can you carry game fish lures before opener?

[mrpike1973]

hi let me explain if i grab my tackle box with raps, spoons, hooks, floats etc. go crappie fishing wouldnt it be against the law because you couldnt prove you were or were not using them. just a discussion that came up at work any one know?

[tacklejunkie]

As long as you're not using them, you should be fine. Even if you were using them, it would be up to them to prove you were fishing for game species and targeting them

[reinhard1]

i cant see why bringing a tackle box with lures ect. crappie fishing would be a problem. it's what's on the end of your line that's important. not hard to figure out when your on a lake casting a spinner bait around that your not after crappies. contents of a tackle box is not a problem. i usualy have what i need for panfish along prior to season opener. no need to clog up the boat with other tackle boxes or lug those along to fish off shore. you can not intentualy fish for game fish out of season. good luck.

[Nick Kuhn]

It's what you are using not what you have with. As long as it's a small jig or what-not on the end of the line, you'll be fine.

[fishnowworknever]

...or pulling a lindy rig and leech for some dog fish.

I kid I kid.

[blakjack23]

I agree, it shouldn't be a problem. I was crappie fishing this past weekend and had my whole tackle bag with me which has every kind of bass lure in there. But it also has my crappie gear and lots of other stuff I'd use for the day such as line, pliers, etc.

[panfishpounder00]

i dont think the type of lure determines what species your targeting as much as the size in porportion to the fish rather, we all know that small cranks and spinnerbaits can be deadly on panfish, does this make me bass, walleye fishing? now i know that this time of year where the water temps are down, that these are not the "go-to" lures of choice, but to the less "seasoned" angler, who may have just watched a show on how well those cranks worked, him/her may be inclined to use such baits. does this subject them to a fine? now if they were throwing 1/2 oz. spinnerbaits and dt8 raps, well this would be a whole other dilema, same as if they were throwing a suick for crappies!! lol! i again, belive that the size and weight is the determing factor, not the style or type.

[mrpike1973]

hi all just to clarify. i'm not trying to press the system nor i'm i doing anything naughty not my intent. few of us guys at work all thought about it and good replies as said whats on the end of your line should be it thanks for the replies.

[winniewalleye777]

How about this one... Last weekend I was fishing channel cats with a 1/8th oz. jig and a twister tail caught about 50 cats and a few walleyes. If the warden stops down as I am taking off the walleye, what does he do? Has anyone ever encountered a similar situation?

[shizzy]

How about this one... Last weekend I was fishing channel cats with a 1/8th oz. jig and a twister tail caught about 50 cats and a few walleyes. If the warden stops down as I am taking off the walleye, what does he do? Has anyone ever encountered a similar situation?

this is why I only take my panfish gear with. if the question were to come up I would be able to flip open my tackle box to show all I have is some bobbers and jigs.

[LightningBG]

How about this one... Last weekend I was fishing channel cats with a 1/8th oz. jig and a twister tail caught about 50 cats and a few walleyes. If the warden stops down as I am taking off the walleye, what does he do? Has anyone ever encountered a similar situation?

Just tell him the truth, that you've been fishing for cats but you've caught a couple walleyes, that you promptly returned to the water. Show them some pictures if you have them (of the cats).

[PFUNK]

I don't see how he can do anything. A jig is pretty much the most generic type of fishing lure around. If you are using it to catch catfish and happen to catch a walleye while doing so you haven't done anything illegal. You can't perform magic to ensure that walleyes don't take the bait. If he pulls up and you got an eye in the livewell things are different, but I see no way that you can get cited for using a jig and plastics for catching some catfish. I can see how there are gray areas here, but I think it would have to be a much more "species specific" type of lure or presentation before you'll get a citation for anything. Now as far as what constitutes an approach as "species specific".... don't ask me. Tough job for conservation officers to make these judgement calls I suppose. I think it's up to us as sportsmen to be as diligent as possible in avoiding catching species that are not in season, especially when we know they are spawning.

[reinhard1]

i have talked to enforcement officialy about this. if a CO is watching you and you are catching more walleys than cats, he will probably tell you to change your bait or move to another location. that is in a river situation where catfish are legal as in minnesota. if he sees you get more cats than the couple of walleys you mentioned he would leave you alone. if he sees you keep a walley, well all bets are off. they understand the situation in the rivers with catfish in season.

i also mentioned the use of minnows for cats [suckers for example]. that is leagal also. however, the same goes even if your fishing for cats, that you start catching some smallies or walleys, he will tell you to move or change bait. good luck.

[mrklean]

i have talked to enforcement officialy about this. if a CO is watching you and you are catching more walleys than cats, he will probably tell you to change your bait or move to another location. that is in a river situation where catfish are legal as in minnesota. if he sees you get more cats than the couple of walleys you mentioned he would leave you alone. if he sees you keep a walley, well all bets are off. they understand the situation in the rivers with catfish in season.

i also mentioned the use of minnows for cats [suckers for example]. that is leagal also. however, the same goes even if your fishing for cats, that you start catching some smallies or walleys, he will tell you to move or change bait. good luck.

The wonders of the MN river system you can fish with a hook and worm and catch 15 different fish while your only trying to target one. As long as your not tossing 1/2 oz jigs saying your fishing for pannies you should be ok

[Muskieman75093]

Isn't the thing that matters is what you have in posession?. If you are fishing for pike with a small crankbait and catch a walleye instead and promptly remove and replace the walleye, you haven't broken any law have you?

How about if you are truly pike fishing with a 3-5 inch crankbait or a spinnerbait and happen to catch a muskie before muskie opener and you promptly release the muskie, you haven't broken any laws have you? I am afraid that this might happen to me because I like to fish for big pike in the early season and I don't want to get in trouble if I inadvertantly catch a muskie while I am truly big pike fishing.

Comments?

[reinhard1]

if your fishing for pike and happen to get a muskie and promptly realease it you will have done nothing wrong. as far as catching a walley while fishing for pike [they are both in season in minnesota at the same time] so there is no problem there either. there is a problem if you are casting a large spoon or crankbait or spinnerbait prior to open season for walley or pike. good luck.

[Brian-Mn]

Depends on what season is open. Right now Pike season is closed in most opf Minnesota.

In almost all cases the co will watch you for a while. If you are tossing spinnerbaits and constantly pulling in Bass you are in trouble. If you want to fish Crappie try Beatlespins or other small baits.

I'm one of the guys who believes in calling TIPS if I see somebody fishing Crappie with Bass gear. I don't care if you get cited or not, it's worth it to see you get rung through the ringer. Bass season comes soon enough guys. Just wait and do it right.

[Muskieman75093]

I'm not from Minnesota so I do not know your opener dates by species. I was trying to paint the picture that if pike season is open but muskie season is not yet open, and I am casting crankbaits and spinnerbaits for pike and catch the inadvertant muskie and release the muskie right away, I have broken no law, correct? I do go to Canada and I know the pike season is open well before the muskie season (if the pike season even closes at all) and I like catching big pike and I do not want to be penalized for catching the inadvertant muskie, which I will release promptly.

Also, the other question I raised is, isn't the issue an issue of what you have in possession? How can anyone tell what you are fishing for?

[reinhard1]

if all game fish are closed and you can only fish for crappies and sunnies in a lake for example and you are throwing around large crankbaits, spoons, or spinnerbaits it will be a no brainer for a CO to conclude that you are intentionaly NOT going after crappies or sunnies but pike or bass for example. leaving yourself for a chance to get a citation. good luck.

[Muskieman75093]

Well, if all game fishing is closed, that seems to be self explanatory. But what about the situation where different species of game fish have different opening dates?

[BronzeBrother]

Bottom line is you can carry whatever you want in your tacklebox within reason and common sense of coarse. If you are panfishing and catch a pike, walleye, muskie, bass or any other gamefish that is closed, just release it and you will be fine.

If you go out with a tacklebox only filled with Musky/Pike lures and claim you are fishing for panfish well then you deserve the CO's attention and citation. Just use common sense and release all gamefish that are not in season.