Giving spots to bank fishermen

[MadBomber]

I sent an e-mail to Matt Majors, our local TWRA Officer about the implications of giving Spotted Bass away to bank fishermen.  Here is my e-mail and his response.</p>

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To Matt Majors, TWRA</p>


I appreciate you and your team's effort to protect our fishery.

I am particularily interested in encouraging bass fishermen to harvest a legal limit of spotted bass whenever they fish the Chickamauga tailwaters.  Even if don't particularly want to clean a mess of fish, I usually don't have any problem giving them away at the boat ramp to bank fishermen.  I intend to keep a supply of cheap stringers to make it easier to hand over the fish.

Here's my question. If my partner and I bring in a 10 fish limit of spots and give them away to a bank fishermen, is he then in violation of possession laws because he now has 10 instead of his 5 fish limit???  I don't want to set someone up for a violation.

Thanks in advance for you response,

Alan Witt (MadBomber on CFF)
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Matt's response</p>

Alan,

Good question...and I appreciate your inquiry!  TWRA works for the sportsmen and is always interested in how we can help you guys.

You are right.  The possession limit (daily) for bass would be 5 so someone in possession of 10 along the bank would be in violation.  Also, keep in mind how many they already have in their possession.  Doesn't matter who may catch them, if they are in possession of more than five bass along the water, it can be a problem.

Now, if they have no bass in their possession, give them your five...just caution them about being in possession of any more bass while they are out that day.

If you and your partner have 10....find two fishermen to give them to.  This way you are not setting them up for a violation.

I hope this helps.  If you or any other CFF members need anything, I am always here to help.



Matt Majors
Wildlife Enforcement Officer
Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency
464 Industrial Blvd
Crossville, TN 38555
1-800-262-6704 Ext 3305
[email protected]
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[rsimms]

Follow-up (which I've also e-mailed to Matt). I know with waterfowl I can give my daily bag limit to another hunter to add to his bag. However I am required to also provide a "signed receipt" which includes my name, address and license number, verifying that I killed/caught these ducks. And that would allow them to possess more than their limit.

I would think you could do the same thing with fish... but I'm not sure. hence I have e-mailed Matt that question again.

 

[Fishin' Junkie]

I'm probably wrong, but I didn't think there was a limit on spots? emoScratch

I always practice catch and release, but I thought I had read that somewhere.

 

[JSV]

Fishin' Junkie - 5/23/2007 2:02 PM

I'm probably wrong, but I didn't think there was a limit on spots? emoScratch

I always practice catch and release, but I thought I had read that somewhere.

There is a 5 fish creel limit but no size limit.

 

[Liveliner]

Fishing Junkie, you may have missed it, but last year MB conducted a survey here on CFF to get some numbers on Spots, LM and SM taken from River Park. He made a presentation to TWRA whereas maybe just maybe the Spot limit will increase to 15 fish per day.

 

[Fishin' Junkie]

I do remember MB trying to get everyone to keep more spots, but I don't remember the survey. Thanks for the info JSV.

 

[rsimms]

rsimms - 5/23/2007 12:33 PM

Follow-up (which I've also e-mailed to Matt). I know with waterfowl I can give my daily bag limit to another hunter to add to his bag. However I am required to also provide a "signed receipt" which includes my name, address and license number, verifying that I killed/caught these ducks. And that would allow them to possess more than their limit.

I would think you could do the same thing with fish... but I'm not sure. hence I have e-mailed Matt that question again.

Here's additional info from Matt regarding follow-up question above:

I see no problem with someone possessing an additional limit while afield provided they have listed the person who caught them, phone number, date, and TWRA license number.....and most importantly...were harvested legal.

This could be classified as a "gray area" because the law specifically states that a person may only possess the daily creel limit while afield. The reason I see no problem is that the fish were harvested legally under another angler's daily creel limit.

If that angler who gave 5 away goes out to catch more...and subsequently does catch (and keep) more bass...he has then violated the daily creel limit. We do see this some and will issue citations for it.

Final answer: Keep the fish separate from others and packaged together with the legal harvesting party's name, license number, phone number and date caught. This will ensure an officer in the field patrolling can determine, with relative certainty, that these fish were harvested legally and the person in control of them is not in violation of the daily creel limit.

There are alot of "what ifs" but will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis. We err on the side of the sportsmen and do not wish to falsely accuse anyone... so make it easy for the game warden to see you are not attempting to circumvent the creel limits or fishing law.

Hope this helps.

 

[MadBomber]

Fishin' Junkie - 5/23/2007 4:29 PM I do remember MB trying to get everyone to keep more spots, but I don't remember the survey. Thanks for the info JSV.

</p>

Here is a capsule update.  Since the Oct. 19 meeting, Mike Jolley, region 3 Biologist has conducted 3 electroshocking studies on the Chickamauga tailwaters (the first studies ever by TWRA on these waters).  As soon as I find out when he will present his data to the Board, I will let everyone know. </p>

My post back then!!.......................................</p>

I collected my first data on 8/22, less than 2 months ago. 14 fishermen w/ partners contributed data from 36 trips so far. This is the count as of today 10/5.

604 bass caught

467 spots <b />(77%<b />)
95 LM & SM longer than 12" <b />(16%<b />)
43 LM & SM less than 12" <b />(7%<b />)
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