Minnesota Fishing

Take a kid fishing!

During Take a Kid Fishing Weekend from Friday, June 9, to Sunday, June 11, Minnesota residents can fish without licenses if they take children 15 or younger along.

Youth 15 and younger do not require fishing licenses at any time of the year, though they must observe all fishing seasons and other regulations. Take a Kid Fishing Weekend allows adult Minnesotans to fish without a license as long as they take a child fishing with them. Minnesota residents also may generally fish in state parks without a fishing license if the body of water does not require a trout stamp.

Anyone 16 or older can buy fishing licenses online. The investment in a license supports management of the state?s fishing resources and habitat that benefits fish and aquatic systems.

Fishing is one among many ways to celebrate June as the 2023 Great Outdoors Month! Gov. Tim Walz and the DNR are encouraging Minnesotans to get out in nature and enjoy the state?s outstanding outdoor opportunities for Great Outdoors Month?? among the reasons, for the health and wellness benefits of spending time outdoors.?

Photo courtesy?of Christy Beck

Learning to fish? Check online??

Take a kid fishing ? tips and basics to get started

Learn to fish?? fishing basics, where to fish, how to catch different types of fish, the importance of fishing ethics, natural resource stewardship

Fishing in the Neighborhood?? Twin Cities area accessible piers, shore fishing locations, lakes stocked with fish

Piers and shorefishing sites?? statewide map with descriptions, directions to site and links to DNR LakeFinder

Recorded webinars?? Including for adults who want to learn about fishing ahead of Take a Kid Fishing Weekend (type??kids? in the search box after reaching the webinar webpage)??

Aquatic invasive species information?? Remember to place worms and fish parts in the trash. When keeping live bait, drain any bait containers and replace with bottled or tap water. ?

Photo courtesy of Brink

DNR sees continued popularity of outdoor skills webinars

A series of outdoor skills webinars has seen continued growth in participation as Minnesotans have looked to boost their fishing, hunting, habitat and outdoors know-how.

The DNR is continuing the Minnesota Outdoor Skills and Stewardship Series that started in March 2021, with new webinars this summer on topics that will appeal to people interested in nature, including anglers and hunters.

Summer webinar topics include boat launching, lake trout, off-road vehicles, reconnecting fish populations and habitat, catch and release fishing, fawn research, using falcons for hunting, frogs and toads, the Conservation Partners Legacy grant program, kayak fishing, cattails, 2023 deer season updates, and the DNR at the Minnesota State Fair.

The next upcoming webinar is at noon Wednesday, June 14. Josh Blankenheim, DNR large lake specialist for the Lake Superior area fisheries office, will discuss how lake trout were nearly lost from Lake Superior and the efforts that led to the successful rehabilitation of the species in the lake. Blankenheim also will share tactics and tips on how to catch lake trout in Lake Superior.

The webinars are free, and participants must pre-register. More information, including summer session topics and how to register, is available on the outdoor skills and stewardship page of the DNR website.

Two lines allowed in sections of the Minnesota, Mississippi rivers starting July 1

Anglers fishing in the Minnesota River downstream of the Granite Falls dam and in the intrastate portion of the Mississippi River downstream of St. Anthony Falls may use two lines starting Saturday, July 1.

The change results from new legislation passed in the 2023 session. Anglers must continue to use one line when fishing other inland waters (including rivers) or Canada-Minnesota border waters.

Two lines are already permitted for anglers on Minnesota border waters with Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. Two lines are also allowed statewide when fishing through the ice. These and other fishing regulations and more information about fishing in Minnesota are available on the DNR website.

Photo courtesy of John F Mohr IV

Shovelnose sturgeon poaching case highlights cross-agency partnerships

Shovelnose sturgeon in many ways pale in comparison to lake sturgeon. They weigh less and aren?t nearly as long. They live much shorter lives, and they?re not as popular a target for anglers.

Nevertheless, shovelnose sturgeon are a native fish known for their flesh and roe, an important part of the ecosystem, and they are protected with conservative harvest limits to ensure their populations remain stable. Minnesota DNR conservation officers and conservation wardens with the Wisconsin DNR had this all in mind in the spring of 2019, when they received a tip and began looking into the potential illegal take of shovelnose sturgeon in Pool 9 of the Mississippi River.

Over the course of the next two years, officers conducted a large-scale investigation that included hundreds of hours of surveillance and documentation of a number of violations. As part of the investigation, officers discovered many fish with their abdomens cut open. Eggs were collected from the females; the carcasses of females and males alike were tossed back into the river.

Ultimately, six people were charged by the Houston County Attorney?s Office with 57 violations. All pleaded guilty last year to the charges, with the final case being resolved late last fall. Read more in the DNR news release.

Catch this Twins offer

Anyone with a 2023 Minnesota fishing or hunting license can receive a free special edition orange Minnesota Twins logo cap and a ticket discount from the Twins, through a partnership between the Twins and the Minnesota DNR. Upcoming DNR Days at Twins games this season are:

• Tuesday, June 13 vs. Milwaukee Brewers, 6:40 p.m.
• Sunday, July 23 vs. Chicago White Sox, 1:10 p.m.
• Saturday, Aug. 19 vs. Pittsburgh Pirates, 6:10 p.m.
• Saturday, Sept. 9 vs. New York Mets, 1:10 p.m.

Promotion details, instructions for purchasing tickets, and information on buying a fishing or hunting license, are available on the Minnesota DNR Days page. Tickets must be purchased ahead of time using our special DNR link to receive this offer.