I messed up BAD today

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10-11-2016, 05:59 PM
D.D.E.

I messed up BAD today

I got tired of recounting fish so I got an old bail counter out of my spare parts bin, Myself an 2 friends fished until about 4 o'clock when it said we had 90 fish.
We got back to the dock and here came the game warden, My heart jumped a little but I said to myself I'm ok I was careful and got it right and didn't have to worry. Well guess what !!! we were 3 over. Got a ticket for 118.00 dollars.

MY question is how do the cooler counters work????? Have they ever let anyone down ????

OH!!!! we had 30 lbs's at the cleaners, that is of coarse, less the 3 my friend took with him.:(
West side of Kelleys I think about 27 ft.
10-11-2016, 06:15 PM
BClark0124

That always worries me but we've always been right on so far when counted. How far up the west side were you? Out in the middle of the islands or more towards the south side
10-11-2016, 06:26 PM
D.D.E.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BClark0124

That always worries me but we've always been right on so far when counted. How far up the west side were you? Out in the middle of the islands or more towards the south side

I would say lower west side.
10-11-2016, 06:48 PM
fishin2

Witnessed first hand those cooler counters mess up too, drop 1 in and it counts 2. I have a hand clicker and 2 buckets. We put perch into 1 bucket while catching and 1 person counts em into cooler when we get a good mess. When counter says limit for all, we count again. Better safe than sorry..
10-11-2016, 07:33 PM
Eyezcrazy

I'm surprised he didn't give all three of you a ticket for being one over each....seeing how it's just a money thing! I mean, you were really putting a hurtin on them taking 3 extra perch! It was obviously an honest mistake, it's not like you had double limit or anything.

Then again I guess I'm still mad about having one walleye that was "1/4 inch" short a few years ago! And they had to measure it 4 or 5 times between 2 different people to come to the conclusion. It's hard to be perfect but we do our best I guess.
10-11-2016, 07:45 PM
Justretired

I count them in to a bucket and then count again putting them back in to the cooler.. When we think we are close we count and then say we are 10 short I put them in a bucket with water and ice for the final 10. My son got stopped outside the Turtle Creek channel this year by ODNR and they just wanted to look in cooler and asked him how he kept track.
10-11-2016, 09:13 PM
portclintonangler

Catch counters work AWSOME!
I bought one after getting a ticket for being a few fish over. Been stopped by the game warden twice after buying it. Right on both times. Got it down town PC. Less money than another ticket!
10-12-2016, 12:04 PM
BtweenShots

I have had mine for 3 yrs. and no complaints.

Gene
10-12-2016, 01:45 PM
wakina

Quote:

Originally Posted by BtweenShots

I have had mine for 3 yrs. and no complaints.

Gene

Same here but this would have been my 4th year but didn't use it enough to count this year. Still 3 years for around 50 bucks initial cost isn't bad and it is still going strong. I make a point of looking at the counter each time I put a perch thru it to be sure it counts it. It has not missed one yet.
10-12-2016, 03:13 PM
Moldman

Only had used mine three times so far and it works great. Always look at counter when throwing fish in.
10-12-2016, 06:42 PM
Capt Juls

Ouch...that's expensive...:(

I never depend on any counters. I use the "catch counter" to get me close to the number, but they are never perfect. Some slip through without triggering the counter, and some perch are so big they make the flap double count. I have been short and I have been over with the counters.

I ask customers to make sure the counter does the right thing when they put the fish in, but they don't always do that.

So, when I get close, I re-count them, so I'm never over when I go in to the dock. It's just my way of saving money. ;)
10-13-2016, 05:51 PM
JBD's Regina Marie

That's crazy... 3 0ver on a 90 limit! Why would he even count em. I have been checked in the east side 3 times. All 3 times they looked at the cooler and said looks good. Better use of tax payer dollars than counting out 90 fish.
10-13-2016, 06:56 PM
wakina

Quote:

Originally Posted by JBD's Regina Marie

That's crazy... 3 0ver on a 90 limit! Why would he even count em. I have been checked in the east side 3 times. All 3 times they looked at the cooler and said looks good. Better use of tax payer dollars than counting out 90 fish.

Sorry, I disagree! The ODNR officers were doing the job the tax payers and license buyers hired them to do. The limit is 30 yellow perch and not 31. Just as the original poster stated, "I messed up BAD today". I didn't hear the original poster complaining about the ODNR, but instead he stepped up and admitted they were wrong and wants to never repeat that expensive mistake again.
10-13-2016, 07:12 PM
island troller

If it is on my boat as the captain I always count one more time before we head in. And yes we have been off a couple a few times.
10-13-2016, 07:46 PM
M.A.D. Eyes

I agree hole heartedly Wakina!! Couldn't have said it better myself!! 30 is 30! Not 31.
10-13-2016, 09:15 PM
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.
10-14-2016, 02:42 PM
JBD's Regina Marie

Quote:

Originally Posted by wakina

Sorry, I disagree! The ODNR officers were doing the job the tax payers and license buyers hired them to do. The limit is 30 yellow perch and not 31. Just as the original poster stated, "I messed up BAD today". I didn't hear the original poster complaining about the ODNR, but instead he stepped up and admitted they were wrong and wants to never repeat that expensive mistake again.

I appreciate that Wakina, and respect this and all your posts. I do believe Blatant violations should be dealt with aggressively much like a crazy driver putting others at risk on the road. But if people started getting speeding tickets for 3 mph over the limit I'm sure there would be an uprising.
10-15-2016, 01:53 PM
sherman51

many yrs ago we started to clean our fish and found we were 2 over on walleye. 2 of us wanted to throw them away but the other 2 said that would be a waste, so we kept them. we started cleaning fish and a car pulled up and it was a odnr person. he counted our fish and politely told us we was 2 over the limit. one guy started to get smart with the dnr guy. the rest of us told him to shut up, we were in the wrong. the dnr told us 1 of us would have to go with him and put up a cash bond. and said he knew it was a small infraction but it was an infraction. the capt of our boat said he would go with the officer. he had to pay 15.00 per fish and a 28.00 court cost cash bond. he said we didn't have to show up for court and the cash bond would pay our fine. he then said he was supposed to take all the fish for evidence, but that we had been so good about the whole deal he was just going to take the 2 fish that we was over. we split the 58.00 fine between the 4 of us. so that mistake cost us 14.50 each.

the guy that started getting smart with the officer wanted to show up for court and fight it. he said they didn't have any evidence. and that the officer probably ate the 2 fish he took from us. but we said that was stupid. it would cost more to make the trip up there than the price of the fine. and besides we were the ones in the wrong. the officer treated us with the utmost respect at all times. and we did the same to him.
10-15-2016, 03:33 PM
D.D.E.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sherman51

many yrs ago we started to clean our fish and found we were 2 over on walleye. 2 of us wanted to throw them away but the other 2 said that would be a waste, so we kept them. we started cleaning fish and a car pulled up and it was a odnr person. he counted our fish and politely told us we was 2 over the limit. one guy started to get smart with the dnr guy. the rest of us told him to shut up, we were in the wrong. the dnr told us 1 of us would have to go with him and put up a cash bond. and said he knew it was a small infraction but it was an infraction. the capt of our boat said he would go with the officer. he had to pay 15.00 per fish and a 28.00 court cost cash bond. he said we didn't have to show up for court and the cash bond would pay our fine. he then said he was supposed to take all the fish for evidence, but that we had been so good about the whole deal he was just going to take the 2 fish that we was over. we split the 58.00 fine between the 4 of us. so that mistake cost us 14.50 each.

the guy that started getting smart with the officer wanted to show up for court and fight it. he said they didn't have any evidence. and that the officer probably ate the 2 fish he took from us. but we said that was stupid. it would cost more to make the trip up there than the price of the fine. and besides we were the ones in the wrong. the officer treated us with the utmost respect at all times. and we did the same to him.

I wasn't upset with the officer in the least, we made a mistake and obviously didn't click the counter 3 times. I have always in the past counted when we thought we were close. This time we didn't. accidental mistakes don't matter, 30 is 30.
The D.N.R. works for all of us so we have resources for the future. I like that.
This was the 4th time I got checked this year.
Dennis
P.S. If anyone feels sorry for me, send money;)
10-15-2016, 07:52 PM
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.
10-15-2016, 10:00 PM
pimplepounder

Quote:

Originally Posted by wakina

Sorry, I disagree! The ODNR officers were doing the job the tax payers and license buyers hired them to do. The limit is 30 yellow perch and not 31. Just as the original poster stated, "I messed up BAD today". I didn't hear the original poster complaining about the ODNR, but instead he stepped up and admitted they were wrong and wants to never repeat that expensive mistake again.

I am with you Wakina,, If the law starts to bend, we soon learn to expect it to bend.. True this was a mistake and innocent enough, but the ODNR being tough keep us on our toes and we need to make sure 30 is not 31. I myself have lost count and had to recount time and time again. yes it is a pain but it is nice to get checked and be on the money. I think recounting preferably by another is the only way to go. That is a bummer on Carpn's story of 89 perch... Sometimes I think the ODNR plays tricks on purpose.
10-16-2016, 07:58 AM
sherman51

Quote:

Originally Posted by 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.

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.
10-16-2016, 11:28 AM
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.
10-16-2016, 11:34 AM
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! :cool:
10-16-2016, 12:01 PM
D.D.E.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 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! :cool:

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.
10-17-2016, 10:17 AM
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.
10-22-2016, 10:42 AM
Capt Eric

On our trips, we have several 5 gal buckets, with a few inches of water.... customers toss perch into the buckets as they catch. As the buckets start to fill, either myself or the first mate count perch into the cooler - 10 at a time - and put those on the counter. As the cooler reaches our boat limit, we can tell the customers how many more we need, like 15 more, 12 more, etc.... until we hit the number. Then we're done! Anything else caught while we clean up gets tossed back. We've never been over.

Most of us will agree the DNR has a job to do and we respect that.....30 means 30 and 15" means 15" - BUT - don't be afraid to RESPECTFULLY defend yourself if you believe you are correct and he is wrong. If you are certain you have 90, and they count 91, ask to assist in another count. After having my walleye cooler checked a few years ago, the WO held one fish out and said it was 1/8" short. (My personal minimum for walleye is 15 1/4".) I asked to see it, and he showed me. I asked to see it on my measuring board. And he laid it in there. I pinched the tail for him because he clearly was not following their guidelines for measuring fish, and the fish was 15 1/8" on the money. I asked why it was 1/8" short on his stick, yet 1/8" over on mine??? Instead of measuring my fish board (which is what I expected next) he took his fish board and left, saying "Have a nice day." (4 years ago)