Ask a Conservation Officer

[Lee Borgersen]

 Ask a Conservation Officer:
                            Steelheads

Q: If I am fishing in Wisconsin waters on Lake Superior under a Wisconsin license, and catch a nice steelhead, can I keep it (as their laws allow) and bring it back to my vehicle parked in Minnesota?

A: Yes, under certain conditions. When fishing contiguous waters of an adjoining state whose regulations differ from Minnesota's, you must return in the most direct route to your access point in Minnesota without stopping to fish in Minnesota's waters if you possess fish that are legal there but not here. You must have been fishing legally under their license, and have their license in your possession. If instead you were to stop and fish in Minnesota's waters while possessing a steelhead, you would then be in violation of possessing a protected fish under our laws. For more information see the Lake Superior and Border Water pages in the 2018 Fishing Regulation Synopsis.