November 20, 2025: MN-FISH Legislative Updates
MN-FISH Joins Two Critical Legislative Investment Tours
St. Paul Hatchery and State PWAs Need Upgrades
The powerful Minnesota Senate Capital Investment committee toured the Lund/Crestliner plant in New York Mills last Thursday, seeing first-hand the impact fishing and boating have on the state’s economy.
The committee oversees all long-term state borrowing for the acquisition and improvement of public lands and buildings.
MN-FISH Executive Director Mark Holsten addressed committee members during the tour, emphasizing the importance of the state’s approximately 1,700 state owned public water accesses (PWAs) and the need to invest in their refurbishment and improvement. There are an additional 1700 locally owned PWA’s that can receive financial support from the state.
Holsten highlighted the importance of PWAs, as they are the only way for the majority of Minnesotans to access our lakes. They are more than boat accesses in much of outstate Minnesota, used for swimming, shore fishing and picnicking.
In 2023, MN-FISH helped secure $35 million to improve PWAs (here’s a list of the work being done MN-FISH | PWA Projects | Enhancing Minnesota's Water Access), but more investment is still needed.
St. Paul Hatchery
MN DNR hosted, with MN-FISH’s support, a second tour. This time it was with the House Capital Investment Committee at the dilapidated fish hatchery in St. Paul. This critical hatchery serves fisheries in the greater metro area stocking walleye and muskies. For years, modernizing this hatchery has been one of our highest priorities. We continue to stress that this facility should also be developed as an education center open to the general public and fisheries research.
MN-FISH Executive Director Mark Holsten recently addressed members of the Senate Capital Investment at the Lund/Crestliner factory in New York Mills. He stressed the importance of investing in the state’s public accesses.
MN-FISH World’s Greatest Fishing Auction Starts November 26th
With more than 60 items up for bid, including an Ice Castle wheelhouse, electronics from Garmin, Humminbird, Aqua-Vu and Vexilar, shelters and much more, we encourage you to check our latest online auction of ice fishing gear, ice fishing resorts from across the state and trips with top guides across the ice belt.
Stop back often as we are adding new items throughout the auction
CLICK HERE to see what’s available starting November 26th. Auction ends 9:00 PM CST on Sunday, December 7th.
You already have everything? You can still help bring an “Anglers Voice” in “Keeping Minnesota
Fishing Strong” by participating in the Chore Warrior Challenge Grant. Your donation will be DOUBLED by Chore Warrior…up to a total of $25,000, so please DONATE TODAY!
Hook-Setting Devices Now Legal During Ice Season
Start this ice season, state ice anglers can use automatic hook-setting devices.
Non-motorized devices that set the hook using the force of a spring device or a bent fishing pole are now legal while ice fishing. The hook-setting component of any device must be non-motorized and not capable of automatically reeling the fishing line or retrieving fish.
The goal of this new regulation is to reduce fish mortality caused by fish swallowing baited hooks.
All other fishing regulations still apply while using automatic hook setting devices. Note: As required with tip-up use, the angler must be within 200 feet of their fish holes and not leave them unattended.
Here’s a link to the latest copy of the state’s fishing regulations: mndnr.gov/regulations/fishing).
MN-FISH Launches New Website
We’ve upgraded the MN-FISH website to improve our connection with MN-FISH members and educate the public about MN-FISH and our ongoing activities. This new site will allow us to respond faster with updated information, keeping you better informed. Our plans also include increased video news content and an “Angler’s Calendar” of events.
MN-FISH | Sportfishing Advocacy & Conservation | Minnesota