Crossing state lines on the water???

[stsburnsy]

This may be a dumb question, but here it goes...Say for example you put in at a ramp in Kentucky, but in order to get where you want to fish you must go down through Tennessee then back up into Kentucky while on the water. When leaving your honey hole, after putting fish in the livewell, you are heading back to the ramp while passing down through Tennessee you get stopped by a game warden. What happens. I have a Kentucky fishing liscense but have been stopped in Tennessee holding fish that were caught in Kentucky.

I know this sounds like a stretch, but I am trying to plan a trip to Dale, and want to fish the sulpher creek area. I know there is a ramp there but I think it is dry. The only ramp that I know of that is still in the water closest to me is the state dock, and that could put me in that situation.

[know1]

It's a good question.

I know this isn't the answer, but assuming you're fishing for bass, why would you put them in the livewell?

[stsburnsy]

Crappie and bluegill would be the fish I would keep.

[pointer]

I don't know and that is a good question. I can't imagine how anyone could not actually be fishing in the "other" state and then be prosecuted by the "other" state. I, like many others, have put in at the state park and ran around to sulpher, occasionally caught fish, and then returned to the state park without as much as a thought about getting checked and potentially prosecuted by Tennessee. You would think that with the cooperation between the two states, relative to management and reciprocal license agreements that this wouldn't be and issue.
By the way, don't count on the state park ramp being usable. I talked to someone at Horse Creek who told me that the lake may go down another 3 feet. It's been at least 4 weeks since I determined that I couldn't launch (and load) at the state park.
Not trying to scare you or anyone else but before you make a trip, call and confirm.

Good Luck,
Mike

[Gregory]

I make that run many many times a year. From the State Park ramp to sulpher and back, on Dale Hollow the Smallmouth are 1 under 16" & 1 over 21", Largemouth and Spots are 15" so what does it matter where you are. And Yes I keep some of my spots to eat. I put in at State last Sat. with no trouble, 21' ProCraft.

[stsburnsy]

I was just running with the idea if you had fish in your boat, it really does not matter what species, and were stopped in Tennessee and all you have is a Kentucky fishing liscense would you get a ticket even though the fish were caught in Kentucky.

[Hlleonard]

Hmmm........i may step in dog dodo here......but i just wanted to respond to the idea of keeping bass....a little off the topic of this post but beings it was brought up,i keep maybe 10 to 20 bass a year to eat....i kinda like fresh fish and that is the only kind of fishing i do......i think fish that are to be released should be released right away after being caught....tournaments don't do that and i think the bass are stressed quite a bit being kept in livewell maybe for 7 or 8 hours then being weighed in before they are released........i doubt the guys that keep fish for the dinner table
are being harder on the bass population than the turnaments.......have seen guys bring fish home just to show their buds and that is a real shame...........
just my two cents worth....

[ryan_ekubass]

the only time i have been checked is while i was fishing down a bank... i fdont think that a conservation officer would run u down to check your live well unless they had probable cause... and anyways i would also think that the gamewardens would be out chasing them ole deer hunters this time of year...

[Gregory]

Here is what Ky says about fishing bordering waters. I will try to find what Tenn, has to say about it.

http://fw.ky.gov/pdf/08fishboat2.pdf...h=C128C168C682

[Rowdy]

On Dale there is "common water" reciprical or something close to that, before I have had both license fishing in sulper we got checked I asked which state He said Ky where I was at but if I moved more than 20 ft south I'm in Tn.!

Rowdy

[Dave Stewart]

Unless there is a reciprical agreement between the states involved to recognize either license in the area you are stopped...you better have the right license and your creel better be within the limits of the state you are stopped.

[18'stratos]

I believe that the game warden would have to witness you fishing in the Tenn. waters to issue you a citation. Otherwise you are just a boater in transit to the next stop. You would not be "fishing" in Tenn. However this could be a sticky situation for you if the warden is a jerk. I would call Fish and Wildlife if I were you just to be on the safe side.