LIMIT DILEMA

[FISHCRAZY]

I have this scenario that I would like to have your input on; this is based on off-shore fishing:

Say you go fishing at 8:00pm, on the 15th. By midnight you get 4 walleyes. The bite is good so you decide to stay longer. After midnight you get 4 more walleyes. On the 16th, at 3:00 am on your way to the car you carry eight eyes. Acording to the regulations; 4 per day, are you in your rights to have all eight fish?

The way I see it, I belive you are!

[Stezostedion vitreum man]

Fishcrazy,

I don't know where you're from, but in most places it states so many fish/day and so many fish in possession. Therefore, using your four fish limit, it would be four fish per day, four fish in possession, therefore you would be four fish over your limit if you kept eight. It doesn't matter that the date for one twenty-four hour period has changed. The key words here are " in possession".

Remember to keep your eyes open and your feet dry.

S.v.m

[exnj]

As long as the possession limit is 8 fish, you should be fine. Some states (ie., here in Colorado) have a daily and possession limit that are the same (5 for walleye in most places), so you couldn't have double the limit. But Kansas next door has a double the daily limit as their possession limit, so you would be ok. Don't know what the possession limit is where you are talking about. Of course, what is the written word is one thing and convincing the Conservation officer at the boat ramp at 3am (who is fresh and just getting to work and you are now tired)that you caught them according to your story is another.

Good Luck

Lou

[Rodbender]

You need to confirm the daily possession limit. That's what will determine a fine for possibly 4 illegal fish or not. Be careful and check on that, it's not worth the fine.

[Fred Snyder]

Ohio no longer has a possession limit on most sport-caught fish. However, if you are caught on the water with eight walleye per person in the box while the daily limit is four, you can TRY explaining to the wildlife officer that some were caught the day before. I'm betting it won't work.

[BJ/SD]

In South Dakota you can have only 1 day's limit while on the water. You can put your first day's catch in your vehicle at midnight, and start on your next day's catch.

[Cangl]

In Michigan you would be possesed and ticketed. By your possesion. Fish at night quite abit and favor stopping at 5 so as to be able to keep fishing with a slot for the wall.
St Clair River the limit is 6 and so is possession. No better way to swamp a hot spot than carrying 40 or so pounds of fish along the road.
GO WINGS

[FISHCRAZY]

Apriciate all your input. As far as wat I understood from "Fred Snyder" there's no possession limit in Ohio. We fish alot off the rocks here in cleveland this time a year, and most nights we start "today" and end "tomorow". So far I've haven't had the problem of "to many fish", but just in case one night I'll get realy lucky, I was just wondering if I might have some problems.

[Fishfinder]

Check the regulations closly, a daily bag in my state applies to any 24 hour period, so you may not keep another walleye untill 24 hours after you caught your last limit. If you get caught by the warden in my state he/she might give you a ticket but they wont possess you. Ruff state Cangl lives in.

[bob oh]

I gotta agree with Fred, the wardens have heard it all and they (I think) would love that one. When you hit the dock you are allowed that day's limit. How can you prove you were out before midnight???

Bob

[bob oh]

I gotta agree with Fred, the wardens have heard it all and they (I think) would love that one. When you hit the dock you are allowed that day's limit. How can you prove you were out before midnight???

Bob

[Fuzzy]

Sounds problematic to me...not worth the possible fines and hassle over a few fish. To be honest - kinda sounds like poaching.

[FISHCRAZY]

I agree with your point about not being worth the hassle!! And I can think of a number of ways that will make it possible for me to keep all my eght fish and not run into the game warden holding on to eight. Anyway, I'm glad that Ohio has no possession law, which I belive is a bunch of BS anyway. By the present Ohio law, 4/day limit; I should be able to catch 4 before midnight, then catch 4 more after midnight and not have to worry when I walk to the car with 8 fish. Then about the 24 hour from your last catch period mentioned. WOW, that's even worst then the possession law. How many of you caught your last fish of the day today at 5:00pm, then next morning, bright and early, you were on the lake catching and keeping your "next day" limit????

[Kevin B]

Why not call your county's game officer and ask? That's what I do when I am unsure of a scenario.

[FISHCRAZY]

##### good idea!!!!

[bob oh]

If you are checked at the dock or launch with 8 fish I think you will be arrested. Warden is going to say this is today and you are allowed 4 fish; if you caught 4 yesterday you should have cleaned them and stored them and then went fishing today!
Bob

Possession limit is at your home or place you are staying, not in your boat. In ohio you are allowed to have the daily limit times the days you have fished in your possession (home).

[eriedude]

if i catch you with 8 and the daily bag is 4 youll be fined 225.00 plus 25.00 x 4 = 100.00 for a total of 325.00.when you get your first 4 ,you take them in. then go out for more. i cant believe you seriously aked this question. arent theyre anymore sportsman out there?

[budman]

Cool!

[iceout]

From my understanding of michigan Conservation Officers if say the daily limit is four and possession limit is eight and you fish day one and take four fish and hang them at your camp. Then you fish day two and take four fish you could still be cited. The previous four fish would half to be frozen. Basically you can leave no doubt that the previous four fish were not taken that day. During steelhead runs and such there are buisnesses that will do this for you. From my understanding if the possession is eight you cannot have more than eight in your possession period (car, camper, or at home in the freezer).

Please feel free to correct me if I have misunderstood

[Rick]

Bob Oh, There is no possession limit in Ohio on anything period ! Where did you get that information?

[rich]

i BELIEVE YOU HAVE TO TAKE THE FIRST 4 BACK TO YOUR CAR THATS ONE DAYS LIMIT THEN YOU CAN GO AGAIN 4 YOUR NEXT DAYS LIMIT GOOD FISHING

[FISHCRAZY]

Eriedude; what's the diference? "you take them in, then go for more". I would walk 300 feet to my car with four fish, then go and get for more the following day, one minute later. I fail to see where it would make the diference in the number of eyes and also in the "sportmanship". Either way I'm stayng within my daily limit.

[bob oh]

LAST EDITED ON Apr-23-01 AT 10:42AM (CST)[p]All I know is what I was told by ODNR that you are allowed one day's limit for each day you fish. If you buy a license on Monday and game warden checks you with 3 day's limit in your car or whatever on Tuesday, you are in deep do do.....Ask a game warden - I did. I realize this is normally only a concern for an out-of-stater, but that is what the warden told me. This might not be a "possession" limit, but I wouldn't want to test the warden!!!!!
Have a good day,
Bob