Confusion about creel limit and possession limit?

[waterdog101]

This might be a stupid question but if more than one person is in the boat are you still only allowed one creel limit or a possession limit. The reason I ask is because me and some buddies are going crappie fishing at Kentucky Lake and we were wondering how many we were allowed in the boat. I know the creel limit is 20 over ten inches so possession would be 40 over ten inches. Could somebody clear this up for me before I get a ticket for not knowing any better!

you are allowed your limit, and your friend is allowed his limit. which would be 20 crappie each.

[RoadToad]

Creel limit is the number of fish you're allowed to catch and keep in one day. While you're out fishing, if you get caught with more than your creel limit, you're going to get cited. Possession limit is the number of fish you're allowed to possess "in the field," so it includes even fish you've filleted and put in your cooler, or even the fridge of your cabin, unless said cabin is your primary residence. Possession limit is equal to 2 times the creel limit. So if you're out camping, and you've caught and kept a limit two days in a row, you need to eat some of them before you go fishing again. I hope that clears it up for ya.

Here's a link to where the KY regs are posted:
http://fw.ky.gov/navigation.aspx

I always download the PDF's and save them on my computer. You can also pick up a copy any place they sell fishing licenses.

[waterdog101]

[QUOTE=waterdog101;409357]you are allowed your limit, and your friend is allowed his limit. which would be 20 crappie each. if you and your friend bought fishing licenses, then two sets of fishing licenses. would mean two limits of crappie.

[creeker]

Let me stir it up a little bit more... If you get on the water at 6pm and come off at 6am, if your livewell contained the possession (two times the daily limit) limit for that species, would you get cited?

[waterdog101]

Let me stir it up a little bit more... If you get on the water at 6pm and come off at 6am, if your livewell contained the possession (two times the daily limit) limit for that species, would you get cited?

if you were by your self, you would get a ticket. if you had a friend with you and you both had fishing license. you would be fine. two limits of fish, two guys with fishing license.

[parker]

I can clear all this up! Each person in the boat can have their daily limit, period! If you return home or to a camp, doesnt matter, fillet your fish and leave them at home or camp and catch another limit each day. You can possess as many fish at home or camp as you like but dont get caught with more than the daily creel while fishing.

[creeker]

So if you're fishing off a houseboat, you have to eat your daily limit before you can start fishing again?

[RoadToad]

I can clear all this up! Each person in the boat can have their daily limit, period! If you return home or to a camp, doesnt matter, fillet your fish and leave them at home or camp and catch another limit each day. You can possess as many fish at home or camp as you like but dont get caught with more than the daily creel while fishing.

It's not accurate to say "You can possess as many fish at home or camp as you like." At HOME, yes, but not in your camp. The possession limit does exclude "processed fish," so I guess if they were filleted you'd be okay. But if you had more than a possession limit of "unprocessed" fish in your cooler at your camp, you'd be in violation. The possession limit even applies to a cabin that you OWN, unless it's your "primary residence." I'm sure people's coolers/fridges in their campsites or cabins rarely, if ever, get checked, but that's what the LAW says.

This has been discussed extensively on this board in the past. And if you'll just visit the link I posted previously, you'll find a good explanation from KDFWR. One correction to what I posted previously is that for rainbow and brown trout, the daily creel limit and the possession limit are now the SAME (total of 8, only 3 of which may be browns). I'm pretty sure this is new for this year.

[parker]

It's not accurate to say "You can possess as many fish at home or camp as you like." At HOME, yes, but not in your camp. The possession limit does exclude "processed fish," so I guess if they were filleted you'd be okay. But if you had more than a possession limit of "unprocessed" fish in your cooler at your camp, you'd be in violation. The possession limit even applies to a cabin that you OWN, unless it's your "primary residence." I'm sure people's coolers/fridges in their campsites or cabins rarely, if ever, get checked, but that's what the LAW says.

This has been discussed extensively on this board in the past. And if you'll just visit the link I posted previously, you'll find a good explanation from KDFWR. One correction to what I posted previously is that for rainbow and brown trout, the daily creel limit and the possession limit are now the SAME (total of 8, only 3 of which may be browns). I'm pretty sure this is new for this year.

We are both correct! The possesion limit only takes effect while in the field ( or water ) actively engaged in pursuit of your limit. I would say you could have a limit of filleted crappie and a limit of live ones while fishing, I wouldnt attempt it but why would anyone?

[Bronze_Back]

I just got tot get my dog in this hunt. I have had some experience with some of these questions in past. Barren River lake has special regulation for Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass. I was fishing some club night tournaments and wanted a clarification on the KDFW rules as to what we could weigh in.

Barren River Lake:
Daily limit is 6 and possession limit is 12.
Spotted / Kentucky Bass have no minimum size limit.
Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass have a 15-inch minimum size limit except 1 fish in the daily creel limit or 2 in the possession limit may be less than 15 inches long.

I could not find definitions in the manual to cover some of the terms they where using so I contacted the KDFW at Frankfort and asked them to send me in writing the answers to these questions which they did.

Q-What determines a possession limit.
A-Number of fish allowed in your possession after 2 or more days of fishing.

Q-When does a day start and end.
A-Starts at 12:01 am and ends at 12:00 pm.

Q-If I start fishing before 12:00 midnight and quit at 3:00 am can I have 2
Largemouth or Smallmouth Bass under 15" in my livewell legally.
A-Yes.

Q-What legally determines a Spotted / Kentucky Bass.
A-Any Black Bass with a rough patch on its tongue except Smallmouth Bass.
We know some Largemouth Bass may have a small tongue patch without
the other determining characteristics of a Spotted / Kentucky Bass but we
will not require them if a tongue patch is present.


I had this in writing from the big wigs in Frankfort. I don't know why they don't print this more clearly for everyone to see and understand in their rules and regulations. This was about 8 -10 years ago and as far as I know none of these rules have changed, but maybe the Big Wigs in charge have.

Just my 2 cents worth....!

[slobslayer]

I just got tot get my dog in this hunt. I have had some experience with some of these questions in past. Barren River lake has special regulation for Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass. I was fishing some club night tournaments and wanted a clarification on the KDFW rules as to what we could weigh in.

Barren River Lake:
Daily limit is 6 and possession limit is 12.
Spotted / Kentucky Bass have no minimum size limit.
Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass have a 15-inch minimum size limit except 1 fish in the daily creel limit or 2 in the possession limit may be less than 15 inches long.

I could not find definitions in the manual to cover some of the terms they where using so I contacted the KDFW at Frankfort and asked them to send me in writing the answers to these questions which they did.

Q-What determines a possession limit.
A-Number of fish allowed in your possession after 2 or more days of fishing.

Q-When does a day start and end.
A-Starts at 12:01 am and ends at 12:00 pm.

Q-If I start fishing before 12:00 midnight and quit at 3:00 am can I have 2
Largemouth or Smallmouth Bass under 15" in my livewell legally.
A-Yes.

Q-What legally determines a Spotted / Kentucky Bass.
A-Any Black Bass with a rough patch on its tongue except Smallmouth Bass.
We know some Largemouth Bass may have a small tongue patch without
the other determining characteristics of a Spotted / Kentucky Bass but we
will not require them if a tongue patch is present.


I had this in writing from the big wigs in Frankfort. I don't know why they don't print this more clearly for everyone to see and understand in their rules and regulations. This was about 8 -10 years ago and as far as I know none of these rules have changed, but maybe the Big Wigs in charge have.

Just my 2 cents worth....!

New regulation now in effect. The presence of a tooth patch is no longer the regulatory method for identifying spotted bass.

[Jbyrd]

I just got tot get my dog in this hunt. I have had some experience with some of these questions in past. Barren River lake has special regulation for Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass. I was fishing some club night tournaments and wanted a clarification on the KDFW rules as to what we could weigh in.

Barren River Lake:
Daily limit is 6 and possession limit is 12.
Spotted / Kentucky Bass have no minimum size limit.
Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass have a 15-inch minimum size limit except 1 fish in the daily creel limit or 2 in the possession limit may be less than 15 inches long.

I could not find definitions in the manual to cover some of the terms they where using so I contacted the KDFW at Frankfort and asked them to send me in writing the answers to these questions which they did.

Q-What determines a possession limit.
A-Number of fish allowed in your possession after 2 or more days of fishing.

Q-When does a day start and end.
A-Starts at 12:01 am and ends at 12:00 pm.

Q-If I start fishing before 12:00 midnight and quit at 3:00 am can I have 2
Largemouth or Smallmouth Bass under 15" in my livewell legally.
A-Yes.

Q-What legally determines a Spotted / Kentucky Bass.
A-Any Black Bass with a rough patch on its tongue except Smallmouth Bass.
We know some Largemouth Bass may have a small tongue patch without
the other determining characteristics of a Spotted / Kentucky Bass but we
will not require them if a tongue patch is present.


I had this in writing from the big wigs in Frankfort. I don't know why they don't print this more clearly for everyone to see and understand in their rules and regulations. This was about 8 -10 years ago and as far as I know none of these rules have changed, but maybe the Big Wigs in charge have.

Just my 2 cents worth....!

Yes the tongue patch rule was changed this year . Saw it on the ky afeild call in show..