limit question

[walleye 4 me]

If I have a non res family license and my wife, myself, and 2 kids go fishing can we keep 4 limits of fish? Someone told me once that I cant. any thoughts???

[itchmesir]

you are correct(as long as your kids are under the age of 16).. you CAN keep 4 limits.. the question is WHY you'd have to.. seems like 4 limits of just about any species in minnesota would have you sitting pretty well for a couple months.. unless you eat fish every day of the week

[Desperado]

Need to be a little more specific about the two kids; I'll get to them after we cover you and the wife.

Let's start with the first two obvious limits; a limit for you and a limit for the wife.

Because a "family license" is actually just you and the wife.

If a child is 16 yrs old or older, they need their own license (even if You and the Wife have a family license)

If a child is under 16, they don't need a license at all.

Now as to limits for the children.

If a child is 16 or older and has a license, that child can obviously have a limit.

If a child is under 16 , that child can also have a limit (but to err on the side of caution; if asked by an officer, that child should be able to demonstrate some basic ability to handle a rod and reel). My kids could do so when they were four or five yrs old; but I wouldn't want to try convincing a CO that I have a limit for a child who is still less than a year old.

[dairyman]

Yeah---I fished a lake this winter and a hubby and wife with their 5 kids walked off the lake with a 150 sunnies(confirmed by a CO on the lake--I asked too)According to him, it was legal. Others I had talked to on the lake said the kids were just running around. Ethical--I don't think so,but that's just me. I found it rather disgusting.

[mainbutter]

And don't forget possession limits apply. Plenty of other states don't have possession limits, just daily limits.

You can't come to MN, catch a daily limit every day, throw them in a freezer, and multiple daily limits back home.

[thatoneguy]

Great point, mainbutter.

[Ebiz]

Quote:

Nonresidents under age 16 do not need a license if

the parent or guardian is licensed. Children of an adult who has a Minnesota

nonresident family license may possess their own limit of fish. However, if the

adult has an individual license, the child’s fish are included in the adult’s limit.

Nonresidents under age 16 may purchase a nonresident youth license and possess their own limit of fish.

From the regs, if you have a non-res family license you, your wife, and your <16 kids can all possess a limit. If you have an individual license you can't have a limit for your <16 kids as well unless you buy a license for them.

As for the sunnies, if you have 150 of them on a technicality I hope they're at least old enough to help you clean them

[EBass]

Link to MN 2012 Fishing Regs -

http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/rlp/regulations/fishing/fishing2012.pdf#view=fit&pagemode=bookmarks

[Nick Kuhn]

In Minnesota yes you can. In Wisconsin, everyone has to catch their own limits.

[Hory]

Why does it always have to be about taking as much as possible?!?

This is not directed at anyone from this forum/site (as a majority of the people I have met are outstanding sportsmen/women who value our resources)... But with that being said, the word "limit" nearly disgusts me. Granted, I am fortunate enough to be out on the water often and rarely if ever keep a fish...but when people constantly discuss "catching a limit" it gets rather irritating and gives off a bad vibe.

Thank you to all the anglers who get on the water regularly (and those who don't).and either practice c and r or selective harvest occasionally.

[Hoffer]

Hory

I agree with you but we shouldnt direct anything toward the poster. I mean who knows...he might have a one time chance to go fishing with his family and it may be the only time he goes in 2 years. Maybe they want to keep some fish for the freezer then. This statement is coming from someone who fishes a lot and rarely if ever keep a fish (me). I am just saying there are all kinds of circumstances and who knows whats going on. Plus,as I am sure someone will add - legal is legal. Its his right to keep what is legal - and he is just asking what is.

[walleye 4 me]

If I would have thought I would have caught hell for asking this question I would have done it elsewhere. I have lots of family members and neighbors who love fish but dont get out themselves. I almost never freeze fish as we eat it fresh and/or give it to someone who is going to appreciate it. I do NOT have a freezer full of fish. Sorry for asking a simple question to make sure I am following the regulations.

[pooly_31]

no need to apologize. these people that are constantly bashing the "meat fishermen" are over the line in my opinion. nothing wrong at all with taking a limit of fish to feed family and friends. we do it all the time up here on LOW, that's what the limit is set for. i'd prefer a walleye to a steak any day and we've paid good money for the gear, license, etc so i'm sure not going to feel like i shouldn't try for my limit every single time i head out. Bash if you will, but i don't practice catch and release deer or grouse hunting either.

[amateurfishing]

our "limit" law states MN is a "party" fishing state meaning the limit is calculated by "total number of ppl fishing in your party". I personally do not like this law because it is too ambigious. define fishing? a child that is along with you to show/teach them how to fish? a 2 year old that you dont want to pay babysitter for? a child without any equip along in your party or group? a child with equip just laying on ground to think a CO thinks they can fish? actually asking a child to set the hook and reel in actual fish to prove they are actually fishing for themselves under guidance of adult?

Ppl get bent out of shape all the time regarding "taking some for the kids", but i believe that is exactly what the law is designed for, to help promote & teach kids & entice family fishing, especially for those that may get out less than a handful of times/year.

For those that think others are stealing or manipulating the law, too bad, the law is the law. If an individual wannts to practice C & R, good for you, but that does not mean everyone else has to (less slot limits r in place).

Ignore those who think it is wrong because it is legal.

[frazwood]

these people that are constantly bashing the "meat fishermen" are over the line in my opinion.

I agree with this sentiment.

I am annoyed, though, by the people who have "eyes bigger than their stomachs". They keep way more fish than they could possibly eat, so they essentially are wasting fish.

A couple of years ago, I was at a public fishing area trying to catch small bluegills and bullheads for the frying pan. On our way home, my wife says something like "look how big that fish is..." and she points to a guy holding a 36-inch northern pike.

He says, "You want it? I don't see a point in only cleaning one fish". I took it from him. He clearly just didn't feel like cleaning a fish (especially a northern, I'm guessing). I easily got 4 times more meat off his "only one fish" than the 20 little fish that I was bringing home.

In general, I have to say that I like this thread. I now have 2 kids who love to fish (both are under 7 years old), but I still generally make sure that we keep less than my personal limit just to be safe (and that's still plenty of fish for all of us to eat).

One thing that I worry about is having 15 bluegills in the freezer (I almost always keep bluegills) and another 10 in the livewell and the game warden shows up and I get busted because my wife is out shopping and I am technically over my possession limit because I'm alone at that moment. Because of this, I almost never freeze fish (only when we're expecting guests do I freeze fish).

[BobT]

Quote:

I am annoyed, though, by the people who have "eyes bigger than their stomachs". They keep way more fish than they could possibly eat, so they essentially are wasting fish.

Oh, I don't know. I can eat quite few fish. One 16" walleye per day for 365 days = 60 limits in one year. Now add my daughter and the amount doubles. Fortunately for those that don't like it that we enjoy eating fish, my wife and other daughter don't like fish and I haven't been able to come close to fulfilling that 60 limit goal.

Why was it necessary to hijack this thread. The OP asked an honest question and deserves an honest answer. Sheesh!

[fasternu]

Boy, there are a lot of people on here who love to preach to everyone about how "Holier" they are than others. I will not apologize for spending lots of money on a boat and fishing gear and wanting to legally keep fish to eat. I am not forcing my way onto anybody else, and I am tired of them trying to force their ways onto me. I enjoy fishing, and I enjoy eating fish, as does my family. I will not think twice about keeping a limit of fish LEGALLY even though some of you will hate me for doing it!

[walleye 4 me]

Glad I am getting some support. I only get up to the lake 4 or 5 times a year and it is usually too rough to take the kids out. So when the weather does cooperate I want to get my kids out on the water to enjoy themselves. I know they don't have to keep fish for them to enjoy there time on the water with me, but they love keeping the fish and watching them in the livewell and even watching me clean fish to see whats in side! They also LOVE eating fish too. I do teach them some rules of my boat (fish ND also with no slot) that the little ones go back to grow up, the big ones go back to make more babies, and the medium sized ones (14-20) come home for supper. I never keep more then my limit which is why I asked the question to make sure I was being legal. Hope everybody has a great long weekend and good fishing!

[Finlander]

Well said Walleye 4 me!

Good luck to you and your family!

[Deitz Dittrich]

Yup, enjoy your trip here to Minnesota!... hope you and your kids make some fantastic memories..

[CaptainMusky]

What is sad is that the guy asking a simple question is NOT the one we have to worry about overharvesting. The ones that are the ones to worry about, dont ask the question, KNOW the rules and intentially break them regardless.

Have fun and catch lots of fish and share lots of smiles with your kids.

I know I sure do when I take mine fishing. Except of course when they are fighting, spilling pop and chips all over the boat and whining because their brother is catching everything.

Otherwise its fantastic! :-)

[Hory]

Perhaps people misread (or neglected to read) the first few lines of my original post. To repeat myself, my thoughts were not directed at any person on this HSOforum specifically...as everyone I've met from here has been great. I am sorry that people took offense to my thoughts that weren't specifically directed towards any individuals here. For some posters to jump to conclussions about me forcing beliefs or morals about fishing onto others is ignorant at best.

My question was posed in more of a rhetorical sense, as far as the importance of harvesting "limits." Fishing and enjoying the area's great resources encompasses far more than catching limits of fish...atleast for me.

[Tracker55]

I know of a certain group of people who are very upset if they dont net their "legal" limit. And i'm not talking about 4-6 fish a day.

[Hoffer]

Why does it always have to be about taking as much as possible?!?

That was your first sentence. It wasnt ignorant at all to think you were "forcing" your beliefs etc...

I am not trying to be antagonistic. Its just hard not to get the wrong vibe from the way your post started - thats all.

No harm meant or disrespect meant at all.

Hoffer

[CaptainMusky]

Why does it always have to be about taking as much as possible?!?

That was your first sentence. It wasnt ignorant at all to think you were "forcing" your beliefs etc...

I am not trying to be antagonistic. Its just hard not to get the wrong vibe from the way your post started - thats all.

No harm meant or disrespect meant at all.

Hoffer

Exactly. That was the ignorant. Comment not any of those who were "misinterpreting" .