New Minnesota Fishing Bill
Minnesota anglers could have one linerigged with bait and a bobber while casting with a spinner on asecond line under a bill in the House.
"It makes the sport more enjoyable when the fish aren'tbiting," said Rep. Al Juhnke, DFL-Willmar, the bill's author.
He told fellow lawmakers the bill allowing anglers to alwaysfish with two lines fits better with what surrounding states allowand could give Minnesota a new source of revenue. Currently,anglers in Minnesota can use two lines only in border waters orwhile ice fishing.
The bill was heard Monday in the House Game, Fish and ForestryDivision. Similar legislation has passed the House before but hasmet opposition in the Senate.
Juhnke testified that he's received calls and letters fromanglers and resort owners from across Minnesota urging the two-linelimit. But four people testified against the bill on Monday, sayingit could put the state's fishery at risk.
"It's not a fishery population issue, it's a quality issue,"said Ed Boggess, deputy director of the Division of Fish andWildlife for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
Boggess said putting more lines in the water would result inmore fish being caught, potentially causing more stress on thefish, sometimes leading to death. The DNR might have to respondwith more restrictions on certain lakes if that became an issue,Boggess said.
Shawn Kellett, president of the Twin Cities chapter of MuskiesInc., said allowing anglers to use two lines for muskie could beespecially harmful. Anglers distracted by having two lines mightnot reel in a muskie right away, leading the fish to swallow thehook and eventually die, he said.
"The bill is more about angler greed than creating a betterfishery," Kellett said. "If the fishery isn't what it is now,people won't come to our resorts from out of state anyway."
But Juhnke said states like Wisconsin haven't had problems withthe quality of their fisheries in allowing multiple lines.
He also said the bill could bring in potential revenue if theDNR were to make anglers buy an extra stamp to fish with two lines.For example, if the stamp cost $10, the state could bring in anadditional $1 million a year, Juhnke said.
Sen. Satveer Chaudhary, DFL-Fridley, said he still opposes thebill.
Chaudhary, chairman of the Senate Environment and NaturalResources Committee, has said the change could hurt Minnesota'sconservation efforts.
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