Tower area whitefish and cisco sport netting seasons open

(Released October 27, 2009)

Whitefish and cisco netting season in the Tower area is open, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

Lakes open to netting from Oct. 17 to Nov. 11, the county in which they are located and the legal description are:

• Basswood, Lake County, T.64,65; R.9,10,11; S. Var.
• Fall, Lake County, T.63,64; R.11; S. Var.
• Fall, St. Louis County, T.63; R.12; S. Var.

Minimum gill net mesh size for Basswod and Fall shall be no less 1-3/4-inch net stretch measure.

Lakes open to netting from Oct. 17 to Nov. 11, the county in which they are located and the legal description are:

• Newton, Lake County, T.63,64; R.1; S. Var.

Lakes open to netting from Oct. 17 to Nov. 1, the county in which they are located and the legal description are:

• Vermilion, St. Louis County, T.62; R.14,15,16,17 and T.63; R.15,16,17,18.

Minimum net mesh size for Newton and Vermilion shall be no less 3-1/2-inch net stretch measure.

Lake Vermilion’s Pike Bay, south and west of a north-south line at narrowest portion between Echo Point and Punchers Point, is closed to netting. The legal description for the closed area is T.62, R.15, S.19 + Var.; T.61 and 62, R.16, S. Var.

To access the online listing of netting dates, visit www.mndnr.gov/regulations/fishing and click on “Whitefish and Ciscoes Sport Gill Netting Regulations.” Opening dates for these lakes are determined based on fish abundance, climatic conditions and vulnerability of game fish.

Fishing regulations require that:

• Nets be set after sunrise on the opening day and be removed before sunset on the closing day.
• A whitefish netting license is purchased and in possession.
• Only one gill net is used, not exceeding 100 feet in length and 3 feet in width.

Net stretch measure means the interior distance between opposite knots or corners of a single mesh of net, when taken between the thumb and forefinger and enough pressure is applied laterally to allow the opposite sides of the mesh to touch.

Netters are reminded that if netting on infested waters, the net may not be used in other waters unless it has been dried for a minimum of 10 days or frozen for at least two days.