New Law

[ReelTime]

I do not live near the lake, nor do I own a boat, and don't see this as much of a problem for me but,

Lets say I take a charter with 5 friends and the limit is 6 eyes per man, so we take home 36 fish. The charter I have been on is more than willing to catch the captain and first mates limit that we keep, so that brings the fish total to 48.

We follow the letter of the law and skin them at home. We then freeze the meat and a week later get in the car with 8 pounds of clean meat to fry at a friends house.

On my way there ODNR pulls me over...

I think that's a long shot. Why would they be pulling you over way after the fact anyway?

I understand why they have made the law. I just think it does way more harm than good.

[wakina]

What is the legal amount of fish you are allowed to take home with you(say I buy a nonresident lic. for a year, fish for a week 7 days at camp but only fish 5 days) How many fish can I transport home legally, one days catch or 5 days worth of limits, now I'm confused? with the skin on the whole fillet one side per bag? I know in canada you are only allowed one days catch across the boarder, is this the case in ohio now? if that is the case the 6 walleyes im allowed to take home would cost about $300.00 a pound !!! I don't mind leaving the hide on the fillet (canada requires a 1 inch square patch) leaving the whole side on is ridiculous

We are not sure of all the particulars yet! But I think you would be able to take home with you what you have legally caught as long as the fillets are left with the skin on and you would be able to prove you were actually here in the state for the time you said you fished, motel, campground or charter receit ect.. I can see no other changes in the other regulations and that is what I based my opinion on. You must remember that this is only my opinion and hopefully we will get a clarification on this in a few days from the district office.

[kodiak50]

I wonder about including the Cap't and first mates limit in your take home catch, looks like you would be two limits over what is allowed for the number in your group????????

[eriepro]

Capt. & Mates fish would put the group over......

[ebijack]

I know of a friend who went out here in MI waters. They got 7. The other fellow didn't want to bother taking only one fish home so gave his to the boat owner. Co waiting in the parking lot, stopped him and wrote him a ticket for one over after the one guy left. Kind of sucks but it is the law. I know this fellow would never take more than his limit, he's just not that kind of a guy. But I have done the same, gave away 1 fish due to not wanting to clean just one.

[CAPTBRIAN]

The law supervisor from odnr called me back yesterday. Here is the info i got. He said the law says the skin has to be attached not a piece. This is for all fish taken from erie. Also if you want to have a fish fry at camp you can do so. As long as you take the skin off at camp when you are ready to cook it, and dont take off more than you plan to eat. Also captains are not supposed to give there fish to customers. And he said to make sure frozen fish can be counted in the bags. Hope this helps and after a year we will all be used to it.

[miso_ohio]

Thanks CaptBrian for following through and clearing it up. I guess I never thought much about the Captains and First mates fish to the customer, it just always seemed like something you did when the fishing was good. That is not something new but I guess just a lot harder to enforce until the new rules went in for this year.

[wakina]

The law supervisor from odnr called me back yesterday. Here is the info i got. He said the law says the skin has to be attached not a piece. This is for all fish taken from erie. Also if you want to have a fish fry at camp you can do so. As long as you take the skin off at camp when you are ready to cook it, and dont take off more than you plan to eat. Also captains are not supposed to give there fish to customers. And he said to make sure frozen fish can be counted in the bags. Hope this helps and after a year we will all be used to it.

CAPTBRIAN:
Thanks for following through with this, it saves me a trip over to the district office in Fndlay. Your post sure helped clear up the confusion with this new regulation. Other than the skin on part causing at worse an inconvience it is probably a good law to help punish those who overbag and get caught but I don't think it will change the minds of those who come to the lake to deliberately over bag.

[jiginitis69]

Sounds silly to me. One of the best parts of trailering and inviting buddies fishing is to clean the fish properly and bag it up all done so they can go home and have a fish fry or sort into freezable dinners and relax. Thank God I live in Michigan so when I get home I can skin'em and then freeze them. What an inconvenience to fellas that live in the city and will have stinky carcasses around the house now. WTG ODNR. Another scratch your head law.

You will have to wash twice to get the scales off the meat, etc, etc, etc. When I trailer I usually go to Fenwicks because they have a fish cleaning station.

Oh well. I still will fish. But c'mon man

[Fishman91]

We are not sure of all the particulars yet! But I think you would be able to take home with you what you have legally caught as long as the fillets are left with the skin on and you would be able to prove you were actually here in the state for the time you said you fished, motel, campground or charter receit ect.. I can see no other changes in the other regulations and that is what I based my opinion on. You must remember that this is only my opinion and hopefully we will get a clarification on this in a few days from the district office.

I got checked out one time at the camp ground, spent 4 weeks there as long as i had a month,day year on the bag i in the good odnr said ok. this was 3yrs. ago, may have change now ? good fishin everyone !