Minnesota Statutes Game and Fish (Ch. 97-102) § 97A.445. Exemptions from license requirement

Subdivision 1. Angling; Take a Kid Fishing Weekends.(a) A resident age 16 years or older may take fish by angling without an angling license and may take fish by spearing from a dark house without a spearing license and without a fish house or dark house license during one three-day consecutive period of the open water angling season and one three-day consecutive period of the ice angling season designated by the commissioner if the resident is accompanied by a child who is under age 16. The commissioner may, by written order published in the State Register, establish the three-day consecutive periods. The written order is not subject to the rulemaking provisions of chapter 14 and section 14.386 does not apply.

(b) The commissioner may designate and publicize the three-day periods as “Take a Kid Fishing Weekend” for the open water angling season and “Take a Kid Ice Fishing Weekend” for the ice angling season. The commissioner shall announce the date of each three-day weekend at least 30 days in advance of the date it occurs.

Subd. 1a. Angling in state parks.(a) A resident may take fish by angling without an angling license:

(b) The exemption from an angling license does not apply to waters where a trout stamp is required.

(1) a resident of a state hospital;

(2) a patient of a United States Veterans Administration hospital;

(3) an inmate of a state correctional facility;

(4) a resident of a licensed nursing or boarding care home, a person who is enrolled in and regularly participates in an adult day care program or other similar organized activity sponsored by a licensed nursing or boarding care home, or a resident of a licensed board and lodging facility; and

(5) a resident of a drug or alcohol residential treatment program under the age of 20.