new Bait Bucket regulation

[hawgchaser]

I don't see the inconsistency in the law, you refer to. I didn't see anything about rinsing in your DNR quote. It said "exchange" water. Later it says lake water must be replaced with tap/spring water. I read that as two ways of saying the same thing, unless someones found a way to exchange the waters without draining the original lake water.

[Cliff Wagenbach]

The real danger that I can see with this new law is that many people will just dump any left over bait and remaining water back into the lake they were fishing on! Much easier to do that then to get caught leaving the landing with bait/water etc. and then getting a costly violation ticket!

Most people will take the easy route every time!

This "dumping" will probably result in more invasive being transported and then surviving in lakes.

Who knows what was in the original water that the live bait was transported to the lake in to begin with?

Basically I see this law as an unenforceable and useless attempt to control invasive species.

I agree that something has to be done but do not think this law will stop the spread of invasive species.

The only way that I can see to slow the spread is to allow no live bait that is stored in water and no livewells on boats! Almost an impossible thing to enforce with today's boats.

I gotta say that a law that restricts the use of live bait would kill my favorite method of fishing!

Cliff

[reinhard1]

page 15 it says the bait bucket must be drained [unless you want to bring bait home, and then you must put tap water in it]. otherwise you just drain it. that is different from the other page. good luck.

[mn_bowhunter]

Read it again, page 12 and 15 say the same thing.

[mn_bowhunter]

This law isn't new either. It went into effect July 1, 2010. Did it affect your fishing at all last summer? This isn't that difficult, all you have to do is take out your drain plugs and change water in bait buckets if you are on infested waters. If not on infested waters you don't have to change water in bait containers but still have to take plugs out of the boat. Doesn't make sense to me that when on uninfested waters you can take water in a bait bucket, but not a livewell/baitwell.

[hawgchaser]

Cliff, emptying live bait in infested waters would not facilitate the spread of invasive species to "clean" lakes. As I understand it, the attempt to limit the spread is an attempt to curtail transferring water and weeds, which contain the reproductive spores/eggs, from an infested lake to a "clean" lake.

I used to fish live bait a lot but accidentally stumbled across a method to salt-freeze minnows/shiners about five years ago. The frozen bait is almost as firm as live bait. Since happening on this process, about the only reason I buy live bait is to replenish my supply of frozen minnow/shiner supply. You might try it...I can't tell the difference, as far a catching success, between live and frozen bait.

I long ago came to the conclusion that a fair share of people fishing either don't care about or don't think about taking care of our resources. Living on a lake with considerable out of state/area fishing boats, I've cringed many times watching people load their boats and drive off without draining anything or checking for weeds hanging. If they're leaving "my" "clean" lake and taking parts of it to another, they're probably doing the same thing when leaving "dirty" lakes.

I, for one, think this law is long overdue.

[analyzer]

If any of you guys are concerned about using your tap water for minnows, the pet store sells a bottle of stuff you can add to your tap water to eliminate the chlorine and other harmful chemicals. It's like 1 squirt per 5 gallons or something. One bottle will last a very long time.

[Cliff Wagenbach]

Hawgchaser,

I fully agree with you as far as regulations being long overdue to prevent the spread of invasive species in our waters!

I was trying to point out that the water that the bait was in when brought to the lake may contain an invasive that is not already in an infested lake. Thus introducing even another invasive to that lake.

As far as I understand boats coming into an infested lake probably will not be inspected until they are leaving.

Cliff

[IamZombie]

How are they going to prove that it's infested lake water inside your bait bucket?

What if on the ride back in you transfer the bait from one bucket to the other? Get to the landing, pack up and POW! you get hit with a ticket because the officer didn't personally see you transfer the bait from one bucket to another?

[jmg]

Hawgchaser. Would you mind sharing your method for preserving minnows that you mentioned in your post? With the price of shiners, maybe some of them could be "recycled" instead of tossed. Thanks!

[GlassEyeangler]

it's funny we always get those responses to issues like these that start with..."i really don't see the issue here...", or " is it really that hard to...", or "i really don't see a problem with..."

last year it was the new drain plug law. this year it's the bait bucket thing (yes it's new this year because, of the little red arrow pointing to the reg which states 'new'). what's next, approved alcohol swabs to thoroughly clean my rod and reel? AND, it's the law? really? here are the things i have to remember to bring...

life jackets, horn, paddle, and so on - don't forget the gallon or more of tap or spring water...hmm, really? and ultimatley we can be ticketed for it...wow!

the spread will not stop because of these regulations. will they help...maybe. will i abide by them...yes, and to be proactive...my bait bucket was thrown in the trash two days ago!

[LMITOUT]

Does anybody have the state statute that spells out this law? The only one I have found is this:

Subp. 3. Persons leaving select infested waters. A person leaving infested waters designated as having populations of zebra mussel or spiny water flea must drain bait containers, other boating-related equipment holding water excluding marine sanitary systems, and livewells and bilges by removing the drain plug before transporting the watercraft and associated equipment on public roads.

However, if you read in the fishing regs it says you must drain the bait bucket on any infested water, which by their definition includes many other invasive species other than zebra mussel or spiny water fleas.

Something doesn't smell right here....

[bobber_down_1979]

Don't take this comment for more than it is, I am not trying to start a government conspiracy discussion. However, I truely beleive that special interest groups are pushing the DNR closer and closer to no live bait use. One day live bait will be complety illegal.

Setting aside the fact, that I don't feel these regs will do anything to prevent invasive species, I do feel this could be incredibly inconvient to me. I use a fair amount of large sucker minnows. How am I going to be able to keep the extra water on hand at a proper temp? Clearly if it is left at the access it is going to get too hot. If I keep it in a cooler with ice, it may get too cold and shock the minnnows. If you fish with minnows you know that temperature changes can kill your bait.

[Ed Carlson]

The real danger that I can see with this new law is that many people will just dump any left over bait and remaining water back into the lake they were fishing on! Much easier to do that then to get caught leaving the landing with bait/water etc. and then getting a costly violation ticket!

Most people will take the easy route every time!

This "dumping" will probably result in more invasive being transported and then surviving in lakes.

Who knows what was in the original water that the live bait was transported to the lake in to begin with?

Basically I see this law as an unenforceable and useless attempt to control invasive species.

I agree that something has to be done but do not think this law will stop the spread of invasive species.

The only way that I can see to slow the spread is to allow no live bait that is stored in water and no livewells on boats! Almost an impossible thing to enforce with today's boats.

I gotta say that a law that restricts the use of live bait would kill my favorite method of fishing!

Cliff

I also see that as a legitimate point of concern.

And how will they dictate the "best practice" for disposal of bait at the lake?

[hawgchaser]

GlassEyeangler,

Quote:

it's funny we always get those responses to issues like these that start with...

You're welcome, I too appreciate the value of humor in the midst of serious conversations.

Quote:

last year it was the new drain plug law. this year it's the bait bucket thing

I can only assume that there is some benefit to transporting your boat with lakewater in the bilge, livewell and baitbucket. Does it trailer better? make tomatoes grow better? Do you leave it in your boat all year? Please expound.

Quote:

the spread will not stop because of these regulations.

Please share your body of research so I can provide it to the masses who have to rely on theory and opinion when examining an untested hypothesis. Does the logic implicit to this "fact" apply to more more heinous situations? The laws and penalties against all forms of child abuse have been in place for decades...yet these atrocities continue. Your logic implies they should be abandoned.

Quote:

life jackets, horn, paddle, and so on - don't forget the gallon or more of tap or spring water...hmm, really? and ultimatley we can be ticketed for it...wow!

I check to make sure these are in the boat before my first fishing trip in the Spring and don't think about it again. If you need to take all these things into the house after each trip, perhaps a move to higher ground is in order or you could buy a second set for the house.

[Cliff Wagenbach]

Ed,

The only way I can see that the DNR can insure that unused bait/water is disposed of properly at an infested lake is to have a contained disposal site at every landing! Fat chance that will happen!

Dumping unused bait in the parking lot, as stated was done earlier at one lake under the suggestion of a DNR officer, will do no good at all! The weeds,and many other invasive species that were in the bucket will eventually make it back into the water and survive. These things are tough or they never would have made it to this country in the first place!

Cliff

[SandPoint]

Bobber down I have had that same feeling that sooner than later we will see live bait bans.

[mainbutter]

Of course we're going to see live bait bans sooner or later, with probable exceptions for crawlers/wax worms/etc.

Enjoy it while you can. I'm just glad that for the exception of once instance this past winter ice fishing, I haven't used minnows for fishing in over a decade and a half.

[GlassEyeangler]

Hawgchaser

keep in mind who started the conversation...it's only serious to those that will get ticketed...in my opinion.

to expound - i follow the regs. i'm verbalizing my thoughts and strong feelings about how stupid this new reg really is.

here's my body of research...what about the birds, wind, leaves, etc. nature alone can move milfoil from one lake to another. how about duck shoes that keep their feet from transporting bad stuff from one lake to another.

buying a second set for the house 'eh?...that's funny, i got a laugh out of that one.

[hawgchaser]

It just seems to me that the laws to reduce/prevent infestations in "clean" waters are things we do anyway when we get home (with the possible exception of the bait bucket law". I don't use any live bait anymore except for leeches and have never (to my knowledge) used them on infected waters. I'm going to start rinsing them after Cliff's point given that there is most probably a time lag between when waters are infected and detected. (I'll keep my gallon in the hull compartment on the floor to limit the shock effect)

I acknowledge that some infestation will occur naturally through birds, wind, etc. The fact that this occurs seems to put further burden on sportsmen/women to reduce our role in this spread. For the first third of the 20th century parents would intentionally expose their children to diseases such a mumps, measles, chicken pox, etc. under the logic that "they're going to get it anyway...we might as well get it over with." The same logic seems present to me in limiting our human efforts to control the spread. (Some) "clean" lakes are going to be infested anyway so we may as well just dump the infested water into the "clean" lakes and get it over with.

I believe most wise decisions are made with a step in the right direction rather than a guarantee of perfection. I also believe the anti-infestation laws are that; laws are a step in the right direction.

I'm going to try and find a "Staples" button, because after expending the minute and a half to do all that's required, I can hear, "That was easy."

[reinhard1]

maby i can advise the leglislators to inspect boats BEFORE they enter a lake [just that it would make more sense ]. the dnr do not have the personel to enforce these laws also. yes, i will forllow them. it's the law and that's what i do. but the bait bucket law is redicules. that is the culprit. the bait bucket? the rest of the boat, well just drain the water and nirvana has occured.

i follow all the guidlines, the weeds, drain the boat and the rest. just common sense. clean your boat when you get home. there and only there do you have the means to do it. i dont need a college masters degree to know the consequences of distibuting invasive species. i dont blame the dnr for trying their best to take care of our resources. but this bait bucket thing is the invention of just trying to pass a rule and not accomplishing a thing.

there is no reason we cant use minnows trapped in this state. they are not a invasive species. they have been around for awhile. just ban minnows from other states. what's next, leeches? nightcrawlers? here in this state. you cant leglislate common sense. good luck.

[IamZombie]

I can only assume that there is some benefit to transporting your boat with lakewater in the bilge, livewell and baitbucket. Does it trailer better? make tomatoes grow better? Do you leave it in your boat all year? Please expound.

The only benefit I can think of is to better preserve the fish until you get home on a hot day and can clean them.

[Cliff Wagenbach]

Matt,

That is one of the reasons and also to get your excess bait home alive.

Works ok but a cooler with a bag of ice in it works much better!

Cliff

[live4chrome]

I doubt the DNR makes or enforces regulations in an attempt to make money.

If they wanted to do that, they could sit on shore with the binocs and nab the litterbugs coming off the ice one after the other.

Sounds like a fantastic idea!!

[jwmiller33]

my bait bucket was thrown in the trash two days ago!

hey now, I'll gladly take your used minnow bucket! No need to throw out perfectly good gear!