I am still unclear on possession limit vs. can I stay fishing?

[mtheis]

I am usually a catch and release fisherman and have taught my family to do the same. However, we still enjoy a nice meal of panfish or walleye now and again. Due to the recent regulation changes regarding consumption on lakes, I have a question that I cannot seem to answer on my own.

Can a licensed fisherman catch his limit, and still keep fishing? My friends and I appear to be at a disagreement and I just wish someone who positively knows could answer the question for us once and for all.

Again, let's say I caught my limit of crappies for the day. Can I still go out and catch more, and throw these back?

I can hardly believe that if you have your possession limit at home or on the ice, you have to stop fishing until you consume them!

[bgreen82]

Quote:

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Once a daily or possession limit of fish has been reached, no culling or live-well sorting is allowed.

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i rarely keep fish, but i always understood this as yes you can keep fishing, but you may not catch a fish and cull it with another youve already caught, meaning you cant switch it out for another.

[walleyedude]

yea i think that is right. if your not keeping any fish after you limit out, you should be fine.

[markzeke]

I also believe you can still keep fishing, but what happens when you gut hook a fish and it will not survive if you put it back in?

[Moose-Hunter]

Quote:

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I am usually a catch and release fisherman and have taught my family to do the same. However, we still enjoy a nice meal of panfish or walleye now and again. Due to the recent regulation changes regarding consumption on lakes, I have a question that I cannot seem to answer on my own.

Can a licensed fisherman catch his limit, and still keep fishing? My friends and I appear to be at a disagreement and I just wish someone who positively knows could answer the question for us once and for all.

Again, let's say I caught my limit of crappies for the day. Can I still go out and catch more, and throw these back?

I can hardly believe that if you have your possession limit at home or on the ice, you have to stop fishing until you consume them!

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As it was told to me earlier this season by a local C.O., if you reach your limit, you're done for that species. Let's say you just caught your limit of slab crappies. If you continue to target crappies and catch one more, by the letter of the law, you are now in violation by being one over your limit. Even for just that breif time it takes you to release the fish... It is possible that you can be cited. He also stated that it would be a "on site judgement call" on the part of the officer.

His suggestion, if you wanted to keep a limit yet fish as long as possible, was to keep one shy of your limit and C&R until your last fish of the day. Remember no culling your current fish. That way you stay at or one below your limit at all times. However, you run the risk of going home one short if your hot bite goes cold.

In most cases, daily limit = possession limit. Double check the regs as it does vary by species and sometimes by lake.

[Sandmannd]

I've always heard it like Moose-Hunter. I would stay one shy and if you don't fill that one, you still got a good meal.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Moose is correct on this.. If you are fishing and you keep your limit.. Yer done.. pack er up and head home. You may not catch and release fish. Because once you catch a fish.. even though you are to put it back.. you then have over your limit. IF you plan on fishing longer... keep up to 1 fish shy of your limit. So for walleye it would be 5 on many waters... catch and release all you want till you are ready to head home, and then try hard to catch your 6th.. OR... be happy with 5.

Or, pack er up and head to a new spot and target a new species of fish.

[SDbowhunter]

I try to stay one under my limit whenever I am keeping fish for a meal just in case I kill a fish in the process or catch the trophy of a life time. Usually if im that close to a limit its not going to take the much to get the last one right before I leave. Personally I dont like taking limits and dislike cleaning them more I'd much rather let them go.

[Sutty]

I think it depends on what lake you are on and what you are fishing for. If I am on Red and I have my walleye but I am still looking for crappie, well guess what I am probably still going to catch more walleye... I can see how you could get pinched if you are setting quick strike rigs for northerns and already have your limit of snot rockets.