bwca Lake trout seaon regulations question

[eyesonly]

I am sorry for the probably obvious answer but I would like to know for sure and the regulations do mot clearly state the answer to my question. For a lake that's completely non motorized and with in the bwca but lets say a third of the lake is in Canadian waters. Maybe knife lake fits this description. Is a lake like this able to be fished for lake trout on the initial opener or would this also be a lake that would not open until mid January with the rest of the lakes that are outside or partly outside the bwca? I hope this makes sense. I'm having a hard time trying to explain my question. Thank you.

[Mike Stark]

Any lake that is ENTIRERLY inside the BWCA opens Jan.1. Ontarios lake trout season opens on all lakes on Jan. 1. Lakes like Snowbank do not open until jan 17.

[Mozer]

I was going through the reg book (page 55-57) about this same question and it appears Canadian boarder water lakes entirely within the BWCA opens on Jan 3rd

[eyesonly]

Thanks allot mike. The Scenario you are using here is exactly what made me ask the Question. I wasn’t sure if A BWCA Lake that shares its waters with Ontario would be open to fish for Lake trout during the 1st part of January. Its a bit Confusing to me Moser.

[Great Outdoors]

In all Minnesota waters entirely within the BWCA, the trout season opens on January 1st, no matter if half the lake is across the Canadian border such as Knife, Basswood, Lac LaCroix etc..

You just cannot fish on the Canadian side unless you have a Canadian fishing license and their season is open for the species you are targeting.

[eyesonly]

Thank you so much GO! So if a guy with some winter trekking experience wanted to make the long trek up to knife and spend the week winter camping what route would you reccomend. It doesn't appear that their are all that many options looking at the map that's in front of me. I realize this is very hypothetical but with no slush and little snow how long of a hike is one looking at in your experience? I would be cold camping and traveling as light as possible. As light as one could be for a 6 day trip. I would really love to stop at the store for some last minute supplies and get some last minute trip advice. Thank you for clearing the rules question up for me. I didn't think knife was an option for opening week the way the rules were worded. I appreciate it.

[Mozer]

Hey guys so help me understand the rules then because on page 55 of the regs it lists lakes that are deemed canada/mn border water lakes and states the following regulations apply to the minnesota side of the waters of which Knife, Basswood, and Lac LaCroix are all listed, and it says lake trout opens Jan 3rd. I am curious because we are changing the lakes we are going to based on this. I don't see why the mn regs would list anything to do with when you can or cant fish the Canadian side of a lake.

[Mozer]

Also if you go to lake finder pick the lake, lets use South as an example, when it comes up there is a link for the regs for the lake and it says Jan 3rd for lakers. Any clarification would be good, I think we are just going to call the DNR.

[eyesonly]

Post up what they say moser for me if you would. I'm not doubting what GO has to say for someone that runs a business in the area. That's for sure. South lake was on my list as well if I feel up to tackling that hill coming out. Depending on conditions I would love to hear GOs opinion on route logistics to knife. I see it as a

doable route if the dog sled guys make a trail up there for me on opening weekend.

[Mozer]

Game on Jan 1.

[Neiko]

I was getting confused also because when I looked up the reg a week or so ago it said somewhere that Lake Trout within the BWCA opens Jan 3rd. We plan on leaving Crane Lake and head into Lac La Croix Jan 1 as the Canadian season opens then. We were planning to hit the MN side on the 3rd but sounds like it is open on the 1st now. Never fished Lac La Croix so any pointers would be helpful. Plan on trying to spear some Pike also. There has to be some monsters in there.

[Lakers-R-Us]

I've hiked into Knife twice in the winter, once in January, once in March, and both times using the same route. Went Snowbank-Boot-Ensign-Vera-Portage-Knife. The winter routes were nice and packed from the dog sledders, which was nice. Never strayed far from Isles of Pine, since we were catching lakers there. Our best time was around 5 hours from Isles of Pine to the landing on Snowbank, but we were cruising.

It's nice to have a dog to do some work too!

[laker1]

I think the Canada side has a later opening in the east of the BWCA,it is a different zone and usually a shorter season.

[Great Outdoors]

Error on my post above:

The Lake Trout season on lakes entirely in the BWCA opens on January 3rd.

I had mistakenly put Janusry 1st.

Sorry!

[Wanderer]

Isn't it fun trying to keep track of the date?

A few years ago they changed it to the 1st for the B dub lakes and the 15th for lakes outside the B dub, no matter if the days fell on a Saturday or not. Some people complained they'd have to take time off work to hit the opener cuz there were no trout left after the first day or two.

If I take time off for troutin' anymore, I take the days after the first or second weekend. BUT, this upcoming New Year's weekend is tailor made for a long trip.

Good luck guys!

[laker1]

It is time to have the season open the same inside and outside the BWCA. Opening early in the BWCA puts extreme pressure on trout lakes just a few miles inside the BWCA. They get hit extremely hard if weather conditions are O'kay. They can't take the pressure and maintain quality. Look at the lake surveys by the DNR and they show size and numbers have been dropping over the years from lakes that have good potential. Now anglers are lucky to get anything of much quality.

Same opener will spread the fishing pressure around. Same opening date no matter which date you choose. Most DNR people agree. Just got to get it done.

[Mike Stark]

I stand corrected. It does look like the regs say Canadian border waters entirely within the BWCA open Jan. 3.

Has it always been this way on the border waters?

[Mozer]

I was told the regs have a misprint on page 57. If Jan 1 falls on a sunday-wednesday then it opens the first Saturday of Jan. Since the first falls on a thursday this year it opens on the first. The actual minnesota legislation was referenced for that info.

[Mike Stark]

I was told the regs have a misprint on page 57. If Jan 1 falls on a sunday-wednesday then it opens the first Saturday of Jan. Since the first falls on a thursday this year it opens on the first. The actual minnesota legislation was referenced for that info.

Thanks for the info. It is always fun trying to figure out the dates! Haha

[eyesonly]

Thanks for making the call Moser and letting us know. I really hope this supposed storm forcasted over Christmas doesn't dump a bunch of snow on the lakes in the BDUB. I really want to try to make it up to Knife and its a tuff trek breaking trail. I appriciate the information LRU. Great pic with your dog. I travel with my german sheperd as well. Hopefully the dog sled guys will get a nice trail going for me opening week. I couldn't agree more with Laker1. More harm than good having the season openers spread out like that.

[Great Outdoors]

It is time to have the season open the same inside and outside the BWCA. Opening early in the BWCA puts extreme pressure on trout lakes just a few miles inside the BWCA. They get hit extremely hard if weather conditions are O'kay. They can't take the pressure and maintain quality. Look at the lake surveys by the DNR and they show size and numbers have been dropping over the years from lakes that have good potential. Now anglers are lucky to get anything of much quality.

Same opener will spread the fishing pressure around. Same opening date no matter which date you choose. Most DNR people agree. Just got to get it done.

We tried to get this done several years ago when we got them to change the closing of both seasons to March 31st, and the DNR wouldn't go for it. They feel that the way it's currently set up spreads out the fishing pressure for some reason.

We even asked them to open the season (both inside and outside of the BWCA) on December 1st, and let it go all the way through until the next fall.

[laker1]

I really wouldn't want the season to open any earlier than Jan. 1 and I understand closing at the end of March,lake trout are sensitive to pressure and with walleye,northern pike etc. closed it would put more pressure on them.

I know talking to DNR fisheries many would like the same opening date,somebody,and the right person who a little leverage just got to get the process rolling again.

A couple of years ago I think one proposal was to have the same opener,but the changes that passed that did take place in one of those last minute deals in the legislature and wording got messed up a little.

[JBMasterAngler]

I wouldn't be in favor of expanding the season at all. So if they wanted the season opener on the same date, they'd have to move the BWCA opener back 2 weeks. 2 weeks doesn't seem like a lot, but on a lake like burntside (or even sag), it could do a number on the lakers over time.

[Great Outdoors]

I really wouldn't want the season to open any earlier than Jan. 1 and I understand closing at the end of March,lake trout are sensitive to pressure and with walleye,northern pike etc. closed it would put more pressure on them.

I know talking to DNR fisheries many would like the same opening date,somebody,and the right person who a little leverage just got to get the process rolling again.

A couple of years ago I think one proposal was to have the same opener,but the changes that passed that did take place in one of those last minute deals in the legislature and wording got messed up a little.

The aide that typed up the legislation that passed, put Lake Trout season instead of Trout season, so that mistake in wording is why the Stream Trout season did not open until later in the Bdub. No one really complained about it for almost two years since the conditions were too rotten to fish the lakes within the BWCA.

Secondly, opening the Trout season December 1st is more of a feel good law, since most lakes do not have the ice necessary to allow travel. Leaving it open until fall (not closing March 31st) could give the resorts a nice boost going into the summer season. Bad conditions kill them financially.

[mallardnwalleye]

The trails into the BWCA by Ely are in great shape and easy walking from what I have heard from people who have been walking in. Mid Gunflint has 18 inches of snow so hopefully that will pack down and enough ice was made early so the slush isn't too bad.

Can't wait!

Good Luck to everyone!!

[laker1]

I stand corrected. It does look like the regs say Canadian border waters entirely within the BWCA open Jan. 3.

Has it always been this way on the border waters?

No and I wonder if that is correct?

[Finns]

I was going through the reg book (page 55-57) about this same question and it appears Canadian boarder water lakes entirely within the BWCA opens on Jan 3rd

Am I missing something (happens quite often ). How can a Canadian Border lake be entirely within the BWCA?

[Mozer]

Finns, the Minnesota portion of the lake being entirely within the BWCA is how that would work. Lake examples where that is not the case would be Sag or Magnetic parts those lakes are not within the BWCA so they open later.

[laker1]

Your correct Mozer.

[Finns]

Clear as mud! Just like most regs from the DNR of every state!

Thanks for the clarification.