Bigger Fines for Poaching Needed!

[branhamautomotive]

I for one agree with the 2 pole limit. I go fishing to "relax" and have fun. If I went strictly for the fish I would save the $150-$200 a weekend I spend on gas, worms, etc, and stop off at Port Clinton fish company and buy some fillets and still have beer money left. If I could go out every day and catch my limit in an hour it would become pretty boring! As for the limits it wouldn,t bother me a bit to see the walleye limit kept at 4 for a few years if that would help to get the population back to where it was in the 80's.

There are times I go out personally to relax, but other I am out there to get my fish. With a couple kids under 5, there are days I only have 2 or 3 hrs to fish but not 8. As stated before fishing should also be about skill, and I go out by myself and I can keep up with 3 or 4 or more poles and drive safely, the extra poles would help me to get my legal limit, get in and spend the rest of the day with my family.

The law makers are in a tough corner a lot of times, trying to keep with everything from all sides.

I don't want to see an increase in limits, I would like to ppl be able to keep the 14" fish that get gilled and are going to die and feed the seagulls. Course ppl are going argue then there is nothing to stop ppl from getting a limit of 14" fish. And this is true, but we all know there is not much meat on 14" fish so I would think that fact alone would help prevent that. But I don't see the since in having to return a fish I know is going die, just to get another in its place. That's the same as taking the extra fish out lake anyways.

[Capt. Ted]

I don't consider using more than two rods poaching. However, in 2015 and 2016 it was the most ticketed violation in our ODNR district of Lake Erie. At our Captain's meeting I was able to ask the biologists about the effects of anglers using too many rods. "It's immeasurable, but inconsequential" was his response.

So, this brings us to a law in place that has no consequence to the environment. You either are going to consciously take more than your limit, or not. And the majority of the over harvesting comes from double trip scenarios.

The ODNR has done informal studies and surveys regarding the two rod rule. They have concluded there is not enough public opinion to change this law. Roughly, a third of the people would like to use more than two rods, (trollers and drifters on Lake Erie). A third of the anglers can't understand why anyone would ever need to use more than one rod at a time (bass fishermen). And a third don't care either way.

This leaves us with a law that will be on the books for eternity. It's an easily enforced ticket. Meanwhile the guy that goes perch fishing alone, and hangs three rods over the gunwale on a slow day is in violation. The bank fisherman that sticks three poles in the ground along the Maumee while catfishing is in violation. The drifter that puts out three bottom bouncers out while he and his wife are casting a weight forward is in violation.

A director of the ODNR (now retired) discussing another over regulated rule said, "the officers have been instructed on the intent of the law, and to use common sense". I'm sure he would respond this way on this issue also.

So, really do we need to raise all the penalties for the guy who can't get his limit one morning at sets out another jet diver, or the fines on the three guys who brought in 3 extra perch when they lost track of the number of fish and the number of beers in the cooler?

[Gradyfish]

I am enjoying reading this thread, but just want to point out one thing, it is a three rod limit per person in Michigan waters.

[pimplepounder]

I am enjoying reading this thread, but just want to point out one thing, it is a three rod limit per person in Michigan waters.

Good point Gradyfish.. I see this law MI changed a few years back -2014 it looks like. Probably the same year they hiked the license fees. Good to know...

[Eyezcrazy]

Yet you can use 2 rods while perch fishing with 3 hooks per rod. What makes the difference if you can only take a legal number of fish anyway? I guess we need to figure out how to run 3 baits per pole for walleye. I disagree with the 2 pole limit.