Conundrum

[Ted]

Here is one I've been pondering for awhile, but haven't had the courage to test for fear of the ODNR. Okay, say the wife and I leave Turtle Creek on Saturday morning, headed to Put n Bay for an overnighter on the boat. On the way we catch 60 perch. Head to the bay for dinner drinks and whatever else that happens. The perch iced well for a night in the cooler, not cleaned. Sunday morning comes, and we know where the perch are, so we take our 60 for Sunday. Head back to Turtle Creek and get boarded by the ODNR while at the gas dock. Completely screwed I do believe! What do you all think? What would be legal protocol?

[wakina]

Here is one I've been pondering for awhile, but haven't had the courage to test for fear of the ODNR. Okay, say the wife and I leave Turtle Creek on Saturday morning, headed to Put n Bay for an overnighter on the boat. On the way we catch 60 perch. Head to the bay for dinner drinks and whatever else that happens. The perch iced well for a night in the cooler, not cleaned. Sunday morning comes, and we know where the perch are, so we take our 60 for Sunday. Head back to Turtle Creek and get boarded by the ODNR while at the gas dock. Completely screwed I do believe! What do you all think? What would be legal protocol?

You guys are screwed! You will both be ticketed for being 30 over! Their reasoning is they don't know when you caught them. Just your word for it!

[Ted]

I know. Which completely sucks! There should be a way to establish the catch date. What if I'm on the ferry coming back from 3 days of fillets, unfrozen? Similar situation I Suppose?

[wakina]

I know. Which completely sucks! There should be a way to establish the catch date. What if I'm on the ferry coming back from 3 days of fillets, unfrozen? Similar situation I Suppose?

Not completely sure but I think you are safe in that situation so long as you have proof you were on the island for however many days your amount of fish would dictate. Example would be 3 days on the island and no more than 180 perch for 2 people or 30 fish per day per person

[rick2752]

I posed these exact question to odnr, as I have a boat that is livable for the weekend. I wanted to stay at the marina on middle bass and fish each day. Their response was it is only legal to have 1 days limit on the boat unless it is the ferry. I thought I saved email response but can't find it. You can prove your stay and have more than a days limit on ferry.

[K Metzger]

Well if you had a receipt for your overnight dock, wouldn't that show you were there.

[perchjerk]

When I worked as a ranger in Colorado we were allowed to use common sense on possession. A receipt from a cleaner, resort or guide that listed date you came into possession, was usually good enough, especially if the previous catch was frozen. A receipt just indicating length of stay was not good enough. The reason being it did not show when you came into possession. An example would be you have 60 perch per person on a two day visit. You could have caught 30 each day, or 1 one day and 59 the other. I don't know if ODNR follows the same guidelines. I do know that ODNR does not have a good reputation for using common sense.

[Madd Matt]

I think that we all agree and understand that "limit" and "possession" are 2 different terms and 2 different things. Some species of fish limit and possession are the same, some are not. The question does not have an objective answer. The real answer is that it depends on if you can prove to ODNR that the fish were caught on different days. That depends on precautions that you take (Separate cooler, fish are frozen solid and obviously caught on a different day, overnight dock slip, dated pictures showing previous catch, etc...) then it depends on the officer that you get and how reasonable that they wish to be. No matter what precautions that you take, you are going to have a lot to prove and be subjective to the mindset and disposition of the ODNR officer.

During the jig bite they are so wound up about double limits being taken that there are plenty of stories of guys that have to try and prove that fish in possession at a camper and fish on the boat were caught on different days. I would hate to have to try and convince ODNR that fish in coolers on a boat were different days.

-Matt

[Capt Juls]

The perch iced well for a night in the cooler, not cleaned. Sunday morning comes, and we know where the perch are, so we take our 60 for Sunday. Head back to Turtle Creek and get boarded by the ODNR while at the gas dock.

You won't be able to prove that one. You will be fined.

[rick2752]

I found it.


Here was my question...

I am going up for three days to fish lake Erie. We are planning on staying on the boat in marina on middle bass. I am of the understanding that I am not allowed to have filets aboard the boat. How can I transport my 3 days catch from middle bass to the mainland without being in violation. If I ice them I would “hopefully…lol” have over 30 perch for 3 days fishing. Are there any exceptions for a boat that can be stayed on?

Response....

He can only possess 30 perch while on lake Erie. Not 30 per day. They may be filleted but he can only have 30 perch when on the water no matter how many days he stays (camps) on the water ( he is not on a commercial ferry boat in lake Erie )

Just thought I would share.