Whitefish/cisco nettin opens

[Lee Borgersen]

Whitefish, cisco sport netting opens on Lake Vermilion, Newton, Basswood, Fall lakes


(Released October 24, 2014)

Lake Vermilion, Newton, Basswood and Fall lakes will be open to whitefish and cisco (tullibee) sport netting from Friday, Oct. 24, through Thursday, Nov. 14, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

Newton, Basswood, and Fall lakes are listed as infested with spiny waterflea. New this year, nets and equipment in infested waters may not be used in any other body of water unless they have been frozen for at least two days, or dried for at least 10 days. Nets should be transported in sealed or watertight containers to a location away from the water where they can be frozen or dried.
Aquatic invasive species transport laws apply to netters during the fall and winter months just as they would for anglers during warm season angling. Before leaving any water access, licensees must: remove all plants from nets, trailers and other equipment; inspect nets and other gear for prohibited invasive species like zebra mussels, and remove them; and drain water from boats and livewells.
Opening dates for netting are determined based on fish abundance, climatic conditions and vulnerability of game fish.

Fishing regulations require that:
• A whitefish netting license is purchased.
• Nets are set after sunrise on the opening day and removed before sunset on the closing day.
• Only one gill net is used, not exceeding 100 feet in length and 3 feet in width.
• Minimum gill net mesh size shall be no less than 3-1/2 inch net stretch measure for Newton and Vermilion lakes. Minimum gill net mesh size shall be no less than 1-3/4 inch net stretch measure for Basswood and Fall lakes. Net stretch measure means the interior distance between opposite knots or corners of a single mesh of net, take between the thumb and forefinger and applying enough pressure laterally to allow the opposite sides of the mesh to touch.
• One end of the gill net must have a pole, stake or buoy projecting at least two feet above the surface of the water or ice.
• Gill nets must have an identification tag attached near the first float of the end with the pole, stake or buoy.
• Identification tags must be a minimum of 2½ inches by 5/8 inch, permanently bearing the name and address of the owner.
• Gill nets may not be set after sunset or raised before sunrise.
• Gill nets must be set and lifted by the licensee only, and must be tended at least once every 24 hours.
• A gill net or any part of a gill net may not be set in any waters deeper than 6 feet, measured from the lake bottom to the top surface of the water or ice.
• A gill net may not be set within 50 feet of another gill net.
• Whitefish and ciscoes taken by sport gill netting may not be bought or sold.

About 700 people obtain special permits to net for whitefish-tullibee each year. DNR bases netting schedules on expected water temperatures. As the water temperature cools, game fish head to deeper water and whitefish-tullibee come to shallow water for fall spawning. Netting is allowed when there is little chance that game fish populations would be negatively impacted by recreational netting in shallow water.

Minnesota law restricts the size of the net and its openings; requires that netting be done in water not deeper than six feet unless specifically authorized; stipulates that netted fish cannot be sold; and requires that only rough fish caught in the net may be kept. State law also limits net size to 100 feet long and 3 feet wide; allows one person to use no more than one net; and forbids recreational netters from possessing angling equipment when netting whitefish-tullibee.

For more information about sport netting and fishing regulations, visit www.mndnr.gov/regulations/fishing/index.html, then click on the whitefish and ciscoes sport gillnetting regulations, or contact the DNR’s Tower area office at 218-753-2580.