ODNR New Low for Revenue

[miso_ohio]

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.

[Gettin Jiggy]

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.

Great points. And as far a live wells. How does the game officer know if your upgrading your fish? A lot of unknown.

[tbiser]

It's going to be up to the officer and how many citations he needs to get to look good for the month. Thats all it is. I'm good friends with a state highway patrol commander and he said DNR officers are required to write a number of citations. Some are going to be pricks

[OneEyedWilly]

It's going to be up to the officer and how many citations he needs to get to look good for the month. Thats all it is. I'm good friends with a state highway patrol commander and he said DNR officers are required to write a number of citations. Some are going to be pricks

You are basing your statement on third party information! That's crazy. Come on now a friends tells you this about another department he does not work in. Quotas and all that crap are the biggest misconception about police etc. My Dad retired from police work about 10 years ago after working 36 years in two departments. Most of his friends are police and they are cops from all over the state. None I know of ever said they had quotas. Some guys write more than others but they never say go write this many. BS. If you want to say they law is wrong whatever but don't say it is because of a quota. If they wanted an easy ticket to fill a quota they would go down to the local pier, walk down and dink a few guys for some BS. Here these guys went out on a boat in the middle of the lake for 8 hours and observed these guys on party boats, whatever. Then waited til the dock to cite these guys. Far from an easy ticket to fill their so called "quota".

[tbiser]

I'm just telling the forum what was told to me. I dont know you but i have been checked many times before i even hit the ramp. I'm saying its not a bad thing because i believe in saftey first. But, they look for silly stuff sometimes. My brother overheard one of the officers say he'll get his in today if he stays long enough. Just saying.....

[ReelTime]

Here is a written responce from the ODNR in ragards to this situation. Click on this link.

http://www.ohiogamefishing.com/commu...d.php?t=198577

[ebijack]

Thanks Reeltime. That's pretty much the way it has been explained to me and I tried to relay in my posts. I still think while trolling, you should be able to get a "boat limit" as you don't always have able folks to steer and control the boat not being a charter. But I understand the statement.