A unique website dedicated to fishing information from Florida's Northern Big Bend. This includes the area from the Econfina River west to the Apalachicola River
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Jumptrout51 wrote:Based upon the interpretation from Alan Peirce my guess is half the boats that fished the tournament or any other day are in violation.
In fact,our boat probably would have if we had caught more than one over.
I did bring home 2 over because Showboat gave me his fish.
Does that mean I violated a possession regulation?
Given Mr Pierce works for FWC, his was not an interpretation rather it was fact. So when the man approaches you and inquires about your catch, or when you bring your catch to the scale, shall you be as forthcoming as you are here on this forum if an angler on the boat helps you fill your limit?
Mr. Pierce's opinion, regardless of his place of employment, is just that, an opinion, not a fact. Even court decisions are referred to as "opinions", however, those opinions have the force of law and that sir, is a fact.
Jumptrout51 wrote:Based upon the interpretation from Alan Peirce my guess is half the boats that fished the tournament or any other day are in violation.
My Photo All Release idea is looking better and better.
Kinda hard to grill a picture.
Come on JT.....you going to tell me you actively look for a 7 pound Seatrout to EAT......cause the great big wormy ones taste the best?
The bottom line is when you hold a fishing tournament where you collect and pay out $$$, you need a clear and complete set of rules. One of those rules is usually a strict adherence to all local/state/federal fisheries laws. If it's as you say above and half the anglers in the tournament are breaking the law you then you may want to review how you are doing business.
I know I am not going to make any headway with my All Release Tournament idea, not with the pervasive "caught my limit" theme I see on here every day. (heck, I'm not even a member of the fishing club)
It always makes me wonder though......how many is too many.
If there was no limit, how many would be enough?
“It's hard to measure almost.....because almost doesn't matter”
― John Dutton
reelbad wrote:Rockyg, how do you verify your catch in the photo and release tournament? Never fished one and want to know. Thanks
Many of the photo and release tournament pictures I have seen have the fishes head 1 to 2 inches from the end of the ruler.
@Rockyg.....I have never landed a 7 pound trout.
Tournamentwise,virtually every tournament fisherman will keep a fish that is an upgrade to existing fish so long as the boat is not over the limit.
Everyone I fish with will stop at legal limits when keeping fish.
For eating, I prefer the 16-17 inch trout,but will take what I can get.
I threw back 75 keepers in one day,37 of those on 37 consecutive cast with the same soft bait.
In fact,that day I(we) did not keep a single trout.
Some of them were 5 pounders.
I am not the fish stock depleter you are insinuating.
The bottom line is when you hold a fishing tournament where you collect and pay out $$$, you need a clear and complete set of rules. One of those rules is usually a strict adherence to all local/state/federal fisheries laws. If it's as you say above and half the anglers in the tournament are breaking the law you then you may want to review how you are doing business.
People on this forum don't seem to realize theres a lot of difference between fishing on the weekend w/ friends and family and fishing in a tournament w/ money payed to compete. When competing a set of rules are printed and explained and all competitors are required to follow these rules to even the playing field for all competitors. These rules are enforced by the tournament director to the extent of a polygraph examination to ensure compliance. Not too many times while fishing w/ friends and family do you get checked by FWC and he has a polygraph expert in the boat to verify regulations.
It suprises me that so many people on this forum did not know the regulations for recreational daily bag limits and most of those folks belong to the NFGFC. Maybe next meeting ya'll could invite Mr. Pierce?
Two FWC officers came by the Auto fixit shop today to get a trailer tire replaced. While they were waiting I took the opportunity to pose to them the aforementioned scenario . I did tweek it a bit by saying only two fish were taken and both of them being spotted seatrout over 20" with two legal anglers aboard with only one of the anglers catching and harvesting both fish.
My question to the officers was, "is this technically illegal"?
The answer from both officers was, "yes".
They later added that even if the two anglers admitted to them what they had done, they would not cite or fine them, because even though the "LETTER" of the law had been broken, the "SPIRIT" of the law had not . The bag limit was not exceeded and the resource had not been depleted.
They also left me with one final caveat. Not ALL officers would have the same view of the situation.
I do know one thing. If you have a so called "photo and release tourney" it will bring out all the cheaters. I know these three guys fish legal and have probably released more big female trout than most of us have and will ever catch. These guys are awesome fisherman and have done alot for NFGFC. They would never break laws during or not during a tournament. Who ever disagrees find a new webite to chirp on. And better yet get a job because you obviously have too much time on your hands.
All things are possible when you turn your life to Jesus.If you don't know how just ask.
Well.....I don't expect my view to be popular.....but I'm entitled to it.
JT....I'm not suggesting you are a game hog.....I'm suggesting that there is a way to hold a trout tournament without killing big breeder fish. I personally don't keep many fish but's that's my choice. Others have their own views and act accordingly. My "limit" question was not directed at you, just a general comment on some anglers desire to drag home as many as humanly possible without regard for the fishery or their fellow fisherman. From what I have read on here I don't think you fit in that category.
I don't believe I ever said them boys ain't good boys and good fisherman and probably good looking too. I said one of them caught and kept 2 over the slot trout according tho the post on here from one of the 3 good boys. One who probably wishes he could take his post back.
But you gentlemen go ahead.....call me what you like.....arm chair QB, unemployed, hippie liberal fish-hugger.....I can take it.
“It's hard to measure almost.....because almost doesn't matter”
― John Dutton
Regulations are set by the government after data has been studied thoroughly. The men that go out and study the population dynamics and overall abundance of fish are confident that if each angler goes out and keeps 5 fish with one being over 20" our fisheries will be sustained and not crash. If they were in jeopardy then the regulations would shift to where anglers could only catch slot fish like with redfish. Trout typically have a 6-7 year life period and a population can turn around very quickly if something goes sour.
That being said, it is anyone's opinion on what to catch and keep. If you want the large fish to eat it is perfectly in your right to. If you like smaller fish you have the right to keep all small fish. No officer is going to cite you for having two people in the boat with two fish over twenty inches no matter who caught em.
Don't want to ruffle any feathers but it seems as if we are all getting a little to technical and touchy about this subject.
Trevor Moncrief
Fisheries Biology Class of 2014
Warnell School of Natural Resources, UGA
MuleTrainGA wrote:Regulations are set by the government after data has been studied thoroughly. The men that go out and study the population dynamics and overall abundance of fish are confident that if each angler goes out and keeps 5 fish with one being over 20" our fisheries will be sustained and not crash. If they were in jeopardy then the regulations would shift to where anglers could only catch slot fish like with redfish. Trout typically have a 6-7 year life period and a population can turn around very quickly if something goes sour.
That being said, it is anyone's opinion on what to catch and keep. If you want the large fish to eat it is perfectly in your right to. If you like smaller fish you have the right to keep all small fish. No officer is going to cite you for having two people in the boat with two fish over twenty inches no matter who caught em.
Don't want to ruffle any feathers but it seems as if we are all getting a little to technical and touchy about this subject.
This thread started out with a nice fishing story about a fishing tournament, then "mainly" four pages of people trying to justify their friend's mistake of catching two overslot seatrout. I'm with rockyg on this one! There is something to be learnt here, and i am hoping it leans more towards following the laws of our state than finding a way to skirt the laws of conservation. It has always been the "Organized Fishermen" who looked out for future fish populations. And to see many here, who depend on these fisheries to make a living, actually try to justify an action that directly effects, is shocking! You don't have to be a rocket scientist to understand the law in question, and i am ho[ping(?) you can understand why it is in the State Regulations..
MuleTrainGA wrote:Regulations are set by the government after data has been studied thoroughly. The men that go out and study the population dynamics and overall abundance of fish are confident that if each angler goes out and keeps 5 fish with one being over 20" our fisheries will be sustained and not crash. If they were in jeopardy then the regulations would shift to where anglers could only catch slot fish like with redfish. Trout typically have a 6-7 year life period and a population can turn around very quickly if something goes sour.
That being said, it is anyone's opinion on what to catch and keep. If you want the large fish to eat it is perfectly in your right to. If you like smaller fish you have the right to keep all small fish. No officer is going to cite you for having two people in the boat with two fish over twenty inches no matter who caught em.
Don't want to ruffle any feathers but it seems as if we are all getting a little to technical and touchy about this subject.
Caseycooks article was well written.
I found it to be a good read.
In regards to the fishing regulation complaint,all the teams that placed in the money passed their polygraph exam.
So,either polygraph is inaccurate OR no one knowingly willfully or with intent to deceive violated any tournament rules or State Regulations.
The official replies from FWC still leave a question in my mind as to ownership of the fish.
Is it the person who hooked it and reeled it to the boat?
The person who netted the fish?
Perhaps the person who places the fish in the cooler?
Three different "individuals" were involved in the harvest of these 2 fish.
Whose fish is it?
Jumptrout51 wrote:Caseycooks article was well written.
I found it to be a good read.
In regards to the fishing regulation complaint,all the teams that placed in the money passed their polygraph exam.
So,either polygraph is inaccurate OR no one knowingly willfully or with intent to deceive violated any tournament rules or State Regulations.
The official replies from FWC still leave a question in my mind as to ownership of the fish.
Is it the person who hooked it and reeled it to the boat?
The person who netted the fish?
Perhaps the person who places the fish in the cooler?
Three different "individuals" were involved in the harvest of these 2 fish.
Whose fish is it?
Great question JT! I have tuned in a time or two to this thread and found myself wondering the same thing. If one hooks and fights a fish to the boat, another nets the fish and a third places the fish in the "box," who owns the fish? At this point does it become one of three "community" fish or is this now the only legal fish above slot that can be kept for each participant because each had a hand in harvesting the fish?
Many times, the total harvest is a group effort and this is in the best interest of a fish, especially one that is being released as it eases the amount of stress placed on the fish during the harvest and increases survival probabilities. I venture to say that this may be the reason for the view of most of the FWC in this scenario.
Congrats Casey, Pat and Ashley on a great fishing trip! Don't we all wish our trips could be so enjoyable and spent with great company. At the end of the day, regardless of the tournament victory, you all had a wonderful trip with great memories. Hopefully this thread hasn't clouded those memories for each of you and you will have many more days together on the salty pond.
"You cannot change the wind, you can only adjust your sails." Del Suggs
