Several sunfish caught in SE Lake

By FRITZ BUSCH

Journal Staff Writer

SLEEPY EYE -- Wild geese honked and hissed, protecting their goslings as the wind blew intermittent rain Saturday on Sleepy Eye Lake during the 2003 Minnesota fishing opener.

Jackpot Junction Casino Hotel employees Alan Barnes of Redwood Falls and Rocky Crooks of Morton liked their early luck on the lake. Using minnows for bait, they hooked several sunfish in about 30 minutes on the east end of the lake, along State Highway 4.

Earlier in the day, they fished the Minnesota River but came up empty-handed.

"This is how my supervisor treats me on my day off," Barnes said.

Crooks is Barnes' supervisor. Both men are slot machine technicians at the casino. Barnes is a combat engineer with the 682nd engineers of the Minnesota National Guard in Redwood Falls.

Sung Nguyen of Sleepy Eye used worms for bait on the lake shore just south of Barnes and Crooks. He hadn't caught any fish after two hours of shore fishing.

Nathan Schutz and Noah Sellner, both of Sleepy Eye, were fishing from a dock in the northeast corner of the lake. They had not caught any fish early in the afternoon when the reporter visited them.

Several other anglers were trying their luck from small boats on Sleepy Eye Lake.

New limits for crappie, sunfish and catfish took effect statewide Saturday. Crappie limits fell from 15 to 10, sunfish from 30 to 20 and lake trout limits fell from three to two.

The daily and possession catfish limit remained at five, but only one more than 24 inches and two flathead catfish will be allowed in the total limit.

Most anglers rejected a statewide slot limit for northern pike during the public input process.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources requires that all boats have correctly sized life jackets for each person in boats plus an additional Type IV throwable device (boat cushion or ring buoy) in boats 16 feet or longer.

Not wearing a life jacket is the number one reason people die in boating accidents, according to Tim Smalley, DNR boating safety specialist.

Boaters were advised to make sure their navigation lights work, they aren't blocked by equipment or passengers and several spare bulbs are on board.

Red and green bow lights and a white stern light are required to be illuminated on boats under power after sunset and before sunrise.

Boats 16 feet or longer must also carry a hand or power-operated whistle or horn capable of producing a sound for at least two seconds that can be heard for at least one mile.

Spare parts like spark plugs, shear pins, cell phones and marine radios are recommended by the DNR.

Alcohol is not allowed in boats. Judgement errors brought on by alcohol can get a person in trouble long before the level of legal intoxication of .10, the DNR said.

Most people who died in boating accidents in Minnesota last year fell overboard or capsized their craft (usually a fishing boat or canoe). The U.S. Coast Guard estimated that 80 percent of boating fatalities could be avoided if anglers and boaters would wear a personal flotation device (PFD or life jacket).

"It gets expensive if you are caught operating your boat under the influence," Smalley said. "Lawyer fees, civil penalties and a conviction for boating while intoxicated goes on your driver's license. You can even lose your boat if you have a couple of alcohol offenses."

Motorboat operators must carry their watercraft registration card on board.

Other DNR tips include carrying a long, strong bowline at least 10 feet long, testing your outboard motor before getting on the water, parking in the proper spot, carrying a trailer lock to help prevent it from being stolen.

To learn more about Minnesota boat and water safety laws, call the DNR Information Center at (651) 296-6157 or toll free at 1-888-MINNDNR (646-6367). Ask for a copy of the Minnesota Boating Guide.

The guide is available on the DNR Web Site at www.dnr.state.mn.us/boating by clicking on Minnesota Boating Guide. There are many other boat and water safety items that can be downloaded from the DNR Web Site.