Are we allowed to fish

  Do any one have a clear understanding  of the restrictions?

Called local bait shop he was opening he didn't know about tomorrow..

If we can go for a walk and keep social distance.. Can we go boating 

State Parks are all closed for the duration of the lockdown.  Too many people too big of a mess.  What did they expect after they encouraged everyone to come and come for free?  

Opening camping weekend is opening weekend for fishing.  It's doomed.

I agree, it's only a matter of time before all launches get shut down.  I've been out twice.  The first time I watched a charter boat get launched and observed other boats with 3 to 4 people on board, but they could have been families.  The second time the charter boats were out fishing and so were the guides.  The one guide boat was definitely not family.  When the weather warms, the pleasure boaters will be out and it will all end abruptly.................

Does this just move the "problems" to county and city parks?

Seems the state may be better equipped to enforce rules and regs than passing it down the chain to lower levels.

Yeah......I fished Sunday @ High Cliff. The harbor wasn’t crowded. Everybody maintaining distance. The other lots were packed. Couldn’t help but think when driving in it was as heavy or heavier than summer traffic. Pretty much figured then that closures would happen. 

Just released 40 state parks will be closed tomorrow, until further notice. More information on DNR website.

Here are some more comments from Oconto Cty/Health Officer on why they made the decision to close the parks/launches.

"This is a difficult time for all of us. We're having to change our behavior and change what normally we do," said Debbie Konitzer, Oconto County Health Officer.Konitzer says the decision to close the North Bay Shore boat landing came Saturday.

"There were 140 vehicles. They represented 34 counties, three states. There were no Oconto County residents parked there. However, over half of the vehicles that were there, were from counties that have 10 or more cases. So that's where our concern is, that there are people coming to Oconto County that are coming from areas that there is a high incidence of the illness," she said.

Assume some folks on this site go to Lake Erie every year and Ohio has suspended the sale of non-resident licenses for now.  Our group has been fishing Port Clinton area for years but we are postponing our trip this year until things clear up.. There are many folks making a lot bigger sacrifices these days than our group missing out on catching some walleye's (that is how I look at it)..

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WTAP) -  In response to the public health situation with COVID-19 and the Ohio Department of Health’s (ODH) Stay at Home Order, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife is temporarily suspending the sale of non-resident hunting and fishing licenses until further notice.

The tribes in northern Wi plan on spearing as soon as the ice is off the lakes. They have declared a harvest of over 55,000 walleyed. (Vilas County News Review 4/08/20). The Lac du Flambeau tribe plans to spear in 11 counties. Ice out on many lakes may fall close to the 4/24 deadline for the Safer at Home order. If that happens it's a non issue.

Ugh. Thanks for update Doc.  Yeah. The precedent is probably set.  

Here in Dane County they're waiting to add the piers in the launches, but you're still allowed to use the accesses.  Some have piers in year-round, so those launches have been busy.  Shore fishing I see people sitting right next to each other while fishing.  Grandparents with their grand kids, friends next to friends, teenagers next to teenagers.  Personally when it gets too crowded where I'm fishing I leave, and also I'm going alone right now.  I'm not taking my kids, and I'm not going with a friend.  Wish others would do that same.  I see a lot of people coming here from Milwaukee right now.  They've told me, so that's why I know.  

Well, I guess I was wrong about Counties closing public launches.

https://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/story/news/local/oconto-county/2020/04/07/oconto-county-shuts-down-all-boat-landings-campgrounds/2965744001/

Also shut down ATV use on roads and public trails.  

Not clear if privately owned launches are allowed to be used in Oconto Co.  

What county will act next?  Brown?  Winnebago?

Here are some pertinent sections from the statute:

NOW THEREFORE, under the authority of Wis. Stat. § 252.02(3) and (6) and all powers vested in me through Executive Order #72, and at the direction of Governor Tony Evers, I, Andrea Palm, Secretary-designee of the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, order the following: 1. Stay at home or place of residence. All individuals present within the State of Wisconsin are ordered to stay at home or at their place of residence, with exceptions outlined below. To the extent individuals are using shared or outdoor spaces other than their home or residence, they must at all times as reasonably possible maintain social distancing of at least six (6) feet from any other person consistent with Social Distancing Requirements as defined below, except that they do not need to maintain social distancing between family members in a single living unit or household members. All persons may leave their homes or residences only for the following functions as are defined in this Order: a. Essential Activities (defined in section 11); b. Essential Governmental Functions (defined in section 12); c. To operate Essential Businesses and Operations (defined in section 13); d. To perform non-essential Minimum Basic Operations (defined in section 14); e. Essential Travel (defined in section 15); and f. Special Situations (defined in section 8, 9, and 10). 

a. Essential Activities (defined in section 11); b. Essential Governmental Functions (defined in section 12); c. To operate Essential Businesses and Operations (defined in section 13); d. To perform non-essential Minimum Basic Operations (defined in section 14); e. Essential Travel (defined in section 15); and f. Special Situations (defined in section 8, 9, and 10).

From section 15:

f. Travel required for non-residents to return to their place of residence outside Wisconsin. Individuals are strongly encouraged to verify that their transportation out of Wisconsin remains available and functional prior to commencing such travel.

So as I see it, by the letter of the law, fishing is not an essential activity, yet the DNR says it is OK. Non-residents are only addressed about returning to their residence, so it appears they can come to our state and run amuck....except that IL has a stay at home order as well. Clear as mud, but the intent is clear for people of common sense. Others, well they are going to do what they want anyway.

Duxup

BB83 - I would like to add to your comments. I retired and moved to Wisconsin after working in the construction field for over forty years. I worked on some of the bigger construction jobs in and around the Chicago area. Every job site had quite a few Wisconsin people that would travel from their home state and work in Illinois. At no time did I ever hear anybody tell them that they shouldn’t be there. 

There are thousands of Wisconsin residents that hold union cards in other states. Even when the work was slow I never heard anyone say that they should stay and work in their own state. 

We still live in a country with open boarders between states and are free to go anywhere and do anything. It’s very hypocritical to say that others should not come here and enjoy the outdoors when they go to another state to earn a living. 

So practice what you preach because life is a two way street.

Everyone likes to complain about out of state fisherman...but it’s ok for people from out of state to come work on a daily basis, but god forbid them from bringing a rod and reel to go fish during lunch break right!  Sometimes out of state can still be your community.

Since there is some confusion, can some one point out in the Wisconsin Safer At Home Mandate where/what is written that would prevent out of state people from coming to Wisconsin to fish?

Not looking for a opinion but looking for the specific paragraph within the mandate that would address this.

I have read the mandate 3 times, the second and third time just to refresh myself of the mandate. I only see that it is O.K. as long as they practice the social distancing rule.