Portable fish house licensing question

Sorry. Either two of us deleted a post thinking each mod was deleting the second one…or I deleted both.

I’m going to put my mouse down now.

So this argument came up between 3 of us in the fish house after about 19 Busch lights apiece last night. Many wheel house fisherman set a hub alongside their fish house and use as a bathroom, storage, outdoor kitchen etc. on extended stays on the lake. Does that Hub house need to be licensed? Three guys, three opinions. I won’t tell which one is mine. Lots of intelligent debating going on over this last night. My kids were amused.

Guy 1: No, it is not being used as a fish house.

Guy 2: Yes, It’s a fish house on public water.
No, if you somehow attach it to the wheelhouse like by a rope it’s an accessory to the wheelhouse and doesn’t need one.

Guy 3: yes. It’s not a fish house license, it’s a shelter license, and unless you are inside it, it would be unoccupied overnight and need a license.

last i knew portables didnt need a license anymore

I’m going with Guy #3

From the Regulation book.

https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/rlp/regulations/fishing/fishing_regs.pdf#20210301&view=fit&pagemode=bookmarks

See page 72. Will not allow me to copy and paste

If left unattended between Midnight and 1 hour before sunrise – Needs a license.

Very good question….reading through the regs I believe Guy #3 is correct, but in all honesty I’ve never licensed my hub for use in the exact same purpose. I also don’t display my shelter license in the window per the regs either, as it fades waaaayyyy quick. I keep it in a cabinet right by the door for quick access, and have never had an issue.

I have no idea, but would agree with #1. We’ve done the same for the ladies when out and never even crossed my mind.

Shelter licenses
All non-portable ice shelters must be licensed.
Wheeled fish houses are not considered portable and must be licensed.
An annual shelter license costs $15 for residents and $37 for non-residents, not including issuing fees that may be charged.
The ice shelter license must be readily visible from the exterior of the shelter.
A shelter license is valid from March 1 through April 30 of the following year.
A shelter license is not required on border waters between Minnesota or Wisconsin, Iowa and North and South Dakota.
Portable shelter definition
A shelter that collapses, folds or is disassembled for transportation.

Portable shelters only need licenses and identification when left unattended, which is defined as all occupants being more than 200 feet away.

Shelter identification requirements
ONE of the following must be readily visible from the exterior of the shelter with characters at least 2 inches high:
Owner’s name and address
Owner’s drivers license number
Owner’s Minnesota DNR identification number.
If a shelter is left out overnight, it must have at least 2 square inches of reflective material on each side.

^^^was going to post this.
I say no.

The way I read it as if your within 200’ no license is needed.

The laws also state that no shelter can be erected within 10′ of another.

Has anyone ever been hassled for having their outhouse shelter set up that close to a wheelhouse??….lol.

Well I guess I just got away with one. Took my wheel house to red last weekend. No license. Thought as long as it was occupied you didn’t need one. Good thing we didn’t get checked. Guess I’ll get one before next trip.

Only the MN DNR could come up with the statement/concept that “wheeled fishhouses are not considered portable”.

MNdrifter wrote:

The way I read it as if your within 200’ no license is needed.

I vote here

Guy #3 has it. As I understand it, if a fishhouse, shelter is left on the lake overnight or unattended it needs to have a shelter license.

AND, it also needed something reflective on said shelter.

Brian Klawitter wrote:

Sorry. Either two of us deleted a post thinking each mod was deleting the second one…or I deleted both.

I’m going to put my mouse down now.

kinda hard to find good help nowadays.

I believe the law has since been changed.

On my first ice fishing trip up to MN (maybe 10 years ago), both me and my buddy (nickname No-Fish) were fishing for perch on Winnie. We stopped at the bait shop and picked up some bait, our license and mentioned we were going out in my portable. Then we dropped our luggage off at the lodge and hit the ice. While fishing on Winnie we were catching some small perch and another guy drives up with his shelter and proceeds to fish within 30 yards of us. Not a big deal. Then we hear a snowmobile outside my portable, the DNR officer asks if he can come in. Both of us say sure, I suddenly hear the other fisherman start his sled and drive off (odd, he left all his gear). The warden asks us if we have any fish, we were polite and said “No only caught dinks”. The warden checks our fishing license’s (we’re good) and he proceeds to say “Good Luck” to which we reply “Thanks” and he leaves. Then 2 minutes later he knocks on the shelter and proceeds to tell me that I don’t have any identification on the shelter. I said “It’s a portable and I have no plans on leaving it unattended”. I said being from Wisconsin I was truly unaware of this requirement for a portable. He didn’t care and wrote me a ticket. I don’t recall the exact amount but it was ~ 150 dollars. I then understood why the fisherman next to me bolted immediately once he herd the DNR person ask to enter my shelter. These are the kind of things that happen to me and No-Fish when we go fishing. Did I break the law, yes! Could I have been given a break, I thought so. But I was with No-Fish……

Mark

years ago i remember portables had to be licensed like a wheelhouse

Our group asked 2 COs that were having lunch at Nitti’s about this a couple years ago. Both of them agreed with your #3.

“Portable shelters only need licenses and identification when left unattended, which is defined as all occupants being more than 200 feet”away.”

Seems pretty clear to me. As long as your shitter is next to your wheel house and not more than 200 feet away. No license.

Ripjiggen wrote:

“Portable shelters only need licenses and identification when left unattended, which is defined as all occupants being more than 200 feet”away.”

Seems pretty clear to me. As long as your shitter is next to your wheel house and not more than 200 feet away. No license.

I was #3, but after reading their definition of unoccupied, I switched my position to no license needed as long as you’re within 200’.

MNdrifter wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Ripjiggen wrote:</div>
“Portable shelters only need licenses and identification when left unattended, which is defined as all occupants being more than 200 feet”away.”

Seems pretty clear to me. As long as your shitter is next to your wheel house and not more than 200 feet away. No license.

I was #3, but after reading their definition of unoccupied, I switched my position to no license needed as long as you’re within 200’.

Agree. Of all of the confusing statements printed on the MN DNR Website, this one could not be more clear!

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/fishing/shelter.html

-J.

thats the exact same thing i posted….

So are we saying that even occupied I need a shelter license now in my wheel house?

Their perception of unoccupied and mine are different. But hey, it saves me $16.

John Rasmussen wrote:

So are we saying that even occupied I need a shelter license now in my wheel house?

100% yes. That I do know.

John Rasmussen wrote:

So are we saying that even occupied I need a shelter license now in my wheel house?

its pretty cut and dry

Shelter licenses
All non-portable ice shelters must be licensed.
Wheeled fish houses are not considered portable and must be licensed.
An annual shelter license costs $15 for residents and $37 for non-residents, not including issuing fees that may be charged.
The ice shelter license must be readily visible from the exterior of the shelter.
A shelter license is valid from March 1 through April 30 of the following year.
A shelter license is not required on border waters between Minnesota or Wisconsin, Iowa and North and South Dakota.