Make sure you know the new fishing regulations

There are plenty of new regulations and clarifications of old ones that anglers need to know about. Below are a few of those, including some updated wording that isn't in the DNR's 2008 fishing regulations booklet. Because of the complexity of fishing regulations -- and changes made to many specific lakes -- anglers should pick up a copy of the 80-page booklet and read it.

Some key changes or clarifications:

• "Immediately released or returned to the water" means that a fish must not be kept longer than is needed at the site of capture to unhook, identify, measure and photograph. Placing those fish in a container or on a stringer is not allowed, and neither is taking the fish to shore to photograph it.

• Muskies, sturgeon, catfish, salmon, splake, brook trout, brown trout and rainbow trout, which have statewide length limits, must be transported with head and tail intact so the fish can be measured. Northerns and walleyes may be dressed or filleted.

• Fish that have been prepared, packed and labeled by a licensed fish packer must include the body of water where taken and total length of each fish with a size limit.

• A person who stores fish for another must plainly mark the package, in ink, with the name, address and fishing license number of the owner and the number of fish in the package, the body of water where taken and the total length of each fish with a size limit.

• There are new northern pike regulations on Canadian border waters and Basswood Lake, near Ely. Only one northern more than 30 inches is allowed on border waters, except for Lake of the Woods and its tributaries and the Rainy River to the dam at International Falls, where a one-over-40-inch rule is in effect. On Basswood, except some bays, all northerns from 24 to 36 inches must be released; one fish over 36 inches is allowed.

• New, higher nonresident license fees are in effect this year.

• The muskie season now ends Dec. 1.

• Night bowfishing is being allowed on select bodies of water from June 1 to Aug. 31.