River Border Water Regulations Again

So I was looking at the new fishing regulations and came across this paragraph under border waters. And I know we have gone thru confusion on this in the past with MN and WI DNR saying different things. But the way I read this. MN licensees have to follow Mn regs an the whole river. But if I as a Mn resident possess a WI NR license I can then follow WI regs on that side of the river. ie 3 lines and use gamefish for bait. Ok lets discuss.

“When Minnesota’s fishing regulations differ from a bordering state’s
regulations, Minnesota residents and persons fishing under a Minnesota
nonresident license must comply with the Minnesota regulations. They
may only exercise the other state’s more liberal fishing privileges in
the territorial waters of that state with that state’s license.”

Guessing… that paragraph says “residents” follow NN rules.

I’m in WI, and go by my WI regs when on those waters.

Your last point about using a gamefish for bait… never heard of that.

Rock, remember it this way. It’s just like a Drivers License.

It’s good in both states (from train track to train track) but you have to follow the rules of the state you are in.

I can’t go the MN (30 mph) speed limit in WI (25 mph).

Make sense?

I have always understood that as a MN resident I am bound to the MN regulations and actually cannot legally fish the border water (Mississippi River) while only possessing a WI non-resident license. Now an IL angler can pick if they want to fish say pool 4 of the Mississippi River on WI or MN non-resident license. Most that I know choose Wi since the rules are more liberal.

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with that state’s license.

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OH! New verbiage for confusion!! I’ll be checking with the CO’s

That’s what hit me too Brian and why I posted it.

I’ve always see the key portion of the rule being “If you’re a Minnesota resident. . .”. Doesn’t matter which side of the river you’re fishing on or if you have a Wisconsin NON-RESIDENT license. If you’re a Minnesota resident, you have to fish by MN rules on that border water.

I could be wrong on this, by I also can’t see how else anything would be enforceable. Unless they did the Red Lake thing and put a line of markers down the middle of the river.

Grouse

Grouse

where is the confusion!

a Minnesota
nonresident license must comply with the Minnesota regulations.

that right there says if your from min you must follow MN rules!

They
may only exercise the other state’s more liberal fishing privileges in
the territorial waters of that state with that state’s license.”

now that says you can go by the other states rules in there non border water (inland waters)..

you must follow MN laws!

Here’s my understanding MN license holders can’t fish WI rules on the MN side of the river. Draw an imagery line down the center of the river;between the shorelines and use this to determine what side you are on. But since this is mostly semantics just go fishing and have fun.

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I have always understood that as a MN resident I am bound to the MN regulations and actually cannot legally fish the border water (Mississippi River) while only possessing a WI non-resident license. Now an IL angler can pick if they want to fish say pool 4 of the Mississippi River on WI or MN non-resident license. Most that I know choose Wi since the rules are more liberal.

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..RIGHT. If you are a mn. Resident you have to have mn. lic. Even if you have nonres wi. Lic. And you have go by mn. rules no matter what side of the river you are on. …rrr

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“When Minnesota’s fishing regulations differ from a bordering state’s
regulations, Minnesota residents and persons fishing under a Minnesota
nonresident license must comply with the Minnesota regulations. They
may only exercise the other state’s more liberal fishing privileges in
the territorial waters of that state with that state’s license.”

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You guys are missing (like I did) what Brian is pointing out here with the 2013-14 rules.

I have a message in and will post once I hear back.

Here’s a thread that covers 2011-12 from both the MN and WI CO’s for the Mississippi and St Croix Rivers.

Link<

So after all these years I just realized 2 lines on the Miss/Croix is a Minnesota regulation…right

Right… You don’t remember Steve DeMars going bonkers when he found out he could fish with Sunfish on the WI side of the St Croix using his MN license??

One thought would be, do they mean non border water when they say the states territorial waters? I’m thinking they want to generate more fines to cover the new stadium costs because the pull tabs are lacking.

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One thought would be, do they mean non border water when they say the states territorial waters? I’m thinking they want to generate more fines to cover the new stadium costs because the pull tabs are lacking.

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YES!!!

there is only one exception to this law and it is for sunfish! on pools 5 and 5a mn res can only keep 10 on the mn side of the river but can keep a full inland limit from the wi side of the channel..

now talk about some [censored] law this is one!

OK read this again and pretend you have a comprehension level above a 3rd grader..

“When Minnesota’s fishing regulations differ from a bordering state’s
regulations, Minnesota residents and persons fishing under a Minnesota
nonresident license must comply with the Minnesota regulations. They
may only exercise the other state’s more liberal fishing privileges in
the territorial waters of that state with that state’s license.”

Guess I’m not very good at pretending.

Kind of makes a guy wonder why a non-resident who only plans on fishing the Mississippi river would ever want to buy a Minnesota license?

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OK read this again and pretend you have a comprehension level above a 3rd grader..

“When Minnesota’s fishing regulations differ from a bordering state’s
regulations, Minnesota residents and persons fishing under a Minnesota
nonresident license must comply with the Minnesota regulations. They
may only exercise the other state’s more liberal fishing privileges in
the territorial waters of that state with that state’s license.”

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Yep. This implies we get Wi priviledges with a Wi non-resident license. It will be interesting to see what Brian finds out.

With WI’s 12 eye’s in possession limits (and MNs 6), it’s hard to hard to tell someone from out of state to buy MN’s.

The powers that I’ve talked with about this (normally during a conversation about why the MN license sales are dropping) feel there’s not enough people that fish the river to bother with it. (my words not theirs.)

The words “they just aren’t hungry enough” always come to mind. Just like small businesses. There are ways to increase revenue if a person is “hungry enough”. Varies with the business, but staying open later or catering better to it’s clients is the first thing to come to mind.

The people with the attitude that we need more rules and regs always end up loosing customers or in this case license sales.

The good thing is that the Lake City DNR office is working with the WI DNR to get rid of old out dated laws and try (I said try) to make it simpler for all.

I suspect the pool 5 or 5a sunfish regs will be going away soon.

Only because they didn’t know different I’d guess… doubt there is much of a price difference.

On the regs… ya simply shouldn’t have to try to so hard to be in compliance.

sure if you not a res of either state and your planning on fishing the river.. you better off with the WI license..

but if your a MN RES you have to buy a MN Licence weather you have a WI license or not..

Y you ask.. simple being a law abiding fisherman you are its hard to believe some people have broken the law and have lost there privileges to buy a MN license.. guess what they can still buy a WI license in many instances and still fish in WI

This is one of the big reasons the law is this way!

bottom line if your from minnesota You have to have a MN angling license in order to fish the boundary waters of MN and WI and you have to follow MN laws weather you have a WI license or not..

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OK read this again and pretend you have a comprehension level above a 3rd grader..

“When Minnesota’s fishing regulations differ from a bordering state’s
regulations, Minnesota residents and persons fishing under a Minnesota
nonresident license must comply with the Minnesota regulations. They
may only exercise the other state’s more liberal fishing privileges in
the territorial waters of that state with that state’s license.”

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Yep. This implies we get Wi priviledges with a Wi non-resident license. It will be interesting to see what Brian finds out.

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ok I think you missed this part

Minnesota residents and persons fishing under a Minnesota
nonresident license must comply with the Minnesota regulations.

well does that mean that you can now cull on the river,, or has Minnesota ignored this rule? the same with size limit, inland Minnesota, for bass, much more forgiving then on the river, the place that needs size limits the least..

culling im not sure!! something I dont practice and I am not a fan of..

If I put a fish in the box its going home with me.. If it is leagle and you choose to do it, I have no problem with that as long as the fish is good and alive..

Nothing has changed on the culling laws…for MN anyway.

In Wis. Culling is only allowed in a permitted tournement, No permit no culling!!!it might be Bass only too not sure on that?

Stan

The verbiage clears up the hole matter of when a Minnesota angler can use the more liberal catch rates.

I always thought it was odd there was a loop hole to use more liberal catch rates while ignoring Mn laws without compensating the state one is taking fish from while using their regulations.

I do not think its a conspiracy here to increase revenue but to help enforcement and to clarify Mn regs on boarder waters.
Then again I’m sure a monkey wrench be thrown in there somewhere to mess up something that seems to be clear and spelled out.

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Y you ask.. simple being a law abiding fisherman you are its hard to believe some people have broken the law and have lost there privileges to buy a MN license.. guess what they can still buy a WI license in many instances and still fish in WI

This is one of the big reasons the law is this way!

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If you lose your rights in Minnesota you won’t be fishing in any state that touches Minnesota anytime soon.

During their revocation period these individuals are also prohibited from purchasing licenses in member states in accordance with a Wildlife Violator Compact with those states. The member states include: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.