How old?

[stmichael]

way to go!!

I cannot get my 10 year old to deal with tip ups. He does not like to be outside the fish house unless he can ride his machine. I am sure that will change.. maybe? As long as he is having a good time and loving the fishing I will be running after them tip ups. He gets excited when a flag goes up, not enough to deal with the cold.

[BobT]

I don't think there's any problem with having to help a youngster. They aren't going to learn without it. Taking a kid with you just to take advantage of the extra limit is unethical in my view. Take a kid with you to introduce them to the wonderful world of fishing and way to go!

Bob

[pathogen]

Sometimes I wish the spirit of the law was considered, instead of trying to interpret every nuance and technicality. Obviously a child fishing is one thing, a parent dragging the kid out just to have another body that can then have a limit counted towards them is wrong. Just seems greedy to me. 2 cents deposited.

[JollyT]

Actually the problem isn't just the limit so much as the guy that hauls out 5 kids, then puts out ten lines, while the kids run around and play ignoring the fishing. In this case dad is eight lines over. When my son was small and not fishing because of boredom, his lines came up. Just my take on the rules.

[anyfishwilldo]

I started taking my kids when they started to show interest in fishing. Right around 2.5y/o. Yes, the extra potential limits are a bonus, that is not the reason they go. When they do go it is a very rare that they have more than one line in the water, and I am not one to take advantage of that and fish one for them. Just my .02.

[ThinIce2006]

Under sixteen, they don't need a license, but their fish totals count as yours. In order for them to retain their own bag limits they must purchase a license.

[springerspeed]

A few years ago I posed this same question because I was starting a tradition with my son. We take a annual trip to LOTW. The response was he is allowed to fish without a license and is able to keep his own limit of fish.

If there is any question I would e-mail the DNR to make sure.

[stmichael]

There are different regulations regarding Resident and Non Resident. Page 8.

http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/rlp/regulations/fishing/fishing2006.pdf

[Black_Bay]

Quote:

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Under sixteen, they don't need a license, but their fish totals count as yours. In order for them to retain their own bag limits they must purchase a license.

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Come on guys read the regulations.

From page 8 in the 2006 DNR Fishing Regulations:

Residents

• All residents age 15 and younger are allowed to take their own limit of fish without purchasing a license.

Nonresidents

• All nonresidents age 16 and older are required to have an appropriate fishing license while angling. Nonresidents under age 16 don’t need a license if an accompanying parent or guardian is licensed. Children of an adult who has a Minnesota nonresident family license may possess their own limit of fish. However, if the adult has an individual license, the child’s fish are included in the adult’s limit. Nonresidents under age 16 may purchase a license and possess their own limit of fish.

[BobT]

So then a 14-year old can't fish alone? I disagree. He/she can take a limit.

Bob

[Guest]

My son has been reeling in fish since he was a little over 2 years old.. or the 1st time I put a rod in his hands after I set the hook(panfish). I only used 1 rod for the 2 of us because he couldnt do it himself, or with minimal assistence. The following summer, he had his own medium weight spinning rod(10# test) and drowned crawlers just about every night when we were catfishing.. being it was a full length rod, he couldnt cast it safely(too many people to get hooked around). He caught his fair share of sheephead, big carp, catfish.. a little of everything. This past summer he got his own *grown up* cat rod.. he is usually fishing with 3 oz+ of weight, a big cut bait or bullhead.. or too much weight for him to cast(and who want a bullhead and a 10/0 slinging by their head?). When he gets a bite, we usually grab the rod and make sure the fish is there and hand him the rod.

Even though he does all the work of reeling in a fish, we could still get a ticket just for picking up that rod and assisting him with setting the hook. Those gray areas are going to be the CO's judgement in the end, and if he hands you a ticket.. your going to pay for it.

The wardens dont always see things the same way as we try to interpit it when its a questionable area. If he see's someone doing what he(or she) thinks is wrong, your going to get a citation, plain and simple.

As for people wanting to put extra tip-ups out for a very yound child... you better make sure *mom* is aware what is involved so she doesnt chase you down with an axe if the kid gets cut by the line!

Kids can be a joy to take fishing, but its also a lot of work at times. Who has time to fish when your baiting hooks, taking fish off the hook, dealing with bathroom breaks and boredom... its work!