In the fridge, the cooler, and on the stringer.

[Leakyboot]

[quote="Moosebunk"]Leaky.... A POACHER

This just blows my mind. I guess in a sense you're right on this, [/quote]

Heh, heh. It's only a minor, more importantly, unintentional misunderstanding of the rules. MB. I too was guilty of breaking a few rules out of ignorance in the past. That makes me one too I guess.

But, as you can see from the thread, even experienced anglers seem uncertain as to the rules about possession limits. I always consider my catch to be the only one that counts. I really do not believe that the "intent" of the law is to allow a full limit for every child in a household . Does a newborn get a limit too? If I have a family of thirteen, can I keep thirteen times the limit in the freezer? Seems silly.

One quick note about searching a freezer without a warrant. The CO's have that right. It has been noted in the regs forever and a day. See page 4 under Conservation Officers. There might be some dispute about whether immediate action was required or not.

later,

Leakyboot

Edited for Typo

[BigSim]

Well, I do see in the regs now about CO's having the authority to search without a warrant, and while I am all for the conservation of our natural resources I cannot believe that we can so easily give up our basic rights and freedoms... This, I suppose is not a topic to be dealt with here.

Also, a quick note to duck gunner;

I was commenting on the information posted from another source, it was not my story, while I probably should have asked for more information, I simply wanted to clarify.

[Cancatchbass]

Markus- "Once that 4th one hits the livewell, you have to release them.....unless it;s a bass tourny, then you can illegally cull them." ( I put the word illegally in bold type to draw attention to the choice of words).

Classic!

Markus- I would have thought you might be aware that most tournaments allow anglers to weigh in 5 bass. Since the possession limit is 6 (in most waters that I'm aware of in Ontario), I can't see that there is some kind of criminal act taking place.

Add the fact that most Ontario bass tournaments are in a team format - 2 anglers and they can have no more than five bass in their possession at any one time. Kinda makes the illegal statement a little harsh, doesn't it?

I fish tournaments, as do several Hawk-Talkers, and I don't believe we are breaking any laws.

CCB

[Moosebunk]

Heh, heh. It's only a minor, more importantly, unintentional misunderstanding of the rules. MB. I too was guilty of breaking a few rules out of ignorance in the past. That makes me one too I guess.

Up until this year Leaky I never caught enough fish to hit my limit on any day.

All I can say is I'm glad I've gotten some clarification on this. I've been keeping more fish this year than any other year, probably because I've discovered some real good recipes and begun to develop more of a taste for eyes and trout. I still can't believe my mistakes, I'm such a numbskull

[Kpin]

Nah, your not Bunk. I've been guilty of the same in the past because of my own ignorance and grey areas of the regs. I for one am glad you posted this thread. Absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. Innocent mistake as far as I'm concerned, same applied to myself, when I thought I was well within my right to catch my limit, regardless of what might have been in the freezer/cooler. Not that I hit my limit very often...lol.

[Leakyboot]

[quote="Moosebunk I still can't believe my mistakes, I'm such a numbskull [/quote]

You're being way too hard on yourself, Bunk. Poacher should probably be left for "intentional" rule breakers, I suppose.

Consider that a few years back two well known TV fishing hosts were charged with a number of violations including fishing Bass out of season, rip jigging whitefish and playing with a OOS Laker for the camera. They were foolish enough to leave the raw unedited video of themselves commiting the acts. Needless to say ther was some serious erasing on their video library going on for weeks after.

What these two did was reprehensible. They didn't do it out of ignorance of the law. They did it because they were arrogant enough to consider themselves above the law. They are clearly poachers.

I rarely need to worry about over-limiting either, Bunk. But then.. who would eat from the places I fish?

later,

Leakboot

[Markus]

CCB, just to be clear....your position is that culling fish is legal.

What is classic, is that bass tournament anglers chirp about every law and reg going, but chose to turn a blind eye to this one.

[Cancatchbass]

Markus:

Why don't you have the MNR raid the Renegade tournament on Saturday and charge all 170 anglers?

If it's illegal, think of the $$ they could raise for salmon stocking and other good causes.

CCB

[Moosebunk]

Leaky and Kpin,

OK I'll go easy Funny thing last night though, I was dreaming several red skinned, hooved, fork tailed, horned, goateed beasts from the underworld were taunting me. One from a phone booth was on the line but looking right at me saying things like "Eat trout. Eat lots and lots of trout." Another creature was dragging a mile long stringer from the nose of my canoe while I was heading upriver singing "Fill me up, buttercup baby don't you leave me fishless."

It was psycho. There were more devils all over the place, but I can't remember anymore than just that. Could my conscience be trying to tell me something?

[Moosebunk]

Gentlemen be

[Kpin]

Oh the power of the subconcious...Hmmmm say Bunk, there wasn't a devil on your shoulder like the one in Animal House taunting you in a similar way, was there?

[Moosebunk]

Never seen that classic. Only bits and pieces. Is it supposed to be funny or something

[Markus]

CCB, honestly, I wish they would. It is a reg that is overlooked and not enforced.

I'm not going to argue with you about it. It is against the law to cull. Tournament anglers break the law constantly. The reg doesn't get enforced.

Not much else to say about it.

[Leakyboot]

It is against the law to cull.

Hey Markus,

I'm not a tournie angler. In fact, at one time I was opposed to them. Today, I'm fairly neutral on the topic.

Could you point to the passage which states that for me please? All I can see is that you must release any fish which puts you over the catch or possession limit for that species.

But, I believe CCB said that the Bass tournies stay one below the limit. Therefore, no one should ever actually reach a six fish limit. There is no direct reference to culling that I can see in the regs. Last paragraph on page 3 states: "The catch limit is the number of fish you are allowed to catch and keep in one day" The bold is as it appears in the regs.

Hate to drag TV up again. However, most of them have told us(confessed?) on air they have had 50, 60 or even 100 a day walleye trips. Shouldn't they then be charged too? Not only would they be breaking the law, they would be profiting from it while encouraging us to try it too.

cheers,
Leakyboot

[saskie]

It is against the law to cull.

Could you point to the passage which states that for me please? All I can see is that you must release any fish which puts you over the catch or possession limit for that species.

It's on page 7 of the general regs and in bold type:
"Remember that all fish kept (in a livewell, on a stringer, etc) and not immediately released count towards your daily catch and possession limit"

Note the term "immediately released" and the specific mention of a livewell.

You are correct, you can keep fishing after reaching the limit, every fish you catch past that must be immediately released. Releasing a fish you've had in your possession (in livewell=in possession) to stay under limit is illegal according to the regs.

I had always assumed that was part of tourney strategy: do you let the smaller, qualifying ones go hoping for a big one later, or fill your quota and make sure you count 5 fish...how confident are you?.