ST. PAUL 鈥� A recent string of warm weather means many ice shelters have already been removed from inland waters in the northern third of Minnesota. Anglers who still have a fish house on the ice should plan ahead to ensure they meet the March 17 removal deadline, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources recommends.
Fish house owners also should pick up and properly dispose of any trash as part of hauling their shelter off the ice, the DNR said.
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鈥淲e urge everyone to have a plan in place and consider removing their shelters early if they have any concerns about being able to meet the deadline,鈥� Capt. Mike Martin, DNR Enforcement northeast region manager, said in a statement. 鈥淲hile many lakes may have 20 or more inches of ice, ice along shorelines 鈥� or cracks elsewhere 鈥� tend to open first and make removal especially difficult.鈥�
If shelters aren鈥檛 removed by the deadline, owners may be prosecuted and structures may be confiscated and removed or destroyed by a conservation officer.
Shelters may not be left at public accesses, and no trash or other materials 鈥� including wooden blocking materials 鈥� may be left on the ice. Anglers can still use their shelters after the deadline as long as the shelter has the proper identification and licensing and, if it鈥檚 on the ice between midnight and an hour before sunrise, is occupied or attended.
As they venture out, anglers always should keep in mind that ice conditions vary widely, that ice is never 100% safe and that they should check the ice thickness for themselves.
The final removal deadline is March 31 and applies to fish houses on Lake of the Woods and other Minnesota/Canada border waters.
ND removal reminder
In related fish house removal news, unoccupied fish houses in North Dakota must be removed from all waters across the state beginning Saturday, March 15, the Game and Fish Department said in a reminder.
Fish houses may be used after March 15 if they are removed daily. In addition, anglers are encouraged to look around and clean up the site if any trash is found left behind.
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