DNR report

Scott Staples (Carlton) worked boating and off-highway vehicle activity this past holiday week. Enforcement action was taken for angling without a license, no license in possession, insufficient life jackets, operating dirt bikes on the road, operating an ATV without a valid driver’s license on the road, operating an ATV in unfrozen public waters, and various registration violations. One boat that was checked had three anglers in it. All three lied about having a fishing license. Two out of the three bought licenses online within 20 minutes after they were checked and the third was unable to try to purchase one because he was already suspended for fishing without a license from last year. All three were cited.

Jacob Willis (Brookston) encountered heavy boating activity over the holiday. Area lakes were worked for Operation Dry Water and the Duluth Harbor was patrolled during events at the waterfront. Enforcement action was taken for no angling license, improper display of registration, possession of drug paraphernalia, and no flotation device on board a watercraft.

Andy Schmidt (Duluth West) saw a large increase in personal watercraft use and tubers/skiers. Area anglers are still having some luck but fishing overall has slowed considerably. Complaints of nuisance bears were handled along with a few calls about wolves hanging around populated rural neighborhoods.

Kipp Duncan (Duluth East) worked the Duluth Harbor in the evenings during the July Fourth celebration. Several nights included concerts at Bayfront Festival Park. Time was spent working from watercraft for two fireworks celebrations. The most common watercraft violations during the week were lack of navigation lights and watercraft too close to shore and other watercraft.

Dustie Speldrich (Willow River) had an enforcement action of a watercraft within 150 feet of shore at speeds greater than slow, no-wake. Contacts with ATV riders and OHM operators included expired registration, failure to display valid registration and illegal operation of an ATV by a 7-year-old. The child tried to hide as they knew they were not supposed to be where they were. Contact was made with the parents, who stated they didn’t know the child had left with the ATV. Also made a panfish overlimit case.

Keith Olson (Lake Superior Marine Unit) worked a busy Lake Superior during the week. The weather was very nice overall and many recreational boaters and paddle sports enthusiasts took full advantage. Anglers have been having good success on lake trout and coho salmon out of Two Harbors. Assisted with a case of steelhead taken illegally in the Two Harbors area of Lake Superior.

Matt Miller (Lake Superior Marine Unit) checked anglers on Lake Superior, Lake Minnetonka, and the Mississippi and St Croix rivers. One personal watercraft operator out an hour before legal time also forgot to bring a life jacket. Another chose to consume far too many drinks before taking a friend for a ride. Enforcement action taken for boating, angling, and alcohol violations.

Report of the week

Demosthenes Regas (Blackduck South) was launching at the Blackduck Lake access when radio traffic of a boat fire on Blackduck Lake was broadcast. He was the first to arrive on the scene as the occupants of the burning boat had taken to the water and crawled to safety on nearby swimming rafts. The boat was on fire from the driver’s seat to the outboard motor. Regas backed his patrol boat up to the burning craft, raised the outboard motor to the surface of the water and extinguished the fire with spray from the prop wash. Nearby boaters assisted by tossing buckets of water on the boat once the majority of the fire was extinguished. The suspected cause of the fire is a fuel leak that was ignited when the motor backfired upon starting. None of the occupants of the boat were injured. Regas towed the burned boat and nearby boaters assisted the occupants back to the access.