Transporting muskies for photos

[Brett Waldera]

I beleive it is illegal now in MN to transport a muskie from the where it was caught to a dock for a photo or even to pen a sub-legal fish for a tourney judgeboat on 48" size limit waters.

My understanding is the MNDNR rewrote the "immediate release" definition to eliminate these practices.

Can someone verify this for me. Rob K??

Thanks,

Brett Waldera

[eyefever]

You are completely right. I'm not sure for the tournament part, but would assume so. If you transport the fish or put in the livewell or on a stringer it is in your possession and is illegal to release. If you catch a fish and want to release it, or it is not a legal fish you may take a pic of the fish, but must release the fish as soon as pics are snapped.

[CaptainMusky]

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You are completely right. I'm not sure for the tournament part, but would assume so. If you transport the fish or put in the livewell or on a stringer it is in your possession and is illegal to release. If you catch a fish and want to release it, or it is not a legal fish you may take a pic of the fish, but must release the fish as soon as pics are snapped.

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Dead on, I believe the new wording is on the DNR HSOforum. There were other things included in the changes, not directly relating to muskies as well.

[Grant Pearson]

actually, they changed the rule on "immediate release" to say that you can "possess" the fish long enough to take pictures, measure it, etc., and THEN have to release it. It's a new change to 2007.

[chickeywing]

Why would you chance hurting a trophy?

[Grant Pearson]

I personally wouldn't, but I was just stating/clarifying the change in the law.

[Scoot]

And, as has been pointed out before, this only applies to when the fish is in season. If it's out of season they have to be released immediately- no time for pics. Correct?

[CaptainMusky]

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And, as has been pointed out before, this only applies to when the fish is in season. If it's out of season they have to be released immediately- no time for pics. Correct?

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Nope, if the fish is out of season, you can take a pic, but then it must be immediately released. I am not sure why they would have made this change, possibly because it was next to impossible to enforce and people were doing it anyway? Not sure, I don't agree with it though.

[Grant Pearson]

I don't agree with it either, but I can understand why it's in place. Example: earlier this spring, my girlfriend and I were out fishing for pike and she caught a nice 47" musky 2 days before musky opener. I was happy to have the camera in the boat and helped her land it and took 2 quick photos and immediately released it. total time out of the water: less than a minute. It was just nice to be able to grab a few quick photos so she could remember it forever. her largest fish before this: a 4 pound pike.

[Nick Kuhn]

While I applaud the concern for the fishes well-being, I don't think there's anything wrong with pictures so long as they are taken in short order. If the fish isn't showing evident signs of stress boatside then a 30 or even 60 second trip out of the water isn't going to do any harm. They'd never survive to that size if they were that delicate.

[Grant Pearson]

very true, and I agree. I won't also stress to err on the side of caution and continue to give these fish the respect they have earned.

[Brett Waldera]

Thanks for verifing this. I think it will save fish that would die delayed mortality to undue stress. (If people are familiar with the law). I have already seen muskie photos taken from a dock, unless the fish was caught fishing off the dock, this practice of transport for a photo is illegal.

How do you get this regulation change so more are aware of it??

Brett Waldera

[Grant Pearson]

check on the MN DNR HSOforum. I know I have a pic of a muskie on the dock, but it was caught off the dock and over 45", but it was out of the water less than a minute and was held until she shot off and got everyone wet. I wish there was more people that would take the time to actually make sure that muskies were properly revived before continuing fishing. I was fishing on a metro lake earlier this year for skis and saw someone catch one off the dock and just throw it back in the water and continue casting. Some would consider this overboard, some would commend it, but I said a few choice words to the fisherman and jumped into the water to revive the ski, as it was floating belly up. It took a few minutes out of my fishing time, but was worth it to see a 40+ incher swim off on it's own again.

[CaptainMusky]

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Thanks for verifing this. I think it will save fish that would die delayed mortality to undue stress. (If people are familiar with the law). I have already seen muskie photos taken from a dock, unless the fish was caught fishing off the dock, this practice of transport for a photo is illegal.

How do you get this regulation change so more are aware of it??

Brett Waldera

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Here is an excerpt I found elsewhere on this site:

Fishing And Hunting / Longer seasons, fewer licenses and other changes in the law

BY CHRIS NISKANEN

Outdoors Editor

Article Last Updated: 05/25/2007 12:18:20 AM CDT

Minnesota legislators have approved a long list of new laws benefiting hunters and anglers, particularly ice anglers. Here's a breakdown.

Ice Fishing: Longer License Season /

Minnesota's fishing license year no longer ends the last day of February. Lawmakers extended the date to April 30, giving anglers two more months to fish before they have to buy a new license. The rule also applies to permanent fish house licenses. Anglers often complained that year-round panfish season was still open in late winter and early spring, but they had to buy a new license in order to fish.

Portable ice fishing shelters that aren't left overnight on lakes no longer require a license, saving owners the annual $11.50 fee. Portable shelter owners have complained for years about paying for the license since they're not staying overnight on lakes. However, permanent shelters, whether with wheels or skids, still need a fish-house or dark-house license if they stay on the lake overnight.

There is a new three-year fish house license for permanent shelters.

Resident adults or guardians won't need a fishing license if they take a youth (younger than 16) ice fishing during Take a Kid Ice Fishing weekend. A date hasn't been announced. The program duplicates the Take a Kid Fishing weekend, scheduled for June 8-10.

Lighted fish decoys for spearing are now legal.

Other Fishing Laws /

Anglers who catch a fish out of season or outside other legal limits have a new definition for how long they can hold it before putting it back into the water. The new definition of "immediately released" or "immediately returned to water" allows anglers enough time to identify, unhook, measure and photograph a fish. It does not allow an angler to put the fish on a stringer or in a livewell, cooler or bucket.

Nonresident fishing license fees have increased, in part to cover the estimated $768,000 that will be lost by not requiring licenses for portable ice fishing shelters. An annual individual nonresident license costs $39.50, up from $34; three-day, seven-day, family and husband/wife nonresident license fees also increased.A $2 invasive species program surcharge also was added.

An angler in a dark house or fish house can fillet fish or possess fish fillets within size limits if the angler is preparing the fillet or fish for a meal. In the past, anglers could not possess fillets on lakes with special regulations because DNR officers have difficulty determining if the filleted fish were within legal limits.

Commercial netters can take up to 3,000 lake trout from northern regions of Minnesota waters of Lake Superior and sell them. Restaurateurs and commercial netters wanted lake trout available for consumption.

Anyone catching an Asian carp (bighead, silver or grass species) is required to report it to the DNR within seven days.

The DNR must study the diet habits of fish-eating cormorants on Lake of the Woods.

Hunting Laws /

Crossbows can be used to take deer during the regular firearms deer season, but hunters must use a firearms license. Crossbows are still illegal (with exceptions) during the archery season.

Novice hunters with an "apprentice" license won't need a hunter safety certificate as long as they are with a hunter who has one. The idea is to give novice hunters some experience afield with safety-certified hunters.

The DNR is required to prepare a walk-in-hunting access plan and recommend options for implementing the program, which still isn't funded. The report is due to the Legislature by Jan. 15, 2008. Hunters have longed wished for an access program similar to those in South and North Dakota.

The draw weight for bows used to take big game has been reduced from 40 pounds to 30 pounds, which makes bowhunting easier for hunters with disabilities and youth.

Hunters no longer need to possess the actual images of the pheasant and waterfowl stamps. They only need the electronic endorsement. Trout and turkey pictorial stamps were eliminated in previous legislation.

Smokeless powders are now legal for muzzleloaders.

Night-vision equipment is no longer legal for taking wild animals.

A new venison donation program will fund the processing of deer for food shelves.

What Didn't Pass / A proposal to increase the daily pheasant limit from two to three cocks after the first 16 days of the season didn't pass. The pheasant possession limit also remains unchanged.

Chris Niskanen can be reached at 651-228-5524 or [email protected].

[Hugo]

I was up on North Star in July and this guy and his son would go out and troll all day with a downrigger for muskie out of matching Crestliners. The Dad would catch a sub 48" (designated 48" or over lake) and would start yelling and screaming out on the lake, put the fish in his livewell and yell all the way back to the resort. He would then show the whole resort the fish down by the dock, drop it in the boat, pick it up and take 10 pictures and then toss it back in the lake in front of the resort.

He thought he was a great muskie hunter.

What a (Contact Us Please).

Hugo

[IBTanin]

amazing how much disrespect some people have for nature...