Holding Pens

[Gord]

There's a gang of guys on the river across from us that have rented a cottage. They have one of these beside their dock. They fish, all day, every day(for the past week). They are putting fish in it(bass and pike) What do you guys think of this practice? I know it's legal, because I checked the regs. Personally, I don't think it should be. I can't compare it to a livewell in a boat.....

[Walker]

Gord,
If you don't have a freezer to store the cleaned fish, then the next best thing would be use the pen up to when you leave then fillet them to keep the meat fresh.
That's just my thinking.

[Fishoholic]

As long as they are not exceeding the limits I don't see an issue with it. I'd watch out or snappers and birds if I was them though. I've had snappers steal fish right off the stringer multiple times in the past. I've seen people with bird/hamster cages that they put out in the water along the shoreline to keep their catches in.

[Gord]

As long as they are not exceeding the limits I don't see an issue with it.

.....this is what I'm concerned about. I remember hearing stories about guys stuffing coolers with fillets and keeping them on the down low. NOT COOL.

[Fishoholic]

I hear ya on that Gord. It would suck if they aren't following the limits, especially in your backyard.

[Wallyboss]

We had a fish cage when we used to do the walleye opener, because of no freezer available. But we always kept a count of the walleyes in it and what we could still catch. I was the only one filleting for a group of 8. So Sunday nights was a busy time for me. But it kept me busy while the others would clean up camp!!

[RJ]

Nothing wrong with a fish cage dockside. Keeping over limits is worth a phone call though.

RJ

[bardern]

they still would not be able to have over their daily passion limit correct?

[CNs]

they still would not be able to have over their daily passion limit correct?

Just to be clear about daily catch limits and possession limits: (taken from the inistries website)

Catch limit

The number of fish you can catch and keep in a day. It includes:
•fish you don’t release right away
•fish you eat
•fish you give away

Your daily catch limit counts towards your possession limit.

Possession limit

The total number of a species of fish that you can have in your possession at any time. It includes fish caught today and in the past, whether they are:
•freshly landed
•in your car or boat
•in your cooler
•at home in your fridge or freezer

Your possession limit does not include fish you have:
•eaten
•given away

Unless stated otherwise in the fishing regulations summary, the catch limit and the possession limit are the same.

[bardern]

I cant see any difference between a pen and a livewell. I would think a CO seeing more than a daily limit in a pen wouldn't lay a charge.

[CNs]

I cant see any difference between a pen and a livewell. I would think a CO seeing more than a daily limit in a pen wouldn't lay a charge.

The correct term would be possession not daily. Whether it is a livewell, "pen", fridge/freezer: it's what you have in your possession that counts towards the limit. Assuming the sport limit for a species is 6. If you have 3 in the freezer then you can have 3 in your livewell. As long as it is your possession it has to be counted. If you have 6 of said species in your pen/fridge/freezer/livewell, you cannot be cooking a seventh one. That would put you over the possession limit. That is one reason bass tournaments allow a max of 5 fish. It allows you to "cull". if It was a six fish tournament, you would have to cull before you could haul in another.

[bardern]

interesting. I never keep fish for the table (entirely c&r except for the rare gilled fish) and I never realized that there is in fact no separate possession limit in the regs. I just checked and it just shows limit. Am I missing something here? You are only allowed to have say 6 bass in the freezer? Again I never take fish home

[bardern]

makes sense.

[Wallyboss]

A limit means you can not exceed the total catch limit of a species in a specific fishing zone.

For example: I fish Zone 25 ( Ottawa River)

-I catch my limit of 5 Walleye and keep my limit of 5 to bring home.
-The same night I filet and eat 2 walleye, leaving 3 remaining in the freezer.
-The next day I go fishing again, my limit is now 2 Walleye.
-I keep my limit of 2 Walleye and bring them home to put in the freezer.
-I now have 5 Walleye in my freezer.
-I go out fishing the following day again, my limit is now A big fat" ZERO" as I still have my full limit in possession.
-I can't keep another fish of that species until I consume part or all of my limit in possession.
-If I leave those fish in my freezer for 6 months, my limit stays at ZERO no exceptions.

Hope this helps....

But technically if you have other people at home (even with no fishing license of their own) they can possess a limit. So I am pretty sure that if you give a limit to your wife or girlfriend or son ordaughter you can go back the next day and still be able to keep a limit. It is illegal to fish without a license but it is not illegal to possess fish without one.

[CNs]

A limit means you can not exceed the total catch limit of a species in a specific fishing zone.

For example: I fish Zone 25 ( Ottawa River)

-I catch my limit of 5 Walleye and keep my limit of 5 to bring home.
-The same night I filet and eat 2 walleye, leaving 3 remaining in the freezer.
-The next day I go fishing again, my limit is now 2 Walleye.
-I keep my limit of 2 Walleye and bring them home to put in the freezer.
-I now have 5 Walleye in my freezer.
-I go out fishing the following day again, my limit is now A big fat" ZERO" as I still have my full limit in possession.
-I can't keep another fish of that species until I consume part or all of my limit in possession.
-If I leave those fish in my freezer for 6 months, my limit stays at ZERO no exceptions.

Hope this helps....

But technically if you have other people at home (even with no fishing license of their own) they can possess a limit. So I am pretty sure that if you give a limit to your wife or girlfriend or son ordaughter you can go back the next day and still be able to keep a limit. It is illegal to fish without a license but it is not illegal to possess fish without one.

I hadn't thought of that. Here is what the ministry says about giving fish away.


Can I give the fish I catch to someone who doesn’t have a fishing licence?

You can give away any legally-caught fish. The person receiving the fish:
◦does not need a licence
◦must not exceed possession limits for that species

So if there are 4 people in your home legally you can give your daily catch to your wife/husband or anyone else in the house. But it does not mean you can go out and catch 24 bass (6x4) and not give any away until the end of the day. You would have to catch your limit - drive home with your catch in a cooler. give it to someone in your house go back to the lake etc.