winter ice fishing NDGF
By Doug Leier
One of the long-standing goals of the North Dakota Game and Fish Department is to keep hunting and fishing regulations as simple and straightforward as possible, all while ensuring the protection of the resource for future generations.
That balance isn’t always easy. But before taking a shot at the rulebook, take a moment to compare it with what you’ll find in other states. Whether you’ve traveled to hunt or fish elsewhere, or just talked with someone who has, it becomes clear quickly that North Dakota does a good job of keeping things from becoming overly complicated.
Sure, you’ll still see signs posted at boat ramps or public land access points reminding users of specific rules or restrictions. And yes, wildlife management areas and some fishing waters come with their own guidelines. But behind the scenes, every proposed change is closely reviewed, with a key question in mind. Will this make things unnecessarily frustrating for hunters or anglers?
When it comes to winter/ice fishing let’s take a closer look.
Ice Fishing Regulations
A maximum of four poles is legal for ice fishing. However, when fishing a water body where both open water and ice occur at the same time, an angler is allowed a maximum of four poles, of which no more than two poles can be used in open water.
Fishing poles must be easily visible and within a maximum distance of 150 feet of the participating angler.
Tip-ups are legal for ice fishing. Each tip-up is considered a single pole.
There is no restriction on the size of the hole in the ice while ice fishing. When a hole greater than 10 inches in diameter is left in the ice, the area in the immediate vicinity of the hole must be adequately marked with a natural object or a brightly painted or colored wooden lath. Markers must be visible from a minimum of 150 feet.
The daily creel limit is defined as the maximum number of legally taken fish (by species) that may be harvested from midnight to midnight.
No individual may harvest or possess more than North Dakota’s daily limit of fish while on the water, ice or actively engaged in any manner of fishing.
Fishing holes outside a fish house may be placed no closer than 10 feet from the house without consent of the fish house occupant.
No fish species may be transported in water away from the water body from which they were taken. Ice in a cooler or other container may be used in transporting fish.
It is illegal to remove more than gills, entrails and scales from fish species harvested in waters that are subject to a size limit while on the water or actively engaged in fishing.
Fish may be filleted for transport, unless size limits apply, under the following conditions:
● Each individual portion of the meat removed from a fish is considered a fillet. (Fish cheeks and pectoral girdles (wings) are not considered as fillets and are legal to transport.)
● Two fillets are counted as one fish.
● The packaging of fish must be done in a manner so that the fillets can be readily separated and counted. If fillets are frozen, they must be packaged so that the fillets are separated and can be easily counted without thawing.
Any fish (whole and/or fillets) may be given (gifted) to another individual, but the fish must be counted in the donor’s daily limit. Individuals who receive gifted fish may not exceed the possession limit while the fish are being transported.
Gifted fish, including packages of fish, must be accompanied with the following information from the individual gifting the fish: name, fishing license number, phone number, date, species and number of fish gifted.
Except for legally gifted fish, it is illegal to possess or transport another individual’s game fish or parts thereof without the license holder accompanying or as otherwise permitted.
Commercial processors, common carriers and common storage areas may possess any individual’s legally taken possession limit of fish. Each package must be labeled with the owner’s name and address.
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