Large DNR presence at Beacon Harbor...

[eyeguy 54]

So if I have 10 crappies  in my freezer I can’t go cpr crappies??  No way. 

Edited January 8, 2020 by eyeguy 54

[BRULEDRIFTER]

I've heard mixed opinions on that rule as well.  Unfortunately I rarely ever have that problem. About the only time I do is lake trout fishing when I have 2 on the ice. I've always kept fishing though and C&R. Guess I could be pike/walleye fishing......  

[CJH]

This is why I posted the email directly from the DNR.  I'd pull it up and show the CO if anybody is questioned.  Any reasonable CO would think twice and realize you are trying to be compliant.

[Bigfatbert]

Our Mn DNR is great at having very vague , confusing ,and questionable rules n regulations that are or are not printed in the regs books . maybe it’s a easy way to make some revenue , by ticketing ,who knows ! 

I’m sure CO’s are sometimes wrong , can you say human beings .

 

Are there any real attorneys out there in reading land that could bring light to this thread ? Although that obviously would just be their opinion on the matter , and a judge in court would also have their own opinion , so i would assume the correct answer to this issue will always just remain a debate .

 

i guess if I was to side at all on this debate , I would honestly change up my targeted fish at the point of a limit , although I may or may not change my bait , my rig , my jig , my depth , my anchor , my drift , my pole ,  my day , my attitude .

Personally I just stop at one short of my possession limit and I can continues to target what ever I want . Imagine that , that just may be the answer to this age old issue , hmmmmmmmmmmmm !

 

[Bigfatbert]

30 minutes ago, CJH said:

This is why I posted the email directly from the DNR.  I'd pull it up and show the CO if anybody is questioned.  Any reasonable CO would think twice and realize you are trying to be compliant.

What if the CO is not reasonable ?

[IceHawk]

From what I understand once you have your limit in possession aka pail livewell  of a certain species of fish you can not keep fishing for that species. I just always stop one short of my limit and keep fishing throwing back that way you don't have to worry about it. Or you could take the chance and say you fishing another species. I see this same scenario on the Horseshoe chain in spring before opener. Guys pitching the walleye holes with  1/4 oz jigs and fatheads  saying there fishing crappies legal but come on looks a little fishy maybe just admit your pre scouting for opener. 

[delcecchi]

25 minutes ago, Bigfatbert said:

What if the CO is not reasonable ?

If they give you a warning, then just forget about it.   If they give you a citation you can go to court or pay.   

[IceHawk]

1 hour ago, eyeguy 54 said:

So if I have 10 crappies  in my freezer I can’t go cpr crappies??  No way. 

Not 100 % sure on this Royce but think you can have your possession limit in freezer but cant keep over it. SO in a nutshell Royce you can CPR your crappies but you legally cant keep them until you are under your possession limit. 

[delcecchi]

3 minutes ago, IceHawk said:

From what I understand once you have your limit in possession aka pail livewell  of a certain species of fish you can not keep fishing for that species. I just always stop one short of my limit and keep fishing throwing back that way you don't have to worry about it. Or you could take the chance and say you fishing another species. I see this same scenario on the Horseshoe chain in spring before opener. Guys pitching the walleye holes with  1/4 oz jigs and fatheads  saying there fishing crappies legal but come on looks a little fishy maybe just admit your pre scouting for opener. 

Fishing Nords with a texas rig plastic worm in the spring.

[Tom Sawyer]

2 hours ago, eyeguy 54 said:

So if I have 10 crappies  in my freezer I can’t go cpr crappies??  No way. 

 

Yep,,, "No more fish for you!!!"

 

Sight fishing only, pull bait from crappies 

 

 

 

Edited January 9, 2020 by Tom Sawyer

[eyeguy 54]

1 hour ago, IceHawk said:

Not 100 % sure on this Royce but think you can have your possession limit in freezer but cant keep over it. SO in a nutshell Royce you can CPR your crappies but you legally cant keep them until you are under your possession limit. 

This goes against your last post . 

[eyeguy 54]

Looks like it’s up to the  CO. So stop one short and release the next fifty. unless deep water. Then go home. 

[Tom Sawyer]

3 minutes ago, eyeguy 54 said:

 So stop one short and release the next fifty. unless deep water. Then go home. 

 

No wonder your shoulder is shot

 

 

Edited January 9, 2020 by Tom Sawyer

[IceHawk]

15 minutes ago, eyeguy 54 said:

This goes against your last post . 

No that's considered a bag limit  whats with you on that day in livewell pail not a possession limit two different scenarios. Unless I'm missing something I said. If you are at your possession limit and want to keep a limit Eat a batch of them or give some away as a gift  and once your under your possession limit you should be good to go 

[IceHawk]

11 minutes ago, eyeguy 54 said:

Looks like it’s up to the  CO. So stop one short and release the next fifty. unless deep water. Then go home. 

Exactly 

[mulefarm]

Wonder why fishing, hunting and trapping participation is going down?

[eyeguy 54]

12 minutes ago, IceHawk said:

No that's considered a bag limit  whats with you on that day in livewell pail not a possession limit two different scenarios. Unless I'm missing something I said. If you are at your possession limit and want to keep a limit Eat a batch of them or give some away as a gift  and once your under your possession limit you should be good to go 

Interesting. I am only aware of a possession and daily  limit which are the same cept for perch. 

Edited January 9, 2020 by eyeguy 54

[Wanderer]

3 hours ago, eyeguy 54 said:

So if I have 10 crappies  in my freezer I can’t go cpr crappies??  No way. 

Smoke em if you got em! 

 

You guys think MN laws can be hard to follow; try WA waterfowl.  We’ve studied every night and keep the book with us for daily checks.  Some things change by the county you’re in.

[SkunkedAgain]

1 hour ago, IceHawk said:

No that's considered a bag limit  whats with you on that day in livewell pail not a possession limit two different scenarios. Unless I'm missing something I said. If you are at your possession limit and want to keep a limit Eat a batch of them or give some away as a gift  and once your under your possession limit you should be good to go 

Your last part is partially correct. You cannot "eat a batch of them or give some away" to get back under the possession limit -- in the same day. You could eat/give them away one day, and then go out fishing the rest. However, the regs clearly state (below) that you can't possess your limit, eat a bunch, and then go back out fishing the same day.

 

[IceHawk]

Thanks  for clearing that up. The laws are confuseing as heck and every DNR officer will have a different opinion and answer to a question  

[SkunkedAgain]

There is no regulation in the Fishing book that states that you have to stop targeting a species after reaching the possession limit. You cannot possess additional fish of that species, but you can catch-and-release as others have stated and the DNR confirmed. Every year I take the new regulation book when buying my license, and keep it in my tackle box. I'm always cordial with the COs, but would ask them to point out a regulation to me before warning or citing me with a violation. They can't legally cite you for something that is not printed somewhere. They can tell you it's illegal even if it's not, they can give you the citation, and of course you then have to fight it.

[mulefarm]

So they can give you a ticket because they think it’s illegal, but really it isn’t? 

[eyeguy 54]

That’s about the size of it

[FishinCT]

9 hours ago, SkunkedAgain said:

There is no regulation in the Fishing book that states that you have to stop targeting a species after reaching the possession limit. You cannot possess additional fish of that species, but you can catch-and-release as others have stated and the DNR confirmed. Every year I take the new regulation book when buying my license, and keep it in my tackle box. I'm always cordial with the COs, but would ask them to point out a regulation to me before warning or citing me with a violation. They can't legally cite you for something that is not printed somewhere. They can tell you it's illegal even if it's not, they can give you the citation, and of course you then have to fight it.

This x100. The regs really are clear about this, and keeping them in your tackle box is a great way to deter a ticket in this specific case. Might tick off the CO but so be it, just make sure the rest of your ducks are in a row. 

 

I’ll even throw another wrinkle out there. You CAN cull fish before you reach your limit except on Mille lacs and most border waters. If I’m fishing vermilion and just want 2 to eat, I can keep the first two 14 inchers I catch, continue fishing and replace them with 17 inchers if I want to eat a nicer fish. 

[Tom Sawyer]

26 minutes ago, FishinCT said:

 I’ll even throw another wrinkle out there. You CAN cull fish before you reach your limit except on Mille lacs and most border waters. If I’m fishing vermilion and just want 2 to eat, I can keep the first two 14 inchers I catch, continue fishing and replace them with 17 inchers if I want to eat a nicer fish. 

 

 

Good luck with that "wrinkle", better read page 33 under Possession 

[FishinCT]

28 minutes ago, Tom Sawyer said:

 

 

Good luck with that "wrinkle", better read page 33 under Possession 

Copy and pasted from page 33 regs:

 

“Once you reach your daily or possession limit of fish, you can’t release fish already
caught and kept and replace them with other fish.”

 

“While fishing on Mille Lacs Lake or North Dakota border waters, you may not
release fish already caught and kept and replace them with other fish even before you reach your daily or possession limit.”

 

If you read those two together, it’s pretty clear that on most lakes you can sort fish, just not when you already have a limit. 

EDIT: I actually didn’t know this until I’ve been reading this thread and decided to read the regs thoroughly. Usually I just catch enough to eat and throw everything else back. I’m too much of a fish snob to eat frozen fish. 

 

 

 

Edited January 9, 2020 by FishinCT

[Tom Sawyer]

6 minutes ago, FishinCT said:

Copy and pasted from page 33 regs:

“Once you reach your daily or possession limit of fish, you can’t release fish already
caught and kept and replace them with other fish.”

 

Exactly, good luck

[eyeguy 54]

Interesting. That does sound like a guy can sort if short of possession. Cept on the pond

Edited January 9, 2020 by eyeguy 54

[FishinCT]

I think you’re missing my point. My example above is legal. I’ve said repeatedly you can’t sort if you already have your limit. 

[Tom Sawyer]

1 hour ago, FishinCT said:

 If I’m fishing vermilion and just want 2 to eat, I can keep the first two 14 inchers I catch, continue fishing and replace them with 17 inchers if I want to eat a nicer fish. 

 

LOL