Time to buy your 2015 fishing license

Don’t forget: Your 2014 fishing license is expired.

Fishing licenses for 2015 are available from Minnesota Department of Natural Resources license agents, online at www.mndnr.gov/buyalicense and by telephone at 888-665-4236 FREE. All 2015 fishing licenses are effective Sunday, March 1, through Monday, Feb. 29, 2016.

Purchase online via smartphone and you won’t receive a conventional paper license. Instead, a text message or email serves as proof of a valid fish or game license to state conservation officers. A printed copy of the text or email also can serve as proof of a valid license. Sports licenses, which include some hunting privileges, also expire at the end of February each year.

New regulations, more opportunities for anglers

New regulations will provide more fishing opportunities – and in some cases bigger fish – for anglers who want to fish for bass, sturgeon, muskellunge, catfish and trout. Changes include Bass. New catch-and-release bass season is Saturday, May 9, until harvest season opens Saturday, May 23, in all but northeast Minnesota. In northeast (essentially north and east of U.S. Highway 53), no change in spring but fall closure is lifted, allowing smallmouth bass harvest in northeast through Feb. 28, 2016.

Sturgeon. New catch-and-release season for lake sturgeon is Tuesday, June 16, until April 14, 2016 on inland waters and Minnesota waters bordering North Dakota, South Dakota and Iowa. No fishing for lake sturgeon each year April 15 to June 15, to protect sturgeon during spawning season. Seasons differ on Minnesota waters bordering Canada and Wisconsin. Anglers also will find new regulations for shovelnose sturgeon.

Muskie. Minimum length limit to keep a muskie is 54 inches. Previous limit was 48 inches. Exceptions apply for muskie-northern pike hybrids, also called tiger muskie, in the seven-county metro area, where minimum length limit remains 40 inches on certain lakes.

Flathead catfish. Season will close for winter. Season is Wednesday, April 1, to Monday, Nov. 30.

Trout. Expanded seasons for stream trout, both in streams and winter fishing in lakes.

See www.mndnr.gov/fishmn/trout for season dates. For more details, and special regulations for individual waters, see the 2015 Minnesota Fishing Regulations booklet, available at any license agent or online at www.mndnr.gov/fishmn andwww.mndnr.gov/regulations/fishing.

NDSU Western Equestrian

Team Earns Top Regional Award

North Dakota State University’s Western equestrian team finished the regular competitive season at home by winning the high-point team award.

Nicole Anderson, an NDSU rider and freshman from Fergus Falls, Minn., also won the high-point rider competition at the event held Feb. 21 at the NDSU Equine Center.

NDSU won the overall high-point team title for 2014-2015 season, meaning it scored the most team points for the year in the region. This win earns the team a chance to compete in team competition at semifinals in Ohio on March 21-22.

NDSU riders who will be representing the team are:

* Janna Rice, a senior from Maddock, reining

* Nicole Anderson, a freshman from Fergus Falls, Minn., open horsemanship

* Hannah Bucheger, a junior from Andover, Minn., advanced horsemanship

* Blaine Novak, a senior from Fordville, novice horsemanship

* Courtney Bolstad, a junior from Fergus Falls, intermediate horsemanship

* Allee Lee, a sophomore from Lino Lakes, Minn., beginner horsemanship

NDSU also will have four individuals who earned a spot to compete in the individual class competitions at semifinals. These riders earned their spots by placing first or second in regional competition Feb. 22 at NDSU. The riders are:

* Anderson, reining

* Rice, open horsemanship

* Angie Norwig, a sophomore from Hampton, Minn., intermediate horsemanship

* Brogan Novak, a freshman from Fordville, beginner horsemanship

Anderson won the overall high-point rider title for the region at the Feb. 21-22 competition. This title earns her the opportunity to compete at the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association’s National Horse Show in Massachusetts at the beginning of May.

“The team this year has a strong group of seniors who have led by example and pushed each team member to be their best,” says Tara Swanson, the team’s coach. “There is a good mix of returning team member leadership and ability with fresh new talent and enthusiasm, which has resulted in a well-rounded, very competitive team.” She added that she is extremely excited to head into postseason competition.

“We have a strong group of riders moving on to represent NDSU at semifinals competition,” she says.