Nice Weather Doesn’t Stop Violations On Independence Day Weekend

Authorities with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources are reporting that the pleasant weather made for a good 4th of July Holiday weekend for some. 

Conservation Officer Jeremy Woinarowicz says he worked the Independence Day holiday weekend on Lake of the Woods and in the Beltrami Island State Forest area. He says “enforcement action was taken for no helmet on juvenile ATV passengers, no ATV registration, no life jacket on juvenile watercraft passenger, unlawful personal watercraft operation, transporting a dressed walleye without patch of skin, and angling license violations.”

Conservation Officer Sarah Jahn of Thief River Falls says “an individual was stopped on a Class II ATV for no lights and was arrested for driving while intoxicated.” 

Meanwhile, in Warroad, Conservation Officer Coby Fontes says anglers saw walleye success shift to deeper portions of Lake of the Woods. He says enforcement action was taken for “taking fish without an angling license, fishing after suspension, and use of an extra line.” 

Conservation Officer Ben Huener in Roseau says violations for the week included “allowing a juvenile to violate fishing laws, allowing juveniles to illegally operate ATV laws, angling with extra lines, angling after revocation, and person under 21 in possession of alcohol.”