Can I spear carp on Tonka?

[Jameson]

Hello, I see in the regulations page 81 that Lake Minnetonka does not have an asterisk, so some spearing is allowed at some time. Is Winter spearing of carp allowed on Lake Minnetonka? Could I set-up my dark house in January and attempt to spear carp through a hole in the ice?

Is the question I sent to the DNR yesterday. No reply, yet. Must be a good question as normally I get a reply within hours. Does anyone here have an answer - preferably with state statute numbers that apply.

[Stick500]

The way I understand it, if winter spearing for northerns is allowed on a lake you could certainly take a carp with a spear if it wandered into your hole. In fact, the way the regs read you could do it with a bow during that time as well or with a speargun underwater (with a dry suit!).

In the winter carp gather in huge schools under the ice, typically in the deep holes. However I do hear of people finding them shallow under the ice at times and I would love to get into that action somehow with my bow this winter. I'll be looking to some of you guys for advice and tips where they might be hanging out.

Will be interesting to see what you hear from the DNR.

[Jameson]

The way I understand it, if winter spearing for northerns is allowed on a lake you could certainly take a carp with a spear ...

Well, yeah.....but no winter spearing for northerns on Tonka.

[Jameson]

...Will be interesting to see what you hear from the DNR.

Nothing yet. I'll have to try again. Anyone know who to e-mail for a question like this besides the DNR info center?

[smurfy]

speaking from past experience I would hope you don't use you good pike spear on carp. did that once and spent days trying to straighten the tines.

[Jameson]

Been there, done that. Not sure if my spear counts as a good pike spear, it only took minutes to bend back into position. If I am able to spear carp on Tonka I will be looking into the proper spear for carp, and a heavy duty rod and reel for angling for big pike.

[Jameson]

oh snap!

Let me say that maybe I didn't ask who I should have, and hope that isn't held against me in the future, but I wasn't sure how to go about this....

Preliminary reports from the Capital building are that we can attempt to spear roughfish in Tonka in the winter. Please don't take my word for it, yet (or ever.) I hope to write/talk to the local CO.

I won't be allowed to say no spearing on Tonka anymore, and will have been wrong in the past. Darn it.

[Stick500]

Jameson, I just popped the same question to Daryl Ellison at the Shakopee DNR office. Between the two of us, we should come up with an answer of some sort pretty soon!

I actually want to try and use my bow. We'll see.......

[bowhunt]

Stick500, Using your bow on Tonka is going to be a whole other issue then just spearing carp on Tonka. I have read threads in the past that said it was very complicated because it depends on what part of the lake you are on, and what city limits you are in. The all have different laws about "discharging a weapon" in city limits. Just something to keep in mind if they do allow carp spearing, they still may not allow you to do it with your bow on Tonka.

Bowhunt

[Jameson]

bowhunt, not sure if you know but the bow fishing thing got cleared up a bit this year. Here is a link to the Lake Minnetonka Conservation District's page about bowfishing on Tonka: http://lmcd.org/wp-cms/wp-content/upload...-Resolution.pdf

According to their rules no bow fishing on Tonka Nov.15 - May 1. So, all Winter.

....

I never thought about it, but I suppose I should check with the LMCD about spearing carp, too. Putting this issue on the backburner until after some deer hunting. I'll figure it out then.

[Stick500]

EDIT!!!

just got a "callback" e-mail on my answer from the DNR I posted earlier today in this reply (I've erased it)- she now says that there is NO DARKHOUSE SPEARING at all allowed on the ice at Tonka for anything including carp- she said the wording needs to be changed in the regs because she even misinterpreted it- she also said her e-mails are lighting up with this same question- she said there must be something going on a forum- I told her I would take back her answer from the post I made earlier today here

oh well, that was the answer (that we can't spear for carp on Tonka) I was actually I expecting in the first place......

[Jameson]

Thanks Stick500! (and Thanks Jackie Glaser!)

LOL, I got curious and was looking at the LMCD regulations and found the reg outlawing cut ice on the ice about the same time you were likely posting.

Since I brought some attention to this subject, I can only expect it to be outlawed next year.

edit: here is the cut ice law:

Subd. 4.

Pieces of Ice. No person shall leave on the surface of the ice or snow pieces of ice cut from the Lake. All such pieces of ice cut from the Lake shall be removed from the Lake, replaced in the hole from which they were cut, or deposited under the surface of the ice.

[Jameson]

...be prepared to defend yourself as you'll probably get questioned having a darkhouse on a lake where you can't spear northerns....

hmmm, how to properly train for this?

"YOU CANNOT SPEAR ON LAKE MINNETONKA I'M CALLING THE COPS"

me, "Give them a call."

Meanwhile he hammers on the door and walls of my spearhouse, harassing me. CO's arrive. Story gets told and I ask that he gets ticketed for hunter harassment or whatever.

Any other ideas on how to go about it?

[Jameson]

Jeebus folks this is a joke.

I too received an email from the local CO, saying it was fine to spear carp on Tonka in the winter. Then I received a voice-message from the CO retracting the e-mail. Then I receive an e-mail from my original contact at the Capitol quoting the law:

Subp. 28.

Seasonal spearing restrictions.

The following waters are closed to the taking of fish by spearing from December 1 to the last Sunday in February. A person may not have a spear in possession or under control while on or fishing in these waters during this period.

Name Location County

A. Minnetonka T.116,117, R.22-24, S.Various Hennepin, Carver

B. Libbs T.117, R.22, S.17 Hennepin

C. Peavy T.117, R.23, S.1 Hennepin

D. Forest T.117, R.23, S.7 Hennepin

E. Tanager T.117, R.23, S.10,11 Hennepin

Pretty cut and dry. No possessing a spear during the times I had asked about. Not sure why folks who were suppose to know the rule didn't, or even gave out wrong info.

Guess I'll continue to drive around Lake Minnetonka to go spearing, or move.

late edit: Reading through where I got that info I see other laws that are not updated. Example is it still states non-residents can't spear here. Wouldn't be surprised if the up to date law read November 15th.

[Jameson]

Wait a minute!!!!!!!!!!!

Spearing season starts November 15th!

COME ON EARLY ICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[merkman]

Heaven forbid if you misidentified a carp and speared a muskie...

I am surprised guns and/or bows are allowed on Minnetonka and other closed/banned lakes.

You never know when a duck could be misidentified and a muskie could be shot....

-Merk

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[Jameson]

please keep the m word out of this.

[merkman]

please keep the m word out of this.

The M word....???

Merk? :-p

.

[Jameson]

I know. There were a lot of m words in the previous post. Hopefully folks can figure it out.

[Jameson]

Can we spear from a dock come November 15th?

[merkman]

Can we spear from a dock come November 15th?

Through the ice (no definition of how thick).... yes.

Shoildn't be a broblem this year.

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[Jameson]

Got the deer hunting thing out of the way for now. Time to get the spearhouse ready.

My new question, "can I spear on Tonka November 15th through December 1st," hasn't been answered by anyone yet, but I only submitted it and the end of last week and it's a big weekend for many with deer opener.

Time is running short to figure this out. Ice is being made.

Anyone know what year they changed the spearing season from Dec.1 to Nov. 15th? I got to figure out if they changed the spearing restriction dates, too. The online publication from the MN legislature says the spearing restriction starts Dec. 1, and I don't believe it is up to date. Anyone?

[merkman]

I guess if you want to "split the fine hairs" of the technical ins and outs, make sure you do your homework and your position is defendable in court... while your at it; make sure you are 100% correct in every other way; since I highly doubt the CO won't have a problem splitting fine hairs over other technical violations that may exist... my advice to you would be; if you have that much free time on your hands between Nov 15th and Dec 1st consider carving a decoy, heading north to a lake with ice on it, or getting ready for the "real season" in other ways....

I personally stay off (winter and summer) lakes (and the surrounding businesses) on lakes with darkhouse spearing bans... if the resorts and businesses don't want me darkhouse spearing on their lakes in the winter (or in this case don't want less carp in their lakes); there are plenty of other places for me to spend my money and do by business (summer and winter) where I am welcome.

Just my 2 sense....

-Merk

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[Jameson]

I guess if you want to "split the fine hairs" of the technical ins and outs, make sure you do your homework and your position is defendable in court... while your at it; make sure you are 100% correct in every other way; since I highly doubt the CO won't have a problem splitting fine hairs over other technical violations that may exist... my advice to you would be; if you have that much free time on your hands between Nov 15th and Dec 1st consider carving a decoy, heading north to a lake with ice on it, or getting ready for the "real season" in other ways.......

Totally agree.

If I do any spearing on Tonka, which is doubtful, it would likely be next year. I figure by then, everyone has had a chance to fix anything that should be.

But if someone else wants to push the issue this year, that is up to them.