What Is Wrong With Keeping A Limit Of Fish

[BlindSquirrel]

Too many times, I see someone post a picture of their catch and people making negative comments about the number of fish they have kept.  It is my opinion that if the catch is legal, then it is their prerogative why they kept them, and also what they are going to do with them.  Be it perch, bluegill, or steelhead, none of us should have anything to say about someone keeping a legal catch. 

Now this is just my opinion, and obviously many people have differing opinions on this matter.

So here’s your chance, let’s hear it.

[travisj88]

You're right that it is their right as long as it is the legal limit.  Much of what I read is people complaining about seeing others catching their limit going to their cars to putting their fish up and then going back to get more.  Up here in Alaska many of us are protective of lake trout because it takes forever for them to get to any size so we release most of them.  I know I prefer to limit my catch because I love fresh fish.  If I don't keep a bunch to freeze then that means I have to fish more often to get more (a tragic circle  ).
Travis

[MaineWyofishslayer]

i agree 100 % with you. There is nothing wrong with it at all. I grew up eating fish and will continue to do so as long as i am able to. i will keep a limit of fish every now and then but i do also release a good amount of fish to be caught another day. as long as they abide by the law it is the fishermans choice

[rgfixit]

Nothing wrong with keeping a limit of fish.
RG

[walkonwater1]

I agree. It is the keeping of undersized fish that takes its' toll on a fishery, not the keeping of a limit of legal fish.

[skully]

i to agree,nothing wrong with keeping a legal limit!i catch and release more then i keep but i also like a fresh fish meal when the mood strikes.

[darkhousefisher]

Couldn't agree more.  Whatever happened to the good old days when you ate what you caught?  If someone practices catch and release, that's their deal, just don't degrade me for eating what I legally caught.  Just my $.02.

Darkhouse

[fishalot2day]

nothing at all wrong with keeping a limit as long as whoever caught them are going to use them.  I can remember when i was a kid people bringing home barrel's of blue fish to show everyone what they caught then throwing them out what a waste. it is good to see a lot of people  just taking a picture and letting them go but it is your choice as long as it is a legal catch

[raate]

nothing wrong with a legal limit! Sometimes i catch and release 150-200 bluegill in a day just to keep almost 50 big ones to clean and eat.I wouldn't want to clean more than that at once anyway. My family eats a lot of fish and we have a freezer dedicated to just fish with a shelf for each species we consume. Even with foodsaver bags we don't like to stock for more than 3 months. The walleye and crappie shelves never seem to get full and always empty first! Here in n.y. there are whole counties that have no limit on bluegills and perch. I fished one of those areas last week and harvested 15 gallons of pumpkinseeds that took 9 hrs to process. to much work at once! The good side is we have 20 nice packages of food that will not go to waste. i also don't need to target this species anymore this winter. time to go after those toothy perch and crappies that disappear from the freezer faster than i can get them in! my opinion is those that complain can't catch em anyway so they bad mouth those of us that can. back to the adage of 10% of the fisherman catch 90% of the fish and the rest of you just watch. good luck and fish more complain less!

[MnSportsman]

In our day & age, If a state sets a limit on (fish,wild game,etc.) They have most likely done some research on it, &  made the determination that that is the maximum allowed to harvest without damaging the resources available. We paid for that research with our taxes & license/permit fees. And since we paid for it, we also have the ability to utilize it. You buy a fishing license, you can take up to the legal limit in that state/area. simple as that. Now, of course that doesn't mean you have to get the limit to have a great time fishing, nor does it mean you should take any more than you can utilize. If the limit on crappie is 15 fish per day & in possession, But I catch 5 good sized ones for my family to eat, & 5 more to freeze for later, since I am unable to fish every day. I see no reason to keep any more & I didn't exceed the limit. But, If I catch smaller ones & want to keep 7 for todays meal & 8 for a later meal. Thus, I caught the limit & It's my legal, bought & paid for right to do so. Keeping a limit is O.K. , if you paid for the license to legally do so.

BTW, if there are any out there that don't want me to keep my limit if I choose, feel free to contribute to my license/permit fees & I will be sure to keep less of my limit based on your contribution. 

[eyedoktr]

There is nothing wrong with keeping a limit of fish and doing whatever you want with them. I also get a kick out of those people that say you should always throw back the big fish. If I happen to get a limit of 10#+ walleye, guess what, I'm keeping them. They taste just as good as the little ones, they feed more than one person, and they have probably already had their best spawning years.

[skulldugary]

I think it would depend on the body of water....lake size,fish population,fishing pressure,ect.Large lake with a good fish population of different ages can take limits being caught better than a small.If the lake can handle the pressure,then limit out,if not take a few for the table and let it go at that.

[Fish_Tko]

At $3.15 a gallon for gas, Thousands of dollars in icefishing electronics,gimicks, trinkets, clothing, and everything else i buy to drag out there i am gonna bring fish home everytime i am out.(if they are biting). That is the main reason i go, to catch and bring home fish. I don't don't bass fish because i don't like the taste of them, but if i did like the taste i would keep "keeper" bass too. Seems like too many people forget why fish were put on this earth, to EAT.

[felix]

For me what I keep depends on things like the species, the body of water, the size of the fish, what I may already have in the freezer, how much fishing I expect to do in the near future and what the law allows. Being able to eat fish and game is a big reason why I hunt and fish, but if I fished everyday and always kept my limit I would feel like a game hog even though I did not break the law. In other words just because I have the right to do something does not mean that it is always the right thing to do.

[Fish_Tko]

For me what I keep depends on things like the species, the body of water, the size of the fish, what I may already have in the freezer, how much fishing I expect to do in the near future and what the law allows. Being able to eat fish and game is a big reason why I hunt and fish, but if I fished everyday and always kept my limit I would feel like a game hog even though I did not break the law. In other words just because I have the right to do something does not mean that it is always the right thing to do.

There is hardly anyone who has the opportunity to fish everyday, let alone catch a limit everyday so i think you can throw those two criteria out. I don't consider myself a game hog by keeping fish everytime out and sorting for the ones i keep.

[Quack_Attack]

Nuttin' wrong with keepin' a legal limit of fish. Don't keep anything I don't eat. Ice fishin' is the main time of the year I target panfish. A 25 fish limit (in MI) for us makes one meal of fresh filets and one meal in the freezer. Can't beat panfish filets outta cold water.

[Locoman]

There is not one thing wrong with keeping a limit of fish.I paid for a license that allows me to do so.If you would like some real entertainment,go to Sandersfishingguides.c om.Once there go to the bulletin boards.Check out the thread in WNY (the doctors at the Catt).There is a group of BOZO'S (flygays,c-pinners) who feel it is their right to chastise someone for keeping limits of fish.They are even suggesting that the State institute a stamp,tag for possesion of fish (with a seasonal limit),charging to fish certain streams,and a few more ridiculous ideas!!!!This web site used to be a good source for information.It has turned into the go to place for a GOOD laugh.Totally hilarious!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[TogueHunter]

I don't see a single thing wrong with that!    All the hard work that goes into ice fishing, not to mention enduring the cold, you've should be able to keep your legal allowances.  If the lake's couldn't survive a certain amount of fish being harvested, the laws would change accordingly.  Be proud of what you catch, you've earned it!!!   

[captain54]

If you use them and don't waste it fine. But if your throwing old fish out of your freezer to put new in,that something else.My son and I fished quite a bit last winter and took 330 big gill and crappies for the freezer and to eat fresh,that make 33 meals of fish for my family,I don't fish open water but 2 or 3 times a year so ice fishing makes up are fish dinners.We still have 8 bags of crappies left so maybe we kept to many but we have no ice in Pa. and just might not get any? I don't feel that 330 pannies for two guys for the season was over fishing,but some might.

[Aucoin]

There is nothing wrong with keeping a limit of fish and doing whatever you want with them. I also get a kick out of those people that say you should always throw back the big fish. If I happen to get a limit of 10#+ walleye, guess what, I'm keeping them. They taste just as good as the little ones, they feed more than one person, and they have probably already had their best spawning years.

They may have had their best spawning years(numbers wise), but it is scientifically known that those "big fish genetics" come from big fish.  I don't see a problem with keeping a couple big fish, but I wouldn't over do it or your honey hole will be over-run with stunted smaller fish.

[icewagon]

If the fish is bleeding mite as well keep it if its legal .

[ol reb]

There is nothing wrong with keeping a legal limit. You bought your license that is your right............. When the DEC institutes a limit from the rest of the state on a certain lake or lakes, maybe then there may be some people who are being greedy from that area.

[Pail Rider]

To each his own...if someone walks off the lake with a full stringer, I'm congratulating him on a good day.  If someone catches 50 fish and puts every one of them back, I'm congratulating him on a good day.  Respect the rights of others and don't push your agenda on someone that isn't doing anything illegal. 

[princecraft]

Can anyone explain to me what "the possesion limit" is?  I thought the possesion limit was how many fish you are allowed to keep in your possesion at home.  In other words if the daily limit is 25 gills, and the possesion limit is 2 X the daily limit, then you are allowed to only have 50 gills maximum in your freezer at any one time.  That is what I always thought it meant.

[Fish_Tko]

That is correct.

[srobocop]

i honestly dont have any problem with the 25 a day limit on panfish (bluegill and what not), however i have written a few letters to the DNR about the 50 a day limit on perch that is in our state of michigan, and mainly for the fact that it is very difficult to catch lots of jumbo perch in lakes that you once used to be able to, and i really dont see why anyone would need to keep 50 perch in a day.

At the same time tho i wont give anyone crap for keeping their limit, they paid for a license and I'd hope they use it in any legal fashion they wish.

[BUCKSKI]

Yeah keeping a limit is a good thing time to time. Its all legal and if they fish are eaten, then everything is fine.
Its just the guys who go out expecting it, or abuse a good bite by concealing fish in their vehicle.

Some people just think they are better than other because they don't keep fish to eat. I personally love to eat fish and have 17 cut up right now for the fryer tonight.

Morals are morals some peole have em and other want you to buy into their philosophies. If you C&R good for you, I do- not all the time.

[fish_finder]

 I usually don't keep a limit of perch here because i would never eat that many nor would i want to clean that many and rarely catch that many keepers, the limit on yellow perch here is 100. I think its best to keep how many you personally think that you are going to use not how many you are aloud to keep.

[Jigging Nomad]

We have no limits on panfish here in CT, which may be ok on some bodies of water, but could be very detrimental on others.  One thing that I have always found to be odd is that its the same guys who keep 5 gallon buckets of fish who later complain that the fishing isn't as good as it used to be. 

Moderation and selective harvest is a good thing.  Just food for thought.   

[Fish_Tko]

No limits on gills here either(Indiana). I hear what your saying about how it could be detrimental on some bodies of water (taking large fish or large numbers)and wouldn't make a difference on others. At the same token though, on the lakes that have monster panfish i would say its pretty tough to catch very many giants. Maybe you can go out and catch 10-15 huge gills, maybe. Not talking about 9 and 10"ers(even though that is a nice fish)