Possession Limit and Children

[Nisswaguy]

I've scoured the MN Fishing Regulations but can't seem to come up with an answer. What are the rules/regulations regarding keeping a limit for a child, such as a two year old. Example being, if I took my wife and 2 year old son with me to say, URL where the possession limit is 4, how many fish can we bring home? I'm aware that possession limit is your daily limit. My question is really about being able to keep a limit for a 2 year old.

I'm definitely not trying to r*pe the lake. I just don't know how often we'll be able to get out this season due to some unmitigated circumstances.

[MuskieJunkie]

12

Day 1 you catch your daily limit then gift it to your son. Day 2 you catch your limit and your wife catches her's.

Now I guess your son could be catching his own fish in which case you could have all 12 on day 1 but that would be a conversation with a CO I wouldn't risk having.

[fishattacker]

This is from page 7 of the MN fishing regulations.

All residents age 15 and younger are allowed to take their own limit of fish

without purchasing a license.

[Walleyehooker]

I believe if he is CAPABLE of catching/reeling in his own fish he can have a limit. I think I would contact the DNR on this and see what they say about that age. My guess would be if he can reel with little assisstance it would be OK but better to be safe than sorry.

[3littlemonsters]

yea, I think 2 years old would be pushing it as far as daily limits, common sense should prevail, in a couple more years he'll actually be "helping" you and have his own ideas of reeling 'em in oh boy!

[tisosy11]

I thought the rule was that if they are able to fish, they can have there own limit. Now I am not sure on gifting your limit to him and keeping three total limits...seems like asking for trouble if you leave the lake with your two year old and 3 full limits.

[nofishfisherman]

I think the key words from the regs are "take their own limit". If your son can catch his own fish then he'd be allowed to take a limit and you'd be able to have 12 total fish as a family.

If he can't catch his own limit I don't think you'd be able to catch them for him and then take your own limit as well. If its not against the exact wording of the regs it would certainly be against the spirit of the regs.

[highlife4me]

If your boy can reel a line in you can have three limits. Any good father would let his son reel the fish in anyways so he will be catch his limit, or at least I hope so.

[slipperybob]

If I can keep my kids entertained enough to then catch a fish and have them reel it in...

[fisherman-andy]

If one can legally angle one can keep a limit of fish. A group can also party fish. So typically you could gift fish as said earlier and end up with a limit of 12 for the 3 people of your party over 2 day span.

[schmoe147]

I think the key words from the regs are "take their own limit". If your son can catch his own fish then he'd be allowed to take a limit and you'd be able to have 12 total fish as a family.

If he can't catch his own limit I don't think you'd be able to catch them for him and then take your own limit as well. If its not against the exact wording of the regs it would certainly be against the spirit of the regs.

There is no Minimum age. I say start them out as young as possible !! Read the definition of "TAKE" in the regulation book, that will make it clear. I'd have no problem catching 12 if I was in your shoes.

[slurpie]

Gifting would be alright in the party fishing example same fish house or boat. But gifting of fish is illegal I believe.

[hovermn]

You can gift fish, but I believe it goes against your possession limit. You also have ot write your name, DNR number or address on the container or bag of fish.

I don't think gifting the fish to the child will help in this matter. I'd like to believe that morals would come into play, and a limit of fish would be kept for those that are able to fish, not present and accounted for.

[fisherman-andy]

You can gift fish, but I believe it goes against your possession limit. You also have ot write your name, DNR number or address on the container or bag of fish.

I don't think gifting the fish to the child will help in this matter. I'd like to believe that morals would come into play, and a limit of fish would be kept for those that are able to fish, not present and accounted for.

You cannot do this within a day of fishing due to it counting towards your limit, however over a span of 2 days should not be an issue.

[hovermn]

You cannot do this within a day of fishing due to it counting towards your limit, however over a span of 2 days should not be an issue.

Correct. You are only able to catch and keep 1 limit per day, assuming you've exhasted your possession. As pretty much everyone knows, you can not catch a limit, eat it, then fish for that species again that day, or in this case, gift your limit and catch another. As stated above, your gifted limit counts towards YOUR possession limit, and you can not fish for that species until that gifted limit has been depleted or exhasted, or the person receiving the gifted fish has a fishing license.

Thanks for clarifying that. I forgot to add that in

[schmoe147]

Bring Home 4 fish for each person fishing and you will be fine. There is no minnimum age limit to possess fish. Keep it simple, I think your reading more into the regulation than you have to. 12 fish is legal. 3 People 4 fish per person 3x4=12 fish !!

[lispeej]

Bring Home 4 fish for each person fishing and you will be fine. There is no minnimum age limit to possess fish. Keep it simple, I think your reading more into the regulation than you have to. 12 fish is legal. 3 People 4 fish per person 3x4=12 fish !!

x2

[amateurfishing]

+1.....but if unsure always better to err on side of caution

[DarthBaiter]

+3

[Boar]

Talking this out is good to find out the tru nature of the regs/rules but I find it a little humorous in the fact that I hardly ever limit out, im more like limit less

[trapperdirk]

Talking this out is good to find out the tru nature of the regs/rules but I find it a little humorous in the fact that I hardly ever limit out, im more like limit less

LOL Boar . Well I don't think there is anything in the regs about that . LOL

TD

[hookncook]

it all boils down to officer discretion. If they are sitting on a hill and watch you tend 6 tip ups and keep 20 fish while your kids are running around and not engaging in the fishing, you're more than likely looking at a ticket.

Is it beatable by the letter of the law? more than likely, yes.

Husband and wife fishing team, and the wife sits in the shack all day while you got 4 rods out, you have two limits of fish, and she has a license. You'll probably skate out.

I do know of someone that got a warning because he had 10 pike in his sled. He was pulling the sled to the car while his buddy was still packing stuff up on the ice. CO checked him, counted fish, and explained that the two of them should have divided the fish and carried them off separately. Key word- warning.

[BronzeBrother]

Ok here's my take on this issue. If the kid is old enough to eat fish and likes eating fish then take that limit when the kid is fishing. But if your taking another limit just because the kid is there... I think that is just a moral issue, especially if the kid does not eat fish. I was always taught that you only harvest what you'll consume and release the rest back. Same applies for hunting. I'm not going to bring my kids out fishing just so I can catch and keep more fish.