New live bait laws in WI.

[outdoor ran]

Jim and I had this discussion the other day about the new live bait laws in Wi. I understand why they have the new laws. I just think the new regs are a little confusing and going to be very hard for wardens to enforce and stop people. I'm curious to what other fishermen think has well and how its going to affect their fishing?

A couple of questions I have are do they apply to boundry waters like the St. Louis River. Also what can I perserve my smelt in that I got from Lk. Superior to make them legal to use on inland waters under tip ups?

[snoozebutton]

From what I've heard, using smelt is illegal in Wisconsin. I'd check before I went out with them.

[Quickstrike]

That's a tough one, as many times as I have already read the new regs it seems that there are still some grey areas. I would check first before using them.

[Jim Hudson]

Last evening, while coming off the lake, we were checked by the warden... All water must be dumped from your bait container prior to leaving the lake... And all minnows must be dead.. But, you must take these dead minnows with you and dispose of them properly. Leaving them on the ice or on shore is considered littering..

So, basically, pour out your water... Let the minnows die.. Throw em in a plastic bag or something and then throw them away once you get home...

With the minnow situation, and being that bait is high priced. Take just enough minnows onto the lake and keep some in your truck on shore.. Then if you need more, come back and get some more... If they are on shore, you dont have to kill em..

About the smelt deal... I am not sure what you need to do to preserve them, a call to a local biologist might be needed for that one.. But freezing them is not preserved in the essence of this rule. So, you can still use them, they just need to be preserved, which the definition is unclear on how to do this or what needs to be done to accomplish preserving them.

Randy, if I find out more on the preserving thing.. I will post it here..

[Quickstrike]

Thanks for the good info as usual Jim!

[outdoor ran]

Thanks again for the info Jim. So the bait bucket water goes on the ice or in the water and not on shore then? I normally don't fish with smelt and tip ups unless I have the kids out. They like to chase them flags. I was thinking maybe salt or borax for the smelt but I wont be using them till I know for sure.

Makes you wonder how the new regs would work for guys fishing off shore with minnows in the summer Also makes you wonder if were heading to live wells being illegal in the future.

[outdoor allure]

The DNR law for preserving deadbait states "Technically any method other than preservation which also requires refrigeration or freezing. Use salt, salt brine, borax, or some other preservative that will prevent or inhibit decay and spoiling and which does not also require the bait to be refrigerated or frozen." This law is somewhat vauge, intentionally I believe, but for all practical purposes, if you have a salt shaker along with you, and sprinkle your bag of bait you would technically be legal. ALSO dead bait does not need to be preserved IF it is used on the same water where it was caught, IE: Smelt and herring from Lake Superior can be used raw, on Lake Superior, only problem with this is the wardens want a way of proving the bait came from the same water, so keep your sales reciepts when you purchase local fresh bait this year. That's about all I know for now. Will update post with any changes. More thoughts, and comments on this situation at the report on my homepage. Good Fishin, Craig, Outdoor Allure.

[Dooley87]

I have just heard about this bait law and was curious so i e-mailed the local game warden and here is what she had to say:

In regards to the VHS laws, yes it applies statewide now (Great Lakes, inland waters, etc.). All fish have to be dead/drained of water before leaving the banks of the waterway, including minnows used while out on the ice/open water. Couple of suggestions that we are giving to people so they don't blow a bunch of money on minnows that go unused.

1. Leave the bulk of minnows up in a container at your cabin (or in your truck if don't live there) and only take out what you think you may need in another container onto the ice. If you need more minnows then you can go back to the cabin/vehicle to retrieve more.

2. If you have a shanty out on the ice drill a hole (can't be bigger than 12") and leave your minnow bucket/flow container under the ice attached to a rope so you have fresh minnow and only have to chop out the rope. Or you could just keep your shack heated or maybe it is insulated enough that you can just leave the bucket in there without the minnow water freezing up.

3. The minnows that you do die due to taking them off the ice can be reused after they are dead if they are somehow preserved by means other than freezing or refrigeration (borax, salt, etc.)

Our DNR HSOforum (dnr.wi.gov) has a question/answer fact sheet on there about the VHS rules. Also need to remember that the minnows that are drained/dead have to be taken with you and put in the garbage or for decomposition on your own land or you can do as above in option #3.

Hope this helps! If you have any more questions please email me back or

call me on my cell phone if you wish 715-209-7615.

Amie Egstad

i personaly agree that this will help prevent the spread of diease but i can't bring the minnow bucket a hundred feet from the shore to the heated garage, and those minnows will just be used on the same lake all weekend. kind of a waste of money and minnows and time, i mean who wants to drive a couple miles back to the cabin to get a few more minnows if you run out when the fishing is hot? huge inconvienence.(just my two cents)

[Nate McVey]

Thanks for all the info. guys. Those of you with permanents should be ok.....for those of us that are paying $7 a dozen for a day trip might be coming up with some creative uses for left over dead minnows.

[GatorBait]

I have mix feelings about the whole ordeal. It's so similar to CWD it's makes me ill, but nothing I can do but honor their laws of course. It's tough knowing I'll be throwing money away on numerous occassions because of this law but it beats messing anything up. It isn't something knew, but if they prove it's getting worse and this scenario will help the decline of it, so be it. For an FYI to all my fellow fisherman, I've included fines associated with violation of this new law that my local Warden gave me. It ain't worth trying to be sneaky.

Fines

$329.00 for attempting bring live minnows from the lake to shore.

$249.00 for not draining all water from bilges, ballast, livewells, BAIT BUCKETS and other containers BEFORE you leave the bank or shore of any water.

$208.00 for using dead bait that hasn't been preserved or from the water which it came from.

Tightlines,

Gatorbait