IRON RIVER—As the opener of walleye season approaches, fishermen are asking about minnows. Local Michigan DNR Conservation Officer Jason Wicklund has offered an explanation concerning the purchasing and trapping of minnows in our area.

“The DNR does not regulate private individuals catching minnows for personal use as long as there is no attempt to sell those minnows,” said Wicklund, “or catch game species minnows: trout, perch, bass, etc., anything that has a season.

“As for purchased minnows, a receipt is needed with a date on it and the amount of minnows purchased. The law states that the receipt is good for possessing the minnows for seven days and then they must be destroyed, not released into public waters.”

Officer Wicklund supplied some background information provided by the DNR regarding viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS) virus and its effects on Michigan fishing.

Viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS) virus causes fatal anemia and internal bleeding in fish and is spreading throughout the Great Lakes. So far, the virus is not found in Lake Superior, but is present in Lake Michigan. VHS poses no threat to humans. The Michigan DNR currently has imposed regulations to restrict the use of certain species of fish or baitfish for fishing. Currently, there are 33 species on the DNR’s prohibited species list.

The following is the current list of Prohibited Fish Species for VHS as identified by the DNR are as follows: black crappie, coho salmon pacific herring, smallmouth bass, bluegill, emerald shiner, pink salmon, spottail shiner, bluntnose minnow, freshwater drum, pumpkinseed, perch, brown bullhead, gizzard shad, rainbow trout, walleye, brown trout, lake whitefish, rock bass, white bass, burbot, largemouth bass, round goby, white perch, channel catfish, muskellunge, shorthead redhorse, yellow perch, chinook salmon, northern pike, silver redhorse and white sucker.

These species are known to be susceptible to the virus and therefore are regulated by the department.

There are three zones which the DNR has identified and each requires different actions for both anglers and bait collectors. These zones are as follows: the VHS Disease Free Management Area, the VHS Surveillance Management Area, and the VHS Positive Management Area.

The management area we fall into is the VHS Disease Free Management Area and is as follows: Lake Superior and all Inland Waters in the watersheds of Lake Superior are classified as a VHS Disease Free Management Area (VHS has not been found in these waters). All Inland Waters in the watersheds of Lake Michigan including Grand Traverse Bays and Bays de Noc, and of the St. Mary’s River are classified as a VHS Disease Free Management Area, except for those tributaries to Lake Michigan including Grand Traverse bays and bays de Noc, and to the St. Marys River that are classified as a VHS Surveillance Area.

“Anglers collecting bait from Disease Free Management Area waters can be used anywhere in the state,” said Wicklund, “If the minnows are to be used for commercial purposes, which means offering for sale, selling, giving or furnishing to others, then the individual needs to have a minnow catchers license.

“Otherwise if an individual wants to trap minnows for his or her own personal use, they can do so legally with a valid fishing license. Keep in mind that minnow traps need to have the trappers name and address on them and minnows caught cannot be game fish.”

He suggests checking the DNR website often as management areas are changing as are the regulations. The DNR website can be found at www.michigan.gov/dnr.