Minnesota’s Ice House Removal Deadline is Next Week Already

Well that ice fishing season went fast. Some ice fishing shelters will need to be off the lakes as soon as next Monday March 2nd.

Dates of shelter removal are determined by an east-west line formed by U.S. Hwy. 10, east along Hwy. 34 to Minnesota Hwy. 200, east along Hwy. 200 to U.S. Hwy. 2, and east along Hwy. 2 to the Minnesota-Wisconsin border.

Here is when you need to have yours off the lake, based on location:

Inland waters

• South of line - March 2, 2020
• North of line - March 16, 2020

Border waters

• Minnesota-Iowa - Feb. 20
• Minnesota–Wisconsin - March 1
• Minnesota–North and South Dakota - March 5
• Minnesota–Canada - March 31

Dark houses, fish houses, and portables all need to be off the ice no later than midnight of the date listed. If shelters aren't removed, owners will be prosecuted. In addition to that a conservation officer also may confiscate, remove or destroy any ice structure and its contents if not removed by the deadline. So make a mental note in your head, and a physical note somewhere you will remember it to get your stuff off the lake when you need to.

Also, please clean up the area around your shelter. The DNR have seen an excess of garbage left behind on lakes this winter. Let's try to leave the areas cleaner than how we found it. It'll make the lakes that much more ready for summer fun!

All the information on having your ice fishing houses off the lakes can be found on the DNR website. 

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