Some new questions for your input

[curt quesnell]

You can party fish in Minnesota. Meaning you can catch

10 fish if your buddy catches 2. Take this one step further, say you have 3 boats in your group fishing in one

area. Your boat is catching zilch another boat is

windmillin em and is close to limits at noon and the third

boat is doing so-so.

At lunch break you can divvy up the fish so that everyone

can keep fishing.

Or one boat in the group is going home at noon, you can give

limits to the guys leaving at noon so they go home with

limits and the rest can keep fishing.

What do you think of that?

Ok now, how about this. You come home from the lake

on Monday with 6 Walleyes. Bring 3 fish over to Mr and Mrs

Johnson across the street, good neighbors of yours who are

elderly and don't fish anymore. They are sooooooooo happy

to see you at the door with fillets you can see the tears

welling in Mr Johnsons eyes as memories of a thousand trips

return. Then you cook up the other 3 for your own supper.

(By the way, you are sure the Johnsons dont have licenses.)

6 more fish tomorrow? unethical?, illegal?

--------------------

[widetrack]

At best all of this would be skirting the law.

Personally, I'd invite the Johnson's over for a fish fry at my house, tip a couple of cold ones over happy hour, eat lots of fresh fish, and share good memories...

The most my buddies that are getting zipped would get from me is my left over bait, and good luck wishes as I head in.

Maybe even a little good natured ribbing perhaps...

(I've been on the receiving end of that scene before...)

PS: A party is defined as a group of two or more persons:

1) angling from a single watercraft; or

2) if not in a watercraft, maintaining unaided visual and vocal contact with each other. The total number of fish possessed by the party may not exceed the combined limits of the numbers of the party. Each party member may transport only an individual limit of fish.

[bucks-n-ducks]

Curt~

If it would be illegal to give fish away, I couldn't fish as much as I do.... In the winter I never eat frozen fish, if I'm not going to eat it in a day or two it goes to the grandparents/aunts/uncles or anyone else that is deserveing. Like you said elderly people think you are like god when you bring them a couple fresh walleye fillets in the winter time! I'm with widetrack, if I'm ice fishing and I caught my limit, time to go home and clean fish..The other guys better learn how to fish alittle better!

[widetrack]

I personally find it unethical at the very least (the law is a little grey here) for people to be giving fish away just to justify being able to fish tomorrow, and bag another limit, but that's just my opinion.

[bucks-n-ducks]

Whats the difference if you give it away or invite someone over to your house....They are still eating "your" fish. I feel that if it is legal, it is ok....It maybe isn't the best thing to do, but neither will be releaseing that 25 inch walleye that one of the charters caught downrigging, knowing that fish doesn't have a snowballs pray in hell of living. That is not right at ALL. I think giving some fish to relatives or some people that don't have the oppurtunity to fish, is GREAT. I see nothing wrong with that.

B&D

[widetrack]

When I have a fish fry, I know when my possesion limit is consumed.

I don't know the letter of the law on gifting, but I'd say there is a darn good chance that possesion limit you gifted is still counted towards yours.

If I'm fishing a lot, I practice C&R, as opposed to giving them away.

You are entitled to your opinion, I'm just stating mine.

[PikeTipper]

If you are only giving them away so that you can run out the next day and keep another limit then I can see that as being unethical. Nothing is stopping you from going out fishing the next day, just release your fish.

That being said though I do think that it is a good thing to be giving fish to those that are not able to go out and catch there own. Helps to promote our favorite past time and may even get you exclusive permission to hunt their land if they own any.