The fishing season officially opens next Saturday -- though the crappie action has been hot in some spots -- and if you want to avoid a citation, bring your fishing license along.
The Minnesota DNR issued its "Top Ten Fishing Violations" -- and No. 1 on the list was not having a fishing license in possession. Conservation officers issued 240 citations and 2,259 warnings for that offense.
No. 2: Not having a license, period. Officers issued 925 citations and 399 warnings for that offense last year.
Overall, officers handed out 3,115 citations and 4,727 warnings to resident and non-resident anglers last year, which the DNR said was comparable to past fishing seasons.
Some other ranked categories that made the list of frequent fishing violations include:
- Improperly/not marked fish house
- Fishing with an extra line
- Overlimit
- Unattended line
- Exceed length limit
- Fish house left on ice after deadline
- Closed season
- Under length limit
Here's what Jim Konrad, DNR enforcement chief, said: "There is still a need for education since these seem to be the most common violations encountered by conservation officers year after year."
