Family licenses/limits

[tafadzwa]

I was fishing the other day and noticed a guy out with his kids fishing in about 10 holes with tip-ups and bobber rigs. The kids were tiny and were just out on the ice having fun while dad was manning all of the holes-is this legit? I don't have kids yet, but was wondering how the family license works. Do you get two lines for every toddler that you bring out on the ice with you?

How about limits? If someone brought 3 kids out with them, would they be able to possess 40 crappies? I'm just family planning and curious as to how many kids I should have.

[Chris Haley]

The family license pertains to non-residents. Resident children under the age of 16 do not need a license and can keep a limit. So if they were residents, or non-residents with a family license, they were legit. Non-resident children can fish without a license, however they need to have a license to keep any fish.

[efgh]

This is another one of those grey areas, If a child isn;t big enough to man his own lines a C.O. might just issue a ticket. Each Minn. resident child under , I beleive under 15 is entitled to his or her own limit of fish and does;t need a licines.

[End of the Line]

The kids have to be able to actually fish the equipment. CO will most likely issue tickets.

[Chris Haley]

I agree that you probably wouldn't get away with an infant in a chair sitting in a truck for an extra limit. Page 14 states that any resident 15 and under may TAKE their own limit of fish. The original post stated that the kids were playing on the ice. They would be capable of "taking" their own limit. there fore they would be legit. Party fishing is legal in Minnesota, so the father could catch all the childrens fish if they so wanted to do so.

[Drake]

Few years ago, the little guy was about 5 or 6, we were open water fishing at a lake in the Chisago area. The little guy had fished and then decided to go hit the playground so he reeled his line in and set it on the ground. C.O. came over later and asked about who's fishing pole it was and who's fish were in the basket and told him they belonged to the young un. C.O. told us to stay at the shore while he went to talk to the son over on the playground to verify what we said. He then came back to us and said that everything was fine, but if he wasn't actively fishing we could've gotten a ticket.

[Curly]

What if a kid has their own fishtrap portable, do they need a license for it if they are under 16 years old?

[luv2fish]

I have been out a few times with my 4 son, my brother-in-law, and his 5 year old. We have been putting 3 or 4 tip-ips out, and then drilling 4 holes for bobber fishing. The kids do sit in the house and man there bobbers, and if a flag pops we all run out there to check. Yes, during the time out they get bored fishing and run and play on the ice. But I do not pull up 2 tip-ups and their bobber poles. If something hits, they come running back to the house to help "land" the fish. I do not believe ethically or legally that I am doing anything wrong.

Plus, this is a GREAT way to introduce the kids to the great outdoors. This is how I started, and will be doing the same with my kids.

Or am I wrong?

[Pat K]

If they are under 16 and a resident of MN. they don't need a licence and they can keep a limit.

Pat K

[tafadzwa]

Thanks for the clarification. I was mostly curious because the kids were definitely not tending the lines. They were really young and wouldn't be able to manipulate a tip-up or a rod holder or anything.

I completely agree with getting the kids out young though-I wish I had been introduced to the sport far sooner.

[Fishing-Around]

luv2fish,

I also have a six year old son who gets bored if the action isnt hot and heavy. But you also have to consider that when they are out playing on the ice, you are the only one close enough to the line to be fishing it. With the amount of tip-ups and bobber lines you have down you will and should be ticketed.

just my 2 cents

[metrojoe]

I imagine the shelter would have to be licensed no matter what the age of the fisherman.

I've got two boys and as mentioned above they get tired, bored, whatever. I have them reel up there rods when thier not tending to them, but I leave thier tip-ups out.

[CrewCab]

I asked a similar question at the Sports show many years ago, when my sons were younger. The situation I described to the CO at the show was that we had a shack with 6 holes being fished. When fishing was slow, the boys liked to go over to the hill on the edge of the lake and play. The CO said it would be a judgement call, depending upon how far the boys were away.

After that show, we always pulled the boys lines up when they went out to play.

CrewCab

[lunker651]

I agree with crewcab. I have my boy out fishing with me sometime and when he is not around me fishing, his fishing line is not in the water and we keep his limit, only if he is fishing. I think the line should alway be attended by the person fishing it, not by someone else. Like I alway tell my boy, "if you are going fishing with me, you have to fish, if not, don't go."