tournament oops.

[vister]

A buddy and I were in a sportsmans challenge this last weekend. Fishing and sporting clays. At weigh in, a guy and his partner were one bass over their legal limit. Of course, they just set it aside, as they said it was their last, AND the smallest of the day. It was no big deal to the judges, but the fisherman involved in the challenge were rather irritated. Anyone else out there ever come across a situation like that? Should they have been deducted points for the illegal fish? Just curious. We managed to win it all anyways, so oh well!

[andrew chadwick]

should they have been deducted points, no, they should have been disqualified and be no longer able to compete in tournaments.

[TurnUpTheFishing]

One bass over as in 13 fish? Or one bass over the tournament bag? If they had over 12 fish I dont think a DQ is out of line. But if they were within MN's legal limit whats the big deal? I dont fish tournaments but if its not a stated rule that you may only have X amount of fish in your livewell then they really didnt do anything wrong.

[vister]

they were not within the states legal limit. that is where they were over the limit, not tournament limits. A game warden would have gotten out the pen had he/she saw the livewell.

[hanson]

They violated a fishing regulation, and more than likely violated tournament rules as well. Should have been DQ'd IMO.

If I were to guess, that fish was NOT the last one they caught.

I just don't see how you'd keep more than your limit in a tourny. I know how many fish are in the livewell, approximate size of all of them, and my game plan from that point forward.

[LuckyNorm07]

You would think the person would figure it out when transfering fish from the livewell into the tournament bag for the weight in..

[Mark Christianson]

I was in a tourney a few weeks ago, and a boat had an "extra" fish. They were balance beaming on shore, and a few people saw and even reported it. Tournament officials didnt have any written rules handy, and the issue was basically blown off.

[EBass]

Should be DQ'd - otherwise everyone will do the same thing.

It's as fair as BLB's fish cage near the 169 bridge. I mean...

[Cabela10]

If you are in a team/partner tournament and you can have 12 total fish between you guys by state law and the tourney limit is 5 fish. You can hold 12 fish if you really wanted too, and only bring 5 to the scale. It's not the tournaments fish or official until you place it on the scales. If they handed the bag over with 6 fish in it, 1 over the tourney limit to the measurer person, then they should be DQed, otherwise, they can do whatever they want in there boat or on shore until they turn those fish over to the weigh-master person.

[Pherris]

Most tournaments do not allow you to have more then the tournament limit in your live well at any time and you can not cull a dead fish.

Also once you put your DNR limit fish in the well you can no longer cull. At least that is how I understand the MN DNR possession limit rules. Good Fishing!!

[Deitz Dittrich]

I have been in quite a few tournament where people brought in an extra fish by accident. In cases like that.. THe largest fish was pulled from their limmit. I have never been in a tournament where someone was over the LEGAL limmit... I would assume in that case... DQ