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| Here's a copy word for word of a letter sent to me by the MN DNR.
Dear Licensee,
Recently we have received a number of inquires regarding "willowcats" also know as "madtoms". Willow cats sre included in the definition of minnows under MN-WI border water regulations, but are not included as minnows under statewide regulations that govern inland waters. Consequently, they can only be harvested or used for bait on the St. Croix or Mississippi Rivers. However, when the Mississippi River and St. Croix River below Taylors Falls were designated as infested waters, the harvest of bait, including willowcats, for commercial or personal purposes was discontinued on those waters.
Since willow cats are not defined as minnows in regulations for inland waters, they can't be taken for commercial or personal bait purposes or used as bait on inland waters. However, some minnow dealers have found sources of willow cats in Minnesota's inland waters and would like to harvest in these areas so that they may continue to supply them for fishing on the MN-Wi border waters.
Since there is still interest in using willow cats as bait, the DNR will consider proposing a change to state statue that would allow the taking of willowcats for commercial and personal purposes in inland waters of the state. That change, however, could not be made until the 2005 legislative session.
In the meantime, the taking of willowcats for commercial or personal bait purposes is prohibited.  |
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Member
Posts: 540
Location: Milw, WI | Could you get a better definition of this phrase....
"Mississippi River and St. Croix River below Taylors Falls were designated as infested waters"
Is this due to invasives? |
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| The answer to that question would be yes. I think they designated the river that way because of eurasion milfoil and zebra mussels. They were trying to stop the spread of exotics to other bodies of water. |
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Location: Rhinelander | Is there a source for them in Wisconsin? |
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| Some people will do anything for power and promotions. by the way a lead DNR official from Minnesota has been fishing willowcats in southeast MN for years. badges be careful |
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| Here's another reason willowcats should not be harvested and sold for bait anywhere - Asian Carp. These invasive species have infested waters of the Mississippi River where willow cats are used and formerly harvested. I seriously doubt bait dealers do, or can, check every "minnow" captured for sale to identify what species they will be selling to fishermen who will then distribute them around the states various waters. What does an immature Asian Carp look like? How many would end up in someone's bait bucket to be later dumped into pristine waters somwhere. I personally don't believe the commercial harvest of wild "minnows" should be allowed anymore - anywhere. All minnows sold for bait should be pond reared in a controlled environment. Casual recreation harvest of wild minnows might still be allowed, but ONLY if those wild minnows are used on the same body of water they were harvested on. Otherwis the spread of invasive species will continue and increase. Sad, but true. Let's try to save what we have before its all gone - forever. |
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| Carpe Diem,
Mellow out - Dipping Willowcats & Asain carp? - you can't compare these. Dipping willowcats is like digging worms. Asain carp is Corporate greed. |
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New User
Posts: 3
| Pretty sure that they backed away from that letter.
Here in Winona, the warden had called the bait shops to tell them to stop selling them. A couple days later, recanted the request.
As one bait store owner said it was a "true rumor."
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Location: Rhinelander | That's a good thing. I know one guy who would not be happy if he couldn't fish with those weird, ugly things. |
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Member
Posts: 1382
| Troutaholic, it is definitely not a rumor. |
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| We have them for sale in Lacrosse Wi. $4.00 a doz. We can only sell in Wi. Phone- 608-784-6804 |
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New User
Posts: 3
| Article in the Winona Daily News comfirms this idiotic stance by the DNR. We can buy them in Wisconsin and still use them on the river. Asinine thought process by the DNR, they should have looked at the issue this year and make a decision for next year. Now, the bait store owners will suffer due to the loss of income from willowcats. I'll have to buy more nightcrawlers to help my local bait store out - gives me a good excuse of not bending over at night catching those crawlers!!
Heck, I can't even harvest my own willowcats (legally).Guess I'll be headed to LaCrosse for my 'eye candy!!! $4.00 per dozen is a good price and I look forward to visiting your establishment.
AS far as invasive species........almost all willowcat harvest is done in the tributaries of the river system....hardly a problem with invasive species!!!
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