Minnesota Ice Anglers Face March 3rd Deadline to Remove Fishing Shacks from Central, Southern Lakes

(KNSI) – Minnesota ice anglers in a large swath of the state need to get their fishing shacks off the lake or risk them being sunk.

The Department of Natural Resources says for those with fish houses on ice in the southern two-thirds of the state, the deadline for removal is 11:59 p.m. on Monday, March 3rd. DNR officials say shelters should never be left at public accesses, and no trash or other materials, such as wooden blocking, can be abandoned on the ice.

Failure to remove shelters by the deadline could result in prosecution, and the structures may be confiscated or destroyed by conservation officers.

While planning their removal, anglers should know that ice conditions can change quickly. It’s always important to check the thickness of the ice before heading out.

For the northern part of the state, the deadline extends to 11:59 p.m. on March 17th.

Some exceptions apply to the removal deadlines, with dates varying for border waters between Minnesota and neighboring states. For example, the deadline for Minnesota-Iowa border waters was February 20th, while Minnesota-Canada border waters have until March 31st.

For more information, click here.

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