1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to game and fish; modifying trout angling 
  1.3             provisions in certain counties; amending Minnesota 
  1.4             Statutes 1998, sections 97C.395, subdivision 1; and 
  1.5             97C.415, by adding a subdivision. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 97C.395, 
  1.8   subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
  1.9      Subdivision 1.  [DATES FOR CERTAIN SPECIES.] (a) The open 
  1.10  seasons to take fish by angling are as follows: 
  1.11     (1) for walleye, sauger, northern pike, muskellunge, 
  1.12  largemouth bass, and smallmouth bass, the Saturday two weeks 
  1.13  prior to the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend to the third 
  1.14  Sunday in February; 
  1.15     (2) for lake trout, from January 1 to October 31; 
  1.16     (3) for brown trout, brook trout, rainbow trout, and 
  1.17  splake, between January 1 to October 31 as prescribed by the 
  1.18  commissioner by rule except as provided in section 97C.415, 
  1.19  subdivision 2; and 
  1.20     (4) for salmon, as prescribed by the commissioner by rule. 
  1.21     (b) The commissioner shall close the season in areas of the 
  1.22  state where fish are spawning and closing the season will 
  1.23  protect the resource. 
  1.24     Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 97C.415, is 
  1.25  amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
  2.1      Subd. 4.  [TAKING TROUT; NAMED COUNTIES.] This subdivision 
  2.2   applies only in the counties of Fillmore, Goodhue, Houston, 
  2.3   Olmsted, Wabasha, and Winona.  All streams and ponds in the 
  2.4   named counties are open to angling for trout from January 1 to 
  2.5   September 30.  From January 1 to the Friday nearest April 15, 
  2.6   and from September 15 to September 30, angling is limited to 
  2.7   catch and release only.  From the Saturday nearest April 15 to 
  2.8   September 14, all trout from 12 to 16 inches in length must be 
  2.9   immediately returned to the water, except in experimental trout 
  2.10  streams and special management waters designated by the 
  2.11  commissioner.