Who's counting??

Guys like this should never be able to fish or hunt anywhere in America ever again! Stories like this make my blood boil!!

Choose one and keep your eyes on your own screen:

A. Glutton?

B. Criminal?

C. Both!

walllee: "Guys like this should never be able to fish or hunt anywhere in America ever again! Stories like this make my blood boil!!"

What you said. I hope that they confiscated his boat, truck, and the freezer. What is wrong with people?

A bit of math indicates he had about 56 daily limits in his freezer, processed. While I agree that is a huge amount, I wasn't aware of the limit applying to your freezer at home... So, if you are catching and processing panfish in Michigan, you cannot have more than 50 processed panfish frozen in your freezer on any one day, is how I interpret the article? Note, I am NOT defending the guy, I just didn't know how this works. Or maybe it was simply that they had him exceeding his daily limit on the sum of morning and afternoon catches, and the confiscation of the frozen fish was just part of the penalty...

rtallent: "A bit of math indicates he had about 56 daily limits in his freezer, processed. While I agree that is a huge amount, I wasn't aware of the limit applying to your freezer at home... So, if you are catching and processing panfish in Michigan, you cannot have more than 50 processed panfish frozen in your freezer on any one day, is how I interpret the article? Note, I am NOT defending the guy, I just didn't know how this works. Or maybe it was simply that they had him exceeding his daily limit on the sum of morning and afternoon catches, and the confiscation of the frozen fish was just part of the penalty... "

Minnesota is that way also. Your freezer is part of your possession.

I found that out a couple years ago. A possession limit includes what is in your freezer. Seems weird, but I guess it makes sense. Eat what you have then go from there. What is the sense of stockpiling fish in the freezer.

scat: "I found that out a couple years ago. A possession limit includes what is in your freezer. Seems weird, but I guess it makes sense. Eat what you have then go from there. What is the sense of stockpiling fish in the freezer."

I agree, I’m not one for fish out of the freezer. He was set to eat well for a while.

nctry: "

scat: "I found that out a couple years ago. A possession limit includes what is in your freezer. Seems weird, but I guess it makes sense. Eat what you have then go from there. What is the sense of stockpiling fish in the freezer."

I agree, I’m not one for fish out of the freezer. He was set to eat well for a while. "

I'd think otherwise, Ben. It would take a long time to eat that many fish and by the time you got to the end, a lot of them would be freezer damaged.

nctry: "

scat: "I found that out a couple years ago. A possession limit includes what is in your freezer. Seems weird, but I guess it makes sense. Eat what you have then go from there. What is the sense of stockpiling fish in the freezer."

I agree, I’m not one for fish out of the freezer. He was set to eat well for a while. "

Maybe he knew more than us,like muskrats building a large house. Its going to be one hard winter.

Thanks, I did not know this stuff. (Not that I am anywhere close to that; maybe have two game fish meals in the freezer). Does that apply for folks who take venison, etc.? (I don't hunt, but could see folks having some left over from a previous year)

rtallent: "Thanks, I did not know this stuff. (Not that I am anywhere close to that; maybe have two game fish meals in the freezer). Does that apply for folks who take venison, etc.? (I don't hunt, but could see folks having some left over from a previous year)"

Good question. Like 20-30 years ago in Minnesota you were supposed to have last years venison used up by a certain date. That was done away with.
Yes you need the appropiate(sp) deer tag in your possession.

rtallent: "Thanks, I did not know this stuff. (Not that I am anywhere close to that; maybe have two game fish meals in the freezer). Does that apply for folks who take venison, etc.? (I don't hunt, but could see folks having some left over from a previous year)"

Applies to small game also......ducks, pheasants, rabbits. You're not supposed to be stockpiling game in your freezer.

Another Canadian regulation... Ontario anyways, if two or more are fishing technically you can only keep a limit you caught. You couldn’t catch your limit and half or all of mine too. Pretty hard to enforce. But I’ve had them swoop in their float planes out of no where. We never had a problem but you never know.... very stealthy if they want to be. Personally I don’t need that much fish in my freezer. And Miss Molly, I thought of the freezer burn thing too. I was guessing he bagged them up better then I ever could.

In Michigan you can be in possession of two days limit of any species, this includes your refrigerator, freezer, boat etc. the limit for panfish is twenty five per day so total possession limit in fifty.

nctry: "Another Canadian regulation... Ontario anyways, if two or more are fishing technically you can only keep a limit you caught. You couldn’t catch your limit and half or all of mine too. Pretty hard to enforce. But I’ve had them swoop in their float planes out of no where. We never had a problem but you never know.... very stealthy if they want to be. Personally I don’t need that much fish in my freezer. And Miss Molly, I thought of the freezer burn thing too. I was guessing he bagged them up better then I ever could."

I pat dry my fish then vacuum seal them, recently found a bag of perch over a year old and they were still good.

No matter how you look at it, 1,400 fish is a lot of fish!! Not to mention the fact that he left then came back later. I wonder what his motive was.

how would you do a big family fish fry with this freezer rule? just curious

scat: "I found that out a couple years ago. A possession limit includes what is in your freezer. Seems weird, but I guess it makes sense. Eat what you have then go from there. What is the sense of stockpiling fish in the freezer."

Pretty sure a possession limit also includes any fish consumed that "day"- hence daily possession limits. I have seen this rule in Ontario enforced to the "T".

missmolly: "

nctry: "

scat: "I found that out a couple years ago. A possession limit includes what is in your freezer. Seems weird, but I guess it makes sense. Eat what you have then go from there. What is the sense of stockpiling fish in the freezer."

I agree, I’m not one for fish out of the freezer. He was set to eat well for a while. "

I'd think otherwise, Ben. It would take a long time to eat that many fish and by the time you got to the end, a lot of them would be freezer damaged. "

Some people stock up on them for large group fish fries. Some Super Bowl party is going to be upset.

Wow, that's a lot of fish. How could you eat that many? I know I fish bluegill often and only keep what I need. I have a fish fry about once a month during football season and save some for a wing night and the Kishwaukee Paddlefest. There is no limit for bluegill on most lakes in Indiana and there probably should be.

walllee: "Guys like this should never be able to fish or hunt anywhere in America ever again! Stories like this make my blood boil!!"

Agreed. Never hunt or fish again. Make the ban reciprocal across all the states.

Mike

WhiteWolf: "

scat: "I found that out a couple years ago. A possession limit includes what is in your freezer. Seems weird, but I guess it makes sense. Eat what you have then go from there. What is the sense of stockpiling fish in the freezer."

Pretty sure a possession limit also includes any fish consumed that "day"- hence daily possession limits. I have seen this rule in Ontario enforced to the "T". "

That's correct in Minnesota, yes. They can count carcasses to see if you're over. For *most* fish the daily bag limit and the possession limit are identical, meaning that if the limit is 6 walleye and you have 3 in your freezer at home, you can catch 3 and then you're done. If you eat 2 of those 3, you're still done for the day, but the next day you can catch 2 more. There are some species that have larger possession limits than daily limits, namely perch (20 daily, but 40 possession). I have no idea why perch are different from everything else.

Hunting regulations get a little more complicated, as there it's very common to have a higher possession limit than the daily bag limit. For non-migratory small game most of the possession limits are two days worth of daily limits, e.g. 10 & 20 for rabbit/hare, 5 & 10 for ruffed/spruce grouse, and 7 & 14 for squirrel. It's not across the board though, as the possession limit is triple the daily for pheasant and still just one for turkey. Meanwhile, the possession limits for migratory birds are three times their daily bag limits.

As far as I know, big game is treated differently, and you are allowed to have some still in the freezer from last year. The regulations only seem to use the term "bag limit", and not daily or possession. I believe this is related to the more stringent tagging and registration procedures for those, but I'm not as familiar with those regs yet, so take with a grain of salt.

Canoearoo: "how would you do a big family fish fry with this freezer rule? just curious "

One possession limit per license holder. And I believe if you're under 15 but a parent/guardian has a license, that kid also gets a possession limit.

My wife and I buy fishing licenses, and our two kids are under the age of 15. Technically, we can have 4 possession limits in our freezer. That goes a long ways towards a big family fish fry.

thistlekicker: "

Canoearoo: "how would you do a big family fish fry with this freezer rule? just curious "

One possession limit per license holder. And I believe if you're under 15 but a parent/guardian has a license, that kid also gets a possession limit.


My wife and I buy fishing licenses, and our two kids are under the age of 15. Technically, we can have 4 possession limits in our freezer. That goes a long ways towards a big family fish fry."

Once a year my grandfather would have a big family gathering and have a huge fish fry for 100 people on his farm. He caught all the fish on the river on his farm and freeze them in his freezer. When I asked my dad about limits he said the same as this, we all would be way more than what he had, yet before the fish fry I'm sure his freezer wasn't legal? Maybe back then (80s) the rules were simpler. I know you could have a lot more fish back then then today. Also maybe now a days you can apply for a special permit like the churches do?

Canoearoo: "

thistlekicker: "

Canoearoo: "how would you do a big family fish fry with this freezer rule? just curious "

One possession limit per license holder. And I believe if you're under 15 but a parent/guardian has a license, that kid also gets a possession limit.



My wife and I buy fishing licenses, and our two kids are under the age of 15. Technically, we can have 4 possession limits in our freezer. That goes a long ways towards a big family fish fry."

Once a year my grandfather would have a big family gathering and have a huge fish fry for 100 people on his farm. He caught all the fish on the river on his farm and freeze them in his freezer. When I asked my dad about limits he said the same as this, we all would be way more than what he had, yet before the fish fry I'm sure his freezer wasn't legal? Maybe back then (80s) the rules were simpler. I know you could have a lot more fish back then then today. Also maybe now a days you can apply for a special permit like the churches do?"

In the 80's most species you were allowed twice your daily limit in possession. Actually many of the changes came when residents started complaining about non residents taking too many fish home(just stating what local anglers claimed). Much of that started up by the lake of the woods. Probably in the 80's.
Most Church fish fry is commercial fish.

The perch change because of Lake Winnbegosh(sp) at one time it was unlimited perch. Again residents complained about people from Fargo N.D. and Illinois were coming up in the winter and staying in mobile homes on the lake or at a resort and were taking bathtub loads home(the words of resident anglers-and was some truth to that). There was a commercial selling of them in Illinois-Chicago that was traced down also.
Than the limit went to 100 than downward over the years as perch size decreased and it was also recognized the perch was as a forage food for walleye and northern pike.

I see it has been brought up but I think that what you have in your freezer should not count. So theoretically I have 4 pikes canned up from last year and I bring home 3 pikes from a recent trip. Admitting here I have no idea what the limits are but lets pretend I am over in this scenario. The 4 from last year should not count against my total. Granted I understand it is impossible to determine how old anything is thereby making it impossible to police but man it really shouldn't need enforcing (obviously in a perfect world).

If there was no possession limit I'm guessing there would be more people with 1400 fish in their freezer. I could understand increasing the possession limit to 2 or 3 daily limits but I would be 100% against an unlimited possession limit.

So I have no fish in my freezer, and I want to have fish for dinner. That means I HAVE to go fishing! Oh the humanity! Will my suffering never end!

Legal is what legal is. Possession is just that, "anything you have in YOUR possession". It really can not get more simply than that. I really think you have a case when you fish multiple states and show your licenses for that state so you can have your limit from that state also in your possession, but if you have 4 people in your family and the possession limit is 50 fish per angler, then you are illegal if you have more than 200 fish "in your possession", whether that is in the freezer, fridge, or live well. Once you consume part or all of your limit, than you can keep fish again. Until that time its catch and release.

thebotanyguy: "So I have no fish in my freezer, and I want to have fish for dinner. That means I HAVE to go fishing! Oh the humanity! Will my suffering never end!"

Funny!

There was an interesting article in the DNR's Minnesota Conservation Volunteer, May-June 2019 edition , that talked about the decreasing size of sunfish. The statement below struck me...

"A lot of anglers ... don't understand how long it takes to grow a big, 9- or 10-inch sunfish. A bluegill that size can be 10 years old. In the same time it takes to grow a trophy sunfish, you can grow two or three trophy white-tailed deer bucks.

Jaywalker: "There was an interesting article in the DNR's Minnesota Conservation Volunteer, May-June 2019 edition , that talked about the decreasing size of sunfish. The statement below struck me...

"A lot of anglers ... don't understand how long it takes to grow a big, 9- or 10-inch sunfish. A bluegill that size can be 10 years old. In the same time it takes to grow a trophy sunfish, you can grow two or three trophy white-tailed deer bucks. "

Bluegills in north central and northern Minnesota grow about one inch a year. A 7-8 inch bluegill is about 7 years old. A 9-10 inch crappie-about age 5. A walleye 14.5inches is usually around 4 years old. Bass a 14 inch bass 5-6 years old. Northern pike are the fast growers and a 22 inch northern pike is like 3-4 years old. A 20 inch lake trout probably 9 years old.

Many waters of the MN inland lakes where motor boat accessible and modern gear especially some of the new locators-I know people in like tournaments their gear is so good they just drive around the whole lake with fish finders like commercial fishermen and locate the fish and sit on them and fish them hard. Walleye are especially getting cropped down in size with the high harvest rates.
It would be interesting to figure out fishing pressure is in the BWCA. I do know on lake trout they are being effected in size and numbers. Other species?

and no doubt some don't understand that if you have your daily possession and you get another on the line you are breaking the law

I'm not sure that is true you can keep fishing after you have your limit. You just have to release it as soon as you land it.

Chieflonewatie: "I'm not sure that is true you can keep fishing after you have your limit. You just have to release it as soon as you land it."

I think Zara is right if your on the water.

Obviously there are extremes. I go fishing roughly 5-8 times a year so........ if I had (I have no idea of limits) the limit of say walleye in my freezer (I have no freezer for this...mine is full of popsicles and crap). It doesn't necessarily hurt if I keep 2 or 3 fish when I am out and eat them.

Some people are plain crazy and stockpile like no other but I would believe the majority stays within reason/law.

Pinetree: "

Chieflonewatie: "I'm not sure that is true you can keep fishing after you have your limit. You just have to release it as soon as you land it."

I think Zara is right if your on the water."

I agree with chieflonewatie (awesome name BTW) I am pretty sure this is wrong. Not something I typically need to worry about:) but I can see no law that prohibits catch and release after you reach your limit. Maybe I am missing it? For all practical purposes most people quite fishing or never reach their limit according to DNR studies.

The law does state you cannot cull or exchange fish. That is once a fish is put in the livewell or stringer it is considered part of your possession limit whether you release the fish or not. The reason being delayed mortality goes up once you decide to keep the fish—-especially if you try to release it from a stringer. I am sure this rule is violated quite often unknowingly. In the whole scheme of things I don’t think it has a lot of effect on the fishery so not getting bent out of shape about people doing it but not feeling sorry for people who get fined either.

T

x2jmorris: "Obviously there are extremes. I go fishing roughly 5-8 times a year so........ if I had (I have no idea of limits) the limit of say walleye in my freezer (I have no freezer for this...mine is full of popsicles and crap). It doesn't necessarily hurt if I keep 2 or 3 fish when I am out and eat them.


Some people are plain crazy and stockpile like no other but I would believe the majority stays within reason/law."

I agree with your previous post about in a perfect world rule shouldn’t be necessary.
The rule is mostly in place for people like the guy busted in the article. Also I have seen small lakes ruined in a year when there is a hot bite. People catch their limit, go eat it, catch their limit again, go in a freeze it, and then catch another limit. It becomes contagious. If that guy is doing it then maybe I better get mine now too. Pretty soon the lake is ruined for a few years. I have seen it happen on some small lakes I fish, and I have proudly turned in people for doing it. If you read old DNR accounts about Red Lake, you will see it wasn’t just Native netting that collapsed the walleye fishery. Once the natives started netting....regular anglers started keeping multiple limits. The DNR was handing out fines like crazy but couldn’t keep up. Like I said when the bite is hot it destroys the fishery so they have some cut off.

T

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. See culling definition on page

Timikin I will check further if you can still fish for the same species? I am not sure either way?

Yes, you can keep fishing for the same species with the intent to release. A fish on your line or briefly in your hands or boat for purposes of unhooking, measuring, and photographing is not yet "reduced to possession", and would not put you over the limit. That said, while it may still be legal, ethically it's a good idea to still have one possession slot left in case of a deeply-hooked fish that is unlikely to survive after release.

The rules actually specifically spell out this particular scenario:
"Once a person or persons fishing as a party as provided in Minnesota Statutes, section 97C.317, retain a daily limit for a species, all fish of that species that are subsequently taken must be immediately released into the water after capture." - M.R. 6262.0100, Subpart 5, paragraph C.

Note that "immediately released" is defined elsewhere:
"Immediately released" or "immediately returned to the water" means that a fish must not be retained longer than is needed at the site of capture to unhook, identify, measure, or photograph the fish. Placing a fish on a stringer, in a live well, or in a cooler, bucket, or other container is not "immediately released" or "immediately returned to the water." - M.S. 97A.015, Subdivision 26c.

Thanks

Pinetree: "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. See culling definition on page


Timikin I will check further if you can still fish for the same species? I am not sure either way?"

I think we are saying the same thing, unless you think any fish caught is considered kept? Kept means the fish has been put in a bucket, livewell, stringer etc..., fish you release right away don’t count against a limit. Sometimes I catch 10 fish that are too big or little before I get one keeper for example. None of the fish I release right away count as in possession.

T

I don’t really think the culling is enforced. If anyone has ever watched a bass or walleye tournament, culling is just part of catching the heaviest limit you can catch. It wouldn’t seem fair to let the professionals do it and ticket the week-end fisherman.

mutz: "I don’t really think the culling is enforced. If anyone has ever watched a bass or walleye tournament, culling is just part of catching the heaviest limit you can catch. It wouldn’t seem fair to let the professionals do it and ticket the week-end fisherman."

I think it would be if they actually catch you doing it. I don't think a tournament in Minnesota would get a official bye on it. Tournaments might do it and not enforced?

One thing which is new and the way tournaments should be run. They measure and weigh the fish immediatly(sp) it is recorded via Ipad or computer and a video-picture is taken which goes to the control center. Some places you can sit on shore with your beer and watch the weigh in being recorded and have a automatic active leaderboard.
The fish is released where caught and is not in the boat for many hours and transported many miles from where caught. I think it will be the wave of tournament futures.

I just wish I had a freezer that big!

mutz: "I don’t really think the culling is enforced. If anyone has ever watched a bass or walleye tournament, culling is just part of catching the heaviest limit you can catch. It wouldn’t seem fair to let the professionals do it and ticket the week-end fisherman."

**edited**see my next post, the info I originally had was incorrect.

T

Mutz and Pinetree, I looked at the reg on page 33 and I think I need to correct. It states once you reach your limit you may not exchange fish.

“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. See culling definition on page 13.”

That is an important distinction. Although I may disagree with it, it appears some form of culling is legal in Minnesota as long as you haven’t reached your daily or possession limit.

T

thistlekicker: "

Canoearoo: "how would you do a big family fish fry with this freezer rule? just curious "

One possession limit per license holder. And I believe if you're under 15 but a parent/guardian has a license, that kid also gets a possession limit.


My wife and I buy fishing licenses, and our two kids are under the age of 15. Technically, we can have 4 possession limits in our freezer. That goes a long ways towards a big family fish fry."

Actually, your minor kids count TOWARDS your possession limit, I believe.

What about these fish camps, that catch a limit every day and take them home to wherever.......I can almost guarantee they are breeaking the possession limits.

I kind of agree with the possession limits, but I also disagree.

The possession limits are in place for the meat harvesters that want to take a limit every day, and put them in the freeezer and then forget about them.........BUT, if I want to have a few gallon bags of gills in my freezer, and that means I have more than 2 days of fishing limits in my freezer....SO BE IT.

Ain't no game warden coming to my freakin home to check without a warrant anyways.

GeoFisher: "What about these fish camps, that catch a limit every day and take them home to wherever.......I can almost guarantee they are breeaking the possession limits.


I kind of agree with the possession limits, but I also disagree.


The possession limits are in place for the meat harvesters that want to take a limit every day, and put them in the freeezer and then forget about them.........BUT, if I want to have a few gallon bags of gills in my freezer, and that means I have more than 2 days of fishing limits in my freezer....SO BE IT.


Ain't no game warden coming to my freakin home to check without a warrant anyways.
"

Ah, wardens don't need no stinking warrant. But I do agree with you that you should be able to have a few days possession in your house.

minnmike: "

GeoFisher: "What about these fish camps, that catch a limit every day and take them home to wherever.......I can almost guarantee they are breeaking the possession limits.



I kind of agree with the possession limits, but I also disagree.



The possession limits are in place for the meat harvesters that want to take a limit every day, and put them in the freeezer and then forget about them.........BUT, if I want to have a few gallon bags of gills in my freezer, and that means I have more than 2 days of fishing limits in my freezer....SO BE IT.



Ain't no game warden coming to my freakin home to check without a warrant anyways.
"

Ah, wardens don't need no stinking warrant. But I do agree with you that you should be able to have a few days possession in your house. "

I think warrant less search by a Conservation Officer is a state by state issue........Many states allow it........Many do NOT.......I get your point though...

Again, NO GAME WARDEN is searching my home without a warrant.

Check that....No Law enforcement person, period is searching my home with out a warrant.

I’m pretty sure the DNR in most states don’t have the time or manpower to worry about someone who has a three day limit of bluegill in the freezer, the true concern is the guy who has several hundred bluegill or walleye or perch. I don’t think any DNR officer in any state is going to see a limit in your boat then drive to your home to check your freezer. As far as a warrant, it’s ok boys and girls there are already laws on the books that cover search and seizure.

x2jmorris: "Obviously there are extremes. I go fishing roughly 5-8 times a year so........ if I had (I have no idea of limits) the limit of say walleye in my freezer (I have no freezer for this...mine is full of popsicles and crap). It doesn't necessarily hurt if I keep 2 or 3 fish when I am out and eat them.


Some people are plain crazy and stockpile like no other but I would believe the majority stays within reason/law."

Are you honestly admitting to going fishing, keeping fish, and having literally no idea how many it’s legal to keep?

thegildedgopher: "


Are you honestly admitting to going fishing, keeping fish, and having literally no idea how many it’s legal to keep?"

he admits to not seeing a difference between what is the law, and what is in his opinion, reasonable

I think the thread may have been deleted, but it was surprising to read all the people that thought it was OK to dump fish remains in the lake, despite it clearly saying in the regs that it is not legal in MN or WI

it may be OK in other places, they have strange habits like dumping their Xmas trees in water to attract fish

I'd like to hear from jmorris because his words seems pretty clear. " I go fishing roughly 5-8 times a year so........ if I had (I have no idea of limits) the limit of say walleye in my freezer)"

and earlier "Admitting here I have no idea what the limits are but lets pretend I am over in this scenario."

I just think going fishing without having any idea what the limits are is problematic.

Is there anyone here who has ever exceeded a speed limit going fishing or going home other than me? My point is the old Biblical mote and log, i.e. we all break the law, again and again.

The poacher who'd hoarded 56 daily limits, if he cooks those fish in oil, will have his comeuppance in coming or current heart disease, atop hurting the fishery that feeds him.

missmolly: "Is there anyone here who has ever exceeded a speed limit going fishing or going home other than me? My point is the old Biblical mote and log, i.e. we all break the law, again and again.


The poacher who'd hoarded 56 daily limits, if he cooks those fish in oil, will have his comeuppance in coming or current heart disease, atop hurting the fishery that feeds him. "

True, nobody's perfect. It's the complete lack of an attempt to even understand the regulations that has a bee in my bonnet today. I can't imagine knowing that there is a public document that takes half an hour to read that will tell me how to be a good steward of our resources and follow the laws, and just choosing not to educate myself. Even if a person keeps only 1 fish it might be an illegal fish that could've been easily avoided by simply knowing the rules.

This is from the DNR office today-Sept. 9: This has been a source of contention throughout the DNR office, so it’s a very good question. The last ruling that we got on this from the enforcement division is that “Once you’ve hit your limit, you are no longer able to target that specific species regardless if you’re just doing catch and release. So unfortunately, once you’ve hit your limit, the take from enforcement is that you may not target that species either.

GeoFisher: "

thistlekicker: "

Canoearoo: "how would you do a big family fish fry with this freezer rule? just curious "

One possession limit per license holder. And I believe if you're under 15 but a parent/guardian has a license, that kid also gets a possession limit.

My wife and I buy fishing licenses, and our two kids are under the age of 15. Technically, we can have 4 possession limits in our freezer. That goes a long ways towards a big family fish fry."

Actually, your minor kids count TOWARDS your possession limit, I believe."

It depends. Minnesota RESIDENT youth under the age of 16 are entitled to their own possession limit and may fish without their parent or guardian having any license, so long as the youth is the one holding the rod, setting the hook, and reeling in the fish. NON-resident youth depend on what type of license was purchased. They are allowed to fish without a license of their own if their parent or guardian has an individual non-resident license, but in that scenario their fish count toward the parent or guardian's limit. However, if a "family" license is purchased or if the youth buys their own separate non-resident youth license, then they get their own limits.

That is something they couldn't prove even if they tried. I'm using a jig and a leach catching walleye, northerns, and bass. What fish am I targeting.

That is something they couldn't prove even if they tried. I'm using a jig and a leach catching walleye, northerns, and bass. What fish am I targeting.

thegildedgopher: "I'd like to hear from jmorris because his words seems pretty clear. " I go fishing roughly 5-8 times a year so........ if I had (I have no idea of limits) the limit of say walleye in my freezer)"


and earlier "Admitting here I have no idea what the limits are but lets pretend I am over in this scenario."


I just think going fishing without having any idea what the limits are is problematic."

Yes you read what I wrote correctly. I go fishing with a few others and we keep about 2 fish a night and eat them that night as a side to our main dinner. Most times them being pike but a walleye every once in a while. I do not know what the limits are but I do know I am not over.

x2jmorris: "

thegildedgopher: "I'd like to hear from jmorris because his words seems pretty clear. " I go fishing roughly 5-8 times a year so........ if I had (I have no idea of limits) the limit of say walleye in my freezer)"



and earlier "Admitting here I have no idea what the limits are but lets pretend I am over in this scenario."



I just think going fishing without having any idea what the limits are is problematic."

Yes you read what I wrote correctly. I go fishing with a few others and we keep about 2 fish a night and eat them that night as a side to our main dinner. Most times them being pike but a walleye every once in a while. I do not know what the limits are but I do know I am not over."

I understand that you're not raping the fishery in any way. You're not a poacher but that doesn't mean you're not vulnerable to a citation for not knowing the rules. In the BWCA in general the pike limit is 2, and all between 30-40 inches must be released immediately. There are other lakes with specific harvest slots or protected slots (Basswood being one, 24-36 protected slot) and anything on the border could be different as well. Things change every year. It takes half an hour to read the current regs, more like 5 minutes if you know what you're looking for. If that's too much, just have Siri read you the PDF on the way in the car. Could save you some embarrassment and a nice fine.

I mean you are not wrong Gildedgopher. I would have been alright this year on the 30-40s. I have searched in the past for specific lakes like Basswood so I was prepared for that lake back when I went there. The 30-40 thing is kind of crazy to me. I don't think I would ever keep anything over a 30 inch pike myself. That is too much meat for my needs. Something along a 25 inch would be perfect. I also never bring any home to freeze. Only eat fish on my 3-4 trips to the bwca a year and then some at my cabin.

x2jmorris: "I mean you are not wrong Gildedgopher. I would have been alright this year on the 30-40s. I have searched in the past for specific lakes like Basswood so I was prepared for that lake back when I went there. The 30-40 thing is kind of crazy to me. I don't think I would ever keep anything over a 30 inch pike myself. That is too much meat for my needs. Something along a 25 inch would be perfect. I also never bring any home to freeze. Only eat fish on my 3-4 trips to the bwca a year and then some at my cabin."

I hear ya. You're basically self-policing which in a perfect world would be enough. The regs get tricky. 23-27 inch pike have always been considered "perfect eaters" in my group -- well that will get you into trouble in the "north central" zone of Minnesota now. You can keep 10 northerns but all from 22 to 26 inches must be released, and only two can be over 26 inches. (this applies to hook and line fishing only, not spearing).

walllee: "Guys like this should never be able to fish or hunt anywhere in America ever again! Stories like this make my blood boil!!"

Most states ( 47 I think) are part of a compact that enforces penalties meted out by member states. For however long that guy loses his license in his home state, that will apply in all other states, he can't buy licenses in other states.

Chieflonewatie: "That is something they couldn't prove even if they tried. I'm using a jig and a leach catching walleye, northerns, and bass. What fish am I targeting."

it doesn't matter what you are targeting, it matters how many are in your possession, if you have a limit and you catch another one, it better be released immediately in the water or you have just broken the law, a cranky officer might give you a citation even for having it on your line if he has observed you stringer sorting

I'm not sure if it is still the case but some people when they get another on the line they figure is bigger than a previous one release one from their possession before they real in the other to be safe

IMO, if you are going to do something like that keep one fewer than possesion and keep catch and release until the last one

but I know, some fisherman are greedy and will break the law

I was not talking about sorting or culling any fish just saying that if you have a limit of walleye and you want to keep fishing you can. They are not mind readers and can't tell what you are targeting. If I got a ticket for that I would fight it all the way.

If you are out trolling for pike and get into the walleye and you have one pike in the live well and five walleye, you now have your limit of walleye but not pike. You do not have to quit fishing, you just have to release any walleye you catch. A CO cannot write you a ticket for having a walleye on the line, and catching and releasing is not considered possession.

What is the possession limit for walleye right now in Mn. 5. Yeah, I’m so sure all those boys with their big Lund boats are worried about that. Mama says, five fish? Kiddin me, we got six mouths to feed. And you promised a fish fry for mom and dad and the family this weekend. What do you need that big boat taking up space in my driveway with a payment due every month if all we can eat is five fish at a time. Catch and release, can’t even do that. Get another hobby dude.
Point being, you could prob check the freezers of every house next to walleye lake in Mn with a big boat in the driveway and 90% will be over a 5 walleye possession limit. Gimme a break.

scat: "What is the possession limit for walleye right now in Mn. 5. Yeah, I’m so sure all those boys with their big Lund boats are worried about that. Mama says, five fish? Kiddin me, we got six mouths to feed. And you promised a fish fry for mom and dad and the family this weekend. What do you need that big boat taking up space in my driveway with a payment due every month if all we can eat is five fish at a time. Catch and release, can’t even do that. Get another hobby dude.
Point being, you could prob check the freezers of every house next to walleye lake in Mn with a big boat in the driveway and 90% will be over a 5 walleye possession limit. Gimme a break."

I live on a walleye lake in Michigan, my fishing boat is only a 21 footer, my wife and I both have licenses so I could have twenty walleye in my freezer, I have 12 or 13 we didn’t keep any walleye today as we have enough but we did catch some. Just sayin everyone on a walleye lake with a boat doesn’t have 50 walleye in the freezer.