Section 23 NR 20.20 (62)(a) 1. b. and c. are created to read:
County and Species | Waters | Authorized Methods | Open Season (both dates inclusive) | Daily bag limit | Minimum Length or Other Size Restrictions (Inches) |
(62) TREMPEALEAU (For species or waters not listed, see sub. (73)). |
(a) Catfish | 1. Black river | b. Bow and arrow, crossbow | During the open season for spearing rough fish | 5 channel, 1 flathead | None |
| | c. By hand | June 1 to August 31 | 5 channel, 1 flathead | None |
Section 24 NR 20.20 (73)(b) 1. b. and c., 2. b. and c., 3. b. and c., 4. c. and d., 5 b. and c. and 6 b. and c. are created to read:
County and Species | Waters | Authorized Methods | Open Season (both dates inclusive) | Daily bag limit | Minimum Length or Other Size Restrictions (Inches) |
(73) SPECIES OR WATERS NOT LISTED IN SUBS. (1) to (72) |
(b) Catfish | 1. Duck creek downstream from the first dam above the Pamperin park foot bridge in the village of Howard excluding its tributaries, Fox river downstream from DePere dam, Suamico river downstream from county highway HS, East river downstream from Hoffman road (county highway XX), Brown county | b. Bow and arrow, crossbow | During the open season for spearing rough fish | 5 channel, 1 flathead | None |
| | c. By hand | June 1 to August 31 | 5 channel, 1 flathead | None |
| 2. All other tributary streams, rivers and ditches to Green Bay in Brown county upstream to the first dam or lake, Brown county | b. Bow and arrow, crossbow | First Saturday in May to the first Sunday in March | 5 channel, 1 flathead | None |
| | c. By hand | June 1 to August 31 | 5 channel, 1 flathead | None |
| 3. All other tributaries, streams, rivers and ditches to Green Bay upstream to the first dam or lake | b. Bow and arrow, crossbow | First Saturday in May to the first Sunday in March | 5 channel, 1 flathead | None |
| | c. By hand | June 1 to August 31 | 5 channel, 1 flathead | None |
| 4. Lake Winnebago system waters | c. Bow and arrow, crossbow | Saturday nearest May 20 to September 30 | 5 channel, 1 flathead | None except for flathead catfish, which is 30 but the possession of flathead catfish from 36 to 42 is prohibited. |
| | d. By hand | June 1 to August 31 | 5 channel, 1 flathead | None except for flathead catfish, which is 30 but the possession of flathead catfish from 36 to 42 is prohibited. |
| 5. All other waters of Calumet, Fond du Lac, Outagamie, Shawano, Waupaca, Waushara and Winnebago counties | b. Bow and arrow, crossbow | During the open season for spearing rough fish | 5 channel, 1 flathead | None |
| | c. By hand | June 1 to August 31 | 5 channel, 1 flathead | None |
| 6. All waters not listed in subs. (1) to (72) or this paragraph | b. Bow and arrow, crossbow | During the open season for spearing rough fish | 5 channel, 1 flathead | None |
| | c. By hand | June 1 to August 31 | 5 channel, 1 flathead | None |
Section 25 NR 21.03 is amended to read:
21.03 Reciprocity, sport fishing or spearing and dip netting. All residents of Wisconsin and Minnesota holding a resident fishing license from their respective states or residents other than Wisconsin and Minnesota holding an angling or sport fishing license issued by either state, may fish in any of the waters of the Mississippi river lying between the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe railroad tracks on the Wisconsin side of the river and the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific railroad tracks on the Minnesota side of the river, including all sloughs and backwaters, bays and newly-extended water areas connected with the main channel of the Mississippi river by a channel which is navigable at periods when the water is approximately equal to normal pool elevation as created by the U.S. department of the army, and in the waters of Lake St. Croix, and the St. Croix river and the St. Louis river as defined in s. NR 21.02 (39). This reciprocity applies only to sport fishing hook and line fishing, spearing, dip netting, and the taking of minnows and crayfish for such fishing. Catfish may only be taken by bow and arrow, crossbow or by hand in boundary waters within Wisconsin. Section 26 NR 21.04 (5) is amended to read:
21.04 Sport fishing; seasons and limits.
Kind of fish and locality | Open season (both dates inclusive) | Daily bag limit | Minimum length (inches) |
St. Louis River and St. Croix River downstream to the highway #10 bridge at Prescott | |
Hook and line | Continuous | 10 in aggregate | No size limit |
Bow and arrow, crossbow | During the open season for spearing rough fish | 5 channel, 1 flathead | No size limit |
By hand | June 1 to August 31 | 5 channel, 1 flathead | No size limit |
(b) Mississippi River from Prescott downstream | | | |
Hook and line | Continuous | 25 in aggregate | No size limit |
Bow and arrow, crossbow | During the open season for spearing rough fish | 5 channel, 1 flathead | No size limit |
By hand | June 1 to August 31 | 5 channel, 1 flathead | No size limit |
Section 27 NR 21.05 (1) is amended to read:
21.05 Sale of fish. (1) Fish, other than rough fish taken during the open season, taken by hook and line, spear, bow and arrow, crossbow or by hand, shall not be sold, purchased, bartered, offered for sale, or under control or in possession for the purpose of sale or barter. (23.11, 29.503, 29.539).
Section 28 NR 21.06 (1) (d) is amended to read:
21.06 Sport fishing restrictions. (1) (d) Except in Lake Superior, its bays and tributaries, may take rough fish by means of spear, bow and arrow, crossbow, by hand, or dip nets and landing nets not to exceed 24 inches in diameter or square only from sunrise to sunset from the Saturday nearest April 21 to March 1, except that the use of dip nets and landing nets not to exceed 24 inches in diameter or square for the taking of rough fish in the St. Croix river downstream to the St. Croix Falls dam is permitted from the Saturday nearest May 15 to June 30 each year, and bow and arrow or crossbow may be possessed and used for spearing rough fish from sunset to sunrise during the open season for spearing rough fish.
Section 29 NR 21.06 (1) (f) is created to read:
21.06 Sport fishing restrictions. (1) (f) May take, catch, kill or fish for flathead or channel catfish with a bow and arrow, crossbow or by hand in boundary waters within Wisconsin.
Section 30 NR 22.05 (1) is amended to read:
22.05 Sale of fish. (1) Only rough fish legally taken during the open season by hook and line, spear, or bow and arrow, crossbow or by hand may be sold, purchased, bartered, offered for sale, or under the control or possession of any person for the purpose of sale or barter.
Section 31 NR 22.06 (1) (d) is amended to read:
22.06 Sport fishing. (1) (d) Take rough fish by means of a spear, bow and arrow, crossbow, by hand or landing net or dip nets not to exceed 24 inches in diameter or square from sunrise to sunset only, and bow and arrow or crossbow may be possessed and used for spearing rough fish from sunset to sunrise during the open season for spearing rough fish.
Section 32 NR 22.06 (1) (f) is created to read:
22.06 Sport fishing. (1) (f) May take, catch, kill or fish for flathead or channel catfish with a bow and arrow, crossbow or by hand in boundary waters within Wisconsin.
Section 33 NR 22.11 (26) is created to read:
22.11 Commercial fishing. (26) No person may harvest catfish by hand or with a bow and arrow or crossbow under the authority of a commercial fishing license or for commercial purposes.
Section 34 NR 23.05 (5) is amended to read:
23.05 Hook and line fishing. (5) The seasons, size limits and bag and possession limits for hook and line fishing in the Wisconsin-Michigan boundary waters for the species listed in this subsection, except as provided in s. ss. NR 23.06 and 23.065, are as follows: Section 35 NR 23.065 is created to read:
23.065 Taking catfish by hand or with a bow and arrow or crossbow.
(1) Flathead and channel catfish may be taken by hand, bow and arrow or crossbow in boundary waters within Wisconsin subject to the season dates, daily bag limits and size limits established in s. NR 20.20. (2) No person may take catfish by hand with the aid of or while in possession of artificial nests or spawning boxes, ropes, gaffes, hooks, grapples or similar gear for snagging catfish, or breathing devices including but not limited to snorkeling and SCUBA gear.
Section 36 NR 25.05 (3) (h) is created to read:
25.05 Open seasons; size limits; possession and harvest limits. (3) Possession and harvest limits. (h) Take catfish with a bow and arrow, crossbow or by hand.
Section 38. Statement of Emergency. An emergency rule is necessary to preserve the public welfare by continuing to provide opportunities for good fishing while maintaining sustainable catfish populations. Catfish are a game fish and existing regulations aim to provide quality hook and line fishing experiences to Wisconsin anglers. Establishing season dates, size limits, bag limits and equipment restrictions for harvesting catfish with a bow, crossbow or by hand will help protect catfish from overharvest as they move into their wintering habitat. This emergency rule is necessary in order to have these regulations in place during the winter while a companion permanent rule is still in development.
Section 40. Board adoption. This rule was approved and adopted by the State of Wisconsin Natural Resources Board on October 24, 2018.
Section 39. Effective Date. This rule takes effect upon publication in the official state newspaper, as provided in s. 227.24(1)(c), Stats. Dated at Madison, Wisconsin ______12/10/18_____________________.
STATE OF Wisconsin DNR
DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
BY _____Ed Eberle__________________________
for Daniel L. Meyer, Secretary
(SEAL)