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Additional Information

Boat and Water Safety

Everyone on your boat needs to have an accessible, U.S. Coast Guard-approved life vest of the proper size and type. In addition, if the boat is 16 feet or longer, there must also be an approved throwable device such as a boater’s seat cushion or ring buoy.

Children under the age of 10 must wear a life jacket on board any boat underway. Underway means not attached to a permanent mooring or tied to a dock. There are exceptions to the law for: children who are below the top deck, or in an enclosed cabin, or on a boat operated by a licensed captain, or on a boat that is anchored for the purpose of swimming or diving.

It’s always a good idea to wear your life jacket. Most fatal boating mishaps occur when boats capsize or people fall overboard, especially on small boats. These types of accidents can happen even on calm waters, while traveling at slow speed or stopped.

For a complete summary of the boating regulations and safety information, contact the DNR Information Center for a copy of the Minnesota Boating Guide, or find it online at mndnr.gov/safety/boatwater. For rules pertain ing to the use of mo tor boats within Wild life Management Areas, refer to the Minnesota Hunting and Trap ping Regulations Handbook or call the DNR.

Aquatic Management Areas

The DNR Fish and Wildlife Division acquires land along lakes and streams to protect critical fish habitat and to provide fishing opportunities. These areas, known as Aquatic Management Areas (AMAs), have specific use types (easement, restricted use and general use) and are posted with signs that indicate allowable and unauthorized uses for each use type. As a reminder it is always unlawful to leave any personal equipment, such as tree stands, unattended on AMAs. For more information on AMAs please go to the AMA Finder at: mndnr.gov/amas.

Catch-and-Release

Catch-and-release fishing offers anglers a way to enjoy their sport with less harm to the resource.

  • Do not plan to release fish that have been on a stringer or in a livewell.
  • Play and land the fish quickly.
  • Don’t angle for fish in very deep water, unless you plan to keep what you catch. Fizzing of fish, or the act of inserting a needle into a fish intended to deflate the gas bladder, caught from deep water can do more harm than good and is discouraged.
  • Handle the fish gently and keep it in the water as much as possible.
  • Do not hold the fish by the eye sockets or gills, but rather by the lower lip or under the gill plate and also support the belly of the fish.
  • Wet your hands before touching a fish to prevent removing its protective coating.
  • If a hook is deeply embedded, cut the line so that at least 1" hangs out of the mouth. This helps the hook to lay flush when the fish takes in food.
  • Circle hooks may help in reducing deeply hooked fish. They are made to hook fish in the mouth.
  • A fish that can be legally kept should not be released if it is bleeding heavily, which indicates its chance of survival is poor.
  • You cannot target a species during its closed season, even if you plan to release it.

Managing Minnesota’s Fisheries

The DNR Fish and Wildlife Division is responsible for managing the state’s diverse fisheries resources (4,500 fishable lakes and 16,000 miles of fishable streams). Each year, roughly 1.7 million people fish in Minnesota, and sport fishing generates approximately $6 billion in direct expenditures, making angling one of the state’s largest industries.

Much of Minnesota’s fisheries program is reimbursed by the Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Program (federal excise tax), administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Master Angler Program

The Fishing Hall of Fame of Minnesota in partnership with DNR recognizes anglers who catch large fish of various species. Categories include adult, youth, and catch-and-release.

For more information on becoming a Master Angler, visit the DNR website or fishinghalloffamemn.com

Conservation Partners Legacy Grant Program

The program provides funding for projects to restore, enhance, and protect Minnesota’s fish, game, and wildlife habitat. See mndnr.gov/cpl for details.

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