New limit on catfish at Taylorsville

[creeker]

When jugging, what constitutes a person's fish towards the creel limit? If you're in a boat with 2 other people and the GW watches one guy pull up 45 jugs with fish on them and keep the fish, would that guy be over the limit? Or would it go to the whole boat?

[adam7456]

When jugging, what constitutes a person's fish towards the creel limit? If you're in a boat with 2 other people and the GW watches one guy pull up 45 jugs with fish on them and keep the fish, would that guy be over the limit? Or would it go to the whole boat?

Technically the law says each person is supposed to catch their own fish and keep them in a seperate container so that each person can identify the fish they caught to the game warden. Kentucky doesn't seem to enforce that rule, I've never heard of anyone being cited, but I know other states do. My brother is a game warden in Illinois and I'm pretty sure he has written tickets for things like that.

[aceoky]

While "some " state laws state this please point out where Ky even hints of this, I'm unable to find it .

[Lowerider]

I spend a lot of blood sweat and tears traveling the country chasing after trophy cats and no matter how you put it commercial fishing needs to be regulated. Period. The guys feeding their neighborhood block are the tip of the iceburg. Once these guys realize the potential $ involved they evolve from jugs to nets and go several times a week. It's horrible on the Ohio River. OH followed TN and AL and next to wise up will be IN but until KY gets there chit together it won't matter.

I for one am thrilled to see this new limit no matter how rediculous it still is and hope it spreads like wildfire. If people harvested just about any other fish that many enjoy catching on rod and reel like this the outrage would be enormous.

[adam7456]

While "some " state laws state this please point out where Ky even hints of this, I'm unable to find it .

I can't find a KRS or KAR reference to it but years ago when I took the hunter safety course the game warden speaking to the class mentioned that when hunting each person was supposed to keep their kill seperate. He went on to say if several people were dove hunting, put all the birds in one pile and he came upon them that he would say there is no way to know who shot which birds and everyone would get a ticket for being over the limit plus he could confiscate all the birds. The KRS and KAR references to daily possession read the exact same for both hunting and fishing.

I wonder what it would take to get an official statement on this. I know when I go fishing I just throw all the fish from everyone into one cooler. Of course we almost never reach the individual limit much less the combined limit.

[artcarney_agr]

I can't find a KRS or KAR reference to it but years ago when I took the hunter safety course the game warden speaking to the class mentioned that when hunting each person was supposed to keep their kill seperate. He went on to say if several people were dove hunting, put all the birds in one pile and he came upon them that he would say there is no way to know who shot which birds and everyone would get a ticket for being over the limit plus he could confiscate all the birds. The KRS and KAR references to daily possession read the exact same for both hunting and fishing.

You are right with the birds. I know while duck hunting each person must have his birds separate from everyone elses'. However, you are comparing animals to fish. Dove and ducks are also federally protected animals. Many differences in that regard.

It's one of those gray areas that no one can agree on. Some states do require personal fish limits to be separate and identifiable, but others do not.

Another issue is the possession law. With ducks, your daily limit is 6, and your possession limit is 12. If you have more than 12 ducks in your freezer, you can get a ticket. You have to eat those ducks or give them away before you can go back into the field. However with fish, many say that it's different, that fish in the freezer don't count towards your possession limit.

I wish a news article, or an episode of KY Afield would address the limit and possession laws in regards to fish, because there is too much misconception out there.

[adam7456]

You are right with the birds. I know while duck hunting each person must have his birds separate from everyone elses'. However, you are comparing animals to fish. Dove and ducks are also federally protected animals. Many differences in that regard.

Since the same game wardens manage both fish and wildlife, it seems they would have the same policy for both.

Another issue is the possession law. With ducks, your daily limit is 6, and your possession limit is 12. If you have more than 12 ducks in your freezer, you can get a ticket. You have to eat those ducks or give them away before you can go back into the field. However with fish, many say that it's different, that fish in the freezer don't count towards your possession limit.

I can help clarify this with reference to the KAR. The possession limit only applies to unprocessed fish. Once you gut them and remove the head there is no limit on how many you can keep in your freezer.
http://www.lrc.ky.gov/kar/301/001/201.htm
301 KAR 1:201. Recreational fishing limits.


"Daily creel limit" means the maximum number of a particular species or group of species a person may legally take in one (1) calendar day while fishing.

"Possession limit" means the maximum number of unprocessed fish a person may hold after two (2) or more days of fishing.

"Unprocessed fish" means the whole fish prior to being processed.

"Processed fish" means a fish that has been gutted and head removed.