Against The Law?

[zamboni]

Someone I work with told me there's a new law stating you cannot transport fish home in a bucket with water in it- is this true?

[Pat K]

My understanding is that's been the law as long as I can remember. You can't transport lake water because of the exotic species you may transport from lake to lake.

[captainstevo]

that is correct, this is the same as the fact that you have to drain your live wells in the summer before transporting your boat.

[zamboni]

Just plain crazy, used to always take my fish home in a 5 gallon bucket with lake water in it. Guess no more.

[Eric Wettschreck]

Auger slush was always the thing for me. It also helped keep the slime to a minimum.

[Scott K]

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Auger slush was always the thing for me. It also helped keep the slime to a minimum.

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So can you even use auger ice anymore? Since it is lake water! I have used it, or snow, but would I get a ticket if I brought my fish home in auger shavings?

[Sutty]

There was a new law (we need a law for everything....:-(

I think it was last spring when a guy caught a record bass or something that he wanted to keep alive so he brought it home in a full livewell and had it weighed. So they made a new rule that said you can't transport fish in enough water to keep them alive or some such nonsense.

The reason I am ripping the rule is because it is arbitrary in nature. What is the level where it can be kept alive 10 gallons? 5? 1? How far do you live from the lake? Winter they stay alive easier so should it be less?

Anyway I don't believe it is illegal to bring the fish in some water, just make sure it is not enough to keep them alive.... whatever that means. Also I agree that auger slush works the best. Of cource that keeps them alive as well so we probably need another rule

[Pat K]

The law was on the books years before he transported the record bass. There is no "arbitrary amount". You can't transport any lake water or auger shavings from one place to another.

Along with the water you are transporting purple loose strife, milfoil, curly leaf, zebra mussels and all the other exotics I don't know the names of.

It's not a crazy law. There are storm runoff ponds in Rosemount and Apple Valley that are thick with milfoil from careless people who empty there livewells or buckets of lake water on thier yard or driveway.

[Maverick]

Could you please point me to the statute that prohibits the transportation of lake water. I have looked and can't find anything regarding that. Minnesota Statute 84D refers to waters infested with invasive species, but I can't find a general prohibition against removal and transportation of lake water.

[SnipeZilla]

Maverick,

Page 11 of the 2007 fishing regulations book reads: "Except on the body of water where taken, live fish may not be

transported in a quantity of water sufficient to keep them alive unless

the fish are bait or the person is authorized to do so by the DNR."

And it is labeled as a new law for this past season.

[Maverick]

I got that part, it is a new law, but the above posts refer to an old law about transporting any amount of water. I think they are referring to the statutes that deal with invasive species. Clearly you could not remove and transport any water (which logically would include ice) from a lake that is designated as infested. These lakes are listed in the synopsis. Other than from these designated lakes, I can so no logical reason that a person couldn't put some slush on their fish in a bucket or put some slush in their minnow bucket to keep the little fellers alive. I don't fish on any lakes that have been infested so I will continue to keep my fish on "ice" while I get them back to the cabin for supper.

[captainstevo]

You are correct that many of the lakes that are infested in one way or another are listed. But how do lakes get infested and how do we find out about it? well the get infected by people leaving weeds on their trailers, water in their live wells and filling buckets with water and allowing that water to come in contact with another lake.

I really don't want anything non native in the lake that I live on so I am careful about cleaning my boat, trailer, live wells, auger, and all of my ice fishing equipment.

This law was put in place for a reason, since when does a true sportsman pick and choose which laws they are going to follow. This is like saying i will follow the daily limit while fishing but not the posesion limit. Or i will only keep more than the limit on certain lakes.

This is a law to help us keep our waterways as pure as possible, lets all just get over our old habits and minor complaints and pitch in a little extra through our own efforts and education of those around us.

[Maverick]

I agree with everything you say, except the point about being a true sportsman. You are correct, a true sportsman doesn't pick and choose the laws he follows, he follows them all. In this case, the rules are clear about transporting water to and from lakes. If I do as I said, I have broken no rules or laws. I assume you weren't saying I wasn't a true sportsman, but were simply trying to making a common sense statement.

[captainstevo]

Thats correct Im sorry if I offended anyone. I related this to a conversation about the difference between a daily limit and possesion limit and the theory of poaching. Anyway I grew up with CO's around and fished with a couple from time to time so that is how my views have been formed.

[Sutty]

"Except on the body of water where taken, live fish may not be

transported in a quantity of water sufficient to keep them alive unless

the fish are bait or the person is authorized to do so by the DNR."

That is what I was referring to:

It is a new law, that was created when the guy caught the big bass.

It is arbitrary.

I am not opposed to legislation that helps protect our lakes from invasive species. I am opposed to grey area legislation.

[Maverick]

Sutty,

I understand. Things got going a little sideways because of the invasive species law. I agree that the DNR has created a grey area with this law, they are good at that. But, since we are talking ice fishing I can't imagine any of the CO's I know pinching you for having fish in a bucket covered with snow or ice shavings. Since that would generally be good to preserve the fish until cleaning, why would anyone try to transport them in a bucket full of water.

[joneshat11]

Remember also that you have to get rid of your minnow water. You cannot transport that once on the water!! You must throw your minnows away!!

[wasssit]

how about putting snow from the lake into a bucket, would that work?

[mojocatt]

I used to keep game fish in a 55 gallon aquarium. When you purchace them as a fingerling you need to fill out a DNR permit at the store to transport them home alive.

[zamboni]

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Remember also that you have to get rid of your minnow water. You cannot transport that once on the water!! You must throw your minnows away!!

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The law says "unless the fish are bait" so I think minnows are ok

[Sandmannd]

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Remember also that you have to get rid of your minnow water. You cannot transport that once on the water!! You must throw your minnows away!!

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The law says "unless the fish are bait" so I think minnows are ok

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I hope so. I have a 20 gallon tank in my basement. At the rate of bate these day (especially the biggens) I bring what I don't use home and keep them alive till the next time out. Besides you transport them to the lake, what's the differance.

[zamboni]

Exactly SANDMANND- the water in the bait bucket is 99% of the time from the bait shop, and not lake water. Or in your case, from a tank at home. I have an icewell now, I'll use it in the summer and be "legal"

[joneshat11]

Ok I just read the law and the must have changed it to only infested waters. So check the list and if you fish in infested waters you must leave your minnows on the bank. I have to told by a Officer to so and he watch me in til I had dumped them at the lauch. Doesn't matter where you get your minnow. You can't tell me you don't refresh your water with the lake water when fishing?

[minnbowhunter]

Wisc just changed their law regarding minnows. Once the minnows are on the lake, they cannot be taken home in water. You can leave your minnows on shore and just bring out what you need at the moment then go back to shore to get more as you need them. All water must be dumped out of your bait bucket when you leave the lake. You can take home dead minnows, but if your going to use them as bait they must be put in borax for 11 days. I guess 10 days is'nt good enuf. Hey Sandman, we need more minnows,I'll flip you for it to see who runs back to shore to grab a handful.

[zamboni]

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Wisc just changed their law regarding minnows. Once the minnows are on the lake, they cannot be taken home in water. You can leave your minnows on shore and just bring out what you need at the moment then go back to shore to get more as you need them. All water must be dumped out of your bait bucket when you leave the lake. You can take home dead minnows, but if your going to use them as bait they must be put in borax for 11 days. I guess 10 days is'nt good enuf. Hey Sandman, we need more minnows,I'll flip you for it to see who runs back to shore to grab a handful.

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What a joke. Some ppl ice fish hundreds of yards, if not a mile or more away from shore.