Quote Originally Posted by miso_ohio View Post
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.