# Private Lakes



## therapy (Jan 5, 2005)

Do all rules and regulations apply such as 25 fish limit and size limits apply on private lakes and can conservation officers come on to these lakes and write tickits even though the lake is private.:16suspect


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## TrailFndr (Feb 12, 2002)

First off...the only lakes that the DNR consider truely PRIVATE, are ones that are totally owned by one person. In other words...ALL of the land touching the water must be owned by the same person for a lake to be considered private.


I will assume that you are speaking of a lake that has no public access. These lakes are all over the state, and while many people think they are private, that is truely not the case. They are simply lakes that have no access by the general public, and YES all DNR and state laws do apply. And the DNR can come onto the water and enforce them. 

As for the truely private lakes, I do not know if the rules apply, although in my opinion, they should.


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## boehr (Jan 31, 2000)

What TrailFndr stated above is basically true and the correct answer. To answer further we would have to talk about specific lakes and detirmine inlets and outlets which navigability also comes into play. Most lakes in this state, guessing over 95% of them, all fishing regulation do apply and CO's may check that those regulations are being obeyed.


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## WALLEYE MIKE (Jan 7, 2001)

Ray, around our area there are lakes in subdivisions that were dug.(Dug out for the sand) Most have no inlet or outlet. Mostly 2-5 acres. Houses all around them. They contain bass and bluegill mostly. Are these considered private? (may be subdivision association) The only access is thru someones yard.


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## therapy (Jan 5, 2005)

Thanks Trailfndr, I hope this will settle the contraversy problem between myself and others that use the lake.I hope that it does, and legal action doesn't have to be takin.I am going to be considered the jerk on this lake but HEY!!!! my kids will fish this lake someday and i want them to enjoy the same success were having!:rant:


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## outsider (Feb 16, 2002)

I used to fish a lake in Clare co , owned by the boyscouts and was told by a CO that deer hunted the same property , that the creel limits didnt apply on this lake , but the possesion laws once I got on the road home was a DIFFERANT STORY. So even if your lucky enuf to fish a truely private lake, be smart and dont take to many home  
Being greedy could lose your priviledge to.
OUTSIDER


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## boehr (Jan 31, 2000)

WALLEYE MIKE said:


> Ray, around our area there are lakes in subdivisions that were dug.(Dug out for the sand) Most have no inlet or outlet. Mostly 2-5 acres. Houses all around them. They contain bass and bluegill mostly. Are these considered private? (may be subdivision association) The only access is thru someones yard.


Again there are possibilities of private or public. If there is more than one owner around a lake or a pond then one owner could give permission to another person without the permission of a neighboring owner. Therfore it would not be a private lake/pond. Another way that sometimes has in impact is, what property does the ripairan owner pay property taxes on. I think you would find that most lakes, property taxes are NOT paid for any protion of the lake but just a certain, particular boundry which most of the time does not include the area of the lake and only includes portions of the uplands. If property taxes did include surface water, especially of any size, those same property owners would have fits. I have seen that happen when townships have tried to tax a property owner for a portion of a lake because they got into some argument claiming the lake was their _PRIVATE_ property. When the tax bill came then the owner wanted a little different interpetation . In the case of a two or five acre pond with no inlet or no outlet I doubt that the local CO would care too much about a pond for fishing regs but to give a correct, poistive answer, each situation has to be looked at seperately and individually.


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## multibeard (Mar 3, 2002)

Therapy

If you are talking about Upper Silver Lake it is not a private lake. It has been the contention that it is by a few because there is no public access. It falls under the juristiction of the fishing laws of the DNR.


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## lwingwatcher (Mar 25, 2001)

TrailFndr said:


> In other words...ALL of the land touching the water must be owned by the same person for a lake to be considered private.



I gotta disagree with that point. I own a pond that is several acres. I pay taxes on the ground under the water. I have a neighbor that owns property to the waters edge. They don't own those fish I planted any more that they own the weeds that grow on the bottom and make great garden fertilizer or mulch...


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## therapy (Jan 5, 2005)

multibeard said:


> Therapy
> 
> If you are talking about Upper Silver Lake it is not a private lake. It has been the contention that it is by a few because there is no public access. It falls under the juristiction of the fishing laws of the DNR.


 YES, I know, Iv'e personally watched the DNR write tickits on that lake.


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## lwingwatcher (Mar 25, 2001)

Like Boehr said, inflow or outflow....any time of year subjects a body of water to fishing regulations.


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