Party Fishing

[Fisherman]

Sinclairs belief: Is that specifically called out in the regulations? I always was (and still am) of the impression that you can fill up your boat's stringer/live well until the number of fish reaches the combined limit of the licenses on board. Since the wording of the law says "possession" and not "catching" (with the exception of some Aurora Trout reg's I believe)

 

Same deal for ice fishing - 5 guys tending to 10 tip-ups. We always combine our limits. Who is to say who a fish belongs to?

 

The guy who put the bait on?

The guy who shouted flag up?

The guy who owns the tip-up?

 

This is called party fishing and not allowed, if you wish to use the word "possession" then the owner or Captain of the boat is in possession of the boat and contents and then he is way over the limit. Therefore it's wise to know who caught what and never mind filling your buddies limit.

[Muskieman]

Pokin' at the bees nest ?

 

 

Ethically ... Once the angler has caught his/her limit the rod should be put away.

 

But......... after a few wobbly pops who cares?????????

 

Most guides I know of on Nip have a cooler or livewell full of fish at the end of the day and divi'em up once the get to the dock.

 

Our local C/O's never bother the guides for this... In fact one of our local C/O's is a guide himself.

 

As for Ice fishing??????? makes no sense to me ... I'm not about to stand beside a line that's going down and wait for my buddy to come runnin' out of the shack to miss it.... I'll set the hook and bring it and throw it in the pile.

 

Besides probably too much paper-work for the C/O's to enforce.

 

Fishin's always a party!

 

 

RFS

[richyb]

They were nailing people all over simcoe lastyear for party fishing. Some of the guys I know would have their limit but continue to fish and when they hooked one they would pass the line over to someone who needed a fish .. Seemed to keep the CO's happy.

 

Lots of fish likely die from someone having their limit and releasing a dozen more while they are waiting for their fishing partner to catch their limit... If you and your partner are going to go home with you limit anyways would it be better for 4 fish to be caught or 20 ( 18 by one guy but 16 released) ?

Edited August 11, 2010 by richyb

[Fisherman]

Common violations that can be avoided direct from the MNR site:

 

Possessing more fish than permitted by your fishing licence or the fishing quota. Catch and retain and possession limits may vary by region, fisheries division, individual body of water, or even parts of a body of water. You must determine your “daily” fishing limit for the waters you intend to fish and follow these limits. Remember you may only catch your own limit – there are no provisions for “party” fishing or for excluding fish that you may have consumed or plan to consume that day.

[Terry]

Pokin' at the bees nest ?

 

 

Ethically ... Once the angler has caught his/her limit the rod should be put away.

 

 

 

 

 

you mean once a limit is kept not caught, as long as you release fish you can keep fishing ethically and legally

[MJL]

Here's an old thread that covered the topic

http://www.ofncommunity.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=30585&st=0&p=326647&hl=%20communal%20%20bucket&fromsearch=1entry326647

 

Here's a response from the MNR (Mar 4, 2008)

MNR Answer:

“Party Fishing” is a term I used in answering the previous question; it refers to the illegal activity of filling another person’s limit of fish

[RickOnt]

The MNR DO!!!! Charge for Party Fishing on Simcoe, Especiallly Ice Fishin!!

[fish_fishburn]

Whatever, this is dumb. Just saying

[Fisherman]

Whatever, this is dumb. Just saying

 

It's only dumb if people aren't aware of it, do as you wish, I'd hate to see someone get boned because

[Muskieman]

you mean once a limit is kept not caught, as long as you release fish you can keep fishing ethically and legally

 

 

That's what I meant... It sounds different in my head with a French accent..

 

 

Randy

[ctdd2006]

That's what I meant... It sounds different in my head with a French accent..

 

 

Randy

 

 

...my wife and I (both licensed anglers) take our 4y/o boy out walleye fishing (only fish we keep usually) and we let him reel them all in...???? We broke the law right!? He's over limit!!!!

 

I'm really getting sick of the over zealous conservationist tone we've been getting around here! Don't get me wrong...I'm a conservationist...and a sportsman but it seems lately that keeping a fish for the table is a crime! Let's promote this great sport and not make everyone feel like they are criminals!

Edited August 11, 2010 by ctdd2006

[Rich Clemens]

Here in PA, I've heard of guys getting nailed for sharing a single stringer. Each one, individually, was under their own limit. But combined on a single stringer, they assume this belongs to a single fisherman, and put him over the limit. When using a stringer, I believe, each fisherman must have their own.

[Terry]

...my wife and I (both licensed anglers) take our 4y/o boy out walleye fishing (only fish we keep usually) and we let him reel them all in...???? We broke the law right!? He's over limit!!!!

 

I'm really getting sick of the over zealous conservationist tone we've been getting around here! Don't get me wrong...I'm a conservationist...and a sportsman but it seems lately that keeping a fish for the table is a crime! Let's promote this great sport and not make everyone feel like they are criminals!

 

yes according to the law he has broken it .......

on simcoe they have been enforcing the law with no exceptions, so we are just stating facts.......

 

most people have not stated whether or not they agree or disagree with the law, only that it is the law.....

 

and as for keeping fish, I believe the day we stop eatting fish is the day the tree huggers spot a stop to fishing altogether...so eat away

[kyle7273]

So let me get this straight and please correct me if I'm wrong.

Let's take a 2 fish limit scenario,

3 anglers in a boat,

5 fish in the cooler.

Only one person is now allowed to be fishing.

 

If a CO comes along and wants to lay a charge, who gets it?

[Terry]

well if no one admits who owns the fish you all get charged with obstruction of justice

once ownership is established, the 2 with their limit get charged..pretty simple

 

however, if you have a limit of whitefish and there are trout in the area you could be fishing trout and there is nothing wrong with that,,,,,,unless you are really fishing whitefish

 

 

once I have my 2 whitefish on the ice I quit fishing and move to where i have a better chance of getting trout or go home...

[DanD]

This might sound dumb but I can see it happening some day. You plan on going fishing; you’ll have to go to a licensing outlet and buy tags for whatever species, you plan on targeting?

If there’s a fish in the live well or on a stringer it better have a tag on it; that's registered to you or who ever claims it.

 

Dan.

Edited August 11, 2010 by DanD

[F_ast]

Enormous money grab. I fully understand and support the conservation laws, but is this not taking it too far? I mean, who really in their right mind comes up with this stuff? Yes, conservation is developed to protect species and fisheries, but if a simple error is made, such as 2 guys sharing a stringer for instance, why the money grab? Why not instead of "enforcing" the LAW, promote personal choice conservation though education. To be honest, I think there are too many people that take fishing and keeping for granted and do no understand the impact. However, when it comes to the law, it too is written in a way that it is subject to the readers interpretation. Not so cut and dry.

 

I know its changing the subject a little, but who else here knows the daily catch vs. possession rules? It is vaguely written, but if a person catches their possession limit, any fish that you have at home, in the freezer must also be accounted for in that possession and your daily catch allowance. You cant catch an entire limit out fishing one day and have the same fish on ice at home.

 

Possession means, in the boat, at home or in storage. Example. If a limit is 10, you can have 8 in the boat and 2 at home to make 10.

 

I didn't hear about this until last year. Now I don't often keep fish, but its something good to know if you plan too.

[Terry]

I have read the regs many times and the summary they put out for people to read..i still do not understand them all and they are very much open to interpretation....

 

however the daily limit and Possession limit seemed clear to me

 

and the last few of years with changes to the regs. more and more the daily limit and Possession limit are the same, which simplifies it

[I'mHooked]

This might sound dumb but I can see it happening some day. You plan on going fishing; you’ll have to go to a licensing outlet and buy tags for whatever species, you plan on targeting?

If there’s a fish in the live well or on a stringer it better have a tag on it; that's registered to you or who ever claims it.

 

Dan.

 

It's not that far of a stretch to think it could happen some day.

It's how Salmon is regulated in the East.

 

[canadadude]

The regulations aren't written clearly enough IMO. There is one major glaring omission, and it's already been mentioned in one of these threads. What happens If I catch a fish, and give it to someone without a licence? If I give it to someone with a licence it would count against their possession limit, and my possession limit. In essence that one fish becomes 2 fish.

 

I do see that what I had described yesterday isn't acceptable. While not legal, I don't personally find it to be unethical or against the spirit of the law. I think if 2 guys pull up to dock with 8 walleyes, with all the fish being legal size for whatever slot might exist, then as far as a CO is concerned there is no issue, provided the anglers don't have any fish on ice at home. It doesn't make a difference to the fishery one way or another WHO caught the fish.

 

If I have read correctly, once you have your possession limit for a species, any fish caught must be immediately released. It does not say you must stop targeting that fish, just that now you are catch and release only.

 

Now you are in the middle of the lake with your buddy. You have 4 walleye on your personal stringer, your buddy has 3 on his stringer. Rain clouds are closing in and you hook into a nice one. Does that fish go back in the lake or onto your buddies stringer? Be honest.

If you catch a fish and give it away it does not count on your possession limit,but it does count on your daily catch and keep limit.The person who got the fish,it will count on there possession limit but not on there daily catch limit, however if that person goes out and catches and keeps his daily limit he will exceed his possession limit by one. See it's easy to figure it out

[canadadude]

If you have your limit on your stringer you should stop fishing or at least stop targeting that species and if you do catch another one of that species it should be released

[I'mHooked]

The regulations aren't written clearly enough IMO. There is one major glaring omission, and it's already been mentioned in one of these threads. What happens If I catch a fish, and give it to someone without a licence? If I give it to someone with a licence it would count against their possession limit, and my possession limit. In essence that one fish becomes 2 fish.

 

I do see that what I had described yesterday isn't acceptable. While not legal, I don't personally find it to be unethical or against the spirit of the law. I think if 2 guys pull up to dock with 8 walleyes, with all the fish being legal size for whatever slot might exist, then as far as a CO is concerned there is no issue, provided the anglers don't have any fish on ice at home. It doesn't make a difference to the fishery one way or another WHO caught the fish.

 

If I have read correctly, once you have your possession limit for a species, any fish caught must be immediately released. It does not say you must stop targeting that fish, just that now you are catch and release only.

Now you are in the middle of the lake with your buddy. You have 4 walleye on your personal stringer, your buddy has 3 on his stringer. Rain clouds are closing in and you hook into a nice one. Does that fish go back in the lake or onto your buddies stringer? Be honest.

 

Would that fish you've just caught for C & R not be considered in your "possession" before it's released? Therefore you're knowingly over your limit?

 

I'm not saying I disagree with you, I'm just thinking from previous threads that the CO's consider the "catching" to have added to your possession, whether you've released it or not. Or at least in that brief moment before you release it, and that makes you over your limit?

[bluesky1713]

Maybe I'm just naive, but can you not continue fishing via catch-and-release after you have gotten your limit?

[Kilka]

well if no one admits who owns the fish you all get charged with obstruction of justice

once ownership is established, the 2 with their limit get charged..pretty simple

 

 

This is wrong. Nobody would be charged with anything. You are allowed to target a fish species you have already limited out on as long as you are going to C&R.

 

I ice fish Joe quite a bit and at least once a season the CO comes by. I am usually in a group of 3-4 people, he always asks how many fish we have TOTAL, and is fine and on his way as long as number of fish is under the allowed combined possession for the licenses. All our fish go into the same pile, never had a problem with this.

 

In fact, this is how the law should be. Laws are only useful if they are enforceable. Prohibiting party fishing is not really enforceable in most situations. To change you with party fishing a CO would have to watch you catch more than your limit and put the fish over the limit by your buddy. I heard they actually do this with binoculars on Simcoe, but I don't really ice fish there anymore. Either way I really doubt a charge like this would stand up in court, which is why it shouldn't even exist in the first place.

[Guest gbfisher]

To change you with party fishing a CO would have to watch you catch more than your limit and put the fish over the limit by your buddy. I heard they actually do this with binoculars on Simcoe, but I don't really ice fish there anymore. Either way I really doubt a charge like this would stand up in court, which is why it shouldn't even exist in the first place.

 

Same deal on Joe. It will only be a matter of time till they catch you. Adding to someone elses limit after you have caught and kept your limit will get you charged for sure. Better yet you will lose everything related to getting you out there to fish as well. Equipment, machines... etc.