Conundrum

[airshot]

Actually questioned a DNR officer about this one day while being inspected. Was told that on Lake Erie in Ohio there is a 30 per person possession limit on perch. Cannot have more than that number with you no matter when you caught them. He even pointed out that if you caught your limit and went back to your car and put them in a cooler then went back out again and caught another limit....if you were to be checked while at your car you would get a ticket. Now a step even further, you go out one day and limit out, have them cleaned and put in a cooler in your car, then next day go again and do the same thing.....if you get stopped....you have more than one days limit in your possession and will get a ticket. He was very nice in explaining even though I don't necessarily agree with it.

[pimplepounder]

My friend and I were told by the Findlay office, when we inquired about fishing over night and limits regarding ice fishing over night. We were instructed to use key tags, those circle rings with a metal wire ring. On them place your name, date, and tag each fish. Do not put you and your buddies fish together, and do not fillet, gut and de-gill . Keep these fish totally separated from the prior days fish. Pictures of the fish with the tags and a date attached to the photo is another advised bit of proof.
It is all about the proof if you leave any doubt , they will
no pun intended... Doubt You.

[Hoytman86]

Actually questioned a DNR officer about this one day while being inspected. Was told that on Lake Erie in Ohio there is a 30 per person possession limit on perch. Cannot have more than that number with you no matter when you caught them. He even pointed out that if you caught your limit and went back to your car and put them in a cooler then went back out again and caught another limit....if you were to be checked while at your car you would get a ticket. Now a step even further, you go out one day and limit out, have them cleaned and put in a cooler in your car, then next day go again and do the same thing.....if you get stopped....you have more than one days limit in your possession and will get a ticket. He was very nice in explaining even though I don't necessarily agree with it.

Well if that's the case, I hope they never check any of our freezers! ��

[wakina]

Actually questioned a DNR officer about this one day while being inspected. Was told that on Lake Erie in Ohio there is a 30 per person possession limit on perch. Cannot have more than that number with you no matter when you caught them. He even pointed out that if you caught your limit and went back to your car and put them in a cooler then went back out again and caught another limit....if you were to be checked while at your car you would get a ticket. Now a step even further, you go out one day and limit out, have them cleaned and put in a cooler in your car, then next day go again and do the same thing.....if you get stopped....you have more than one days limit in your possession and will get a ticket. He was very nice in explaining even though I don't necessarily agree with it.

"have them cleaned and put in a cooler in your car"

So long as you have that cleaning ticket the cleaners give you which is dated for the day when you have fish cleaned the ODNR will not ticket you. The cleaners are also required by the ODNR to maintain a log of who had fish cleaned at their facility along with the address of that person presenting the fish to be cleaned and the date the service was provided, so there is a backup system built into the cleaning industry for proof of service beyond just the ticket. Having more than one days limit in your possession while on the lake (key words are on the water/lake) whether the lake is frozen or not will result in a ticket unless you are on some form of commercial passenger transport(Ferry or Airplane) the ODNR does not leave the book work of when they are caught up to the individual fishermen.

[wakina]

My friend and I were told by the Findlay office, when we inquired about fishing over night and limits regarding ice fishing over night. We were instructed to use key tags, those circle rings with a metal wire ring. On them place your name, date, and tag each fish. Do not put you and your buddies fish together, and do not fillet, gut and de-gill . Keep these fish totally separated from the prior days fish. Pictures of the fish with the tags and a date attached to the photo is another advised bit of proof.
It is all about the proof if you leave any doubt , they will
no pun intended... Doubt You.

Just my opinion but if you do it the way you described they are going to not only doubt you but ticket you also.

[pimplepounder]

Just my opinion but if you do it the way you described they are going to not only doubt you but ticket you also.

Yes, wakina perhaps they would, but it is about as extreme of proof as you can get , next to a notary for each fish. Who would want to tag that many perch anyway is beyond me. But this is what we were instructed to do by ODNR last Winter. I am close with a division officer. I will try to pin him down on this next time I see him. We usually meet up during mushroom season.

I end up with so many fish that its not a matter to me anyway.

[cycleguy]

Interesting conversation… I was planning on being there in spring for several days. Maybe catching a room, or roughing it out of the vehicle a day or so between. Heck I've even pulled the full canvas top up on my boat, and slept on an air mattress to avoid morning crowds and launching, anchored up in a corner of a landing area.

I would clean fish in the eve, wrap up and leave in the vehicle. Never bringing the cooler to the water. Transporting to the truck in a separate cooler. Never keeping more than my limit per day, each of the days I was there if that lucky. How much do these fish cleaning places charge? Seems like a safe way out of trouble… even though it wasn't part of my original thought.

[wakina]

Interesting conversation… I was planning on being there in spring for several days. Maybe catching a room, or roughing it out of the vehicle a day or so between. Heck I've even pulled the full canvas top up on my boat, and slept on an air mattress to avoid morning crowds and launching, anchored up in a corner of a landing area.

I would clean fish in the eve, wrap up and leave in the vehicle. Never bringing the cooler to the water. Transporting to the truck in a separate cooler. Never keeping more than my limit per day, each of the days I was there if that lucky. How much do these fish cleaning places charge? Seems like a safe way out of trouble… even though it wasn't part of my original thought.

Unless he has changed Cutchers Fish cleaning I think will be charging $1.00 for walleyes under 5# and $1.50 per Walleye over 5#. Most other places charge by the pound in the neighborhood of $0.75 to $0.90 per lb. so his service is considerably cheaper. He does an excellent job also. If you want the cheeks you have to remove them yourself before drop off or there is a slight extra charge if you have Cutcher do it.

He is located on Leitz Rd. which dead ends on Rt 2 right beside Dream Catcher Bait store(formally the Bait Barn). From the Rt 2 turn off it would be the first place on the left side right at a curve on Leitz Rd. You can't miss it. The Leitz Rd turn off is about 2 to 3 miles east of the Turtle creek area, just east of the Toussaint River Bridge. Some of the best Pizza in the area is available at Porky's Pizza they also have subs and burgers pop and beer/liquor. They are located right at the Toussaint river bridge on the west side you can't miss it either.

[pimplepounder]

Interesting conversation… I was planning on being there in spring for several days. Maybe catching a room, or roughing it out of the vehicle a day or so between. Heck I've even pulled the full canvas top up on my boat, and slept on an air mattress to avoid morning crowds and launching, anchored up in a corner of a landing area.

I would clean fish in the eve, wrap up and leave in the vehicle. Never bringing the cooler to the water. Transporting to the truck in a separate cooler. Never keeping more than my limit per day, each of the days I was there if that lucky. How much do these fish cleaning places charge? Seems like a safe way out of trouble… even though it wasn't part of my original thought.

Cycleguy, if you get a hotel, you can avoid all of these issues listed in the last few posts. If it is your abode it is the same as your home unless you have more in your possession that your stay can prove. You are correct, it has been an interesting topic that should not be so hard to answer. Sometimes I think the law does not even know for sure. they just make it up and let the courts solve the problems that travel that far.

[wakina]

Unless he has changed Cutchers Fish cleaning I think will be charging $1.00 for walleyes under 5# and $1.50 per Walleye over 5#. Most other places charge by the pound in the neighborhood of $0.75 to $0.90 per lb. so his service is considerably cheaper. He does an excellent job also. If you want the cheeks you have to remove them yourself before drop off or there is a slight extra charge if you have Cutcher do it.

He is located on Leitz Rd. which dead ends on Rt 2 right beside Dream Catcher Bait store(formally the Bait Barn). From the Rt 2 turn off it would be the first place on the left side right at a curve on Leitz Rd. You can't miss it. The Leitz Rd turn off is about 2 to 3 miles east of the Turtle creek area, just east of the Toussaint River Bridge. Some of the best Pizza in the area is available at Porky's Pizza they also have subs and burgers pop and beer/liquor. They are located right at the Toussaint river bridge on the west side you can't miss it either.

Went up and checked my boat today and decided to swing by Cutchers just for the ride. Different sign out along the road saying walleyes are $1.50 each and perch are $1.25 per pound. Still a good deal!