Minnesota Statutes

Minn. Stat. § 97C.301 (2026)

License Required To Take Fish

✓ current as of May 2026

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Subdivision 1.Requirement.

Unless exempted under section 97A.445, 97A.451, or 97A.465, subdivision 1, a person must have a license to take fish as provided in this section.

Subd. 2.Angling.

A person may not take fish without an angling license.

Subd. 2a.Aquatic invasive species affirmation.

(a) A nonresident license to take fish issued under section 97A.475, subdivision 7, includes aquatic invasive species affirmation as provided in section 84D.106.

(b) The aquatic invasive species affirmation portion of the license must be displayed with the nonresident license to take fish issued under section 97A.475, subdivision 7. The aquatic invasive species affirmation will be provided at the time of purchase of a new or duplicate nonresident license.

(c) If a license is purchased online, the aquatic invasive species affirmation may be completed electronically as part of the online sales process, and the electronic record of the license sale is sufficient for documenting the affirmation.

(d) Failure to complete the aquatic invasive species affirmation in this subdivision is subject to the penalty prescribed in section 84D.13, subdivision 5.

[See Note.]

Subd. 3.Spearing.

A person may not take fish by spearing from a dark house without a dark-house-spearing license and an angling license.

Subd. 4.Netting.

A person may not take fish by netting without the required license to net fish and an angling license.

Subd. 5.Aquatic farms.

An aquatic farm licensee may take aquatic life under the aquatic farm license and its endorsements as authorized without additional licenses under the game and fish laws.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 2 cases, 2001–2013 · leading case: State v. Krenz, 634 N.W.2d 231 (Minn. Ct. App. 2001).

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State v. Krenz, 634 N.W.2d 231 (Minn. Ct. App. 2001). · cites it 2× “2 (1998), requires a fish house to be licensed, and Minn.Stat. § 97C.301, subd. 2 (1998), requires a person to be licensed to take fish by angling.”

State v. Schmid, 840 N.W.2d 843 (Minn. Ct. App. 2013). · cites it 2× “Schmid’s construction to the contrary would mean that the legislature deems it illegal to lie in wait for fish without a license (“angling”), Minn.Stat. § 97C.301, subd. 2 (2010), but not to lie in wait for other prey without a license.”

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