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)