Fish and Wildlife

New Bass Rule for Northern Zone

May 3 to June 20--Catch and Release; artificial lures with barbless hooks only.

MINNOWS AS BAIT

Preventing the spread of VHS Fish Virus
New Rules, November 2007

New statewide emergency regulations ban moving live fish and water between lakes.

Under the statewide rules:

You may not leave the bank or shore of any water with any live fish or live fish eggs, including leftover minnows.

You must drain all water from bilges, ballast, live wells, bait buckets and other containers before you leave the bank or shore of any water.

You may not use or possess live fish or live fish eggs as bait if bought outside Wisconsin.

You may not use dead fish, fish eggs, or fish parts for bait. Exceptions: if you are fishing in the same water where the bait was collected, or if the bait was preserved by a method that does not require refrigeration or freezing.

You may not transport by land into Wisconsin, any water in boats, boat trailers, boating equipment or fishing equipment, including water in any bilge, ballast tank, bait container or live well.

Also, because all water is required to be drained from equipment and containers used for fishing, this includes water in containers that may contain leeches or aquatic insects, or melted ice water in coolers used to keep dead fish fresh.

Another suggestion from the DNR, buy only enough minnows to use every day, or leave the bulk of minnows in your vehicle at the landing and take a few minnows out on the lake at a time so you will not have to kill all of them at the end of the day. Any minnows not brought onto the water, its shores or banks, can be taken home at the end of the day and used elsewhere.

For specific regulations and additional information on the VHS (Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia) stop by the DNR office for literature, or visit the DNR website at fishingwisconsin.org.