---New State Fishing Regulations from the DNR for 2012---

[Dbumb]

NOTE: All of these Regulations Are Effective ONLY Starting on MARCH 1, 2012.

New Regulations for 2012

• Multiple hooks allowed on a single line

• Artificial lures/bait may have an additional hook

• The carcass of any fish with size restrictions consumed on water or ice

must be retained

• Labeling from purchased dead bait must be retained

• Bait buckets must have water exchanged prior to leaving any waterbody

• Drain plugs must be removed from all boating-related equipment prior to

transporting

• New list of infested waters

• New restrictions on using fish taken from Lake Superior and its

tributaries as bait

Hooks, Lures and Tackle Configurations

Single Tackle Configuration.

Anglers may use up to three single or multiple-pronged (example - treble)

hooks on a line used as a single tackle configuration attached to the end of a fishing line

(Examples – crawler harness, quick-strike rig).

Note: a single tackle configuration cannot be used on designated trout streams and lakes.

- The total length of the single tackle configuration from the first hook to the

last hook must be nine inches or less.

- Anglers may use live, artificial, preserved, or dead bait that is lawful to use.

- This single tackle configuration is not considered an artificial

fly or lure/bait, and no additional hooks may be used.

Adding a bead, blade, or spinner does not make it into an artificial lure/bait.

Artificial Lure/Bait.

A single artificial lure/bait may contain more than one

hook (Example - a crankbait).

- An angler may have one additional single or multiple hook on a line as

part of the artificial lure/bait as long as it is within three inches of the

artificial lure/bait (Example - a stinger hook (often a treble hook) can be trailed behind a jig).

- Note: An extra single or multiple hook is not allowed on artificial lures/

baits used on designated trout streams and lakes.

Artificial Fly. Three artificial flies may be used when angling for trout,

crappie, sunfish, and rock bass.

Designated Trout Streams and Lakes. Other than 3 artificial flies or a

single artificial lure/bait, a tackle configuration with more than one single

hook is not allowed on designated trout streams and lakes. Note: See special

tackle restrictions for Lake Superior and Its Tributaries.

These are some of the regulations the ones that are probably going to help some people, but some of the regs you might know, but they were just on there.

TO VIEW ALL OF THE DETAILS FOR THE REGS ABOVE AND THE NEW AND CURRENT/OLD REGULATIONS VISIT THE REGULATIONS PAGE ON THE MINNESOTA DNR HSOforum: CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE REGS

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE PDF RIGHT AWAY.

[goblueM]

Nice to see they addressed the crawler harness and quick-strike rig issue

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ALSO THE LAKE TROUT LIMIT IT DOWN TO 2 TROUT PER PERSON

[c0untryf1sh3r]

I'm not sure if I'm reading this right but, according to this, the Super Shad Raps I was throwing on Tonka last year for muskies were technically illegal? Because there is more than 3 inches between trebles. And since when were crawler harnesses ever illegal?

[Hookey]

Thanks !

[goblueM]

I'm not sure if I'm reading this right but, according to this, the Super Shad Raps I was throwing on Tonka last year for muskies were technically illegal? Because there is more than 3 inches between trebles. And since when were crawler harnesses ever illegal?

Crawler harnessses and quick-strike rigs were a gray area before, but obviously not enforced

And I think the issue you refer to about your super shad rap is because you misread - the hook has to be within 3 inches of the LURE, not 3 inches between hooks.

[eyebjim]

Doesn't the less than 9 inches for a single tackle configuration make most Muskie lures illegal?

[goblueM]

I think it's important to note that "Single Tackle Configuration" and "Artificial Lures" are clearly separate sections.

I read "Anglers may use up to three single or multiple-pronged (example - treble) hooks on a line used as a single tackle configuration attached to the end of a fishing line" as pertaining to rigs like crawler harnesses, quick strikes, and other in-line "tackle configurations", not lures themselves

[20lbSloughShark]

I'm not sure where you get 3" between hooks from. As far as I know lures do not apply. For rigs, the first hook, must be within 9" of the most rear hook. You can have 8" between the first and second, and one more 1" from the second hook if you want. Trebbles are now one hook, and you can have up to 3 hooks per line. I am still looking into it, but my sucker rigs, and Bigtooth "Natural" rigs are now illegal, because each "leg" is about 8" long. Stretched out the rigs are 16" long making them illegal. I have adjusted my rigs to have 4.5" legs.

[Dbumb]

Like I said, for all of the detail go on the HSOforum and look at the PDF. there is a lot of things

you could find on there

[RawHog]

Yeah, I don't know I'm a little bit confused about the whole 3 hooks within 3 inches of each other, amounting to a total of nine inches..? Does this only apply to non-artifications baits like crawler harness' and quickset rigs or is it illegal to use muskie lures bigger than 9 inches? I hope not.

[Dbumb]

thats how the 3 hooks look like

[RawHog]

Thata guy ddumb thanks.

[Gunner343]

Maybe someone can clarify the three artificial fly rule. What does the state consider a legal artificial fly? Would a jig with feathers or hair be legal? Also would tipping the fly with a piece of Gulp be legal. I do a lot of pan-fishing and an extra hook wouldn't hurt as long as its legal. One final question. How would you rig three flies on one line. I've done two before, a popper and a wet fly.

[Dbumb]

i dont fly fish but if your pan fishing all i could say is you can put more than one hook on a line, just put one hook on the end of the line and the next one like 2 inches up and so on. Anglers may use live, artificial, preserved, or dead bait that is lawful to use. Three artificial flies may be used when angling for trout, crappie, sunfish, and rock bass.

[SalmonSlayer]

So I can use a plain treble, no beads, no blades, no other dump, just a treble hook tied to my leader for catfishing now?

[Brad B]

So I can use a plain treble, no beads, no blades, no other dump, just a treble hook tied to my leader for catfishing now?

thats how I am reading it but the issue I see with using trebles for catfish is the number of gut hooked fish that will resolute because people are not paying attention to the line. personally I prefer circle hooks for channel cats and tradition j style hooks for flat heads. the thing even with those is to get the non offset ones. I have used the offset ones and have got a few deeper hooked fish. it was not a issue because I planned to keep those fish anyway but I like to avoid deep hooked fish if I can.

on a side note Salmonslayer are you going to be able to make the HSO mississippi north catfish g2g on the 28th of this month. it was fun last year visiting with you and shack.

[Brad B]

Maybe someone can clarify the three artificial fly rule. What does the state consider a legal artificial fly? Would a jig with feathers or hair be legal? Also would tipping the fly with a piece of Gulp be legal. I do a lot of pan-fishing and an extra hook wouldn't hurt as long as its legal. One final question. How would you rig three flies on one line. I've done two before, a popper and a wet fly.

to my understanding a artificial fly would be like a fly used when fly fishing. a jig with hair or feathers would not be considered a artificial fly and would fall under the catagory of artifical bait/lure. as for tipping a fly with gulp or even live bait there is nothing against doing this that I can find in the reg book.

[Dbumb]

So I can use a plain treble, no beads, no blades, no other dump, just a treble hook tied to my leader for catfishing now?

you got that right