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Worked with a woman once that bragged her husband caught his limit of 25 bluegills in Michigan and just kept bringing the fish in and going back out for 25 more. People like that make me sick.I was also told of someone that caught 1600 bluegills on Sacrider near Kendallvile last summer that gave most of the away. Really selfish IMHO as those are fish you and I won't catch some cold day on the ice when the bite is slow.
that wouldnt stop him either though bud! breakin the law is still breakin the law, ya know. no hope for those types.
I do know a couple years ago when fishing up in Michigan 3 of us were fishing and had about 68 gills laying on the ice. When we bagged them up we put them in bags of 25 and each person carried a bag. In the parking lot the CO was there and checked our catch and licenses and specifically said they must be kept separate. Had he come on the ice, one or all 3 of us would have been fined or warned. I think you would have to catch a CO in a bad mood to write you up for it if he just walked upon 2 guys and they had at or under the 2 man limit and over the 1 man limit, but had them in community pile. He may suggest you separate them, though. However, if he is watching from a far which they often do before approaching, and sees one guy catching 2 to 1 and then checks and you don't have your fish separated you will likely get a warning or fine. In the end it is your word against his in court if you take it that far, but it easier and less expensive to just keep the catch separate. People use a single cooler and livewell all the time, but I think by the letter of the law, one person is not allowed to limit out and then contribute to another person's limit in the same day. I am not sure if the rules for charters are different or not, but anyone who has been on one knows the catch rate is rarely equal among all people on board, so some are contributing to others limits. That would be a good question for the DNR.
Unfortunately I am sure some will do exactly that in IN if they pass the law. Heck there is a guy that fishes the N channel that has been busted 3 times for doing it with crappie. If you have 3 DNR violations against you, you should no longer be allowed to get a hunting or fishing license.
I was also told of someone that caught 1600 bluegills on Sacrider near Kendallvile last summer that gave most of the away. Really selfish IMHO as those are fish you and I won't catch some cold day on the ice when the bite is slow.
Hmmmmm odd you would think it would apply then in the summer we throw the crappie into the same live well. Have never had the DNR say anything about it. We also merge salmon and steelhead in the same cooler and just know that per boat what our limit cap is. Even on charters walleye fishing they just count total per head or uses to. Been a long time since I did a walleye charter. Good points though.
In regards to the whole throwing them in the same pile thing.... how are they going to know who caught what unless they are watching you the ENTIRE time.... you can just say you caught 25 and the other person caught 25 and it will not make a difference.... and even if they say they were watching you the entire time they have no proof unless it is recorded so if they can't prove it there is no evidence of who caught what.
He can write you a ticket because when in a single pile there is no clear way to define who possesses what. The law says or will say 25 fish per person. If he writes the ticket, you either have to pay it, not pay it and have a warrant placed on you or fight it in court, where even if you win you still will have a couple hundred in court costs. It is not worth the hassle and is pretty easy to keep piles separate. Hopefully the first year it goes into effect they will just issue warnings so people get used to keeping catches separate.
Never done this in michigan. But in wisconsin been checked several times and never had a problem. With the separation of fish between the group.
I don't see it online but did crappie used to have a boat aggregate limit? If aggregate is the right word
I fish in so many states, it is hard to keep straight, but I believe that bldfrt is correct. I think it used to be 25 crappie limit per person, but 40 or 50 per boat or something like that. I just looked on the DNR website and couldn't find it though.
I dont think theres a boat limit either but im sure people do that with lake mich perch
I don't think the create printed pamphlets anymore. It think you have to get them online and I don't think they are available until mid March or so.I think the reason for the licenses to start April 1st is to give a newly elected Governor and state representives time to react before the new license year starts in case they want to make changes. I think the Gov. appoints the DNR head etc., so allowing some transition time and the chance for new ideas before the next license year is probably a good idea.
I realize that the society we live in today places great emphasis on making law enforcement work as hard as possible to prove their case, but what is so difficult about keeping separate piles of fish? Sure, it may be next to impossible for the CO to prove who caught what, but why even put him/her, yourself through the hassle in the first place?There won't be an issue if you keep individual groups, so why make things as difficult as you can, just because you can? Why spend time arguing with a CO when you could be fishing? What is the mindset behind doing so? What right has been terribly and unfairly infringed upon by not being able to throw all the fish together on the ice?Keeping all the fish together in the livewell during warmer months...totally understand that, and I see where some are making the direct comparison to ice fishing. But it's much easier to separate your catch on the ice, so why not do so?