GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – The start of the inland sportfishing season is just a couple of days away.
But before you, and thousands of other anglers head out, the Department of Natural Resources tells WLUK there are new rules and regulations to keep in mind.
“It’s a very common thing that we find out here, anytime that we’re out on the boat. I would say conservatively, 80% of the fishermen that we contact do not have their paper copy. And it’s always the same response, we didn’t know”
Darren Kuhn, DNR Conservation Warden, says resident fishing license information may be stored electronically on a Wisconsin drivers license.
But those who fish in a boat on the Great Lakes which includes Green Bay, and the Fox River below the De Pere Dam, need to carry a paper copy of their Go Wild fishing license.
Those fishing waters which border the state, like the Menominee River in Michigan, do too.
“And a Michigan officer contacts you, they’re not going to have access to our drivers license system, or to our Go Wild system. So they’re going to still require paper copy of a fishing license” This is the second year Go Wild is being used for sport fishing.
Last year, many retailers, like Jay Zahn with Smokey’s on the Bay, struggled with getting the new system to work.
“They’ve gotten a lot of the bugs worked out. Still have people that don’t really like the paper, compared to the old tape thing. It was easy to keep in your wallet, didn’t disintegrate or anything like that. But other than that, getting the license and everything now, seems to be working out pretty good” And there is another suggestion.
Kuhn says the DNR is asking fishermen to consider alternatives to lead, commonly used to make jigs and sinkers.
“We don’t want to put something that we know is detrimental to the environment, intentionally into the environment”
Meanwhile, wardens suggest anglers should not only carry that paper fishing license, but brush up on the 80-page regulation booklet too.
“Those will all be listed in the rule book, but they need to take the time to review that rule book” The season begins Saturday morning right after midnight.
The DNR reminds boaters to have a wearable floatation device for each person on board.
