District 1 – Baudette area
Last updated: 2022-05-23
CO Corey Sura (Baudette East) worked on an ongoing wetlands violation and followed up on a burning complaint where an individual had been burning during a ban as well as burning prohibited materials such as tires and shingles. Anglers were checked at area accesses and found to be having success on days actually calm enough to get on the water. Walleyes and sauger have been getting caught in anywhere from 5 to 20 feet of water on Lake of the Woods.
CO Ryan Brown (Karlstad) continued to monitor angling and ATV activity in the area. Maintenance on equipment was also done to ensure safe operations. Mild success was found by anglers this week.
CO Tony Elwell (Thief River Falls East) monitored angling and boating activity this week, investigated a wolf depredation, and worked an aquatic invasive species detail. Enforcement action was taken for angling without a license.
CO Demosthenes Regas (Blackduck South) reports working angling and boating activities on special regulation lakes and AIS compliance this past week. Regas noted anglers? reports of fishing success were fair but they had to work for their fish. Time was spent handling nuisance-beaver and -bear complaints and monitoring seasonal trail closures. Regas also worked an Upper Red Lake detail. Enforcement action for the week included boating equipment and PFD violations.
CO Nicholas Prachar (Blackduck North) reports good fishing on Upper Red Lake. Prachar worked with other COs on a suspected overlimit case and assisted with an AIS detail held in the areas of Lake of the Woods and Upper Red Lake. Enforcement action was taken on AIS violations including transporting a boat with a plug in place and failure to drain live wells.
District 2 – Bemidji area
Last updated: 2022-05-23
CO Tom Hutchins (Crookston) reports attending a law enforcement memorial service with other agencies in Grand Forks. Time was also spent investigating a suspected wolf-depredation complaint. Anglers and watercraft operators were checked. An AIS detail was worked with several other officers.
CO Brice Vollbrecht (Bemidji #1) checked anglers on area lakes. He assisted the Bemidji Police Department with a search for a missing individual and worked details on Upper Red Lake.
CO Chris Vinton (Perham) reports assisting CO Anderson with a kids fishing event with the Menahga School. Sixty kids were introduced to a few hours of fishing on a very cold spring morning. TIP calls of anglers taking bass out of season and an injured eagle were handled. Vinton assisted the Otter Tail County Sheriff?s Office with questions related to ATV operation in the ditches south of Highway 10. Preparations for the upcoming CO Academy were made. Enforcement action was taken for angling without a license, driving after revocation and taking bass during the catch and release season.
CO Al Peterson (Osage) attended training, responded to two wetland-filling complaints, an aquatic vegetation die-off report, and checked anglers and boaters. He also assisted the Becker County Sheriff?s Office with an investigation and attended a ?Hooked on Fishing? event where approximately 60 fourth-graders were taken out fishing.
CO Steve Chihak (Moorhead) spent the week working sport fishing, boat and water safety and ATV enforcement. He assisted the Clay County Sheriff?s Office with locating and apprehending a suspect involved in a shooting in Fargo. Time was also spent responding to miscellaneous wildlife-related calls.
CO Angie Warren (Mahnomen) spent time on angling and boating activity. Areas were patrolled for ATV and off-road vehicle activity. An AIS detail was worked, with boats checked for compliance.
CO Bill Landmark (Pelican Rapids) spent the week checking anglers and following up on wetland and shoreline violation cases. The fishing for all species was good this week, but slowed significantly after the cold front. Calls from the public included reports of various injured animals and questions regarding bait transportation regulations. Landmark also participated in an AIS saturation detail in the Upper Red Lake area where high compliance was observed.
District 3 – Fergus Falls area
Last updated: 2022-05-23
CO Andrew Goodman (Fergus Falls) focused primarily on angling and aquatic invasive species enforcement throughout the week. Compliance was high among boat and shore anglers, with only a few needing reminders to have angling licenses in possession while fishing. Additional time was spent investigating various illegal-dumping complaints. Enforcement action included littering and various turtle-related violations.
CO Tricia Plautz (Henning) continued to check bow fishers, anglers, and ATV riders this week, as well as a few turkey hunters. ATV safety classes are starting to be registered. She also issued trapping permits for nuisance beavers.
CO Shane Osborne (Evansville) concentrated enforcement activity throughout the week on fishing, boating, AIS and ATV enforcement. Water levels are up on area lakes and rivers. There are more objects floating around the area lakes. Please be careful when on the water this spring.
CO Mitch Lawler (Alexandria) spent the busy week investigating TIP complaints of fish overlimits and keeping bass out of season. Multiple citations were issued after interviewing suspects and seizing illegal fish. One boat was observed for a period of time after dark, anchored with two male occupants actively fishing. It only took a few moments before Lawler caught on to what was happening. One angler was fishing a jig pole while simultaneously watching a bobber he?d casted out. After Lawler ordered the boat to shore, he took enforcement action for angling with extra lines and no navigational lights illuminated. A firearms safety field day was held by the Osakis group of instructors. It went flawlessly and all the attending kids had a great time while becoming certified.
CO Hanna Wood (Wheaton) worked on angling and invasive species enforcement this week. Small-game violations were encountered and she?s also working on several ongoing investigations.
CO Emily Douvier (Morris) reports working fishing and boating activity. Enforcement action taken included illegal possession of alcohol by a minor and an overlimit violation. Questions about nuisance beavers and installing rip rap were also handled.
CO Daniel Baumbarger (Glenwood) reports enforcement efforts for the week were concentrated on checking anglers, boaters and ATV operators, and monitoring AIS law compliance. Several complaints of people keeping bass out of season were investigated. Anglers are encouraged to pick up a free copy of the fishing synopsis to read the regulations instead of depending on the internet as a source of information.
District 4 – Walker area
Last updated: 2022-05-23
CO Jordan Anderson (Wadena) spent many hours on the water working boating and fishing enforcement. The cool weather and storms seem to have slowed the bite in the station. Enforcement action was taken for numerous boating, fishing and off-highway-vehicle-related violations. Anderson also assisted with the return of ?Hooked on Fishing, Not Drugs? event in Menahga, where 60 fourth-grade students were taken fishing by numerous law enforcement, fire fighters, first responders, and community volunteers.
CO Adam Seifermann (Staples) reports anglers are having some luck on local lakes catching crappies and walleyes. He received several calls, some of which included nuisance-bear issues, nuisance-beaver problems, injured wildlife and reports about shoreline/aquatic plant management work. He also participated with local law enforcement agencies and Lions Club with the ?Hooked on Fishing, Not Drugs? program, where approximately 60 fourth-grade students went fishing on Lake Shamineau.
CO Mark Mathy (Cass Lake) primarily checked anglers. Perch were biting well while the walleye fishing slowed down. Mathy responded to a report of a dead wolf, which was found to be a car kill. He separately investigated a calf depredation that likely was the result of a wolf attack. Calls of angler harassment and nuisance beavers were taken. Mathy also responded to an ATV accident that resulted in injury where excessive speed was a factor. Enforcement action was taken for angling violations.
CO Patrick McGowan (Walker) patrolled Cass County lakes for angling activity. McGowan also attended meetings for the upcoming CO Academy. Enforcement action was taken for numerous boating violations, angling with extra lines, and a walleye overlimit.
CO Nick Baum (Park Rapids) patrolled the area for angling and ATV activity. Baum found a few anglers fishing in the cold weather over the weekend. He took enforcement action on two off-highway motorcycle riders who were operating in the ditch of the public road. Baum wants to remind OHM operators they can only operate on designated trails and forest roads. He continues to investigate a turkey hunting violation.
CO Jacque Hughes (Longville) had a baby fisher turned in that was brought to a wildlife rehab center. Enforcement action was taken on angling, watercraft, and deer-feeding violations.
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