DNR Conservation Officer Reports – District 9 (Brainerd area)

CO Chelsey Best (Pequot Lakes) spent the week on fishing, snowmobiling and trapping activity. Enforcement action was taken for no fishing license, no shelter tag, and expired registration.

CO Eric Sullivan (Brainerd) reports the Nisswa 100 cross country snowmobile race brought race families and race fans to the area. Area lakes are seeing lots of ice angling activity. Everyone using area lakes should be knowledgeable of the lakes they are traveling on and research ice conditions. Sullivan also responded to a fire on Roy Lake. Two fish houses were a total loss due to the fire.

CO Calie Cook (Crosslake) checked multiple anglers throughout the week on various lakes in the area. Violations found included failure to have angling license in personal possession, expired shelter licenses and expired ATV registration. Multiple people took advantage of Take a Kid Fishing Weekend and were out enjoying the warmer weather.

CO Andrew Dirks (CCSRA) worked a busy winter trout opener over the weekend. Most anglers reported having good success, with many limits observed. Enforcement action included license violations.

CO Jim Guida (Brainerd East) worked snowmobile and angling enforcement this past week. Assistance was provided to the Nisswa 100 snowmobile race. Guida worked with a local snowmobile club on signage and awareness of a trespassing complaint. Numerous snowmobile tracks were observed off-trail, running over young trees. That activity has threatened easements for snowmobile trails across private property. Please stay on the trail and work to keep other riders in your group accountable. Guida also addressed extra lines, unattended lines, no angling license in possession, and various snowmobile-registration violations.

CO Andrew Ladzinski (Pine River) conducted patrols on local designated trout lakes for the trout-season opener. A detail was worked on the Whitefish Chain with other local officers for snowmobile speed enforcement and ice fishing activity. Enforcement action was taken for an ATV with expired registration. When placing ice shelters on lakes please leave plenty of room from the marked snowmobile trails.

CO Tony Flerlage (Crosby) continued work on a background investigation for a potential new conservation officer. He patrolled the trails by snowmobile, finding low use on the weekdays, and lots of use on the weekend. The trails are improving with snowmobile clubs getting the trails cleared of trees. There?s been limited traffic on the lakes due to slushy ice conditions.