Ice Anglers Are Still Leaving Disgusting Messes on Minnesota Lakes
Ice fishing is big on many lakes in Minnesota during the winter but some anglers apparently need a reminder on some basic behavior-- like cleaning up after yourself!
What is with some people? That's the question lake owners and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) are asking right now as they deal with the mess left behind by some ice fishers up north.
The lack of what seems like some basic behavior has caused the DNR to issue another plea to please pick up after yourself. In a post on its Facebook page last week, the DNR said ice fishers should add a garbage can to their fishing equipment list. "No one wants to find fish entrails, trash or human and pet waste on the ice when they head out to enjoy quality time fishing our beautiful lakes," the post read.
It's a similar plea one local lake association up north issued last winter, though the waste they were dealing with then was way worse than empty beer cans, old food wrappers and empty bait containers. In fact, the waste left behind on Upper Red Lake (about six hours northwest of Rochester, north of Bemidji) was truly disgusting.
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It was so bad, DNR conservation officer Nicholas Prachar noted in his weekly report from 2022 they had been dealing with complaints about people dumping... raw sewage... on Upper Red Lake.
Eww! Sewage?!? Seriously?!? Check it out:
Numerous complaints were fielded about people with RV-style wheelhouses who dump their sewage on the ice as they leave the lake. One contact was made with a suspect. Sewage and litter continue to be an issue on area lakes.
It's got so bad that BringMeTheNews reported the Upper Red Lake Area Association even addressed the trend on its website and posted the following note (which seems pretty obvious, if you have any common sense):
During the winter fishing season, an increase in recreational vehicles and people on the frozen lakes is resulting in an increase in the leftovers of human activity. Human waste does not belong on the ice, under the ice or along our shorelines!
The story said area property owners were working with the DNR to make it easier for angles to get rid of their waste properly. But, come on, right? Don't dump your sewage on the lake, people!
Speaking of lakes, Minnesota has more than 10,000 of them, right? And some of their names are a little tricky to pronounce-- unless you're a true Minnesotan, of course. Keep scrolling to see how many YOU know how to say.