I disagree John. Just don't net the third fish. You can keep two and release all others.Although, if I plan on keeping 2 fish and get 2 right away, I always let the 2nd go. Then I hope to have as good an ending as I started out. If it doesn't work out, so be it.

What happens if you accidentally kill a fish after keeping two for dinner?? You never know when a fish is gonna get a hook in the gill rakers... then what? You gonna throw a dead salmon back in the water? I completely believe that if you keep two fish, you're done. If you want to catch and release, keep one and then "gamble" that you'll get the option to keep another later in the day.

I believe Slipknot is right, you can not have more then your limit in the boat so if you are fighting two and already have one in the box, be sure to release one of the fish you are fighting before you bring in the next one.

I agree with you Slipknot as a sportsman. You could unintentionally mortally wound a 3rd fish and there it goes back in the drink to be bird food or recycled matter into the lake.

Tibbs

I think if the CO wanted he could make a case, like I said its a "gray area", many of us practice catch and release after we get out limit, that is if we keep em.

You are probably right as long as it does not come in the boat or net ??????????? What is "possession" ???

It's one of those things that nobody wants to go there. I don't think they can stop you from fishing if you have your limit, sure you can say you are Bass fishing, but when Salmom or Trout bites, what then ??

I think to play it safe, allways stay 1 shy of the limit for your group.

There was another question last year,3 guys fishing, 5 Salmon in the box, how many lines can you now have in the water ??????? 2 guys are done, 1 guy can still catch 1 more, so only 2 lines are legal if the CO wants to push it. But I have never heard of anyone getting bagged for that kind of stuff.

The question is, could he get bagged and loose his license if the CO pushed it ???

Actually I have heard Fish and Game people say it's OK to catch and release after you have 2, but I still think if a CO wants, he could bust you, but probab;y wouldn't.

John S.

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I disagree John. Just don't net the third fish. You can keep two and release all others.Although, if I plan on keeping 2 fish and get 2 right away, I always let the 2nd go. Then I hope to have as good an ending as I started out. If it doesn't work out, so be it.

We allways shoot for 20+ inches for our keeper fish,that way one makes a good meal.If it's starts getting late in the day number 2 might be shorter.Many day's one is it and it might be shorter lol.It is not worth pushing F&G they can make you have a bad day in a hurry lol.polebreaker

Say I have one salmon in the fish box and as I am trolling I get a double off my riggers. Then what do I do?

I would fight that if they ever wrote me up for something like that.

I was boarded once last year and given a fairly clear explanation of how those two CO's viewed the rules.

"If you have your limit you may still fish with all of your allowed poles. However no more trout species may be taken in the boat which means they must be released at the side of the boat not in a net. His response to netting and releasing it was that it is also illegal to cull trout species which if practiced for that short period you would have over your limit anyway"

His response to the above fisherman I'm sure was intended to mean he was done "boating" anymore trout species. I genrally maintain one less than my limit just in case I hit the fish of a lifetime.

I'm by no means a legal expert this is just my experience over the years. I have been boarded when I have a full limit and still 6 rods in the water and was also warned not to boat anymore trout species for the same concerns above.

So if you net a short fish is that considered breaking the law? You would have a short fish in your possession.
Very gray area. I believe the way the rules are written it is your creel limit that is enforced. That is clearly defined as dead fish.

Spike

If your on a charter with 1 captain and 1 shipmate the crew of 4 clients have their limit, can you continue to fish catch and release ?? what ,if any, guide lines would local charter guys follow ??

I think there was some question last year if 2 lines could be in the water for the guide on top of the clients lines.

Also guide helpers (shipmate,1st mate) must also be licensed guides and I assume they cannot have 2 lines of thier own in the water as well.

Perhaps a guide could explain it better, if they dared.lol.

John S.

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If your on a charter with 1 captain and 1 shipmate the crew of 4 clients have their limit, can you continue to fish catch and release ?? what ,if any, guide lines would local charter guys follow ??

Gotta agree with everything Spike said here. If nothing else this has opened my eyes regarding Fish and Games interpretation.

Bottom line, in the rule book, the daily creel limit is 2 and the creel limit is defined as the number or weight of any kind of wildlife permitted to be killed in a specified time. In my eyes, if you continue fishing when you have your limit, you're not violating this regulation as written.

If I was a Guide, this might be a thread I'd choose to avoid......

The CO was right and it was nice of him too tell the guy rather than just watch him net the third fish and than violate him. The rule is not that gray here, fish in a live well are possed fish you can't put them back after they have been put in there thats culling. If you have a fish in the net you need to beable too inclued it in you bag limt and still be legal

As far as the bass fishing goes he could still do that and the CO probably won't have a problem but when you are trolling a smelt on the edge of the ice on April 1st? Than again he could have simply waited until he netted the next salmonoid.

The rule is that if you think you might be guilty than you shouldn't have done it. In the past we have all been guilty of "meat fishing" or sacrificing the fish for the fun of catching and releasing a days worth of fish. Go crappie or perch fishing if you want to catch numbers of fish. But, I do understand that F&G news tell us that this is the time of the year that we might catch the most salmon. I think catch and release should be great if you are really careful about the release!!

Dick

lso:
Culling: The act of exchanging a fish for one of the same species already in possession.

If you want to release your entire limit back into the water from where it was taken you can do that. You just can't exchange fish. At least that is how I read it.
So now you catch a salmon that looks on the edge so you throw him in the livewell to see if he rebounds. Ok a half hour later he looks good and you release him. Then an hour later catch another you decide to take home. Is that culling???


Spike

isn't it easier to release a fish without injury if you have it in your rubber net...as opposed to leaning over the side while trying to remove a treble? if it is, then a rule that prevents you from netting would be unwise, right?

still think a sticky on how to handle fish to avoid injury would be good.

lots of grey areas, i fish on sebago and its only one kept salmon, i rarely keep a salmon, i think maybe 3 in the last 5 years. now you can keep 6 more togue and you catch them with the salmon during ice out fishing the same methods. so having one and incidently catching and releasing seems plausable to me, fish and game should rewrite that into the book if they think its a grey issue. another grey issue i see mentioned on the forum is rotating hits on the rod as in its your turn. doing this means you have maybe 4 or 6 rods in your possession while others in the party have non. i dont do that on my boat, fish and game would fine you quickly for that on sebago if you got caught, ive even seen a guy get busted helping someone pick up traps quickly to go home, you can only tend to your own traps. lots of grey areas. if you cross the border dont get caught napping while fishing, big no no

You're right Mike, it's up to the CO's (Conservation Officer) discretion on allot of stuff how he enforces the rules. So, be safe and don't wander too close to the edge. We wait all winter for the season to Open, it shouldn't close for any of us before September 30th, why gamble.

John S.

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lots of grey areas, i fish on sebago and its only one kept salmon, i rarely keep a salmon, i think maybe 3 in the last 5 years. now you can keep 6 more togue and you catch them with the salmon during ice out fishing the same methods. so having one and incidently catching and releasing seems plausable to me, fish and game should rewrite that into the book if they think its a grey issue. another grey issue i see mentioned on the forum is rotating hits on the rod as in its your turn. doing this means you have maybe 4 or 6 rods in your possession while others in the party have non. i dont do that on my boat, fish and game would fine you quickly for that on sebago if you got caught, ive even seen a guy get busted helping someone pick up traps quickly to go home, you can only tend to your own traps. lots of grey areas. if you cross the border dont get caught napping while fishing, big no no

I second that John. Like the ice fishing analogy used by you Mike. Better to be safe than sorry.

Tibbs

According to my Log Book on April 22nd of 08' I kept two 18" Salmon, very early in the morning, two cook up for breakfast. There were a few people staying with me but I was the only one in the boat. I kept those two because I didn't know if I would catch anymore that morning to feed us. I kept fishing and finished the morning out with twelve fish caught, but only those two kept. There was a CO out on the lake that morning and he was checking just about everyone from the sound of it on the VHF. He checked me just after I caught another and a rainbow. I do not know if he saw me catch the salmon but I know he saw me catch the bow. He asked me how the fishing was going and I told him it was excellent. He looked at my license and asked me if I had any fish in the boat. I showed him the two I had in the livewell. He then told me to enjoy the rest of my morning fishing and went on his merry way. Not sure if this helps or just cause more arument but it is what happened that morning.

I'm gonna throw this out there one more time... what happens if you have kept/killed two fish and decide to keep fishing as catch and release... then you accidentally kill a fish. You're now over your limit or being very unsportsmanlike and throwing a dead fish overboard.
The charter captains I've been out with tell you right up front that they recommend catch and release... but if you want to keep fish, you can. They then say that if you keep fish you will be done fishing when you reach your limit. That sometimes means pulling in two rods at a time until the clients limits are filled. I have never seen a guide or mate allow the clients to keep fish that would have been outside the clients limit.
I have helped on charters in the past. I asked F&G law enforcement division if it was legal, as I'm not a guide. They said it was fine as long as I was not being paid for my services. No problem... I was just along for the fun anyways. I can steer a boat like nobody's business. LOL. If a mate is being paid ANY amount of money, they are in violation of the law unless they hold a guides license.
I was also told from F&G that it was legal for the guide and the mate to have two lines each in the water, as long as they were properly licensed. According to two different COs there is no problem with taking turns pulling in fish. I practice this on my boat and most everyone that I fish with does the same. We even do it ice fishing... have been talking to COs while doing it... and never had a problem. Its just one of those things that makes it fun for everyone involved.

Just playing the devils advocate here: What if the guy catch and releasing kills 7 of the fish he releases that day?
He may not know it at the time of release. The guy keeping his two fish and continuing fishing may also kill an additional five fish in that same day and not know it. Same impact on the fishery by two different methods.

Also if you are driving a boat and there are people that paid to be on that boat you need to be a licensed Captain, whether you are being paid or not. Just an FYI.

I know what the CO told you but the Coast Guard and an insurance company will see it differently.

Spike

Craig, thanks for clarication on some of the rules, I could never find anything on that stuff. I hope it's a legit rule and not just the CO's idea of a rule or how it should be ???? I agree, I think that's the way it should be, I hope they all agree on it.

As far as limits, the best and safest way is to allways have your 2nd fish remain in the lake.

I'm thinking of taking the Barge to your Lake soon and maybe leave it there until Winni opens, which could be real soon. If I do, maybe we can hook up, your welcome anytime. There is a rumor that there are some nice Salmon in that pond.

Good night all.

Big John

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I'm gonna throw this out there one more time... what happens if you have kept/killed two fish and decide to keep fishing as catch and release... then you accidentally kill a fish. You're now over your limit or being very unsportsmanlike and throwing a dead fish overboard.
The charter captains I've been out with tell you right up front that they recommend catch and release... but if you want to keep fish, you can. They then say that if you keep fish you will be done fishing when you reach your limit. That sometimes means pulling in two rods at a time until the clients limits are filled. I have never seen a guide or mate allow the clients to keep fish that would have been outside the clients limit.
I have helped on charters in the past. I asked F&G law enforcement division if it was legal, as I'm not a guide. They said it was fine as long as I was not being paid for my services. No problem... I was just along for the fun anyways. I can steer a boat like nobody's business. LOL. If a mate is being paid ANY amount of money, they are in violation of the law unless they hold a guides license.
I was also told from F&G that it was legal for the guide and the mate to have two lines each in the water, as long as they were properly licensed. According to two different COs there is no problem with taking turns pulling in fish. I practice this on my boat and most everyone that I fish with does the same. We even do it ice fishing... have been talking to COs while doing it... and never had a problem. Its just one of those things that makes it fun for everyone involved.

Capt Spike... you could be right about the amount of unknown deaths caused by releasing fish... I am simply speaking of "creel limit", which is a written law. It would be nice to know how many fish die after releasing. We very rarely see one belly-up in the lake.
Good to know about the insurance side of the "mate" thing... never gave that part a thought. F&G had said as long as I had my boaters certificate and wasn't being paid, it was okay. They probably wouldn't have thought of the insurance people either, as thats not part of their job. Thanks for the heads up. If I ever do it again, I will be sure to look into it further. Been a couple years now anyways.

while we dont like to see a fish go belly up and try hard for that not to happen, releasing one that may be eaten by something else may just be good for the fishery. lakers will eat that fish, so will the cusk etc. thats my veiw on it and maybe im alone with it, but its not just a salmon fishery. its not a bad thing to see an eagle take a struggling fish is it. thay are goung to get them anyways.