State Meeting April 12 2008 12:00 P.M.
“The Cactus Restaurant”
Perham MN
New Minnesota law allowing angling in a
spear house...
The
new law was passed in the last legislative session as part of the Fish
and Game
Omnibus bill. It went
in effect August 1, 2006.
Minnesota anglers can spear and angle in the fish house at the same
time, while using one spear and only ONE angling line. The spear
and angling line combined are two lines. If someone is using a two hole
house and two people are spearing in different holes, then each person
could have one spear and one line. When a fish is caught, it must either
be immediately released, or placed outside the spearing house. This is
to prevent using a live game fish as a decoy.
I hope this clears up
any questions you might have...
Roger Goeschel
rgoeschel@msn.com
Here is the News Release from the
Minnesota DNR on 12/12/2006...
Important rule changes for Minnesota anglers who spear fish (2006-12-12)
December 1, 2006, brought
some important rule changes for Minnesota anglers who spear fish.
Under the new law a person may not take fish by angling or use
tip-ups while spearing fish in a dark house, except that a person may
take fish by angling if only one angling line is in use and any fish
caught by angling is immediately released to the water or placed on the
ice.
That specific requirement is limited to fish taken by angling. The new
rules apply to rough fish, catfish, lake whitefish and northern pike
taken by spearing.
WHILE SPEARING, CAN YOU USE A TIP-UP?
Yes. While spearing, a person may use one angling line or one
tip-up. The angling line or tip-up may be inside the house or outside
the house.
IS IT PERMISSIBLE TO JIG OR USE A SPOON IN THE SAME HOLE USED FOR
SPEARING?
Yes. A person may angle and spear at the same time in the same
hole.
IS IT PERMISSIBLE TO HAVE A HOOK EMBEDDED IN A SUCKER BEING USED AS
BAIT?
Yes. A person may angle and spear at the same time, a sucker
minnow may be used as bait for angling. If a sucker, being used as
spearing decoy, has a hook in it, that sucker/hook will constitute the
one angling line which can be used while spearing.
CAN THE FISH BE IN A BUCKET THAT'S ON THE ICE, ON THE FLOOR OF THE
HOUSE, OR IN A COOLER?
The purpose of this requirement is to prevent leaving game fish on the
angling line in the water serving as bait. "On the ice" means not in the
water, and can reasonably include being in a bucket, cooler, or on the
house floor. The fish can be placed either inside or outside of the
house.
IS IT PERMISSIBLE TO HAVE MORE THAN ONE SPEAR OR ONE ANGLING LINE IN THE
HOUSE AT THE SAME TIME?
Each person may use one angling line while spearing. If two people are
in a house and only one of them is spearing, the person spearing may use
one angling line, and the person not spearing may use two angling lines.
It is also permissible to have additional spears and angling
equipment in possession in the house provided such equipment is not in
use.
The open season for spearing through the ice in Minnesota is...
Friday, Dec. 1, 2008 to Sunday, Feb. 22, 2009.
Hope this helps clarify things for all
spear fishermen in Minnesota...
GOOD LUCK! & BE SAFE!
