Question about possession limits

[Douglas14]

We are headed up in January to fish Webster area. I know possession limit is 2 daily limits can be kept in your possession. However we are staying in a sleeper shack for 4 days and question where we can keep fish.  There are 5 of us going and we would only keep 10 perch per person a day so we don't worry about going over our 2 day possession limit. I'm curious to see what we need to do with our fish on let's say day 3 so we aren't over our "daily limit".  Any suggestions on what you have all done in the past?  We don't plan on eating them at all while we are up there.
Thanks for your help

[royjulius]

What is the daily limit there? Its only 15 here in the hills. I think the rules are pretty cut-and-dried as far as transport goes. 2 days possession of any species, no more. When I've gone to Devil's Lake I've had to stop catching pike after a day and a half and go look for walleye and perch, because I had my 2 day limit of pike. I am curious to see what everyone else says though. 

[tornadochaser]

On multiple day trips I've always either let my fish freeze whole, or cleaned & vac sealed so that they can be counted per the regs if a warden stops by.  If you clean your fish, you can't store them out on the lake.  Leaving a truck at the access solves this problem.  fish in cooler, cooler in truck, truck on shore.   1 individual piece of meat is considered a fillet, and 2 fillets is considered a fish per the regs.  so if you're not the best at cleaning fish, and tend to do them in pieces, maybe just freeze/store them whole and clean them when you get to your residence.  I'm no warden, but I've never had issues when checked and had fish from a previous day in possession.  the warden's numbers are listed in the fishing regulations if you have questions, best to chat with one from the area your fishing to see what method he prefers.

[trautfish]

Yea going back to what tornadochaser said it might smart to just call up the warden for that area and just ask him, that way you know your in the clear for sure

[Nu2Ice]

I believe by the third day some fish should be eatin as to not go over your poss. limit

[FourEyes]

It's not legal to eat your fish on the ice/water.  I know one guy that got a ticket for cleaning fish in his boat (was a hot day and he thought the fillets would keep better on ice than whole in the livewell)  With your daily limit at 15 you'd be able to keep 30 fish each for a possession limit so your 10 per day idea sounds perfect.  Once you have your 1st 15 each I would suggest leaving them on ice in your vehicle on shore.  It's a fine line, but in your vehicle on the ice next to your shack they count toward daily limit - on shore they don't.   I'll post the link to the SD Fishing Handbook.  I'd suggest reading up on page 29 regarding fish cleaning and page 32 regarding transportation of your fish.  Good luck on your trip!

http://gfp.sd.gov/ePubs/wildlife/2014-fishing-handbook/2014FishingHandbook-02.pdf
   

[jeffrey.frink]

FourEyes,
So you can't eat your fish on the water/ice?  What happened to a shore lunch? Camping trips? ect.  I didn't see in the regs where it said that. Can you please post?

thanks

[royjulius]

My interpretation is that you can eat shore lunch or eat at the campfire, just not on the lake. 2 day possession is only allowed, as what was said above, if one day's fish are on shore. This has been a good thread. I didn't know that before. 

[FourEyes]

Roy's right - you can eat your fish on shore but not on the water.  I believe this is to prevent folks from eating 5 and keeping 15 more...  I don't have a link to share, just the experience a friend had with the GFP.