Interesting Dilemma for PMTT

[darsky]

A PMTT (Pro Musky Tournament Trail) event was held recently in Detroit. I am assuming the anglers were fishing the Detroit River / Lake St Clair waters on US and the Canadian side. The min size limit for a registrable was 34". The controversy ensuing the whole event had to do with anglers holding qualifying fish in there nets while waiting for a judge boat to come and measure it. All anglers were in possession of conservation licenses letting them fish Can waters BUT the possession limit with a con license is 0. Also all fish under 44" must be released immediately and NOT held in the nets to wait for a judge. CO's were on top of this and were stalking the boats ready to pounce on anyone holding fish in the nets even threatening some anglers with equipment and BOAT seizure. I say the anglers got a raw deal on this one. The organizing committee should have been up to speed on the rules and regs for holding an event like this on border waters. One angler actually had a fish in the net and CO's made him release the fish before a judge could arrive. Doubtful that the tournament will ever be held close to Canada again

[Gerritt]

A PMTT (Pro Musky Tournament Trail) event was held recently in Detroit. I am assuming the anglers were fishing the Detroit River / Lake St Clair waters on US and the Canadian side. The min size limit for a registrable was 34". The controversy ensuing the whole event had to do with anglers holding qualifying fish in there nets while waiting for a judge boat to come and measure it. All anglers were in possession of conservation licenses letting them fish Can waters BUT the possession limit with a con license is 0. Also all fish under 44" must be released immediately and NOT held in the nets to wait for a judge. CO's were on top of this and were stalking the boats ready to pounce on anyone holding fish in the nets even threatening some anglers with equipment and BOAT seizure. I say the anglers got a raw deal on this one. The organizing committee should have been up to speed on the rules and regs for holding an event like this on border waters. One angler actually had a fish in the net and CO's made him release the fish before a judge could arrive. Doubtful that the tournament will ever be held close to Canada again

 

 

 

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Edited September 19, 2008 by Gerritt

[danc]

CO's were on top of this and were stalking the boats ready to pounce on anyone holding fish in the nets even threatening some anglers with equipment and BOAT seizure.

 

I don't see where the problem lies here. Apparently people were holding fish illegally fish so that that they might win a trophy? Since when are tournament fishermen above the laws?

[silveradosheriff]

We have more than one CO in ontario??????

[outllaw]

if you read the regs and abide by the implemented laws theres no issues. unfortunately the organizers did not , along with contestants. kudos to the mnr.

[ccmtcanada]

[Casey123]

Hats off to the Ministry for doing their job and enforcing our laws. Maybe next year the tournement organizers will get everyone setup with the correct licenses. A phone call to theMNR prior to the tourney, would have allowed the organizers to avoid this problem.

[Pinch]

A PMTT (Pro Musky Tournament Trail) event was held recently in Detroit. I am assuming the anglers were fishing the Detroit River / Lake St Clair waters on US and the Canadian side. The min size limit for a registrable was 34". The controversy ensuing the whole event had to do with anglers holding qualifying fish in there nets while waiting for a judge boat to come and measure it. All anglers were in possession of conservation licenses letting them fish Can waters BUT the possession limit with a con license is 0. Also all fish under 44" must be released immediately and NOT held in the nets to wait for a judge. CO's were on top of this and were stalking the boats ready to pounce on anyone holding fish in the nets even threatening some anglers with equipment and BOAT seizure. I say the anglers got a raw deal on this one. The organizing committee should have been up to speed on the rules and regs for holding an event like this on border waters. One angler actually had a fish in the net and CO's made him release the fish before a judge could arrive. Doubtful that the tournament will ever be held close to Canada again

 

So would they have been allowed to hold onto the fish to weigh them if they bought a sport licence?? Ive tried to check but I cant get the mnr link to work.

[outllaw]

it was not a weight tournie. the contestants held fish boatside till judge boat arrived. problem licensing, and size limits created the dilema. many sportsmen groups were involved in the issues at hand. the mnr were involved when they found out. thru angler outreach programs and group involvments the mnr are very accesable. . the musky fishery is priceless in southern ontario. it must be protected from mis-use., as the format that was presented.

[mattyk]

this issue is getting some bad press state side.

[Headhunter]

is it just me or does anyone else find this whole thing pretty amusing? Come on, really, how can anyone run a tournament like that and not be in the know? If it's getting bad press state side, I hope that the negligent parties and the focus of the wrath!!!

Still chuckling to myself!

HH

[BITEME]

WHAT is it i used to hear when i was growing up.....Ignorance of the law is no excuse!!!

[Mr. Follow]

So would they have been allowed to hold onto the fish to weigh them if they bought a sport licence?? Ive tried to check but I cant get the mnr link to work.

 

 

Hey Pinch they would not be allowed to hold any Fish under 44" for a judge boat if they got a Sport licence. AS any fish under that size is consider illegal and must be released. Good on the MNR. If the PMTT wishes to exsist stay in the states and don't destory our fishery.

 

 

I wonder how many fish have died during there tournaments???????

[bigugli]

WHAT is it i used to hear when i was growing up.....Ignorance of the law is no excuse!!!

I think this misfire fits the words of Forrest Gump best "Stupid is as stupid does". How can anyone be so dense as to not check the local regs first.

[POLLIWOGG]

The whole idea was sort of stupid as with the limit being 0 it doesn't matter if its over 44" or not it should be released immediately, and with the sport license whats the limit....1? So you catch 1 fish, have it judged and go to the bar cause your done for the day.

[Mr. Follow]

The whole idea was sort of stupid as with the limit being 0 it doesn't matter if its over 44" or not it should be released immediately, and with the sport license whats the limit....1? So you catch 1 fish, have it judged and go to the bar cause your done for the day.

 

For every fisherman on the boat with a sport fishing licence you are allow to keep one and be in possission of one. This causes alot of confusion if you caught a muskie and had it in the net or live well that was over 44" you would not be allowed to fish for another one until it was released. if you had it and caught another one you would be in violation of the MNR regs. and could be fined or have your boat seized.

 

 

A better way of looking at this is simple you go out and fish today you catch a 44 inch Musky that you decided to keep. you go home put it in yoru freezer. Tomorrow you go out catch another one. YOu can't keep it because you are in possession of one back home in your freezer.

[POLLIWOGG]

"For every fisherman on the boat with a sport fishing licence you are allow to keep one and be in possission of one. This causes alot of confusion if you caught a muskie and had it in the net or live well that was over 44" you would not be allowed to fish for another one until it was released. if you had it and caught another one you would be in violation of the MNR regs. and could be fined or have your boat seized."

 

 

Doesn't matter if it was kept and released, once its kept thats on your limit, doesn't matter if it was released later. Same thing with Bay of Quinte turney if your allowed one big fish you have to decide if this is the one or go for a bigger one.

[Paully]

Smooth move!