DNR Report

Talk about it

Reports filed by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources conservation officers.

Conservation Officer John Velsvaag of Ely checked spring fish run activity and received an ATV complaint. Velsvaag also finished a trespass complaint and had several phone calls on fires and burning regulations.

Conservation Officer Darin Fagerman of Grand Marais reported that there are grouse all over the place, the most he has seen in the spring in many years. Steelhead angling appears to becoming more popular as more and more people come farther up the shore from Duluth. Fishing reports are spotty in the rivers. A few anglers were checked on the Canadian border lakes trying for northern pike. Anglers have reported seeing “monsters” along the shore but couldn’t get them to strike. A few smaller pike were seen in the live wells. Night patrol was done on some walleye spawning areas.

Officer Mary Manning of Hovland patrolled walleye spawning areas, checked steelhead anglers and assisted with firearms safety class. The officer also answered questions about nuisance beaver, boating regulations and new invasive species laws.

Officer Brad Johnson of Silver Bay reported that he attended annual inservice training at Camp Ripley. He received calls on nuisance beaver and illegal dumping.

Officer Thomas Wahlstrom of Tofte assisted with the annual firearms inservice training at Camp Ripley. Wahlstrom monitored the North Shore rivers with the bite starting to slow down. Wahlstrom assisted the county on a call and monitored for aquatic invasive species at landings, where compliance was good and a lot of questions on the new laws were answered. He checked beaver trappers; two more accidental otter were reported and seized.

Officer Dan Thomasen of Two Harbors attended annual inservice training at Camp Ripley for a couple of days. A spring firearms safety class was held in Two Harbors with about 23 youth and adults participating in the classroom and field activities. Predator control activities are ongoing in response to depredation of livestock. Steelhead and looper angling continues up and down the North Shore.

Tags: two harbors