Portable Fish House Licenses??

[bigfoot]

I was reading on the MNDNR site about ice fishing and it seemed that portables need a license thats 12 bucks and your name displayed on the outside.

Is everyone else doing this already or is it news to you too?

[hoggs222]

I believe it was changed last year that you only need a license on a portable IF you leave it unattended on the ice.

You do have to have at least your DNR # on it though.

[BK19]

it is only if it is left unatended overnight

[Pooh]

the regs for house licences are written on page 61

[bigfoot]

Looks like a recent change

http://news.dnr.state.mn.us/index.php/2009/12/21/fish-shelter-identification-required/

[bigfoot]

Or i'm a little slow to understand haha

[Phred52]

bigfoot, READ page 61 again...slowly. IF the house is on the ice between Midnight and 1 hour prior(before)sunrise, unoccupied (nobody in it)...it NEEDS to be licenced. If you are IN the house, 100% of that time, during those hours, it does not. ANY shelter on the ice at ANY time MUST have the full name and address OR the 10 digit DNR# displayed in letters at least 2" tall, in a contrasting a color. EVEN if it's a warming house for iceskaters or a house used by ice divers. Phred52

[thedeadsea]

ANY shelter on the ice at ANY time MUST have the full name and address OR the 10 digit DNR# displayed in letters at least 2" tall, in a contrasting a color. EVEN if it's a warming house for iceskaters or a house used by ice divers. Phred52

It seems that lots of people don't follow this. I dont know of very many portables that are marked like this.

[Phred52]

Check page 61. That's what it states and that's the rules we gotta follow. Mell, On a Sunday afternoon, I had a CO tell me, as I was setting up my new house that, If I set it up and started to use it, he'd ticket me about! Because my numbers and letters weren't (at that time) 3" tall ('89-'90)! He sat on the tailgate of my truck and waited, I asked if he was serious, and he said YES he was, I folded up the house, threw it into the back of the truck and left. Now, I wish I'd knocked the clown on his 'lower unit'! So now, I go by what the book says that way I can take the book into the courtroom and spend MY time wasting HIS time! If he's gonna be a JERK...SO can I!! Eventually, some of his 'prickyness' will fall off with spending so much time in court. BTW, MY letters were 2.75" tall and in a contrasting color!! 1/4" short! the only stencils available. I've been in court 1 time since, used the DNR book and walked out with only some time lost. He spent more time on the P.i.t.a. paperwork!! Served him right! I'll continue to use the book, If they have the nerve, I have the time! deadsea, With the number of lakes we have in South central MN, The DNR 'rookies' just 'train' down here, perfecting their prickyness. With the number of lakes you have, they're spread pretty thin. Sounds like you need a few more up in the Arrowhead! I have been checked 3 times in 1 day by 3 different guys!! Just cause they're bored I guess!! Phred52

[Fly2day]

What 10 digit DNR #? On the fishing liscense?

[RebelSS]

Yes...this does not change. Put it on your house. All data is on line with the DNR that is related to this number. Your DL# may (or should have, by now)change, but this will not. That's why this number is preferable to your DL #.

[Phred52]

Fly2day, Look at your licence. It says MDNR# 000-000-000. And YES, I did just now notice mine's only a 9 digit number! Maybe, I'm just that old that they were only 9 digits! If you look at ALL your previous Minnesota licences, hunting, fishing, spearing, trapping, possibly snowmobile and even ATV, they all have that same number. That's your DNR number! You don't stand the chance of ID theft using that number over your name and address. It's a GOOD thing to know!!! Thanks Rebel!! Phred52

[silverbulletguy]

Mine is a 9 digit DNR # as well. I talked with a CO at a gas station up north and asked him on needing the number and he said most of them won't ticket you the first time unless they catch you with another violation and then they will throw the book at you. I put it on mine because he said I didn't want to find out how big the fine was for not having it. I think I saw on another post it was over a hindred bucks.

[RebelSS]

You're welcome, Phred! And you are correct...that number DOES go back to day #1 that you bought your first license. I DID learn something after 24 yrs in a law enforcement career! And just to say I know how you feel... 3 yrs ago I had a newbie CO tag me for no numbers on my brand new, 1 day old shack.. they had fallen off and blown down the lake. I retrieved them and showed him the numbers and my tags...to no avail. We went to court...I won. End of story. I know he was just doing his job (been there, done that) but there is a point where accidental/known violation exists...point of story, put your numbers on your shack. Ten minutes=No big deal. The CO's hear a lot of excuses as it is.

[hoggs222]

At least the MN DNR icefishing regulations aren't as complicated as out of state, big game regs. I read through the regulations with him for a half hour and both of our heads were hurting.

[Phred52]

hoggs222, Congrats on making HIS head hurt!! Keep a copy of 'the book' with you!! It'll help end a lot of disagreements! It's hard to argue with what the state has approved in print. Like I ALWAYS say SOMETIMES,"If you can't Dazzle 'em with brillance, BAFFLE 'em with B.S."!! Phred52

[Phred52]

RebelSS, And after being in law enforcement!! JK!! Thanks for the back up! Newbies in anything can be such a PITA!! That's why PITA is called PITA!! Phred52

[WallyGader]

I guess I better get my DNR number on my portable tommorrow morning before heading out.. I feel dumb now fishing all year so far without it but I have yet to see it on other houses.

[Phred52]

Wallygader, Just feel 'LUCKY' that your friends on FM pointed it out rather than a newbie or someone looking for 'points'. Phred52

[shiltsy]

Don't worry, it would probably get stolen before the CO can fine you anyway....

Sorry, that wasn't funny.

[hoggs222]

Sorry, what I thought I typed was:

At least the MN DNR icefishing regulations aren't as complicated as out of state, big game regs. I read through the regulations with my roommate for a half hour and both of our heads were hurting.

We were trying to figure out Elk Hunting in another state.

[RebelSS]

WallyGader...You have no reason to feel "dumb" because you didn't have your "number" on your shack...I've spent the last couple of years trying to educate MANY of my friends to the fact that you HAVE TO have your DNR # or name, address, DL #, etc on your shack. Many still don't believe it, "Because it's a portable", etc. etc. The regs can be kinda hard to understand, in my opinion. You're not alone. You had the intelligence to ask about it, and that goes a long way in my book. Enjoy your fishin'.

[Phred52]

Well said RebelSS! This is the kind of info we NEED to pass on to our fishing bretheren. If we can get most of our 'Ducks in line', maybe the CO's can do their jobs on what NEEDS to be done. Phred52

[MNice]

My buddy & I were out on new years day, tetonka by Waterville. He bought a frabill caboose off c list for the back of his prowler. Well, we both forgot about the DNR # until we got out there and sure enough, up comes the CO on a sled. He got a warning ticket and the CO could not have been any nicer.

[bikeoutback]

I put mine on my house this year, didn't have it last year but never heard from anybody on it. I simply used Word to put on:

MNDNR#

000-000-000

Tip: In Landscape you can type the font in as large as you like and but it will not fit that on 2 lines across and be 2" tall but if you do Word Art you can stretch it vertically to make it fit the page and be 2" tall. I now there is other ways but this was a quick print, slide it into a ziplock bag and put it in the sleeve on the front of my house.

Now I wonder if black letters on white paper on a black fish house is contrasting enough for them?