Can I legally get on this lake?

[ZachD]

I have fished this from the road I know I can get on the first small portion legally but can I cross where it is dotted? it is all water across where the dotted line is. Have yo pass through reeds though.

[Mlaker3]

My local conservation officer says if you could get your boots wet on meandering water your good and that also includes when it becomes ice.

[OutlawBiz]

Go for it! You'll find out in a hurry if it's not legal.

[bbfenatic]

My local conservation officer says if you could get your boots wet on meandering water your good and that also includes when it becomes ice.

Been told the same thing... for what is worth, the only caveat comes into play more in the summer. I kayak fish water like this and CO told me that if I disrupt vegetation like breaking cattails to get into these narrow openings I would be in violation, not sure how that figures into ice fishing but would be easier to walk through cattails or vegetation w/o breaking anything than it is in my kayak when things are in full growth in the summer. This is only when it is "private" water with walk on access off the Right of Way from the road, if it were public water they could care less if I break through vegetation with my kayak...kind of a strange law IMO.

[Fred_Bear]

I have fished this from the road I know I can get on the first small portion legally but can I cross where it is dotted? it is all water across where the dotted line is. Have yo pass through reeds though.

You're asking the wrong people... email this to your local DNR fisheries office.

[chasineyes]

Go for it! I mean really that is not the biggest concern of the DNR. After all do you ever speed or not use your blinker or not follow the 3 second rule... We have become such a nation of wussies...

[MattL]

Have you even tried contacting the landowner for permission? That would be the easiest way to be sure your OK.

[fishnowworknever]

If it's water/ice then you're good to go. Even if you did have to cross private *land* usually the worst that will happen is you're asked to leave.

[JayDeHay]

Have you even tried contacting the landowner for permission? That would be the easiest way to be sure your OK.

Ditto!

Even if the DNR says it's perfectly legal, sometimes it's difficult to convince the landowner that it's not "his" water. I've found this out the hard way, to this day the guy causes a hard time for anybody accessing the water from the road.

[Tom7227]

Do you know if there is a history of problems? I can't remember where it was, I think Northern Washington County, but there was a place where everyone said it was legal except the adjacent land owner. He would raise a ruckus every time someone went out there/

[JayDeHay]

Do you know if there is a history of problems? I can't remember where it was, I think Northern Washington County, but there was a place where everyone said it was legal except the adjacent land owner. He would raise a ruckus every time someone went out there/

I don't know if you're talking to me or the OP, but as for me:

This is Crow Wing County, not far from Fort Ripley, a small lake/pond off the Nokasippi River.

[OnAFly]

I know where you're talking about. I got chewed out by that guy for parking in front of his field gate, which clearly hadn't been used in a while considering there was a tree growing in front of it. He left pretty quick when he saw someone else about to hop onto the ice.

I've heard others got it much worse than what I got.

[Dozer]

It would be alot easier to call the CO and get the facts from the horses mouth, then theres no room for argument.

[ZachD]

I emailed the DNR they have not got back to me yet. I had permission to canoe it before but that land owner is no longer living. I've tried looking up the new owners but no luck. There is no house or cabin on this property just a lot to park a trailer. I was just seeing what other people said if they don't get back to me before tomorrow.

[Dozer]

Its New Years eve, highly dought the email checker at the DNR is gonna be replying by tomorrow. Just go and play dumb, say you had permission from the old owner and didnt know they had passed away. My grandfather once said "Its sometimes easier to ask for forgiveness than it is to ask for permission!"

[Tom7227]

My grandfather once said "Its sometimes easier to ask for forgiveness than it is to ask for permission!"

And sometimes it's easier if you have bail money hid in your sock.

[th64]

Looks legal to me-I love to find lakes that you have to work to get onto.Go for it! Enjoy the quiet and release the big fish.

[Fowlmouth]

Its New Years eve, highly dought the email checker at the DNR is gonna be replying by tomorrow. Just go and play dumb, say you had permission from the old owner and didnt know they had passed away. My grandfather once said "Its sometimes easier to ask for forgiveness than it is to ask for permission!"

Regardless if he can access it legally or not this is the problem with people today. "Just play dumb" as you state. People are so disrespectful of people and their property today its not even funny. If you were out hunting public land that abuts private land yet new it was private, would you still go onto it and "just play dumb" if you were caught? People like you are something else..

[Fowlmouth]

This land/water you're trying to access Zach, if theres so much confusion weather you can legally fish it or not, why not just fish another body of water? This is the state of 10,000 lakes.. And this seems like hassle.

[th64]

Wait for your green light and "go". Don't give up, lakes here are all public.

[ClownColor]

Chech the plat map to ensure someone doesn't own it. People can own wet land or land that floods. If that area is in someone's property line, then no. If its part of the lake or water shed then yes.

[Brad B]

read the 2014 reg book on page 2. it defines what is legal access and the read the section under it that has the definition for recreational use.

unless I am reading the first section wrong, I think you would be fine since you are accessing the first water surface from the public right of way then crossing the cat tail area (atleast that what it looks like in the pic you posted). the key would be that there would need to be enough water between the two to float a canoe (definition in second section I told you to read). be safe and check with a co to get the final answer thou.

[Surface Tension]

Copy Paste from the regs.

"Rules of Thumb for Water Access and Recreational Use

These are simple rules of thumb and are not intended to address all

water access and recreational use situations. If you have doubts about

whether you may be

trespassing on private land, you should ask the

landowner for permission.

What is lawful access?

A stream or lake is lawfully accessible if there is a public access, or if

public land or a public road right-of-way borders the surface of the water,

or if you have permission to cross private land to reach the surface of the

water. This includes walking in the water or on the ice in connection with

such activities regardless of who owns the land beneath the surface of the

water.

What waters are open to recreational use?

A stream or lake is open to recreational use over its entire surface if

it is capable of recreational use and if it is lawfully accessible. Any water

that will float a canoe is capable of recreational use, but other waters may also qualify depending upon the circumstances."

[Black_Bay]

If you can gain access via a right of way you should be fine. The bigger issue is where are you going to park your vehicle?

[ClownColor]

What defines right of way? People often think 66'. It can change form any county yo any road. I know of many roads near lakes where two inches off the road is private and the lake is only 5' off the road! ALWAYS ask by calling local official's... Not necessary land owners comes "sometimes" they say what "they" want you to hear.