Minnesota’s ice fishing shelter removal dates are fast approaching. Dark houses, fish houses and shelters must be off the ice of inland waters no later than midnight on Feb. 28 in the southern two-thirds of the state and March 15 in the northern third.

The Feb. 28 deadline applies to waters south of a line starting at the Minnesota-North Dakota border near Moorhead along U.S. Highway 10, then east along Highway 34 to Minnesota Highway 200, east along Highway 200 to U.S. Highway 2, and east along Highway 2 to the Minnesota-Wisconsin border near Duluth. The March 15 deadline applies to waters north of that line.

For border waters, the ice shelter removal deadlines are:

- Minnesota - Iowa, Feb. 20

- Minnesota - Wisconsin, March 1

- Minnesota - North Dakota and South Dakota, March 5

- Minnesota - Canada, March 31

If houses or shelters are not removed, owners will be prosecuted, and the structure may be confiscated and removed, or destroyed by a conservation officer. Contents of the structure may be seized and held for 60 days; if not claimed by the owner within that time, it becomes property of the state of Minnesota.

After the date when ice or fish houses or shelters must be removed, portable shelters may be placed on the ice and used from one hour before sunrise to midnight, but only if there is an open fishing season on the lake. Storing or leaving fish houses or dark houses on a public access is prohibited.

Anglers are encouraged to monitor ice conditions on lakes and make arrangements to remove their houses before travel on the ice is dangerous. According to information from the DNR Boat and Water Safety Section, a minimum of four inches is necessary for ice fishing; snowmobiling or ATV activity requires at least five inches; 8 - 12 inches are necessary for a car or small pickup; and 12 - 15 inches are needed to support a medium truck.

Anglers should be aware that ice conditions vary greatly.

- slush shows weakening of ice and should be considered a danger sign

- stay off ice if it is cracked or squishy at the shoreline

- avoid ice during thaws

- avoid honeycombed ice, dark snow and dark ice

- ice is generally thinner where there is moving water, such as inlets and outlets, bridge abutments, islands and objects that protrude through the ice.

Conservation officers also remind anglers to keep waterways clean. Litter on lakes tarnishes nature’s beauty, destroys wildlife habitats and ruins many opportunities for recreation. Litter is a misdemeanor with a fine of up to $1,000.