SEND COMMENTS NOW (May 12th)
The Rule language that is moving forward to the next step in the process. This is the 30 Day public comment period that is posted in the State Register beginning on May 12. This rule package includes the proposed early bass catch and release season (catch and release only for bass beginning on the inland walleye/pike opener. The harvest season will still open on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. There is also a change proposed that would allow the harvest of smallmouth bass in the NE corner of the state in the fall. Please take the opportunity to comment on these changes as well as some of the other proposed fishing regulation changes (e.g. sturgeon catch and release, muskie minimum size limit change etc. All comments during the 30 day public comment period should be submitted as follows:
Agency Contact Person. Submit any comments or questions on the rules or written requests for a public hearing to the agency contact person. The agency contact person is: Linda Erickson-Eastwood at Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, 500 Lafayette Road, St. Paul, Minnesota 55155, phone 651-259-5206, FAX 651-297-4916, andemail [email protected].
Subject of Rules and Statutory Authority. The proposed rules are about:
Trout regulations
Open trout lakes in Becker, Beltrami, Cass, Crow Wing, and Hubbard counties to winter trout fishing. Little Andrus (Snowshoe Lake), Cass Co; Allen and Pleasant Lakes, Crow Wing Co.; and Bad Medicine Lake, Becker Co. will remain closed to winter fishing.
Other Game Fish Regulations
New statewide catch and release seasons for bass and sturgeon
50” minimum size limit statewide for pure strain muskie
Open Spring Lake, Itasca Co to whitefish netting
Restrictions on where nets can be placed for smelting on Grindstone
Close the taking of flathead catfish during the winter
Border Waters
Changes to simplify, provide additional opportunities, make changes that are consistent with the
Minnesota inland regulations, or make consistent with the bordering state’s regulations for Iowa,
North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Canada
& Clarify the no-culling rule
Others
Require a barb on arrows used for bowfishing
Remove obsolete and redundant rules for bowfishing, aquatic plant control of lotus, Take a Kid
Fishing, Mink and Somers Lakes (Wright County), and licensing requirements.
Technical changes for Lake Superior rules to clarify that the lake proper is included as part of the
existing rules.
Technical changes that move rule language from one part to another for consolidation or clarification: Annie Battle (Ottertail County), La Salle (Hubbard County), Moody Creek (Itasca County), and Pike River (St. Louis and Carlton County)
Anglers for Habitat is a non-profit alliance of anglers dedicated to the preservation and improvement of aquatic habitat, clean water and fishing in Minnesota.
