Quote Originally Posted by Sleets View Post
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.
As the poster above you put it, the question a lot of us want answered is what is the actual definition of catching a fish? And also are all officers aware of this definition or is it determined by the individual officer?

1. Putting or casting the line out?
2. Playing the line in if casting or jigging?
3. Hooking the fish?
4. Reeling the fish in?
5. Netting the fish?
6. Taking the fish off the hook?
7. Putting the fish in the live-well/cooler?

I am sure you can see why some of the above may not be performed by the individual who is taking credit for the fish, especially on a charter or headboat. In a trolling situation it is even harder since everybody normally works together to get all the lines out, and some people are not too comfortable in releasing the line from the clips so sometimes somebody else does that for them.

In the situation that brought this all up, a dad on a head boat was hooking the fish and then handing the rod to one of his kids to reel in. I don't know if you remember some of your first experiences fishing but I would bet for most of us it started pretty similar to that. What if your child gets tired on a big fish you can't help him at all? In the case in question last weekend I guess the definition was "3. hooking the fish", just something to think about. Granted there may be more to the story then what I read on a message board.

As for the hunting analogy, it sort of works but is way too easy since the act of shooting a deer is very definable. I am sure someone could break down each step of the act but I think most people would agree that pulling the trigger is the actual harvest.