DNR reports

Reports filed by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Officers of District 6 – Two Harbors area

NORTH

Conservation Officer John Velsvaag of Ely checked anglers this past week. Velsvaag also did invasive species checks on area lakes and worked in the BWCA for several days.

NORTH SHORE

Conservation Officer Darin Fagerman of Grand Marais checked anglers during a relatively quiet fishing opener. Fishing was slow with only a few walleyes in the live wells. Boats were checked at accesses for compliance with aquatic invasive species laws. Untagged minnow and leech traps were found in infested waters where the trapping of bait is prohibited. Enforcement action was taken for fishing, boating safety, burning and littering violations.

Officer Mary Manning of Hovland worked early walleye anglers and boaters in the BWCAW with Officer Wahlstrom. Manning also checked anglers and boaters during the opening weekend. Several boat operators needed to be reminded of navigational lighting and equipment requirements. Enforcement action was taken for no angling license in possession, no canoe registration and operating a watercraft without required navigational lights.

Officer Thomas Wahlstrom of Tofte spent time in the BWCAW working early anglers with Officer Manning and worked a Stone Garden detail up the Echo trail. The officer worked anglers and boat and water safety during the fishing opener. Wahlstrom checked for aquatic invasive species violations at area boat accesses, with overall good compliance. Enforcement action was taken for angling, invasive species and boating violations.

LAKE COUNTY

Officer Dan Thomasen of Two Harbors assisted in teaching at the academy at Camp Ripley for a couple of days this past week. Opening weekend of fishing brought some of the nicest weather in recent memory, but angling success lagged behind on most lakes. Law compliance was found to be near 100 percent for fishing and boating-related activities. Compliance for aquatic invasive species- related laws, however, was rather poor. Many boaters, even though they knew something of the AIS laws, were still forgetting or neglecting to remove drain plugs in their haste to get on the road after leaving the water. Numerous citations and warnings were issued for transportation of water and failing to remove drain plugs.

Silver Bay

- vacant.

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