Help me settle and argument

[rickster]

Had an argument the other night with a fellow about limits when fishing with kids.

Can a child keep a limit of fish as long as he or she can bring the fish in by themselves or does whatever they catch count towards the adults limit ?

I have read the regs and either missed it or there is no info on this matter?

I think they can have their own limit provided they are old enough to bring the fish in by themselves

Am I wrong?

[Jon]

According to page 1 of the 2005-2006 Recreational Fishing Regulations Summary, those who qualify to fish without purchasing a fishing licence may fish with the same catch and possession limits as holders of a Resident Sport Fishing Licence tag. Additionally, they have the same responsibilities as those who have purchased an Outdoors Card and fishing licence tage and must abide by all regulations.

 

Jon

[Entropy]

What you have said makes sense, if the kid can hold a reel and toss a bait, Cons limit.

 

Entropy

[Terry]

the child must be able to fish on it's own to be able to keep fish, so a one year old child doesn't give people the right to keep an extra 6 pike, but lots try

[rickster]

lol Page 1 eh?

No wonder I didin't see it

I actually called a Co friend of mine and asked him and he said as long as they can hold a rod and play the fish than the kids can have a limit of their own.

He says he does get a little ticked when he sees someone with a 3 month old child and argues that the baby can catch its limit. Takes all kinds I guess

[John Bacon]

Had an argument the other night with a fellow about limits when fishing with kids.

Can a child keep a limit of fish as long as he or she can bring the fish in by themselves or does whatever they catch count towards the adults limit ?

I have read the regs and either missed it or there is no info on this matter?

I think they can have their own limit provided they are old enough to bring the fish in by themselves

Am I wrong?

 

What you say is correct about children who are residents of Ontario.

 

However, in the case of non-residents; a child's catch does count towards the adults limit. It is this rule that causes some of the confusion about children and limits.

[Sinker]

Just keep in mind, the kids have to catch their own fish. You can't catch their limit for them. That would be party fishing, and its illegal. I had a warden give me a real hard time on simcoe when I set the hook on a whitie, on my sons set line, and handed it to my son......we had to release it, even though my son brought it in, and it was his line...........I already had my 2 fish on the ice. My son was a little miffed, it was his first one, and he really wanted to show mommy.

 

An ontario resident who does not require a license, is allowed to catch and keep a full limit.

 

Sinker

[Canuck2fan]

Just keep in mind, the kids have to catch their own fish. You can't catch their limit for them. That would be party fishing, and its illegal. I had a warden give me a real hard time on simcoe when I set the hook on a whitie, on my sons set line, and handed it to my son......we had to release it, even though my son brought it in, and it was his line...........I already had my 2 fish on the ice. My son was a little miffed, it was his first one, and he really wanted to show mommy.

 

 

Sinker

 

Actually you dodged a bullet there because the CO could have charged you for continuing to fish after you had your daily limit on the ice.... But you could have said you fishing for lakers I guess LOL.

[Sinker]

It is legal for my son to continue fishing if I have my 2 whities. As I mentioned, it was my sons line, I just set the hook and handed it to him.

 

Sinker

[Canuck2fan]

It is legal for my son to continue fishing if I have my 2 whities. As I mentioned, it was my sons line, I just set the hook and handed it to him.

 

Sinker

 

I am not critizing you or your actions I was just trying to point out that even picking up your son's tackle (which by the strictest definition is FISHING) could have led to a TA'ed CO charging you if they were in that mindset.... Hopefully it would never happen but the law is pretty clear once you have your limit of a target species you are supposed to be DONE for the day. Which is the reason I usually insist that if someone in the group limits out early we all LEAVE if possible (ie not waiting for a ride back on the ice) just to avoid the temptation of party fishing by the rest of the group....

 

I am all for OVER ZEALOUS CO's so I don't like to give them a reason to even question what I'm doing when fishing.

Edited May 18, 2007 by Canuck2fan

[brifishrgy]

I had a warden give me a real hard time on simcoe when I set the hook on a whitie, on my sons set line, and handed it to my son......we had to release it, even though my son brought it in, and it was his line

 

 

 

Sinker

 

I disagree with the warden... when you take a charter who sets the hook ... 9 out of 10 times the charter capt or his helper set the hook and hand it off to the client ... shoulda told him your son is paying you to set the hook

[Sinker]

I can't find in the regs where it says you cannot continue fishing once you have your limit. Anyone else see it , or is it just me. I'm pretty sure you can keep fishing, but all fish must be released immediately........?? There is a law about KEEPING too many fish in your possesion, but I can't find anything on stopping fishing once you have a limit in your possesion. It would be a waste of a trip if I was to leave after one person in my group caught a limit........thats no fun at all.

 

 

Regardless, if the warden had of charged me, I'd be going to court for sure, because that's a Bull charge if I ever did see one........

 

I don't mind an overzealous CO either, but that's a little too far IMO.

 

Sinker

[rickster]

I think you are right about keepin fishing.

Look at a tournament you catch a limit and then keep fishing to cull up more weight

Same rule applies to catch and keep I would think

[Guest gbfisher]

let me throw this one in the pile as it may help clarify the same issue. My wife is disabled. She needs help catching the fish she may catch...if she comes with me ....

One of my kids is the same as I see it. My 2 year old girl can troll with the best of them. She too needs help reeling in. BOTH from what I have been told have the right to a limit of fish according to the MNR in Parry hoot and Bracebridge. If she was a baby and could not do anything. She is not fishing. I was also told that is is up to the mnr officer who pulls you over. My DTR was standing and walking when she was 10 months and wanted back then to hold a fishing rod. I have a picture of her holding a small mouth with extreme curiosity. Thats the kind of thing the MNR would want to see. You show that she IS capable. ....lol...Mom wasnt as happy about it...... GOOOD GIRL nice fish...

[Terry]

gbfisher, I was told that persons who are disabled may have assistance but being too young is not a disability it's being too young..

well that's what I was told when I checked into it

as always it seems it depends on what day you talk to a CO

[Sinker]

In my case, the CO was just being a jerk. He was standing right there when I set the hook and passed it to my boy. He stayed and waited for him to reel it up........then made sure we released it, or he was going to charge me........I just popped the hook in the hole and down it went. We only had 2 lines in the water between us.....so.....not sure what his problem was.......just being a jerk. At least they are out there......just after the wrong guys I guess.

 

Sinker

[Guest gbfisher]

Terry .....thats why I used the word BABY,,, the ones that dont even know that they are in a boat fishing....hahahaha

It really doesnt say anything about age or ability.

If everyone purchased a license no matter what the age, there wouldnt be a problem at all.

 

You can say that again Sinker....after the wrong guys......!!!

[Canuck2fan]

I can't find in the regs where it says you cannot continue fishing once you have your limit. Anyone else see it , or is it just me. I'm pretty sure you can keep fishing, but all fish must be released immediately........?? There is a law about KEEPING too many fish in your possesion, but I can't find anything on stopping fishing once you have a limit in your possesion. It would be a waste of a trip if I was to leave after one person in my group caught a limit........thats no fun at all.

Regardless, if the warden had of charged me, I'd be going to court for sure, because that's a Bull charge if I ever did see one........

 

I don't mind an overzealous CO either, but that's a little too far IMO.

 

Sinker

 

You are right the regulations don't say you have to stop fishing after catching and keeping your limit, which I always thought was the implied spirit of the regulations. I am sorry if you got the impression I was singling you out I just mentioned about the CO charging you because I had heard second hand and read on a couple different message boards that on Lake Simcoe CO's were making anglers who had 2 whitefish stop fishing/leave last winter. I wonder now if they actually had the authority to do that..... I wouldn't want to be the volunteer to try and fight it out in court, even if it is technically possible to keep going after an angler has their limit.

[Canuck2fan]

I think you are right about keepin fishing.

Look at a tournament you catch a limit and then keep fishing to cull up more weight

Same rule applies to catch and keep I would think

 

Technically, anytime a tourney angler keeps their full limit and then starts culling they are breaking the law. It states that once you have your limit in possession which specifically includes what is in your livewell you must IMMEDIATELY return the next fish of that species to the water. Those anglers can't be doing that if they are rooting through their live well tossing out a smaller fish and then putting the latest fish in the livewell. I thought that is why bass tourneys generally have a limit of one less than the max allowed for the area they are in so the pros can't be charged which could tarnish the "sport":....

 

Also according to the regs you must NEVER put a fish on a stringer that you are planning on releasing, which makes culling from shore illegal as I read it and I constantly have to keep explaining that one to anglers every summer, who catch something small then say I will just keep it on the stringer till a bigger one comes along....

Edited May 19, 2007 by Canuck2fan