Officers Ponder Pattern Of Ice Fishing Violations

[Dave]

From the Star Tribune.....

DNR officers aren't sure if it's a trend, but they say plenty of anglers are chosing to fish illegally with too many lines. Officers say a 2002 Supreme Court ruling forcing them to knock on ice house doors isn't helping.

When conservation officer Jim Guida checked 10 ice fishing houses in northern Crow Wing County one evening last week, anglers in eight of them were fishing illegally with too many lines.

"It was after dark," Guida said. "I don't know if they felt more comfortable [breaking the law] because they figured there wouldn't be an officer out then or what."

Whatever the reason, officers are seeing plenty of winter anglers fishing with more than the two lines allowed by law. At least a dozen DNR conservation officers reported such violations last week.

"It's the third most common [winter fishing] violation" behind no valid license and no license in possession, said Al Heidebrink, DNR enforcement division operations manager.

Heidebrink said it's uncertain whether such violations are on the rise since the state Supreme Court ruled in 2002 that conservation officers need permission before entering ice-fishing houses to check anglers.

"It's always been an extremely common violation," Heidebrink said.

But that court decision clearly has made enforcement more difficult. Officers must knock on ice fishing house doors and get permission before entering. They know that sometimes gives anglers time to reel in extra lines or hide other illegal activity.

While the vast majority of anglers comply with the request to enter, some don't respond and some refuse outright to allow officers inside.

"The vast majority are happy to see us, but some officers say it's not uncommon to get five to eight denials a day," said Lt. Tom Provost, a conservation officer supervisor.

Said Guida: "Most people are good; they cooperate and believe in the regulations. The ones not in favor want more fish, less fees and fines and want to be able to do what they want to do."

Fishing has been slow in his area this winter, Guida said, which might be prompting anglers to put out more lines.

Meanwhile, modern technology also has had an impact on winter law enforcement.

While checking an angler with too many lines, officer Joe Sattelman of Mankato reported the angler received a cell phone call from another angler who said: "The game warden is on the lake. Has he been there yet?"

The angler being checked replied: "You should have called 10 minutes earlier. You would have saved me a hundred bucks."

[CALVINIST]

I say raise the fine to $2000....I guarantee people will be more careful about how many lines they got down.

[BiffleFan]

I have been pondering a way for the DNR to make a whole lot of money. Most surrounding states let you use 4 and 2. Let's make it $100.00 bucks to buy a permit for the 2 extra lines in winter and one in the summer. I think it would sell like crazy myself! If guys are willing to risk a hefty fine to cheat they might just pay the fee. Think of what that amount of money could pay for to help the resource? Just an idea.

[DTro]

Quote:

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I have been pondering a way for the DNR to make a whole lot of money. Most surrounding states let you use 4 and 2. Let's make it $100.00 bucks to buy a permit for the 2 extra lines in winter and one in the summer. I think it would sell like crazy myself! If guys are willing to risk a hefty fine to cheat they might just pay the fee. Think of what that amount of money could pay for to help the resource? Just an idea.

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I would pay for an extra line.

[Rick]

I think a lot of folks would pay for the extra 2 in winter and extra 1 in summer. $100 is pretty steep though.

[hanson]

I would pay.

Extra line should cost you the price of a fishing license perhaps. I agree with Rick though, $100 is a lot to fish with an extra pole.

[harvey lee]

I would pay,but a fair amount,not the DNR,s price as usual,high and to much.I would agree that you just purchase a extra license.

[Bobb-o]

i disagree with the DNR fees being too high harvey. think of all the fishing you have access to with an $18 license. I for one would not mind if they went up to $20 or $25, and i would prob pay for extra lines also.

[SomethingFishy*]

I think the fishing license is more than fair price. Even if they raised it to $60 that's only $5 dollars per month.

[Dave]

I was thinking this would be a good topic and bring out some good ideas. Keep going guys. How 'bout a standard license fee and so much for each extra line. Could say the line total right on the license when it's printed.

[The_Duckslayer]

Quote:

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I was thinking this would be a good topic and bring out some good ideas. Keep going guys. How 'bout a standard license fee and so much for each extra line. Could say the line total right on the license when it's printed.

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I think that I would pay the price for an extra line if it were not too much. However, I think that they should limit it to three lines. Don't need folks out there with 20 lines in the water culling everything they catch! My .02 Have a good one and N Joy the Hunt././Jimbo

[ddsbyday]

I hate to say it but if some could buy one extra line they will use two. How about your fishing lic. your shelter tag, your atv,snowmobile lic. rents you a 6x8 piece of lake and you fish as many lines as you like. 8x12 =higher rent. How about you get charged for the amount of fish you keep. If 8 out of 10 were in violation does that mean if the the court ruling was not in place there would of been more violations? I fish in the middle of nowhere and from what I see my two lines are not bothered most of the time.I honestly do not think anything would be different if I had 20. The few times when the action starts one line is all that can be handled.

[Law Firm]

For all violaters, I would give them the maximum punishment. The only advantage to having more lines would be covering more area. But if the fish are biting good, it is hard enough to keep up with two lines.

[BiffleFan]

I didn't think a hundo was too much. Take into account I get to fish four extra lines when I take my two girls along. Add it up, each trip, pop,candy,chips,gameboy,sleds,four wheeler to pull sleds,an extra dozen or two shiners at five bucks a doz. And that's on an easy day after school. Try it for a whole day on a saturday!! I hate to say I spoil them, or should I call it bribery? It's alot of fun but it can get spendy if you let it.It is the legal way to fish an extra line or two if your kid will let you.

[cybermuskie]

My .02 cents is this. The only time it would be nice to have a 3rd line is tippie fishing. That would leave one line to try something different, and cover more area. In regular ice fishing the only rod I usually catch anything on is the line I am jigging, so another bobber in the water that doesn't move, doesn't interest me. What do we need a 3rd line for anyway, so we can catch out limit faster? Does that mean we will leave sooner? I fish for the relaxation, adding another line would just add more stress for me, tangled lines and swearing is all a 3rd line would do.

Let's not give the DNR anything else to charge us for. If anything let them give it to us, like other states do. People keep saying "I'd pay for that!" well no wonder they keep charging us!

Ok my rant is over...for now!

[fisherking01]

Gotta agree with you cyber on that one, if the fish are biting two is all you need and if they're not ten won't do you any good. If you want more lines take more kids fishing. Lots of fun cheering them on, things like you better not let that one get away, or pull harder! My kids have broken lines, raced to tip ups, and learned that fishing is whatever you make out of it. We let most of our fish go anyway. Brings the extra tip up to mind, if you don't get to it right away cause your busy with your other lines, what's the chances of hooking mortality? If you want to put the fish back, we all know that a speedy catch and release is essential.

[Law Firm]

I grew up on a reservation where a lot of my friends were native american which meant that the could have SEVERAL lines in the water. There really isn't an advantage other than the mental aspect of things feeling as though you have an entire area covered. The one time where this was an advantage was when two of my buddies set up 28 tipups for four guys. Jumbo perch were biting and it was nonstop action. Other than that, I really can't think of a time where a multitute of lines REALLY helped us catch more fish.

The whole key is getting set up where the fish are at. Once you can accomplish this you can be just as successfull. It's not about numbers that you take home, but the experience in general, remember that.

[hanson]

Maybe I should add that when I was referring to an extra line, I would really appreciate that for summer fishing when we are limited to 1 rod. Trollers and catfisherman would be all over an extra line in summer!!

2 lines is plenty during the hardwater. Most of the time I only fish 1 line anyway until I settle into a spot and have time to drop my other line down.

[Ralph Wiggum]

I agree with Hanson. 2 rods would be very nice when chasing those wiley cats!

[juggs]

This is about as dumb a law as they get. Minnesota already has the lowest bag limits of anybody around, what difference does it make how many lines you fish with? Any fisherman knows that the more rods you use the harder it is to fish effectively. I suppose you could always drop down a few more lines, especially in the winter, but there are also laws on how far away from them you can be anyway. A hundred bucks seems a little high to me but the law is the law after all. Don't do the crime if you can't do the time.

[CrappieJohn]

Juggs....

Well stated.

[larryz]

Looking at this from another angle ( the enforcement angle) can you imagine how tough it would be not knowing how many lines anyone should have without personally checking them. How would your fellow fishermen have any idea how many you should have?

[jigginjim]

I would personal like to see where you could use two rods in open water like the dakotas and wisc. In the winter two lines is enough. But as for the 2002 law it down right stinks. The ice shack does not have a mailing address. And can't be located in one place all the time. The one rule that came up in the courts was with houseboats. That CO had to ask before coming aboard. Some no mind thought that should be the same with ice shacks. Its private property, so the rule landed, the big difference is you can receive mail at the marinia where your boat is registered if you spend more than 30 days on it.

How we have meth labs in shacks on the lakes and the CO's can't enter to see inside. I suppose the dnr could rule no enclosed shelters allowed. You would still have to buy and tag just to have a wind break. Where would we be then?

I would hope some judge reads these forums not only to get a laugh sometimes. But to see what people really think.

[iffwalleyes]

Personally I don't mind fishing with 2 lines in the winter. But in ND here we can fish 4 and there seldom is a night that I don't have all 4 down. And right as some of you pointed out when fishing is really hot you don't need 4 so then you don't fish with 4 but days when it is slower or you are trying to find what is working it is nice to have other lines. I hardly ever have the same thing on any of my rods. I usually have a different color or style on every rod. For tip up fishing it would be awesome. If I could run 4 lines at LOW in March I would love it. Now summer fishing I think you should for sure be able to use another rod in MN. I guess again I would be opposed to having to pay another fee to do that but I would consider it. But with that you would also open up to having to have more regulations probably and officers would probably have a tougher job of monitoring who is legal and who isn't. Many times officers will just glass the water and can count how many rods are being used but if you say a permit is required to fish with 2 then they physically would have to be on the water and check them. This is a interesting topic. Keep up the discussion.

[CrappieJohn]

Jiggin....

In a way you are right. Meth does stink. Literally. Anyone cooking that stuff will have an odor around the shack that would keep flies off dung. Smell something foul/ Call cops.