Wis. Admin. Code Department of Natural Resources NR 22.06

Current through August 26, 2024

Section NR 22.06 - Sport fishing

(1) Except as otherwise expressly provided, only the following methods or manners of fishing shall be lawful. Any person may:

(a) Fish for fish with no more than 3 hooks, baits or lures.

(b) Use landing nets and a gaff only for the purpose of landing a fish that is legally hooked. However, landing nets may be used to remove distressed fish in winterkill waters in those areas and at those times designated by the department by posting, and to net fish as authorized with the use of dip nets under this chapter or ch. NR 20.

(c) Take, catch, kill or fish for fish by means of trolling from a motor-driven boat, sailboat or other boats.

(d) Take rough fish by means of a spear, bow and arrow or crossbow, by hand, or by 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.

(e) Fish with a line or lines only while they are attended.

(f) Take, catch, kill or fish for flathead or channel catfish or bullheads with a bow and arrow or crossbow during the open season for spearing rough fish, or by hand, in accordance with the seasons, size limits and bag limits in s. NR 20.20(73), in boundary waters within Wisconsin.

(2) Any fish taken by snagging or foul hooking shall be immediately returned to the water.

(3) Any fish taken and retained in possession that is not released freely into the water immediately after capture shall be considered part of the angler's daily bag limit.

(4) No spear, spring gaff or bow and arrow may be possessed in an ice fishing shelter during the ice fishing season.

Wis. Admin. Code Department of Natural Resources NR 22.06

Cr. Register, March, 1982, No. 315, eff. 4-1-82; am. (1) (a), Register, December, 1985, No. 360, eff. 1-1-86; am. (3), Register, May, 1996, No. 485, eff. 6-1-96; CR 08-010: am. (1) (b) and (d) Register November 2008 No. 635, eff. 4-1-09; CR 09-051: am. (1) (d) Register June 2010 No. 654, eff. 7-1-10.

Amended by, CR 13-001: am. (1) (d) Register August 2013 No. 692, eff. 9-1-13; CR 19-009: am. (1) (d), cr. (1) (f) Register February 2020 No. 770, eff. 3-1-20; correction in (1) (d) made under s. 35.17, Stats., Register February 2020 No. 770, eff. 3/1/2020

Amended by, CR 21-058: am. (1) (f) Register March 2022 No. 795, eff. 4/1/2022