Caught spearing muskrats

[Lee Borgersen]

 CO Report: Enforcement taken for spearing muskrats


  Today at 8:38 p.m. 




CO Jim Guida (Brainerd 2) worked sport fishing and snowmobile enforcement this week. Anglers and spear fishermen were checked and success varied. Officer Guida saw a large increase in snowmobile traffic to the lakes area. Assistance was given to the Crow Wing County Sheriff's Office with a snowmobile that burned up on the trail.


 


CO Bob Mlynar Aitkin) (worked angling, spearing, and snowmobile enforcement. An enforcement contact was made with one spearer who had two muskrats.   Assistance was also given to Aitkin Wildlife staff with fur registration.

CO Tim Collette (Crosslake) spent time checking anglers and monitoring snowmobile activity.

Warmer weather brought out lots of snowmobilers and also seemed to boost angler success. Good catches of crappies and walleye were seen. Enforcement activity included unmarked fish houses, no shelter tags, ATV youth passengers without helmets, snowmobile speeding, no reflectors on fish houses, and expired ATV and snowmobile registrations.


CO Patrick McGowan (Pine River) patrolled for angling and snowmobile activity throughout the week. Snowmobiles were out enjoying excellent trail conditions. Enforcement action was taken for numerous snowmobile and angling violations.

CO Karl Hadrits (Crosby) reports focusing on the winter trout season opener in the Cuyuna Country State Recreational Area. Great weather over the opener brought high numbers of trout anglers and pike spearers out on the mine pit lakes, and the trout cooperated for many. High weekend snowmobile traffic was also patrolled, and cross country ski trails were checked.


Numerous enforcement contacts were made for violations including snowmobile and ATV operation and registration, no trout stamps, fishing with more than one line on designated trout lakes, and over limit of lake trout.

CO Randy Posner (Brainerd) reports that he worked on fishing enforcement this past week. The ice anglers are out in full force and report the walleye bite is fair. Violations observed were no license and unattended lines. Ice pressure ridges continue to grow on area lakes. Reports of fish house damage and gear left out unattended overnight was investigated. Complaints of unlicensed and no identification on fish houses were reported. He also worked on complaints of careless snowmobile operators. Violations observed were speed and trespass on agriculture land.


CO Amber Ladd (McGregor) patrolled area lakes and snowmobile trails. It was a busy weekend with a snowmobile event around the Big Sandy area and several anglers out as well. The trails that were open were in pretty good shape and several snowmobilers were enjoying the change in the weather. Several anglers were contacted. One group was contacted after CO Ladd observed several tip-ups near some fish houses but no one was around. There was a flag up with no one attending to it. After some time the anglers saw her and came out stating that they had just gone inside to watch the rest of a sporting event.

CO Eric Sullivan (Pequot Lakes) observed large amounts of snowmobiling in the Walker area and fishing pressure continues to be strong on Leech Lake. Anglers are having mixed results with walleye and perch success on Leech. CO Sullivan completed tasks for leaving the Walker station and transferring to Pequot Lakes.

CO Mark Mathy (Cass Lake) continued to check snowmobiles and anglers. Activity in the area was higher with the warm up in the weather. A deer taken out of season complaint was investigated. Enforcement action was taken for over limit of northern pike, extra lines and unattended lines, no fish house license, and expired snowmobile registration.

CO Duke Broughten (Longville) spent the week monitoring fishing, trapping, and snowmobiling activity. Anglers continue to report limited success. Area snowmobile trails are in decent shape.

Colder weather limited recreational activity during the week. CO Broughten followed up with cases from the 2016 deer season.

CO Chelsey Best (Remer) assisted the Cass County Sheriff's Department with an intoxicated person call in the city of Remer. CO Best also investigated a TIP call regarding an over-limit of squirrels, for which enforcement action was taken.