The Minnesota DNR will require that fish houses be off the lakes in a few weeks in northern Minnesota, but the deadline is quickly approaching for fish houses in the southern two-thirds of the state.
DNR officials stress that sites should be left the way they were found, free of human waste and litter.
“Some of the things people leave behind are downright disgusting, and anything people leave on the ice has the potential to be an eyesore at best and an environmental concern at the worst,” said DNR Conservation Officer Garret Thomas.
“The message is simple: Don’t leave anything behind when you leave the ice, and make sure to dispose of it properly. It’s not any different than the lessons we’ve been taught since we were kids.”
Anglers can still ice fish as long as conditions are favorable, but after the deadline for inland waters in northern Minnesota, fish houses must be occupied between the hours of midnight and an hour before sunrise.
Shelter removal deadlines:
Inland waters
- South of line – March 7, 2022
- North of line – March 21, 2022
Border waters
- Minnesota-Iowa – Feb. 20
- Minnesota–Wisconsin – March 1
- Minnesota–North and South Dakota – March 5
- Minnesota–Canada – March 31
