DNR Conservation Officer Reports – District 9 (Brainerd area)

CO Chelsey Best (Pequot Lakes) participated in a work detail this week in Beltrami and Lake of the Woods counties. Enforcement action was taken for numerous fishing and snowmobile violations.

CO Andrew Dirks (CCSRA) checked anglers and snowmobilers throughout the week. A detail was worked on Lake of the Woods and Upper Red Lake over the weekend. Enforcement action included extra lines, walleye overlimits, and shelter license violations.

CO Jim Guida (Brainerd East) worked snowmobile and sport fishing enforcement this past week. Guida worked with other COs on an enforcement detail focusing on speeding snowmobiles and sport fishing violations. A snowmobile was stopped for traveling over 30 miles per hour above the trail speed limit of 50 mph. The detail focused on promoting safety in snowmobile operation and numerous contacts were made. State snowmobile trail passes were inspected and compliance was good. Guida also completed a trapping investigation where a trapper did not register a fisher as required.

CO Eric Sullivan (Brainerd) worked angling activity and most anglers reported a slow bite. If your next fishing adventure brings you to a lake with special length regulations for specific species, please make sure fish of that species do not freeze. Species with special length regulations are required to be in a measurable state. Area snowmobile trails continue to be active.

CO Andrew Ladzinski (Pine River) conducted snowmobile patrols on the Whitefish Chain and local lakes in the Backus area. Anglers are reporting a very slow bite, with only one or two fish being kept. A complaint was handled regarding a deer that was shot out of season.