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Posts: 2378
| I need to water test some lures, and I dont have access to a pool.
The gamefish season in MN is currently closed.
If I were to test a lure in the open water with hooks removed, or cut off and bent over so they could not possibly hook a fish, am I breaking the law?
I've emailed the MNDNR about this, but I am curious to hear your opinions as well.
To me it seems like there is no harm in doing this, but I have a feeling the DNR will frown upon it, and I guess I can see their point.
Edited by BALDY 3/19/2007 12:49 PM
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Posts: 1996
Location: Pelican Lake/Three Lakes Chain | One thing to remember Baldy, the bait will behave much differently with the hooks hanging off them than they will without. It may not be an accurate test without them.
I think technically you are skating a thin line, but if you could contact a local warden and explain what is going on he may tenatively give you a get out of jail free card. |
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Posts: 16632
Location: The desert | I have a feeling they will frown upon that idea. I think one reason would be is that the fish is using up a lot of energy to chase down your bait (if they do) and that energy is needed during this season.
My advice would be to find a private pond if possible and test them in there. |
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| Baldy,
I have a big pond in my back yard in St. Cloud, the only fish in it are a bunch of 2-5 pound carp.. You are welcome to test your lures in it and I don't think you'll get in any trouble.. I am not sure where you live in MN, maybe too far of a drive... |
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Posts: 1270
| I don't know about Minnesota but here in WIsconsin, or at least in my area of the state, the Wardens are very good to talk to. I would give them a call and aske them if there was a problem. In your situation as a lure manufacture I would think they would give you a little leeway.
The other option is to write of a nights hotel stay!!! |
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Posts: 3147
| 2 yrs ago a bunch of us from the message boards rented the pool at Brooklyn park rec center to tune baits and look at all our new ones so we wouldnt waste time doing it on oppening day,,pretty reasonable rates
Edited by happy hooker 3/19/2007 1:19 PM
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Posts: 8781
| And you wonder why other anglers think us muskie guys are nuts... |
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Posts: 2378
| nwild - 3/19/2007 12:54 PM
One thing to remember Baldy, the bait will behave much differently with the hooks hanging off them than they will without. It may not be an accurate test without them.
I think technically you are skating a thin line, but if you could contact a local warden and explain what is going on he may tenatively give you a get out of jail free card.
Yep, Norm. That is why I would most likely be cutting the barbs and bending over the hooks. Kind of like they made us do in Chicago for the pool |
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Posts: 2378
| Cool Josh. May take you up on that. I am west of the Metro so that is not a terrible drive
I have access to a couple of ponds, but with the water levels the way they are it may be touch and go with each of them |
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| I've had this discussion with a warden on the boat ramp of a Lake Michigan Yacht Club.
I didn't have to explain anything, since he figured out in just a few minutes that I was just testing lures to make sure that they ran correctly.
There is such a thing as "fishing with intent".
I was throwing lures short distances and making sure that they worked properly, and after one or two casts I would test another. I did draw his attention though, because he wanted to see them in and out of the water.
I had no Great Lakes Trout and Salmon Stamp, but was throwing lures in Lake Michigan. I asked him about the legality, and he said that as long as I wasn't fishing with intent, I was alright.
Now if I was testing them up in Green Bay, it might be a different story.
Beav |
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Posts: 1516
| Are rivers closed to fishing as well as lakes? |
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Posts: 336
Location: Lino Lakes, MN | Baldy, like others have said, I would contact the local warden. I know that Smokey's had their spring fling a few years ago and got permission from the local warden/DNR Office to test baits from the pier as long as there were hook guards in place. I realize that its 2 different situations and 2 different states but I would imagine that they would be understanding of the situation. |
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Posts: 85
| I looked at the regs for Pool 2 of the Mississippi. Year round C&R for walleyes, sauger, largemouth and smallmouth bass. No mention of pike and/or the muskies that are being stocked in there now. Was thinking that could be a legal option. Even so, the current would make matters tough.
We have a reflecting pond at work that I've always wanted to cast a couple lures in! |
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| Blady,
Let me know if you want to throw your baits at the carp, my pond has already opened up and I am sure my carp would love to see some interesting baits floating above their head.. |
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Posts: 2378
| Called the DNR and was told that this would be totally legal as long as I am obviously not targeting fish.
Now, I'm sure whatever warden sees me doing this may have a different opinion, but at least I should be able to talk my way out of anything being that I have called. |
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| That is good to know Luke, but you are right, each warden is free to cite or not cite |
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Posts: 5874
| Luke, get the name/number of the Warden you contacted, and make sure you have it if you are confronted by a different Warden. This could quickly resolve any issue the new Warden may have.
Good luck with the test. |
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| You can do whatever you want on private ponds.
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Posts: 4080
Location: Elko - Lake Vermilion |
Baldy,
E Mail the warden and have him respond back to you.... That way you have something in writing if needed.
Jerome |
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Posts: 699
Location: Hugo, MN | Baldy,
Send it to me in Sioux Falls fishing never closes in SD. |
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| Joe_Fisherman - 3/21/2007 12:03 PM
You can do whatever you want on private ponds.
Sorry dead wrong there, fish and game laws are statewide and universal, if they were not you could hunt or fish any time on private property......licenced game farms are the only exception. |
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Posts: 35
Location: Johnsonville, Wisconsin | I just tested some new spinners yesterday at a nearby pond. I tied up a bucktail treble with the hooks cut off to hang on the baits. Never called a soul and didn't worry about it. Only an idiot would try to charge me with anything except for being a fool for casting hookless baits in 30* weather.
BTW, the spinners ran real sweet.
Lusox |
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