Anglers on Lake of the Woods and other Minnesota lakes with fish size restrictions now can eat a meal of walleyes - or any other species covered by a restriction - on the ice as long as they keep the carcass handy for inspection.
Disposing of fish carcasses on the ice or water is illegal.
Size restrictions require anglers to release fish of certain lengths. On Lake of the Woods, for example, anglers must release all walleyes between 19½ inches and 28 inches.
Other lakes, such as Upper Red, protect walleyes between 17 inches and 26 inches.
Before the new rule took effect earlier this month, anglers couldn't cook and eat their catch on the ice on lakes with size restrictions. The rule mostly affects anglers who own or rent overnight "sleeper" houses and stay on the ice, a popular winter practice on both Lake of the Woods and Upper Red.
ADVERTISEMENT
Fish consumed on the ice still count as part of the daily limit, and anglers must keep the carcasses handy - heads and tails intact - for inspection and measuring by enforcement officers.
Based on e-mails the Herald has received, some anglers have interpreted the regulation change to mean they now must transport walleyes with the heads and tails intact, instead of just leaving a 1-inch piece of skin, once they leave the water.
That's not the case, enforcement officials say.
According to Jim Dunn, regional enforcement supervisor for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources in Bemidji, the head-and-tail requirement only applies to fish cleaned for eating on the ice.
It's still legal to transport walleyes with the 1-inch piece of skin, Dunn said - same as always; just don't clean those fish on the ice unless you're eating them on the ice.
"If you're going to clean those fish (on the ice), you better be in the act of preparing those fish for a meal," he said.
Saugers must be transported in the round - gutted and gilled only - or they will count as walleyes if an inspection occurs.
Reach Dokken at 780-1148, (800) 477-6572 ext. 148, or bdokken@gfherald.com .
