Fish House Removal Deadline is Monday in Southern Minnesota

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources reminds us dark houses, fish houses and portables must be off the ice no later than midnight Monday in southern Minnesota. The southern two-thirds of the state deadline is Monday, March 2.  The removal deadline for those in the northern one-third of the state is Monday, March 16.

The northern and southern parts of the state are split by a line that runs west-east along U.S. Highway 10, east along Highway 34 to Minnesota Highway 200, east along Highway 200 to U.S. Highway 2, and east along Highway 2 to the Minnesota-Wisconsin border.

DNR conservation officer Garrett Thomas is stationed in Eagan and says in a DNR News Release on the topic, "Anglers are responsible for removing their shelters by the deadline, so they need to plan ahead.  Just as importantly they have to ensure the area around their fish house is free of trash.  There's no excuse for fish house owners to leave anything but an impression in the snow or ice."

If shelters aren't removed by the deadline they can be confiscated and removed, or destroyed by a conservation officer.

After removal dates, shelters may remain on the ice between midnight and one hour before sunrise only when occupied of attended. Storing or leaving shelters on a public access is prohibited.