ODNR New Low for Revenue

[LOWE LIFE]

I understand the need to have the ODNR. but with all these little BS regulations on fish, like leaving the skin on them and No more boat limits.Is getting a bit out of control...I never leave the skin on them and will continue to get our Boat limit.. I pay for both Ohio and Michigan tags, i don't take more then my legal limit, And the money i spend helps our local economy, Gas,bait, gear, Ect...When's the BS gonna stop?? their making rules just to give more tickets to the ppl who follow the fish limits and help the economy..Stick to finding the ppl who are using trebel hooks in waters where their illegal, and the guys fishing till their coolers are full..What's next??? every fish you catch you have to take a pic of it and send it to the DNR website??? If they need more money the they should have a car wash like the boyscouts do...Leave the good ppl who live on and love the lake alone..
LOWE LIFE

[igotfish]

I agree with Lowe Life. I think all these regulations are BS. The ODNR is getting to be like big brother looking over our shoulder.

[MO_]

Friends were up couple weeks ago and were stopped by dnr and they had just got their limit as he pulled up. At that point they counted the fish and my friends ask how the law read as they had reached their limit. The officer told them they were welcome to continue pleasure fishing but the livewell lid was not to be opened and no culling of any kind would be permitted. This would seem to make sense, but each warden may have a different perspective..

[wakina]

The court system may take an entirely different view of the law and citation than the ODNR Officer, especially if you would be helping a child land their fish and garner their limit!

[LOWE LIFE]

I guess it's up to each ODNR officer to make a judgement call.. I'm NOT a pocher,I do NOT keep illegal gotten fish.. But I do like to get the boat limit, I'm not out spending money to not put fish in the freezer... I know the DNR reads these posts and they should.. But they need to know who's fishing by the rules and who's not.. I spend thousands of dollars every year to enjoy our Great lake..I'm not the guy who fishes the Lake 5-10 times a year.I'm out on the lake 3-4 times a week all Spring Summer and Fall weather it's fishing or recrational.. And in the Winter I'm out on my sled.. I love the Lake, born and raised on it. And I'm all for the DNR doing their job to stop ppl who are doing something wrong.. But I do believe they need to look at the Big picture.. We who take "boat limits" are not criminals.. We are just ppl who like to fish and enjoy feeding the family a one of a kind meal..I'm not trying to cross the ODNR... It's their job and I respect that. I've spent 33 years on the lake.. And when I'm long gone, my ashes will be in this great lake we call Erie..
LOWE LIFE

[ebijack]

I completely agree about fishing till there is a boat limit. I also know that there have been a few folks "warned". I've also asked questions of MI DNR about what if's. Depending on who your asking, you different replys. Iv'e met some great ODNR and Mi DNR officers, actually most. But I have had a couple for example, I asked one "may I ask you some questions about the regulations?" His reply was " I'm not here to answer your questions, I'm here to write tickets."
I think this is where you would run into a problem. If while trolling, say 2 guys, you get 7 fish in the box. Then you get a triple on. One of you has gotten their limit. Both of you reel in fish out of the triple, or double. If an officer was watching. And the bigger of the 2 fish brought in was thrown in the box by the angler who the officer saw already put his 4 in the box. That's where the problem lies. I would like the rules to read a "boat limit". As Charters and the rest of us could enjoy our trips out there alot more instead of trying to keep track of who has how many vs how many fish total. When your dealing with multiple lines going off ( when the bite is hot and it's the most fun) it is pretty hard to keep total how many fish you reeled in and made it into the box as I believe we work as a team in most every boat. Sometimes I'm the net guy, sometimes I reel em in.

[branhamautomotive]

I guess where I am confused is what defines caughting a fish....is it the act of the hooking the fish.....or is it actually the reeling the fishing and bringing it on board.........or is it the combination of both? Cause if I have my 4 and I hook one can I hand it off to let someone else bring the fish in? I don’t see this being any different as in trolling....because the person reeling the fish in is not the person who hooked the fish. I AM ALL FOR DNR DOING THEIR JOB, HELPING TO PROTECT OUT GREAT WATERS SO THERE WILL BE PLENTY OF FISH FOR US ALL THE ENJOY FOR MANY YEARS I would be heartbroken if my children and nieces and nephews could not have the chance to enjoy these waters as I have over my years of growing up on the lake.

I really don’t see the actual big picture difference if 3 ppl get 4 fish each for a total of 12 or if 2 ppl get 5 and the third gets 2 its still 12 fish. But rules are the rules and I will follow them....

also when it comes to fun fishing which I do not do, how can if I have 4 fish for me on board can I be allowed to have that 5th fish on board at all. even if I turn it back loose, for those few minutes I would had technically brought my 5th fish out of the water which by the way this rule sounds like it is going to be enforced I would had broken it?

I know stuff like this has the potential to really put a strain on the sport charter services, and I think a very clear explanation and definition to the rule and what is considered caughting a fish should be in place before the DNR starts handing out tickets for this.

I understand the need for the rules, just would like a very clear explantion of them. I feel most of us want to follow the rules, but hard to follow when there is not clear explanation of them

I know me like alot of other ppl spent alot of money here in the area to enjoy out sport and hobby. I never have really added it up before, but I know I spend well over 5000 a year in fishing, boating, boat repairs and maintance, upgrades, gas, insurance, safety equipment, etc. And I know there are ppl who spend alot more than I do, this money does help boost the local economy. And i am not out to take take more than allowed and risk being part of the problem that help damage or distroys the water so that i would not be able to use all i have invested into. I know that if I got a ticket it would definatly make me think twice about partaking so much in the fishing side of things....is the few hundred extra dollars from ticket worth loosing the more extra money that spent each year on the other things.

[Sleets]

why do some of us think it is ok to break this law but not to break another law? law is the law like it or not. if a guys gets to go to erie once a year and snags a fish and keeps it most want him to be fined. because he broke the law. but most guys feel it ok to brake this law because it "the boats limit" law states that each person my have daily bag limit. if i take my kid deer hunting should i be allowed to kill their deer for them? answer is no they must. This is no different just hasnt been enforced. now it is and be aware you may be held accountable for your actions if caught. don't get me wrong i blame no one for over harvasting fish. cant be to big a shortage if commercial fishing is still allowed. but i also dont look down on someone who snags one and keeps it either. i agree there are way to many laws right now, but we need to write our elected officials to make them aware of our thoughts. just my 2 cents worth.

["chillin"]

I understand the need to have the ODNR. but with all these little BS regulations on fish, like leaving the skin on them and No more boat limits.Is getting a bit out of control...I never leave the skin on them and will continue to get our Boat limit.. I pay for both Ohio and Michigan tags, i don't take more then my legal limit, And the money i spend helps our local economy, Gas,bait, gear, Ect...When's the BS gonna stop?? their making rules just to give more tickets to the ppl who follow the fish limits and help the economy..Stick to finding the ppl who are using trebel hooks in waters where their illegal, and the guys fishing till their coolers are full..What's next??? every fish you catch you have to take a pic of it and send it to the DNR website??? If they need more money the they should have a car wash like the boyscouts do...Leave the good ppl who live on and love the lake alone..
LOWE LIFE

i wouldnt worry about it to much. if they have to sit in one spot for hours counting how many fish a single angler is putting into the cooler it then becomes counterproductive. They will only be able to enforce this b.s. when the action is hot and heavy and guys are pulling a limit in a short period of time. This will soon be abandoned for easier ways to rob the working man. Just my opinion.

[LOWE LIFE]

I agree with you.. It's gonna be just about impossible to enforce.. I guess i'm a rule breaker cause I'm gonna continue on doing as I have for many years..Some may not agree and that's O.K. I'm not looking for anyones approvel...I'm gonna go back to being like one of the hundreds of ppl on here who don't post anything.. Good luck and be Safe..
LOWE LIFE