April 14, 2005
Press Release

Minnesota DNR - News Releases

(Southern Region) Big Stone Lake State Park Ready for Early Anglers

Tom Conroy Information Officer DNR Southern Region 261 Hwy 15 South New Ulm MN 56073 507/359-6014 tom.conroy@dnr.state.mn.us

For additional information, contact: Joanne Svendsen, Big Stone Lake State Park Manager; 320-839-3663.

Big Stone Lake State Park Ready for Early Anglers Anglers anxious to get a jump on the May 14 Minnesota fishing opener might want to consider a trip "out west." Western Minnesota, that is.

The border waters fishing opener is April 30. One of the lakes open for fishing that date is Big Stone Lake and for a true outdoor experience the Big Stone Lake State Park could be just the ticket.

Joanne Svendsen, Big Stone Lake State Park Manager, said the campground will be open for public use and the lake is poised to offer up some nice walleye, perfect for cooking over an open fire. "It's a great park, it offers beautiful lakeside camping, and the bird watching is outstanding," Svendsen said.

Electric hook-ups and water spigots will be available but no showers. For reservations by phone, call toll free 1-866-857-2757. To make reservations online, go to www.stayatmnparks.com .

Conservation officers' tales - April 2005

THE PENALTY FOR GETTING CAUGHT UP IN THE MOMENT

Conservation Officer (CO) Karl Hadrits, Crosby, reported a speeding snowmobile operator, who was signaled to stop, decided to turn around and flee the officer. The individual was tracked for more than eight miles down roads, through wooded areas, residential areas, yards, and across lakes and fields. The individual was located at a residence where he had hidden and covered up the snowmobile. He was arrested and the snowmobile was seized. The individual had no outstanding arrest warrants, wasn't intoxicated, and had no other apparent reason to try to get away other than to avoid a speeding ticket. When asked why he ran, the individual stated: "I don't know, I just got caught up in the heat of the moment." He was taken to jail on a felony charge with penalties of up to three years in prison, a $5,000 fine, and revocation of driver's license.

I GUESS HE DOESN'T ANY BBQ

CO Paul Kuske, Pierz, reported an individual, when removing his fish house from the lake, took the BBQ grill he had by his house and threw it in the ditch at the public access. The individual was contacted and citation issued. This is the second time this individual has been ticketed for leaving litter behind when removing his fish house.

BURNING MAD

CO Keith Bertram, Sauk Centre, was on patrol when he observed a subject burning a pile of prohibited materials in the parking lot of a wildlife management area. The subject stated that he drove there to get rid of some trash. Upon further checking, it was determined the subject's driver's license was revoked and he had an active warrant for possession of stolen property. The subject was arrested.

SAME OFFENSE, DIFFERENT DAY

CO Troy Fondie, Orr, encountered one angler fishing from a fish shelter with no license and no identification. When asked for his shelter license, he said he did not have one and pulled out a warning he had received for the same offense a day earlier from another conservation officer. He was issued a $90 ticket.

NONRESIDENT POACHERS PAY THE PRICE

CO Gary Sommers, Walker, and CO Larry Francis, Remer, received a Turn in Poachers call regarding an overlimit on Lake Winnie. The gross overlimit involved three nonresident anglers with a combined overlimit of 129 perch. Fines and restitution totaled $1,390 per person. One of the subjects involved didn't think the Minnesota possession limits were fair for nonresidents. He felt the limits should be higher for nonresidents because they have to travel a greater distance to fish.

DEER GONE WILD

CO Jim Guida, Brainerd, responded to a call of two deer inside a residence. The owner had locked herself in the bathroom after hearing and seeing a whitetail deer crash through a large window. She believed there were two deer because of the large amount of noise. Guida was able to get close enough and lasso the deer and pull it outside. Four observing police officers asked Officer Guida if they had taught that at the Conservation Officer Academy.

ANGLER 'EDUCATED'

CO Dustie Heaton, Isle, CO Sam Hunter, Albany, had an interesting incident occur when they approached a fish house that didn't have a shelter license. As the officers were about to knock on the door, the door came open and a walleye was thrown at their feet, landing between the two officers. When the fishermen looked out the door they said, "Wow, you scared us!" After talking to the proud individual who caught the fish, he presented a license for the 2004 license year but did not have a 2005 license. He told the officers that he thought the 2004 license was good until the end of March. When asked about the walleye, he replied that he didn't know walleye season was over either. The angler was "educated" about his violations.

I SEE

CO Gary Sommers, Walker, received a call concerning a possible illegally taken bear. An individual discovered something while hunting for antler sheds. He saw a blue blanket with logs piled as well as black fur under the blanket. Not wanting to look under the blanket the individual called Sommers. Sommers found the site and a dead black lab dog under the blanket. The complainant was a little embarrassed but, Sommers thanked him for the call and said that if they saw anything out of the ordinary again to not hesitate to call.

WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM SOME FRIENDS

Officer Jeremy Woinarowicz, Thief River Falls, was called to handle a situation where a subject picked up an injured deer that had been hit by a car. He placed it in the back seat of his car and took it home placing it in his duck pen. The deer's injuries were not life-threatening and it was released back to the wild where it was found.

READ ALL ABOUT IT

CO Chris Vinton, Detroit Lakes, while in line at the gas station, saw the front page of a local paper. On it was a picture of a Frazee man with a 44 ? inch northern pike that was said to come from a "private lake" in Becker County on March 2. That’s two weeks after the close of the season. The article said the man had taken the fish to a local taxidermist for mounting. A short investigation uncovered that the fish was caught out of state. in mid-February, The angler had the correct licenses and lodging information and the taxidermist showed he had received the fish back in February. The angler told Vinton that he was "joking around" with another angler who had suggested the out of state location to fish with the promise that he was not to share that information with anybody.

OWL

CO Larry Francis, Remer, met with local school officials regarding a permit to mount a great gray owl, which happened to fly through an open window of the bus before meeting its demise.

TOO MANY LINES

CO Don Bozovsky, Hibbing, reported two anglers, on an unnamed five-acre lake, were fishing crappies. One of the two had no fishing license and was using five lines. An hour later, when the officer was going back to town, the situation repeated itself with a different angler. He too had no fishing license and was using four lines. Both anglers responded that everyone else does it. The first individual stated that through his employer, he was mentoring a 13-year-old fishing partner by teaching him how to fish. He also had a crappie concealed in his backpack that he denied catching. The unlicensed multi-liners were cited.

Fishing success leads to excess fine and restitution amounts total nearly $8,000 in two cases
 

In another case, Officer Tim Gray, Blackduck, received a call April 2 about a group of anglers keeping walleye and an over-limit of crappies on Red Lake in northwest Minnesota.

When Gray checked the anglers they were putting a walleye down a hole in the ice. Six more walleye were found under the back seat storage compartment of their vehicle.

There's a moratorium on taking walleye from Red Lake. An over-limit of crappies was found packed inside a suitcase style ice shelter and in several buckets. The total number of fish possessed by the three adults and one juvenile angler were 100 crappies (legal possession limit is 10 per angler), seven walleye and 12 perch.

Charged were Viengxay Sivongxay, 44, and Phouvieng Davannavong, 36, both of Savage, and Thavy Chindavong, 52, of Brooklyn Park. The youth was not charged in the incident. The three men face a combined total of nearly $2,700 in fines and restitution.

Maj. Al Heidebrink, DNR enforcement operations manager, said the DNR appreciates help from the public and encourages people who see illegal fishing activities to call the TIP line at 1-800-652-9093.

The more detailed the description, the more helpful it is to the officers, Heidebrink said. Most important are boat and vehicle license numbers, the number of people and the area where the activity took place.

Contest seeks to float new concept in life jackets

(Southern Region) New SE Trout Regulations Begin with April 16 Opener (2005-04-07)

Tom Conroy Information Officer DNR Southern Region 261 Hwy 15 South New Ulm MN 56073 507/359-6014 tom.conroy@dnr.state.mn.us

April 1, 2005 For additional information, contact: Jason Moeckel, DNR Southern Tom Conroy Information Officer DNR Southern Region 261 Hwy 15 South New Ulm MN 56073 507/359-6014 tom.conroy@dnr.state.mn.us

April 1, 2005 For additional information, contact: Jason Moeckel, DNR Southern Region Assistant Fisheries Manager, Rochester; 507-280-5063.

New SE Trout Regulations Begin with April 16 Opener

It’s spring and with the return of longer days and warmer weather, many Minnesotan’s are anxious to pursue their favorite outdoor activities. For many, that means fishing.

One of the first seasons to open inland is stream trout fishing. In Minnesota, that date is April 16, continuing through September 14. Fishing hours are from one hour before sunrise to 11 p.m.

Trout anglers are urged to check the 2005 Fishing Regulations changes that take effect for the first time this year. Trout regulations have been modified on 22 streams in southeastern Minnesota. Signs will be posted on the up and downstream boundaries of affected stream reaches and at popular access sites. A new publication, “Trout Angling Opportunities in Southern Minnesota,” is now available at many DNR offices. This publication includes color-coded maps that depict the changes and show anglers where there is public access to trout fishing.

Jason Moeckel, Assistant Regional Fisheries Manager at Rochester, said the DNR is making a concerted effort this year to inform anglers of the changes. "We know that a lot of people may traditionally show up at a location on a stream expecting to fish as they have in the past. We do not want their experience ruined by not being prepared for regulation changes that may affect how they fish and what they can keep.”

Moeckel encourages anglers to contact the following offices if they have questions: Lanesboro Fisheries Office, 507-467-2442; Lake City Fisheries, 651-345-3365; or Rochester Area Fisheries Office, 507-285-7427.

The 2005 Fishing Regulations are available from these offices and at most locations where licenses are sold. The new publication, “Trout Angling Opportunities in Southern Minnesota,” will be available in many bait shops, sporting goods stores, license centers and the aforementioned offices. If you would like a copy mailed to you, please contact the Rochester Area Fisheries Office at (507) 285-7427.

Moeckel also noted that there are two errors in the fishing regulations book that anglers should be aware of:

Page 47, the description for Garvin Brook should read: "All trout from 12” through 16” in length must be immediately returned to the water on a 5.0 mile stretch from the road crossing at Highway 14 going upstream to the confluence with Peterson Creek. Page 53, the description for Whitewater River, North Branch should read Township Road 29 instead of County Road 29.

Maps of all the special regulation locations are available on the DNR website.