Conundrum

[Ted]

Here is one I've been pondering for awhile, but haven't had the courage to test for fear of the ODNR. Okay, say the wife and I leave Turtle Creek on Saturday morning, headed to Put n Bay for an overnighter on the boat. On the way we catch 60 perch. Head to the bay for dinner drinks and whatever else that happens. The perch iced well for a night in the cooler, not cleaned. Sunday morning comes, and we know where the perch are, so we take our 60 for Sunday. Head back to Turtle Creek and get boarded by the ODNR while at the gas dock. Completely screwed I do believe! What do you all think? What would be legal protocol?

[wakina]

Here is one I've been pondering for awhile, but haven't had the courage to test for fear of the ODNR. Okay, say the wife and I leave Turtle Creek on Saturday morning, headed to Put n Bay for an overnighter on the boat. On the way we catch 60 perch. Head to the bay for dinner drinks and whatever else that happens. The perch iced well for a night in the cooler, not cleaned. Sunday morning comes, and we know where the perch are, so we take our 60 for Sunday. Head back to Turtle Creek and get boarded by the ODNR while at the gas dock. Completely screwed I do believe! What do you all think? What would be legal protocol?

You guys are screwed! You will both be ticketed for being 30 over! Their reasoning is they don't know when you caught them. Just your word for it!

[pimplepounder]

My friend and I were told by the Findlay office, when we inquired about fishing over night and limits regarding ice fishing over night. We were instructed to use key tags, those circle rings with a metal wire ring. On them place your name, date, and tag each fish. Do not put you and your buddies fish together, and do not fillet, gut and de-gill . Keep these fish totally separated from the prior days fish. Pictures of the fish with the tags and a date attached to the photo is another advised bit of proof.
It is all about the proof if you leave any doubt , they will
no pun intended... Doubt You.

[wakina]

My friend and I were told by the Findlay office, when we inquired about fishing over night and limits regarding ice fishing over night. We were instructed to use key tags, those circle rings with a metal wire ring. On them place your name, date, and tag each fish. Do not put you and your buddies fish together, and do not fillet, gut and de-gill . Keep these fish totally separated from the prior days fish. Pictures of the fish with the tags and a date attached to the photo is another advised bit of proof.
It is all about the proof if you leave any doubt , they will
no pun intended... Doubt You.

Just my opinion but if you do it the way you described they are going to not only doubt you but ticket you also.

[pimplepounder]

Just my opinion but if you do it the way you described they are going to not only doubt you but ticket you also.

Yes, wakina perhaps they would, but it is about as extreme of proof as you can get , next to a notary for each fish. Who would want to tag that many perch anyway is beyond me. But this is what we were instructed to do by ODNR last Winter. I am close with a division officer. I will try to pin him down on this next time I see him. We usually meet up during mushroom season.

I end up with so many fish that its not a matter to me anyway.

[cycleguy]

Interesting conversation… I was planning on being there in spring for several days. Maybe catching a room, or roughing it out of the vehicle a day or so between. Heck I've even pulled the full canvas top up on my boat, and slept on an air mattress to avoid morning crowds and launching, anchored up in a corner of a landing area.

I would clean fish in the eve, wrap up and leave in the vehicle. Never bringing the cooler to the water. Transporting to the truck in a separate cooler. Never keeping more than my limit per day, each of the days I was there if that lucky. How much do these fish cleaning places charge? Seems like a safe way out of trouble… even though it wasn't part of my original thought.

[Ted]

I know. Which completely sucks! There should be a way to establish the catch date. What if I'm on the ferry coming back from 3 days of fillets, unfrozen? Similar situation I Suppose?

[wakina]

I know. Which completely sucks! There should be a way to establish the catch date. What if I'm on the ferry coming back from 3 days of fillets, unfrozen? Similar situation I Suppose?

Not completely sure but I think you are safe in that situation so long as you have proof you were on the island for however many days your amount of fish would dictate. Example would be 3 days on the island and no more than 180 perch for 2 people or 30 fish per day per person

[rick2752]

I posed these exact question to odnr, as I have a boat that is livable for the weekend. I wanted to stay at the marina on middle bass and fish each day. Their response was it is only legal to have 1 days limit on the boat unless it is the ferry. I thought I saved email response but can't find it. You can prove your stay and have more than a days limit on ferry.

[K Metzger]

Well if you had a receipt for your overnight dock, wouldn't that show you were there.