Mike Staggs, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Director, says the State Natural Resources Board on Wednesday revised the rules that had prevented anglers from moving live fish from one water body to another. The previous rules were put in place to prevent viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS) from spreading. The board's revision came after fishermen complained about having to constantly throw out perfectly healthy bait minnows.
A revision will allow anglers to take their minnows home and reuse them under certain conditions. For example, fishermen can bring unused minnows back to the same water body they were at the previous day. Or if they go to a different water body with unused minnows, then the bait must not have been exposed to the previous lake or stream.
Staggs emphasizes the new rules will be effective in preventing VHS, if properly followed.
The proposals now head to an Assembly committee.
