I messed up BAD today

[dansdad]

I have been checked 4 times this year by the game commission and even boarded by the coast guard for a safety check. I must say that they have been very polite and professional every time. They even explained to me what they expect and what they look for. I agree that they have a job to do and wrong is wrong. That's more than I can say about the local game warden(Columbiana county) that walked my 19 yr old son and I out of the woods at gun point for no reason last year.

[essikr]

Always count fish when we think were close. We put them in a bucket and put the bucket in the cooler. Finish the limit count in the cooler add them to the bucket count. Put ice bag or block on top of the bucket, makes it easy to take to cleaners. We were checked for the first time this year on the way in . They took the bucket kept it for maybe 5 minutes gave it back and said we were good.

[Carpn]

We got checked a few yrs ago as we were pulling anchor to head in . WO counted and said we were 1 over . He just kept the fish and didn't fine us . Later while cleaning our fish we recounted and had 89 perch.

[sherman51]

We got checked a few yrs ago as we were pulling anchor to head in . WO counted and said we were 1 over . He just kept the fish and didn't fine us . Later while cleaning our fish we recounted and had 89 perch.

that's a real bummer for sure. I've been checked hundreds of times over the yrs and the one time that we got checked was the only time we were over. and we did learn from our mistake. we always count our fish when we are close to getting our limit and count again when we get our limit

and d.d.e. I wasn't insinuating that you was anything but respectful to the officer that got you. you stated in your 1st post that you knew you were in the wrong. and I'm sorry if I sounded like I was saying anything bad about your experience. the dnr has a job to do and not all the people they have to deal with accepts that its there mistake. we as sportsman should always follow the laws. and if we make a mistake we should be ready to step up and accept that the dnr is there to protect our resource. sometimes they may be a little tough. but on the other hand we don't know what they had to deal with on there other encounters.

[Defernaut]

A couple of years ago I was fishing by myself and caught a limit of perch. When I counted them at the cleaning table there were only 29. Since then I always catch one more for good measure. After reading all the comments on this thread I won't be doing that anymore.

[Eyezcrazy]

I was thinking about the scenario Sherman was talking about before he mentioned his story. So, how many times have people re- counted before heading in a realized they had miscounted and were over their limit and tossed dead fish back into the lake? What a waste.How many perch fisherman cull small perch when they catch larger perch and toss dead fish back into the lake? So you are staying within your legal limit but still killing additional fish.

I carry a small bucket and put the perch in it until we reach 10 fish. I then recount the 10 and put them in the cooler. It is a lot easier for me to accurately keep track of multiples of 10 and we always recount when we are 5 short of our limit to be sure.

Now if I could only find time to get back to the lake and fish!

[D.D.E.]

I was thinking about the scenario Sherman was talking about before he mentioned his story. So, how many times have people re- counted before heading in a realized they had miscounted and were over their limit and tossed dead fish back into the lake? What a waste.How many perch fisherman cull small perch when they catch larger perch and toss dead fish back into the lake? So you are staying within your legal limit but still killing additional fish.

I carry a small bucket and put the perch in it until we reach 10 fish. I then recount the 10 and put them in the cooler. It is a lot easier for me to accurately keep track of multiples of 10 and we always recount when we are 5 short of our limit to be sure.

Now if I could only find time to get back to the lake and fish!

OR! Like one time when I came back into Catawba The O.D.N.R. was at the dock checking. and their was perch floating around where boats were staging to come in.