During the preparation for the Minnesota Fishing Opener last week, members of the DNR invasive species information detail were positioned at the boat launch in Jaycee park. The DNR has several of these teams that serve to remind and inform boaters of their responsibility to prevent the spread of invasive waterborne pests such as zebra mussels and Eurasian Milfoil. The team was handing out pamphlets as some fishing boats launched pre-season test drives to check out the river, still elevated by Spring flooding. The DNR also sent two crews to the area just below Lock and Dam 2 to use gill nets in order to catch bottom feeding paddlefish, which are tagged with an electronic signal device that will help scientists determine how far downriver they travel over the course of the year. Tagging took two days, during which about 22 of the lunkers were caught, tagged, measured and then returned to the water. Several weighing in at close to 50 pounds were recorded. Paddlefish are not legal to catch but are sometimes mistakenly snagged. There is still real concern for Asian Carp proliferation, however, no reports have surfaced along the Hastings riverfront. More information about river rules, fishing regulations and invasive species control can be found on the the Department of Natural Resources website.
DNR Spring River Reviewal
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