Bill to allow fishing with two lines

An almost perennially discussed proposal to allow fishermen to use two lines has resurfaced.

HF2610, sponsored by Rep. Al Juhnke (DFL-Willmar), would permit anglers to catch fish using two lines simultaneously. The House Game, Fish and Forestry Division laid the bill over Feb. 25 for possible inclusion in its omnibus policy bill. There is no Senate companion.

Juhnke said Minnesota is one of the few states that does not allow anglers to use multiple lines. He presented division members with a laundry list of potential benefits of the practice, including:

• increasing overall enjoyment of the sport;

• supporting tourism by making Minnesota more competitive with other states;

• allowing for more experimentation with different types of bait;

• encouraging the purchase of more fishing equipment; and

• creating the potential to generate new revenue with a possible fee for using a second line.

Ron Payer, fisheries section management chief for the Department of Natural Resources, joined Rep. Dean Simpson (R-Perham) in voicing concern that the bill could result in diminished fish populations; however, Juhnke dismissed that idea, noting that statutory limits on the amount of fish anglers can catch would not change, under the bill’s provisions.

Payer said most people currently aren’t taking their limit of fish, and that allowing fishing with two lines would increase the likelihood of that happening.

“It’s pretty clear, based on the places that do have two lines, that it would increase harvest,” Payer said.