What do they do with all the fish?

[amateurfishing]

Now thats interesting, raiding another states public resources for your own out of state communities personal gain, thatz thinking outside the box.

[CaptJohnWis]

I gift more fish to elderly neighbors than I eat myself--you ask why-- well they cannot go and fish anymore and they really enjoy a fresh meal of fish. All within the law.

I also gift fish to the elderly care facility across the street from my house, boy do they appreciate the fresh fish, they usually send a thank you note with it signed by the residents. I guess there is nothing wrong with this as long as it falls within the laws.

I would say, to say these fish that are gifted go to waste is a huge stretch Capt.

I do not keep any fish in my freezer, well maybe 1 meal, other than that, I eat all my fish fresh.

That is what I do and if others want to keep fish in their freezers within the law, fine with me. They can also gift them legally so that is also fine with me.

If you know for a fact that someone has way over their legal limit, call the CO, give him the facts and have him check their freezer, simple enough.

Did you have a bad day of fishing?

I have no problem with an angler like you. The guys I am talking about go nearly every day and keep their limit every time if they catch em. They bring extra anglers along so they can keep even more fish that trip. How many hundreds (thousands?) of fish a year do they need to kill?

If I knew for sure they had a freezer full, I would turn em in. But I think they do gift most of them away.

I rarely have a bad day fishing but I am grumpy at times!

[CaptJohnWis]

We are the Hamas chapter in Iowa and our goal is to kill the walleye population in Minnesota. We only keep fish when we catch them in Minnesota. A code called Pirates code is enacted once we cross the boarder. (Take everything Throw nothing back) Since we are so close to the boarder here, we drive over to Minnesota in droves to catch and keep the precious walleye. It is against our beliefs to do so in our own state of Iowa though. We use women & child in this endeavor has human shields against the CO's to allow us to take large groups of fish out of your state on technicalities.

Have you considered digging tunnels into Minnesota? This could help you reach your goal faster.

[CANOPY SAM]

Well CaptJohn, with all due respect, if these anglers are keeping, gifting, and eating fish within the confines of the laws and regulations of Minnesota, then there really isn't a discussion here.

It is entirely their prerogative to keep the fish they catch, and it isn't our place to judge how many, or how few they "need". It's easy to misjudge a situation from a distance.

No disrespect intended sir.

[Agronomist_at_IA]

Im more curious as to what denomination this is (and I have a guess) that thinks they can rightiously break or circumvent the law in their house of worship and not b concerned about judgement from the guy upstairs and claim in the best interest of community stewardship. I may be ripped for this post as,well.

It's funny how quick you are to judge and point fingers with your guess. The ironic part is..............all the churches in the community get together and do this at a public location. Haven't counted but I believe there are a 5 different ones. So I guess if christianity is the problem. Better bring in the muslims

[Agronomist_at_IA]

Have you considered digging tunnels into Minnesota? This could help you reach your goal faster.

shhh...................we took to drainage/spillways that move the fish to areas of easy netting.

[amateurfishing]

Someone intentionally circumvents the law but calls someone else judgemental.....lol

[Agronomist_at_IA]

Someone intentionally circumvents the law but calls someone else judgemental.....lol

I never circumvented the law, nor did i call out any religious group which you did.

[harvey lee]

I guess Capt John if they are within the law, even if any of us do not care for it, only thing one can do is go to their elected officials and explain that the law needs to change.

No one is breaking any laws yet that we know of.

[CaptJohnWis]

No one is breaking any laws yet that we know of.

That is true in my case, pure guesswork. But I sure would like a peek in their freezers. I wouldn't report anyone unless I was positive they were breaking the law.

The one guy I did report was on the WIsconsin River. He was a regular below this dam in October. I was too. He never released anything that I could see. One day he had a very young boy along. The kid never touched a rod the entire time and this guy kept at least 15 smallmouth bass. He had three places on his boat where he stored fish as I kept a close eye on him all day. No cell phone back then so had to wait until I got home to report him.

I told the game warden about him. Couldn't miss his boat as it was covered in decals from tournaments and sponsors. Anyway the very next day we are both back fishing below the same dam. Big storm comes up so we both head in early. I arrive at ramp first and load my boat. Just behind me is the violator (no little boy this time). Game warden is waiting for him. Rain starts to pour down and he makes the guy open every compartment in his boat. But since we hadn't been fishing very long, he was legal. Still tickled me that the game warden went to all that trouble. (He never checked me and got soaked checking the other guy!) The violator never showed up below that dam again so I guess he got the message.

[amateurfishing]

Gifting to the entire comunity is circumventing the law (I did not say breaking it). I did not call anyone out, you zaid it wentto church and I replied with "I bet I could guess who" I dont see any name it that statement. You have a real good way of manipulating the english language like lots of opinions on an ice rod are "hype"

Hopefully you are a lawyer cause you would be great

Peace out & happy fishing

[harvey lee]

I agree John that if the CO could open all the freezers holding fish, one would get a huge surprise at what is in those freezers.

Too bad some have to do this but I guess it is like anything else, some just do not follow the rules and will never get caught.

Hopefully enough get caught and maybe if the fine was large enough, then it maybe could make others think a bit more.

I knew of a guy who was taking two or three limits a day of fish from one lake, I finally called tip and I saw in the paper a few months later they did catch him. Trouble is, the fine was a joke considering all the fish he has taken over the years. All one can do is report what you see and hopefully they will catch some of them.

[Sandmannd]

Well, I'm only familiar with the Minnesota regs, but I doubt that a CO would allow me to call up a bunch of friends and have them come over and claim possession of fish in my freezer. Would an Iowa CO? I'd say there is a clear violation of law going on there and you're inferring that because it's for a church fish feed, it's ok. Once again, how does your church decide which laws to violate?

[harvey lee]

Just so we can all know the correct answer to this, I am going to call the DNR Monday and explain and see exactly what the law states.

[Agronomist_at_IA]

Gifting to the entire comunity is circumventing the law (I did not say breaking it). I did not call anyone out, you zaid it wentto church and I replied with "I bet I could guess who" I dont see any name it that statement. You have a real good way of manipulating the english language like lots of opinions on an ice rod are "hype"

Hopefully you are a lawyer cause you would be great

Peace out & happy fishing

You really seem to have some underlying issues. I feel truly sorry for you and will pray for the betterment of your soul. You seem to be upset and can't get passed that I used the word hype in a sentence and gave a product a different review from your opinion & that a community interprets a law or ethical situation differently then what you would. Those things happen, no need to get all hyped up over it.

I would like to know how a person or anyone could be manipulating the english language. The definition for manipulating is below

ma·nip·u·late [muh-nip-yuh-leyt] Show IPA

verb (used with object), ma·nip·u·lat·ed, ma·nip·u·lat·ing.

1.

to manage or influence skillfully, especially in an unfair manner: to manipulate people's feelings.

2.

to handle, manage, or use, especially with skill, in some process of treatment or performance: to manipulate a large tractor.

3.

to adapt or change (accounts, figures, etc.) to suit one's purpose or advantage.

4.

Medicine/Medical . to examine or treat by skillful use of the hands, as in palpation, reduction of dislocations, or changing the position of a fetus.

I can understand how a person can manipulate something like feelings, objects, and peoples agenda. However, i am absolutely ignorant in how i would have manipulated the english language. To manipulate in my understanding is basically making a change to something. I have not to my knowledge changed the meaning of a word or the english language. If I have please let me know, I would like to take credit for something like that. Maybe what you meant to infer is that I use the english language tactfully to my advantage when trying to manipulate or change a person's opinion. Which I would think is something everyone would love to here from someone that they are debating with.

So if that is what you were trying to say. Thank You.

Also, I am not gifting fish to the entire community. I am gifting it to a group of select people that happen to belong to my church.

[fishnowworknever]

I cant speak for everyone, but when I go fishing I will keep my legal limit. Freeze and package them. Many times I will take it to a guys place and donate extra fish. If I have a freezer full, before i go i drop him off some.He keeps them at a freezer (not sure where could be at a church) then about 3-4 weeks before christmas they put on a fish fry, all proceeds from the fish fry are used to buy presents for children and people in need for their christmas & other fund raising stuff during lent.

I guess I figure the DNR puts laws into place, if we follow them its not my business or concern on what others do with their fish if legally taken. I don't feel like I'm gaming the system when gifting or dropping fish off for a community cause when the community is benefiting from a resource they helped pay for.

Not to be mean, but you sound like one of those grumpy guys that is [PoorWordUsage] off someone else is harvesting his "fish" we have a renewable natural resource that we all pay for with laws that protect it. Those that decide to keep legal limits are well within their rights, so regardless of peoples opinion it is perfectly fine. The DNR was created for a reason. Do some fish end up going to waste.....yes, but is it really any worse then other food going to waste?

You really don't get it, you say that you drop the "extra" fish off "at a guys place". What extra fish? Extra fish from your possession limit or fish you have over your possession limit? Do you understand when you have a limit full of a certain species you cannot keep fishing for that species let alone KEEP any number of that species. MN laws apply even if you're from Iowa.

If this "guy" you drop fish off with doesn't have a commercial license, he's not allowed to keep more fish than HIS daily possession limit. Do you also fill out the proper labels when gifting these fish? I'm betting not. This means those fish are still in YOUR possession, and you're breaking the law.

I'm really surprised someone hasn't called TIP on you.

[amateurfishing]

t's funny how quick you are to judge and point fingers with your guess. The ironic part is..............all the churches in the community get together and do this at a public location. Haven't counted but I believe there are a 5 different ones.

Also, I am not gifting fish to the entire community. I am gifting it to a group of select people that happen to belong to my church.

??????????????

[jmg]

Just so we can all know the correct answer to this, I am going to call the DNR Monday and explain and see exactly what the law states.

Hurry, Harvey Lee! this is gettin' ugly!

[Pat K]

This is an e-mail reply I got from the MN DNR. I also asked the Iowa DNR but haven't received a reply from them yet.

Watts, Pat M (DNR)

To Me*Info (DNR)

Today at 12:15 PM

No. Fish cannot be donated and used in a fund raising event. If you are trying to work through options for a fund raising event, I would recommend you work with your local conservation officer. There is a tool on our DNR HSOforum that can help you identify who the local conservation officer is, and how to contact the conservation officer: http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/officerpatrolareas/index.html .

Pat Watts

Enforcement Policy/Legal Analyst

Minnesota Dept. of Natural Resources

[email protected]

651-259-5058

[CaptainMusky]

Uh oh, someone is in trouble!!!

[harvey lee]

Just so we can all know the correct answer to this, I am going to call the DNR Monday and explain and see exactly what the law states.

Hurry, Harvey Lee! this is gettin' ugly!

I just went to check as I had to go the hospital for an injection in my back this am, look's like it is all taken care of, no fish frys for fund raisers.

Day late, dollar short again.

[amateurfishing]

He will say he did not donate it, he gifted it.........just watch

George Carlin & Ron White would have loved this one

[Esox_Magnum]

In Iowa there is no possession limit on gills, crappies, yellow or white bass. So you can have all you want in the freezer as long as you are not breaking the daily limit regulation. All other species do have a set possession limit....

[Sandmannd]

t's funny how quick you are to judge and point fingers with your guess. The ironic part is..............all the churches in the community get together and do this at a public location. Haven't counted but I believe there are a 5 different ones.

Also, I am not gifting fish to the entire community. I am gifting it to a group of select people that happen to belong to my church.

??????????????

You can drive over the speed limit, break into someones home and steal, punch someone in the face, etc as long as you don't get caught as well. Doesn't mean it's OK to do it. Not sure I'd brag about it on the internet though.

[Pat K]

He will say he did not donate it, he gifted it.........just watch

George Carlin & Ron White would have loved this one

My e-mail to the DNR:

Is it legal for one or multiple fishermen to gift fish to a church or other organization for a fund raising dinner?