Dark House Spearing, Ice Angling and Ice Shelters

Dark House Spearing

Seasons and Limits

What species of fish can I spear from a dark house?

Northern pike, catfish, and whitefish may be speared but only if using a darkhouse. Native rough fish (including gar) and carp may be speared in or outside of a darkhouse. See page 79 for native rough and carp spearing seasons as they differ.

What is a dark house?

Any structure that is darkened to view fish under the ice. Holes in the ice are cut inside these structures so fish can be speared. Please mark your holes upon leaving.

Do I need a license to spear from a dark house?

Residents age 18 through 89 and nonresidents age 18 and older need a spearing license and an angling license. Youth age 16 and 17 need an angling license only.

What methods can I use while spearing in a dark house?

• You may fish with 1 additional line but any fish caught must be landed immediately and not left out as a decoy.
• You cannot use artificial lights to see fish or attract fish when spearing.
• You can use lighted decoy fish powered by a battery not containing mercury.
• Any visual backdrop material used must be retrieved by the end of your trip.

If more than 1 person is spearing in a dark house, how many fish can you spear?

Party fishing does not apply to spearing. Each person can only spear their own fish.

Where can I spear fish in a dark house?

Most inland waters. Only Baby Lake (Cass County) is closed to dark house spearing. Native rough fish may not be taken while dark house spearing in designated trout lakes. For border waters, more details can be found on pages 66-77.

Ice Angling

How many lines can I use through the ice?

2, except on designated trout lakes and streams you can only use 1 line.

How far away can I go from my lines?

You must remain within sight of your line. If you’re using a tip-up (a device with spooled line and a flag that pops up to indicate when a fish bites) you need to be within 200 feet.

Does ice fishing have any other regulations that differ from open water fishing besides the number of lines I can use?

No, anglers must follow all general and special regulations.

Ice Shelters

What is a shelter?

A fish house, dark house, or other structure that is set on the ice to provide shelter.

What is a portable shelter?

A portable shelter is a shelter that collapses, folds, or is disassembled for transportation. Portable shelters do not include trailer/campers with or without slideouts.

Do I need a license for my fish house or dark house?

• All shelters, except portable shelters, placed on the ice in inland and Canadian border waters need a shelter license.
• However, portable shelters in inland and Canadian border waters need a license if a person leaves the portable shelter unattended any time between midnight and 1 hour before sunrise, or is not within 200 feet of the portable shelter.
• Shelters must be licensed by the owner of the shelter.
• A shelter license is not required on the border waters between Minnesota and Wisconsin, Iowa, North Dakota, and South Dakota.
• A shelter license is valid from March 1 through April 30 of the following year.

Do I need any kind of identification on my shelter?

All shelters need identification, except portable shelters that are occupied. Occupying a shelter means staying within 200 feet of it. Identification means:

• One of the following: owner’s name and address; owner’s driver’s license number; or owner’s Minnesota DNR identification number.
• Identification must be readily visible from the exterior of the shelter with characters at least 2" high.

Where can I place my shelter?

• Anywhere on Minnesota waters. Shelters must be no closer than 10 feet apart.
• In the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) you can use a shelter but must remove it from the ice each night and each time you leave theBWCAW.

Are there any regulations about shelters I must comply with?

Any shelters on the ice overnight must have at least 2 square inches of reflective material on each side.

Are there different shelter regulations for border waters for adjacent states? If you are on border waters between Minnesota and Wisconsin, Iowa orNorth and South Dakota, the regulations for the state that issues your fishing license apply for your shelter.

Does the trailer I use to haul my fish house, fishing equipment or fish house on wheels need to be registered?

Yes. See your local deputy registrar for trailer registration.

Can I use a fish shelter after the removal date?

Yes. After removal dates, shelters may remain on the ice between midnight and 1 hour before sunrise only when occupied or attended.

What happens if I don’t remove my shelter before the deadline?

The owners of the shelter will be prosecuted, and the structure and contents may be confiscated or destroyed by a conservation officer.

Can I leave my shelter on a public access site after I take it off the ice?

No.

Can I place or leave any items, including fish, on the ice outside my shelter?

You can store non-garbage related items outside your shelter such as coolers, storage containers, food and beverages that haven't been consumed, and other supplies and equipment. However, garbage, debris, dead animals, human or pet waste, or any other item that would be considered litter if left behind, may not be placed outside a shelter directly on the ice. All garbage, waste, and dead fish must be placed in a container that is secured to a shelter or sled.

Shelter Removal Dates

All shelters must be off the ice no later than midnight for each of the dates given in the following categories below.

Inland Waters

Dates of removal are determined by an east-west line formed by U.S. Highway 10, east along Highway 34 to Minnesota Highway 200, east along Highway 200 to U.S. Highway 2, and east along Highway 2 to the Minnesota– Wisconsin border.

Border Waters

• Minnesota–Iowa, February 20
• Minnesota–Wisconsin, March 1
• Minnesota–North and South Dakota, March 5
• Minnesota–Canada, March 31