within sight of the line; or

(2) a tip-up is attached to the line and the person is within 200 feet of the tip-up.

FishBlood&RiverMud wrote:

Seems like an excellent tactic to place some baits in locations where i normally couldn’t. Boat into a snag, set a line, boat back out and wait patiently.

You can do that with a rod and reel……done it a few times…..

Yes to be clear i would like to set rods or ditty poles and stay within eyesight and wait for a fish.

If you are within eyesight and within the legal distance (400 ft, or is it 200 ft?) then the line is not unattended? True/False?

FishBlood&RiverMud wrote:

f you are within eyesight and within the legal distance (400 ft, or is it 200 ft?) then the line is not unattended? True/False?

According to this if it’s in your line of site I see no specific distance unless it’s a tip-up…..
2017 Minnesota Statutes

97C.321 RESTRICTIONS ON UNATTENDED LINES.
Subdivision 1.General prohibition. A person may not take fish by angling with a set line or an unattended line except as provided in this section and rules adopted under the game and fish laws.
Subd. 2.Ice fishing. A person may use an unattended line to take fish through the ice if:
(1) the person is within sight of the line; or
(2) a tip-up is attached to the line and the person is within 200 feet of the tip-up.
History: 1986 c 386 art 3 s 26; 1Sp1995 c 1 s 35; 1997 c 226 s 39
https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/?id=97C.321

In my opinion this is gonna be up to a CO to make a judgement call. We’re talking about a definition of “unattended.” If you want to get into semantics, the word can mean not “looked after” or “watched over” — in which case could make a case that you’re watching over the line from a distance. But the word can also mean separated by a lack of physical presence, and you’d have a hard time arguing that one.

I guess there is only one place i can go for clarity. On duty CO.

Next time i’m stopped i’ll ask.

There are many times we are shore fishing cats with cut and circle hooks. We made some really sturdy rod holders and depending on the spot we are a good distance between the rods. We spread them about 2-300 ft between 6 rods (40-50 ft apart) burn a fire and just wait for the bells to go. I have had the boys pull up and check licenses and never said a thing about us violating any rules… But, we were tending these rods and guess within 200 ft of them (though I do not think this matters)

From the way I read it is you have to be tending your rods no matter what the case. The 200 ft deal is ice fishing. So is being able to use two lines. This cannot be considered in my option.

The warden is not going to agree that setting bank rods and then leaving the bank with the boat will be ok… I bet it will come down to who, where and when… One of those deals. You could get told no on the Croix and told yes on P4.

I always have lived by do it now and ask forgiveness later with those guys. If you are not doing anything crazy, treat them with respect and not doing anything else illegal they are usually pretty good about it. Just cant stretch the rules too far or advertise it.