NR 20.12(4)
(4) Sale of fish. No person may sell any fish taken on a set or bank pole or setline except the following:
NR 20.12(4)(b)
(b) Channel catfish taken from lakes Winnebago, Butte des Morts, Winneconne, Poygan, and the Wolf river from 500 feet below the Shawano dam downstream to its mouth.
NR 20.12 Note
Note: Refer to s.
NR 19.275 for inland turtle regulations.
NR 20.12 History
History: Cr.
Register, May, 1999, No. 521, eff. 6-1-99; am. (1) (intro.), (c) and (d), cr. (1m),
Register, February, 2000, No. 530, eff. 3-1-00; correction in (2) (b) was made under s. 13.93 (2m) (b) 7., Stats;
CR 01-012: am. (2) (h) and (4) (b);
CR 01-013: am. (4) (c),
Register November 2001 No. 551, eff. 4-1-02;
CR 04-024: am. (4) (intro.), r. (4) (b), renum. (4) (c) to be (4) (b)
Register December 2004 No. 588, eff. 1-1-05;
CR 05-015: cr. (2) (k)
Register October 2005 No. 598, eff. 4-1-06;
CR 10-053: am. (2) (b)
Register December 2010 No. 660, eff. 1-1-11.
NR 20.13
NR 20.13
General netting restrictions. No person may do any of the following:
NR 20.13(1)
(1) Possess, control or operate in any manner any net, seine or similar device that might be used for the purposes of fishing at any time while on any water or on the banks or shores of any water except as specifically authorized in this section,
s. NR 20.14 or
20.20.
NR 20.13(2)
(2) Set, use or operate a dip net or seine from sunset to sunrise unless specifically authorized in
s. NR 20.20.
NR 20.13(3)
(3) Set, use or operate more than one dip net.
NR 20.13(4)
(4) Set, use or operate a dip net in any manner other than by raising and lowering it vertically while fishing.
NR 20.13(5)
(5) Fish in any other manner while operating a dip net or seine.
NR 20.13(6)
(6) Fish with hook and line from any boat while in possession of a dip net.
NR 20.13(7)
(7) Leave a dip net or seine unattended within 25 feet of the edge of the water.
NR 20.13(8)
(8) Sell, barter or trade in any manner any sucker taken with a dip net or seine.
NR 20.13(9)
(9) Set, use or operate a landing net other than for landing a fish that is legally hooked or to net fish as authorized with the use of dip nets under this chapter or
chs. NR 21 to
23.
NR 20.14
NR 20.14
Minnow collecting restrictions. No bait dealer may take minnows for use as bait from any inland or outlying water without a wild harvest permit from the department under
s. NR 19.057. In addition, no person may do any of the following:
NR 20.14(1)
(1) Set, use or operate any net, trap or similar device for the taking of minnows other than minnow seines, minnow dip nets and minnow traps as authorized in
s. NR 20.20 unless issued a non-standard gear permit by the department under
s. NR 20.39 pursuant to s.
29.516 (1), Stats.
NR 20.14(2)
(2) Set, use or operate any minnow seine, minnow dip net, minnow trap or similar device for the taking of minnows in any water unless specifically authorized in
s. NR 20.20 or
20.39. Minnow seines or minnow dip nets of any type or description may not be set, used or operated in any trout stream unless a non-standard gear permit is issued by the department under
s. NR 20.39.
NR 20.14(3)
(3) Set, use or operate minnow traps in any water that is posted as having been chemically treated to reestablish a trout fishery.
NR 20.14(4)
(4) Set, use or operate minnow traps unless a label or tag bearing the legible name and address of the operator in the English language is securely attached.
NR 20.14(5)
(5) Set, use or operate minnow traps unless they are raised and the minnows are removed from them at least once every 48 hours from all waters except trout streams.
NR 20.14(6)
(6) Set, use or operate minnow traps in trout streams during the closed season for trout unless issued a non-standard gear permit by the department under
s. NR 20.39. The permit authorizing placement of minnow traps in trout streams during the closed season for trout shall specify conditions on raising the traps and removing minnows.
NR 20.14(7)
(7) Set, use or operate more than 3 minnow traps in trout streams during the open season for trout except licensed bait dealers.
NR 20.14(7)(a)
(a) No more than a total of 20 minnow traps may be set, used or operated by licensed bait dealers during the open season for trout when removing minnows from one or more trout streams unless issued a non-standard gear permit by the department under
s. NR 20.39.
NR 20.14(7)(b)
(b) Minnow traps set, used or operated on trout streams during the open season for trout shall be raised and the minnows removed from them at least once every 24 hours.
NR 20.14(8)
(8) Possess or control more than 600 minnows at any time unless licensed as a bait dealer under s.
29.509, Stats.
NR 20.14 Note
Note: With certain exceptions, s.
NR 19.05 (3) prohibits the transportation of live fish and live fish eggs, including minnows, taken from any water of the state.
NR 20.14(9)
(9) Notwithstanding any other provision in this chapter or
chs. NR 21 to
23, use or operate any net, trap or similar device for the taking of minnows, or fish for minnows except suckers for any purpose using any gear in Lake Michigan, Green Bay, Lake Superior, the Mississippi River, Lake Winnebago, the Fox River from Lake Winnebago to Green Bay, or any bay, slough or backwater of these waters, or any water connected to these waters, upstream to the first dam or other obstruction impassible to fish, or in any other water where the department has determined that the Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia virus is present based on test results or other empirical evidence. If the department determines that the Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia virus is present in any additional water body, it shall promptly notify the public of its determination by issuing a press release, by publication in the official state newspaper, and by such other means as the department determines are reasonably likely to inform the public.
NR 20.14(10)
(10) Transport away from the water or its bank or shore any live sucker taken from Lake Michigan, Green Bay, Lake Superior, the Mississippi River, Lake Winnebago, the Fox River from Lake Winnebago to Green Bay, or any bay, slough or backwater of these waters, or any water connected to these waters, upstream to the first dam or other obstruction impassible to fish, or from any additional water where the department has determined under
sub. (9) that the Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia virus is present.
NR 20.14 History
History: Cr.
Register, May, 1999, No. 521, eff. 6-1-99;
CR 01-012: am. (3) and (6),
Register November 2001 No. 551, eff. 4-1-02; emerg. am. eff. 11-2-07;
EmR0808: emerg. cr. (9) and (10), eff. 4-4-08;
CR 07-074: am.
Register May 2008 No. 629, eff. 6-1-08.
subch. III of ch. NR 20
Subchapter III — Authorized Methods, Open Seasons, Daily Bag Limits and Size Restrictions on Specified Waters
NR 20.15
NR 20.15
Authorized methods. A person may do any of the following:
NR 20.15(1)
(1) Take rough fish by hand at any time in all waters except within 200 feet of a lock or dam.
NR 20.15(2)
(2) Use any fish for bait provided the fish was lawfully obtained and legal to possess pursuant to all the restrictions set forth in this chapter.
NR 20.15(3)
(3) Spear white bass, yellow bass, rock bass, panfish and bullheads while skin diving or scuba diving during the open season for rough fish spearing as specified in
s. NR 20.20.
NR 20.15 History
History: CR 01-012: cr.
Register November 2001 No. 551, eff. 4-1-02.
NR 20.16
NR 20.16
Special early catch and release season for trout. NR 20.16(1)(a)(a) Open season and waters. Except as specified in
sub. (2), there is an open season for trout from 5:00 a.m. on the first Saturday in March through the Sunday preceding the first Saturday in May on the following waters:
NR 20.16(1)(a)1.
1. All streams in Adams, Ashland, Barron, Buffalo, Burnett, Chippewa, Clark, Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Dodge, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Fond du Lac, Grant, Green, Green Lake, Iowa, Iron, Jackson, Jefferson, Juneau, Kenosha, La Crosse, Lafayette, Milwaukee, Monroe, Ozaukee, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Price, Racine, Richland, Rock, Rusk, St. Croix, Sauk, Sawyer, Sheboygan, Taylor, Trempealeau, Vernon, Walworth, Washburn, Washington, Waukesha and Wood counties.
NR 20.16(1)(a)2.
2. `Bayfield county.' All streams except the White river and its tributaries upstream from Pike River Road bridge.
NR 20.16(1)(a)4.
4. `Forest county.' Peshtigo river downstream from U.S. highway 8, Pine river downstream from STH 55, and Rat river downstream from Scattered Rice lake.
NR 20.16(1)(a)6.
6. `Lincoln county.' All streams west of STH 51 and Prairie river downstream from CTH J.
NR 20.16(1)(a)7.
7. `Marathon county.' Black creek (mouth at T27N R7E S4), Black creek (T30N,R3E), Grass creek, McGinnes creek, Fourmile creek, Noisy creek, and Plover river from STH 29 downstream to STH 153.
NR 20.16(1)(a)8.
8. `Marinette county.' North branch Peme Bon Won river downstream from STH 141, Peshtigo river upstream from CTH C, Pike river between CTH V and CTH K, and Rat river.
NR 20.16(1)(a)9.
9. `Marquette county.' Chaffee creek downstream from CTH B, Klawitter creek, Lawrence creek, Lunch creek, Mecan river upstream from STH 22, Neenah creek, O' Keefe creek, Wedde creek and Westfield creek.
NR 20.16(1)(a)10.
10. `Oconto county.' North branch Oconto river downstream from STH 64 and south branch Oconto river downstream from CTH AA.
NR 20.16(1)(a)11.
11. `Oneida county.' All streams west of STH 51 and Bearskin creek.
NR 20.16(1)(a)12.
12. `Portage county.' Ditches 1 through 6 downstream from Townline road and Tomorrow river from Amherst downstream to Durant road.
NR 20.16(1)(a)13.
13. `Shawano county.' Middle branch Embarrass river from Homme dam to STH 29, north branch Embarrass river from Tilleda dam downstream to Leopolis dam and Red river downstream from lower Red Lake dam.
NR 20.16(1)(a)15.
15. `Waupaca county.' North branch Little Wolf river from CTH P to CTH J, south branch Little Wolf river and Waupaca river from Frost Valley road to STH 54.
NR 20.16(1)(a)16.
16. `Waushara county.' Carter creek, Leola ditch, Mecan river downstream from 11th road, Pine river downstream from CTH K to Poy Sippi pond, Roche-a-Cri creek, Willow creek from Blackhawk road to 29th lane, and White river from STH 21 to lower White River millpond.
NR 20.16 Note
Note: The early catch and release season does not apply to spring ponds, ponds or lakes.
NR 20.16(1)(b)
(b)
Daily bag limit, possession limit and gear restrictions. The following restrictions apply to waters specified in
par. (a) during the open season specified in
par. (a):
NR 20.16(1)(b)2.
2. No person may use any hooks, baits or lures other than artificial lures while fishing for any species of fish on trout streams specified in
par. (a).
NR 20.16(2)
(2) Exceptions. Subsection (1) does not apply to the following streams:
NR 20.16(2)(a)
(a) Lake Michigan tributaries, major Green Bay tributaries, all other tributary streams, rivers and ditches to Green Bay upstream to the first dam or lake.
NR 20.16(2)(b)
(b) All tributaries to Lake Superior except the White river and its tributaries from the White River dam upstream to Pikes River Road bridge and the Iron river and its tributaries upstream from Orienta dam.
NR 20.16 History
History: Cr.
Register, May, 1999, No. 521, eff. 6-1-99; am.
Register, December, 1999, No. 528, eff. 1-1-00; r. and recr.
Register, September, 2000, No. 537, eff. 3-1-01;
CR 01-012: renum. from NR 20.15,
Register November 2001 No. 551, eff. 4-1-02;
CR 02-016: am. (1) (a) 16.,
Register January 2003 No. 566, eff. 3-1-03;
CR 09-018: am. (1) (b) 2.
Register February 2010 No. 650, eff. 3-1-10.
NR 20.18
NR 20.18 Total daily bag limits. Daily bag limits identified in
s. NR 20.20 are individual water limits that apply to the waters or portions of waters specified and may be combined with daily bag limits for other waters or portions of waters, but no person may exceed the total daily bag limit in this section unless authorized by
s. NR 20.35 or for a specific water listed in
s. NR 20.20,
21.04,
22.04 or
23.05 (5).
-
See PDF for table 
NR 20.20
NR 20.20 County and statewide table. In this section,
subs. (1) through
(72) list waters or portions of waters by county and specify authorized methods, open seasons, daily bag limits and size restrictions for the taking of fish that are exceptions to the general rules specified in
sub. (73). Daily bag limits identified in this section are individual water limits that apply to the waters or portions of waters specified and may be combined with other waters or portions of waters, but no person may exceed the total daily bag limit in
s. NR 20.18 unless authorized by
s. NR 20.35 or for a specific water listed in
s. NR 20.20,
21.04,
22.04 or
23.05 (5).
-
See PDF for table NR 20.20 History
History: Cr.
Register, May, 1999, No. 521, eff. 6-1-99;
CR 04-024: am. (intro.), (9) (a), (13) (g) 1., (18) (a), (47) (a), r. md recr. (49) (e)
Register December 2004 No. 588, eff. 1-1-05;
CR 04-012: cr. (1) (cm), (18) (dm), (29) (cm), (50) (cm), and (72) (cm), am. (3) (e) 1., (11) (b), (12) (b) 2., (13) (b), (17) (f), (22) (b) 1., (25) (b) 1., (27) (g) 2. and 3., (33) (am) 1., (33) (g) 2., (42) (e), (53) (b) 1., (56) (b), (61) (d) 1.,(62) (c) 2., (64) (g) 2., (64) (g) 4., (65) (a) 1., (67) (ag) 1., (67) (as) 1., and (73) (a) 4. a., r. and recr. (36), r. (55) (e) 3.
Register December 2004 No. 588, eff. 4-1-05, except (3) (e) 1., (17) (f), (27) (g) 2. and 3., (42) (e), (62) (c) 2., (64) (g) 2. and 4., eff. 3-1-05;
CR 04-111: am. (53) (f) and (63) (c)
Register May 2005 No. 593, eff. 6-1-05;
CR 05-015: am. (3) (c) 1., (4) (e) 1., (27) (e) 1., (g) 4., (44) (f), (g) 3., (49) (c) 2., (57) (e) 2., 4., (64) (g) 2., (h) 4., (73) (a), (i) 1., (L) 2. a., 3. c., and (m), cr. (4) (a) 2., (10) (bm), (17) (dm), (72) (h) 2., (73) (cm) and (i) 1m., r. (21) (e) 1., (64) (h) 7. and (70) (f) 1.,
Register October 2005 No. 598, eff. 4-1-06, except (64) (h) 4. and 7. eff. 11-1-05;
CR 05-073: am. (73) (e) 2. b., r. (73) (e) 2. c.
Register January 2006 No. 601, eff. 3-1-06;
CR 05-085: am. (73) (j) 1. a. and 3. a.
Register March 2006 No. 603, eff. 4-1-06;
CR 05-101: am. (64) (h) 4., cr. (64) (h) 12.
Register July 2006 No. 607, eff. 8-1-06;
CR 06-011: am. (1) (h) 1., (11) (k) 3., (14) (f) 2., (29) (h) 1., (35) (g) 1m., (37) (i) 1., (44) (b) 2. and (c) 1., (50) (h) 2., (56) (j) 2., (57) (f) 2., (64) (c) 2. and 5., (70) (f) 4., (72) (h) 1. and (73) (o) 2. and 3., cr. (4) (c) 2., (5) (bm) 1., (15) (d), (35) (b) 2., (44) (b) 4., (45) (cm) 1., (49) (am) 2., (57) (d) 2., (dm), (71) (cm) and (73) (g) 1m., r. (70) (c), (d) 2., (71) (cm) (73) (g) 1m.
Register September 2006 No. 609, eff. 4-1-07, except (73) (o) 2. and 3., eff. 10-1-06;
CR 07-014: am. (2) (g) 1. and 3., (3) (d), (e), (4) (f) 1., (13) (d) 1., (19) (d), (26) (a) 3. and 4., (35) (f), (47) (g), (48) (b), (51) (g) 2., (52) (b) 2., (d) 1., (60) (e) 1. and (g), cr. (3) (f) 1., (19) (e) 2., (20) (c) 3., (27) (dm), (37) (c) 2., (49) (am) 3., (cm), (f), (52) (c) 2., (59) (c) 2., (60) (h), (62) (am), (66) (g) 3., (67) (am) 2.,
Register January 2008 No. 625, eff. 4-1-08; emerg. am. (24) (a) 1. a. and (73) (h), eff. 11-2-07;
EmR0808: emerg. am. (73) (h), eff. 4-4-08;
CR 07-074: am. (24) (a) 1. and (73) (h)
Register May 2008 No. 629, eff. 6-1-08;
CR 08-012: am. (2) (bm), (6) (bm), (7) (b), (9) (am), (17) (bm), (18) (bm), (26) (am), (47) (bm), (51) (bg), (55) (bg), (57) (c), (61) (ag), and (73) (e) 3.
Register August 2008 No. 632, eff. 9-1-08;
CR 08-010: am. (1) (cm), (3) (c), (10) (b) 2., (11) (f), (13) (d), (24) (d), (25) (d), (27) (d), (29) (cm), (33) (am) 1., (c), (34) (a), (e), (35) (b), (g), (44) (b), (g) 1., (49) (b), (50) (cm) 2., (56) (e), (57) (e), (i), (64) (c) 2., (d) 2m., (h) 9., (70) (f) 4., (72) (cm), (73) (b) 3m., (g) 3., (o) 4. and 6., r. (2) (g) 2., (26) (g) 2., (35) (d), (44) (d), cr. (3) (am), (32) (cm), (35) (a) 2., (42) (bm) and (62) (ae), r. and recr. (5),
Register November 2008 No. 635, eff. 4-1-09, except (57) (i) and (73) (o) eff. 12-1-08;
CR 09-018: am. (1) (a), (c), (cm), (d), (h), (2) (bm), (g) 3., (3) (f) 1., (26) (g) 3., (29) (a), (c), (cm), (d), (h), (32) (c), (d), (g), (35) (a) 1., (c) 1., (g) 1. to 1m., (37) (a), (c) 1., (e) 2., (i), (42) (b), (c), (f), (44) (a), (b) 1., (g), (50) (a), (b) 1. and 3., (cm), (d) 3., (h) 2., (51) (bg), (55) (bg), (57) (c), (64) (h) 3., 4., 11., (67) (a) 2., (68) (a) 2., (72) (a), (c), (cm), (d), (h) 1., and (73) (o) 6., r. (4) (h) 7. and 8., cr. (7) (c) 2., (16) (g) 4m., (35) (b) 2., (d) 1., (36) (am), (49) (f) 2., (56) (i) 5m., and (64) (d) 4.
Register February 2010 No. 650, eff. 4-1-10, except (67) (a) 2. and (68) (a) 2., eff. 3-1-10; reprinted to correct errors in (56) (i) 5m., (64) (d) 4. and (h) 2.
Register April 2010 No. 652;
CR 09-051: am. (19) (b), (64) (b), (73) (b) 3m. a., (c) 3. b., (g) 1m. and (L) 5. c., r. (35) (g) 3.
Register June 2010 No. 654, eff. 7-1-10;
CR 10-025: am. (2) (a), (3) (f), (7) (c) 2., (21) (h) 1., (44) (g), (49) (am), (f) 2., (51) (a), (57) (d), (f) 1., (i) 4., (64) (d) 1m., (66) (g) 3., (69) (f) 3., and (73) (a) 3., cr. (3) (am) 2., (4) (c) 3., (i) 4., (7) (h), (55) (b) 2., (e) 3., (57) (i) 5., (66) (bm), (68) (cm), (69) (c) 3. and (d) 3., r. (57) (b)
Register October 2010 No. 658, eff. 4-1-11, except (21) (h) 1., (57) (b), (f) 1., (i) 5., and (73) (a) 3. eff. 11-1-10;
CR 11-006: am. (2) (c) 1., (3) (b), (5) (h), (21) (d) 1., (43) (b), (44) (c) 2., (g) 2., (49) (am) 2., (51) (bm) 1., (56) (e) 1., (57) (e), (i) 3., 4., (59) (a) 2., (64) (d) 2., (66) (bm), (68) (a) 2., (73) (b) 3s., (g) 2., 3., cr. (3) (am) 3., (5) (c) 2., (em), (16) (c) 2., (24) (b), (39) (b), (44) (b) 4., (45) (a) 2., (57) (d) 4., 5., (59) (bm), (60) (b) 2., r. and recr. (7) (c)
Register October 2011 No. 670, eff. 4-1-12, except (45) (a) 2., (59) (a) 2., (68) (a) 2., eff. 11-1-11.
NR 20.25(1)(1) On the first Saturday and consecutive Sunday of June each year, no fishing license is required to fish the inland or outlying waters, pursuant to s.
29.197 (3), Stats.
NR 20.25(2)
(2) The license waiver of
sub. (1) does not apply to commercial fishing license requirements.
NR 20.25 History
History: Cr.
Register, May, 1999, No. 521, eff. 6-1-99.
NR 20.30
NR 20.30
Department permitted to take fish. No provision in this chapter prohibits the department, its agents, wardens or representatives of the bureau of fisheries management and habitat protection from taking any of the fish mentioned at any time they deem it advisable and necessary to promote the general conservation progress.
NR 20.30 History
History: Cr.
Register, May, 1999, No. 521, eff. 6-1-99.
NR 20.33
NR 20.33
Special open and closed seasons. NR 20.33(1)(1)
Season closure under unusual conditions. NR 20.33(1)(a)(a)
Water level reduction. Pursuant to
par. (e), the department may close the season for fishing in all or part of any inland water which has experienced sudden water level reduction or where a sudden reduction is imminent as a result of dam failure, draw down or other loss of water supply. The closed season shall remain in full force and effect until the department determines that the water has been returned to its original level and the season is open pursuant to
par. (e) 2. The department may close the season when it finds after scientific investigation and study, that all of the following have occurred:
NR 20.33(1)(a)1.
1. Game fish have been or will be unusually concentrated due to the drop in water level and may, therefore, be more vulnerable to angler harvest.
NR 20.33(1)(a)2.
2. The remaining game fish population structure cannot easily be replaced if subjected to continued angler harvest.
NR 20.33(1)(a)4.
4. Continued sport fishing may result in a depletion of the game fish supply.
NR 20.33(1)(a)5.
5. Closure of the season is necessary to conserve the game fish supply until water levels are restored and to insure the citizens of this state continued opportunities for good fishing.
NR 20.33(1)(b)
(b)
Fish concentrated under ice. Pursuant to
par. (e), the department may close the season for fishing through the ice in all or part of any inland water. The closed season shall remain in full force and effect until the water is no longer covered with ice and the season is opened pursuant to
par. (e) 2. The department may close the season when it finds, after scientific investigation and study, that all of the following apply:
NR 20.33(1)(b)1.
1. The body of water is not expected to experience significant loss of its game fish population due to loss of oxygen.
NR 20.33(1)(b)2.
2. Ice cover has caused an unusual concentration of game fish, increasing their vulnerability to angler harvest.
NR 20.33(1)(b)3.
3. Continued sport fishing would deplete the supply of game fish.
NR 20.33(1)(b)4.
4. A closed season is necessary to conserve the game fish supply and insure the citizens of this state continued opportunities for good fishing;
