Hypothetical situation with rules

[Whopper]

First off I'm a magnet when it comes to your CO's while visiting so I take extra precautions to make sure I comply and play by the rules. More times than not I have been stopped and checked, never been issued a ticket for fishing infractions or safety equipment issues. I think the main reason I get check is my boat registration numbers, a dead give away that I am a non-resident.

 

In keeping with Terry and Chris's post on MNR's and not wanting to high jack there threads, I've often wondered what a CO would do in this case.

 

Here's the scenario

Eight people in our group, four father son combo's on a secluded drive in camp in NWO. Only camp on the lake with multiple cabins and multiple parties.

The four dads at the beginning of the week split up the chores, cook, wash dishes, clean cabin & gas boats and clean fish. I was the fish cleaner and fryer for the week.

After a afternoon of fishing I found myself in the cleaning hut with three limits (12 legal walleyes) by myself while others were in the cabin. While cleaning the fish a truck pulls into camp right up to the main office which was about 75 yards away and what I assumed was two CO's got out and went into the office. I kind of freaked for a minute because like I said I was by myself. So I quit what I was doing and went in the other direction to our cabin and requested two of the other dads grab their license's and come with me to the cleaning hut. About ten minutes go by and sure enough both CO's approached the cleaning hut to check us out. Everything was in order with our creel and they asked about anyone else in our group and the dads took the CO's to our cabin where they checked on two others in our group to make sure about their licenses. We had three young men that weren't of age yet so we were good to go on the licenses. Other than small talk that was about it and they left to walk around the rest of the camp only to find four Ontario residents drinking beer and playing horseshoes, don't really know what they discussed. CO's were polite and away they went.

 

Now here's what I have always wondered, What if I wouldn't have grabbed two other licensed fisherman and had them with me in the cleaning hut?

I know what the rules say "In possession"

Been in this situation many times myself on many trips and seen others in the same situation.

I can see where a CO may have a problem with one guy in a group cleaning multiple limits.

[Joey]

We do this all the time at Lakair when there is the fish fry. The cleaning station only holds about 2 to 3 people (2 comfortably) and they clean the fish everyone caught while everyone else goes their separate ways to get their salads and other stuff ready.

 

Very good question Phil.

[Whopper]

Exactly Joey, been there and seen it

 

That's kind of what I was referring to with the "others"

 

Could you see a CO try to lay charges to someone in that crew?

[landry]

Only if he is an ass.

[Terry]

I started out typing you would have no problem

 

then changed my mind

 

until you are ready to cook them you must keep skin on them and you must be able to id who's fish belongs to whom

they have charged people when a group puts all their perch in one bucket or when they are all in a cooler and over a single limit and not identified with owners name on the bag of fish that belongs to him

so if they really want to...guilty as charged...

[aplumma]

Hate to say it but guilty as charged seems to be the legal answer but I hope that the CO has the integrity to accept the explanation and not issue the ticket. That said the CO is not responsible for making a judgment on an infraction it is up to the judge/magistrate to make the legal judgement on the infraction.

 

 

 

 

Art

[bare foot wader]

reasonability varies with each CO (sometimes drastically), so you could be guilty there

 

there are certain lakes in Alberta where you have to apply for a lottery draw for walleye...then the tag must be clipped through the gills with the proper info...so ON is still a bit more lenient than that thankfully, and I'd think as long as you're polite and courteous most CO's would not give you a hard time in the fish cleaning shack

 

I've encountered many CO's who were playing Sherlock holmes or good cop vs bad cop type of tactics, cross referencing your story with buddies across the lake, etc...but once they are satisfied you are above the table they were good guys and good for a quick chat before they took off

[timmeh]

Maybe before you clean them take pictures of each guy holding his fish he caught that day. I'm sure you bring a camera and probably take pictures anyway. Would at least provide some evidence that you weren't the only one fishing. But I would be pretty surprised if they didn't understand that were just helping by cleaning everyones fish.

 

What happens if a guide takes multiple guys on a charter and then cleans all the fish at the end of the day?

Edited March 4, 2014 by timmeh

[Steve]

well .....

 

a resort on hay bay had to stop their big fish fry due to the mnr.

 

anglers would go out in the morning, catch walleye (within their limit) and then give them to the folks who were doing the cleaning/cooking.

 

this caused the folks cleaning/cooking to have more than their limit.

 

the mnr didn't fine anyone, but stopped the practice.

 

now folks cook their own fish .... kinda eliminated the nice fish fry / social event ....

[Roy]

Yup, it would be a quick way to eliminate shore lunches.

[mike rousseau]

well .....

 

a resort on hay bay had to stop their big fish fry due to the mnr.

 

anglers would go out in the morning, catch walleye (within their limit) and then give them to the folks who were doing the cleaning/cooking.

 

this caused the folks cleaning/cooking to have more than their limit.

 

the mnr didn't fine anyone, but stopped the practice.

 

now folks cook their own fish .... kinda eliminated the nice fish fry / social event ....

That's rediculous....

 

There are events (won't name them) in my area that have fish fries for 20+ people... Everyone is on the property where the fish is being cleaned, cooked and served...