Some say it would never happen.

Scouring IDO from it’s earliest days there was talk in the Catfish Forums there should be a closed season on flathead catfish as they are one of the few fish that go into a metabolic tupor in the winter cold water months. Because they school up and lay motionless in large groups it makes them easy to target for over harvest. Once a flathead is in a boat or on ice, it becomes almost impossible for a CO to prove it was snagged besides knowing these fish seldom if ever take a bait in these cold water months.

Today marks a milestone in MN’s Flathead fishing.
State wide the flathead season is closed!

“Flathead and channel catfish.
Continuous, except for flathead catfish, the season is closed from December 1 to March 31.”

Kudos to all that worked for this change along with the MN DNR for realizing and working to protect the awesome trophy fishery we have.

I know you have worked hard and am happy to see this, BK.

Francis K wrote:

I know you have worked hard and am happy to see this, BK.

x2

-J.

Making a difference one fish at a time

Ain’t that akin to closing the bar since none of the women I’m hitting on aren’t as you say “takin the bait”? I feel this is some kind of fish sensorship…like these fish demand equality but still want to be considered special. This elitist thinking undermines our socialist values. I plan on presenting this to the Supreme Court where these legislative issues truly belong…sorry for the rant, I’m just taking out my frustration and personal failure at judging the distance and missing my only shot at a deer last week, my bad. Seriously though congrats on an issue near and dear to your catfishing heart.

BK – is that the actual wording? I know I am picking nits here, but the way that is written could be read as ‘except for flatheads, the season is closed’, thus having the opposite effect.

Jez Castle, if you want a deer that bad I’ll hit one for you on the way into Woodbury tonight.

6262.0200 Subpart 1 M

Flathead and channel catfish. 5 in aggregate. No more than 1 may be over 24 inches and no more than 2 may be flathead catfish.
Continuous, except for flathead catfish, the season is closed from December 1 to March 31.

Continuous, except for flathead catfish, the season is closed from December 1 to March 31.

One sentence.

(the limits are for inland waters in this quote)

to all those who worked so hard on this.

Congradulations Brian, keep the fishery strong and healthy.

Hey Brian, when people ask you what caliber you hunt deer with do you tell them a “Dodge Magnum”

Ford Magnum- Dodge would fall apart and the deer would walk away unscathed. @bigg

Happy to see your efforts paid off Brian.

mossydan wrote:

Congradulations Brian, keep the fishery strong and healthy.

ditto, do you think wis will follow suit?

^ Working on it.

WI has a closed flat season on some river already to protect from over harvest. I’m not sure why they wouldn’t. But I’m not going to put works in their mouths.

Brian Klawitter wrote:

Today marks a milestone in MN’s Flathead fishing.
State wide the flathead season is closed!

Thanks BK. Now what do I do with all my lead weighted Snag Hooks.?.. LMAO … rrr

Paddlefish…

Brian Klawitter wrote:

Paddlefish…

…They don’t have scales so why bother.? … rrr

Congratulations Brian. I wish Wisconsin would adopt the same rules for channel cats and flatheads as MN.

Thanks Beeks, now I gotta go buy feed for the hogs jerr

We (the MN Catfishing and Sturgeon Alliance) are looking to change/align the catfish regulations on the MN/WI Border Waters (St Croix and Mississippi Rivers).
We really need the help of WI cat fishing folks (no matter what your opinion of the current regs) to post here or message me to your interest.
I have a few names but since there are many cat folks in WI we sure would like to see a couple dozen hands. If you know someone that has the cat passion please send them this massage. Thanks!
Please feel free to share this massage.

I now have a wi drivers license… Where to I sign!

FishBlood&RiverMud wrote:

I now have a wi drivers license… Where to I sign!

Thanks Andy!

Send me your full name, city and email address.

Maybe we should all move to WI for a couple months!?

Just an FYI…Iowa has a small group attempting the same as well. If Iowa and/or Wisconsin can further break this ice a little more, it would be a domino effect for bordering states to jump on the wagon…IMHO.

Good job Brian and others. You opened the door and we can all follow. Thanks for the hard work and efforts.

L8R…Ken

Doah! Why didn’t I think of the Iowa Connection!!

We be workin’ together now Brian. Thanks for your help.

L8R…Ken

Merry Christmas Brother!