Legal size suckers for transport in MN

[Cfollow]

What is your interpretation of the legal size of a sucker minnow that can be bought from a bait shop and taken to the lake in Minnesota? I am hearing that it is only 12" or under. I wonder how many of us will actually be following that standard if it is in fact the maximum size.

[mainbutter]

P. 3 of the MN fishing regulations:

Quote:

Minnows– Members of the minnow family, except carp and goldfish; bullheads,

ciscoes, lake whitefish, goldeyes, and mooneyes (not over 7 inches

long); suckers (not over 12 inches long); mud minnows, leeches, tadpole

madtoms and stonecats. (Note: border water regulations may vary.)

And P. 10 of the MN fishing regulations:

Quote:

Except while on the body of water where taken, live fish may not be

transported in a quantity of water sufficient to keep them alive unless the

fish are bait minnows or the person is authorized to do so by the DNR.

Quote:

I wonder how many of us will actually be following that standard if it is in fact the maximum size.

It had better be everyone.

[Cfollow]

It had better be everyone or else what? The world will stop rotating. I want all the self righteous anglers who reply to this thread to agree to make a complete stop at all stop signs and never speed again as long as they shall live. A rule is a rule right.

Why 12" I mean I am sure the DNR did an exhaustive study on the issue and didn't pick the number out of thin air?

[mn_bowhunter]

The size could have been imposed to prohibit bait dealers from harvesting sexually mature fish. They may want to keep sexually mature suckers from spreading around, or keep them in the population so that they can maintain the local population. Just a thought.

[Muskie456]

Cfollow,

I think your right, the planet stops if a 12 1/2" sucker gets fished with.

Seriously, I understand that you are looking for clarification on sucker size but if you plan on bending the rules and don't want to get hassled about it I would start by not putting it on the internet. Just a thought.

[JimBuck]

The world may or may not stop. However, if your approached by the CO and he measures your minnows and deems them illegal...They might have the right to ticket you and take a rod and reel. The world may stop at that point.

[DTro]

Yep, just like creeping through that stop sign or driving over the speed limit, you have nobody to blame but yourself when the CO writes you a ticket.

To be honest, I think a LOT of these regulations are archaic and need some fine tuning.

Too bad there is so much red tape involved that nothing will ever happen to reevaluate which laws could be tweaked a little bit to make fishing a bit more enjoyable and a lot less hassle for everyone.

Less is more in my opinion.

But there is no excuse, everyone knows now You cannot transport suckers over 12”

[Cfollow]

97C.205 TRANSPORTING AND STOCKING FISH.

(a) Except on the water body where taken, a person may not transport a live fish in a quantity of water sufficient to keep the fish alive, unless the fish:(1) is being transported under an aquaculture license as authorized under sections 17.4985 and 17.4986;

(2) is being transported for a fishing contest weigh-in under section 97C.081; 97C.081 FISHING CONTESTS.Subdivision 1.Restrictions.

A person may not conduct a fishing contest on waters except as provided in this section.

Subd. 2.Contests without a permit.

A person may conduct a fishing contest without a permit from the commissioner provided:(1) the following criteria are met:

(i) there are 25 boats or less for open water contests and 150 participants or less for ice fishing contests;

(ii) the entry fee is $25 per person or less;

(iii) the total prize value is $25,000 or less; and

(iv) the contest is not limited to trout species only;

(2) the following criteria are met:

(i) the contest is not limited to specifically named waters; and

(ii) the contest is not limited to trout species only;

(3) all the contest participants are age 18 years or under;

(4) the contest is limited to rough fish; or

(5) the total prize value is $500 or less

It's ok Mr. CO I am transporting these suckers to the lake for a a tournament weigh-in. Silly for sure but no silier than the 12" sucker restriction.

[DTro]

Good luck with that one

You would be MUCH better off keeping a small rod in the boat and saying that you caught them on the same body of water.

[RK]

Hiya -

This is a perennial question, with a pretty simple answer.

1.) A sucker under 12" is a minnow.

2.) A sucker over 12" is a rough fish

3.) Unless it's a minnow, you can't transport it alive in MN. This INCLUDES game fish, by the way, not just rough fish. You can't legally haul your limit of walleyes home in a livewell full of water either.

This is a rule that has been on the books for a long time, but hasn't been enforced very heavily until things like invasives and VHS became very real concerns.

I know it seems silly, but the rules are the rules, as they say. Whether or not you follow them is between you and the CO.

Cheers,

Rob Kimm

[mainbutter]

97C.205 TRANSPORTING AND STOCKING FISH.

(a) Except on the water body where taken, a person may not transport a live fish in a quantity of water sufficient to keep the fish alive, unless the fish:(1) is being transported under an aquaculture license as authorized under sections 17.4985 and 17.4986;

(2) is being transported for a fishing contest weigh-in under section 97C.081; 97C.081 FISHING CONTESTS.Subdivision 1.Restrictions.

A person may not conduct a fishing contest on waters except as provided in this section.

Subd. 2.Contests without a permit.

A person may conduct a fishing contest without a permit from the commissioner provided:(1) the following criteria are met:

(i) there are 25 boats or less for open water contests and 150 participants or less for ice fishing contests;

(ii) the entry fee is $25 per person or less;

(iii) the total prize value is $25,000 or less; and

(iv) the contest is not limited to trout species only;

(2) the following criteria are met:

(i) the contest is not limited to specifically named waters; and

(ii) the contest is not limited to trout species only;

(3) all the contest participants are age 18 years or under;

(4) the contest is limited to rough fish; or

(5) the total prize value is $500 or less

It's ok Mr. CO I am transporting these suckers to the lake for a a tournament weigh-in. Silly for sure but no silier than the 12" sucker restriction.

that's actually a loophole I've never noticed before..

[croixflats]

It had better be everyone or else what? The world will stop rotating. I want all the self righteous anglers who reply to this thread to agree to make a complete stop at all stop signs and never speed again as long as they shall live. A rule is a rule right.

Why 12" I mean I am sure the DNR did an exhaustive study on the issue and didn't pick the number out of thin air?

Self ritchous anglers? Rules are the rules bud. What ever the reason they are there you can not pick and choose what rules to bend/break. Though I am sure you would not be the first one to cry foul when you see a guy with 1 or 2 walleye over the limit or a limit of fish 1/2 inch over the slot. now would ya, After all its just bending the rules, right?

[DTro]

All I know, is that I caught a nice 18" sucker on the croix last night?