Ask a conservation officer

[Lee Borgersen]

Ask a conservation officer: Change minnow water only when moving over land

 Apr 12, 2015
 
Q: I often fish on a lake that is connected to four other lakes by a river. Do I have to change the water in my minnow bucket when boating from lake to lake.

A: No. Changes in aquatic invasive species (AIS) laws in recent years added the requirement that you cannot transport water in such a container when moving it over land or a portage, in order to try to prevent the spread of AIS from one body of water to another. If you are staying in your boat, such as in a connected system of lakes and rivers as you mentioned, the water in the minnow bucket does not have to be exchanged. If you leave the water and transport the minnows over land or a portage, then the water would have to be changed.

[Lee Borgersen]

 I understand the concept of this ruling. However in certain situations this does not make sense. For example first off I don't fish with minnows in the specific area I speak of. The lake I launch out of takes me to a portage that brings me to another lake. The lake I fish on across the portage is supplied by a water fall coming out of the lake I just left. Therefore the water in both lakes are co-mingled.

So, if I cross the portage with minnows I would have to dump out the minnow water first and replace it with bottled water while crossing the portage. Once across the portage I can refill the minnow bucket with that lakes water that is supplied by the first lake I just came off of. Actually if you have leeches you have to dump the leech water to cross the portage. Only in that case the leeches won't need any water until you cross the portage since they won't die that fast.

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