HF 5111

Introduction - 94th Legislature (2025 - 2026)

Posted on 05/04/2026 01:13 p.m.

A bill for an act
relating to game and fish; prohibiting the use of sonar when fishing for muskellunge
or northern pike in certain waters; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, section
97C.335.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 97C.335, is amended to read:

97C.335 deleted text begin USE OF deleted text end new text begin RESTRICTIONS ON USING new text end ARTIFICIAL LIGHTS new text begin AND
SONAR new text end TO TAKE FISH deleted text begin PROHIBITED deleted text end .

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Using lights prohibited. new text end

(a) A person may not use artificial lights to lure
or attract fish or to see fish in the water while spearing, except that while angling or spearing,
a person may:

(1) affix a lighted artificial bait with hooks attached to the end of a fishing line; or

(2) use a lighted decoy for spearing.

(b) A battery that is used in lighted fishing lures must not contain mercury.

(c) The restrictions in paragraph (a) do not apply to bow fishing.

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Using sonar. new text end

new text begin (a) While fishing for muskellunge or northern pike in waters
identified by the commissioner as waters where muskellunge populations are naturally
reproducing and not primarily maintained through stocking, a person may not use, operate,
or possess any of the following in an active or deployable state:
new text end

new text begin (1) live imaging sonar, forward-facing sonar, omnidirectional sonar, or drones; or
new text end

new text begin (2) equipment, software, or systems that use, integrate with, or enhance live imaging
sonar, including but not limited to technologies employing artificial intelligence, predictive
modeling, real-time data processing, or wireless communication between devices or
components to locate, track, or target muskellunge or northern pike.
new text end

new text begin (b) Possession of any of the items described in paragraph (a) on waters identified by the
commissioner as waters where muskellunge populations are naturally reproducing and not
primarily maintained through stocking, shores of those waters, or islands in those waters is
presumptive evidence that the person is in violation of this subdivision, unless:
new text end

new text begin (1) the equipment is powered off;
new text end

new text begin (2) the equipment has all power and transducer cables physically disconnected from the
unit;
new text end

new text begin (3) the equipment has all disconnected power leads and transducer connections visibly
secured in a manner that prevents immediate reconnection, including but not limited to
being capped, taped, clamped, or otherwise enclosed; and
new text end

new text begin (4) the equipment, software, or systems cannot be made operational via wireless, remote,
or software- or application-based activation without deliberate physical connection.
new text end