Rules and Regulation Question

Hey Craig,
Could you tell me what is the correct way to handle the fish that I intend to keep as regards to possession limits? Are we required to tag or mark a fish to be able to prove that no one person in the fishing party has exceeded his or her possession limit? I have heard rumors that it is not enough to just stay under the total number of fish allowed but each angler must be able to identify their fish if checked. I have tried to find something in the Kansas Fishing Regulations Summary with no luck. Thanks!!

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Originally Posted by Crappiewhipped

Hey Craig,
Could you tell me what is the correct way to handle the fish that I intend to keep as regards to possession limits? Are we required to tag or mark a fish to be able to prove that no one person in the fishing party has exceeded his or her possession limit? I have heard rumors that it is not enough to just stay under the total number of fish allowed but each angler must be able to identify their fish if checked. I have tried to find something in the Kansas Fishing Regulations Summary with no luck. Thanks!!

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Crappiewhipped,

When you refer to 'possession limits' in your post, I'm thinking your are referring to daily creel limits so that is how I will address my reply.

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INCORRECT!!! INCORRECT!!! INCORRECT!!! INCORRECT!!! INCORRECT!!! INCORRECT!!! INCORRECT!!! INCORRECT!!! INCORRECT!!! INCORRECT!!!
If there are two or more anglers in a fishing group then each individual angler's catch will need to be identifiable. This can be through separate livewells, divided livewells, separate buckets, coolers, or two anglers could share a livewell or other container if one of the anglers places their catch on a stringer. If checked by a Conservation Officer the CO will want to know what fish belong to what angler so he can check daily creel limits as well as fish lengths if it is length limit lake. Many anglers throw all their fish into one livewell. If one short fish is found then the big question is who is the owner of the short fish. Same thing with an over limit scenario...which angler is responsible for the extra fish?
INCORRECT!!! INCORRECT!!! INCORRECT!!! INCORRECT!!! INCORRECT!!! INCORRECT!!! INCORRECT!!! INCORRECT!!! INCORRECT!!! INCORRECT!!!
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Well guys, I was WRONG with my post above and apologize for posting misinformation. LE questions are my Achilles Heel and I didn't fully check all of my sources before replying, obviously a very dangerous practice. I've left the misinformation in place so as to not leave kscrappeye hanging with his post.

Now for the correct answer to Crappiewhipped's question: No, you DO NOT need to keep catches from multiple anglers separate (unless you are fishing "flowing portions and backwaters of the Missouri river and in any oxbow lake through which the Kansas-Missouri boundary passes"). City or county operated lakes could have different regulations so always check local regulations.

I am all for rules and regulations, but I really don't see the point of this type regulation. Most boats are set up with the capacity of seperating out at most 3 anglers serparate creel limits for fish. My boat is set up with two livewells with one that can be divided. It seems to me that all this does is put more pressure on the CO's in checking each individual angler. To answer you question on who is reponsible for the short fish, it is the owner of the boat. The owner is responsible for each fish put in the livewell. Of course we could put all of our fish on seperate stringers, but what is the point? It that is the case, all we have to do is put the first 20 fish in one livewell and then move to the next. How can this be enforced on a a consistent manner?

I measure every fish that is put in the live well in my boat.

I have been checked several times on my home lake. Some times on the water and sometimes at the boat ramp. I have no problems with that but how many bank anglers are checked as regulary as boat fishermen? Once the spawn is on, I hardly ever see a CO checking the shore line fishermen. I fish lakes with a 20 fish creel limit and a 10" length limit.

I guess it is about time to start having CO's check the individual limits on pheasant hunters. How many folks hunt in groups of 10+ people split out there limit of 4 birds per day?

These type of regulations are not realistic. It boils down to each angler being honest and obeying the rules.

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Originally Posted by kscrappeye

I am all for rules and regulations, but I really don't see the point of this type regulation. Most boats are set up with the capacity of seperating out at most 3 anglers serparate creel limits for fish. My boat is set up with two livewells with one that can be divided. It seems to me that all this does is put more pressure on the CO's in checking each individual angler. To answer you question on who is reponsible for the short fish, it is the owner of the boat. The owner is responsible for each fish put in the livewell. Of course we could put all of our fish on seperate stringers, but what is the point? It that is the case, all we have to do is put the first 20 fish in one livewell and then move to the next. How can this be enforced on a a consistent manner?

I measure every fish that is put in the live well in my boat.

I have been checked several times on my home lake. Some times on the water and sometimes at the boat ramp. I have no problems with that but how many bank anglers are checked as regulary as boat fishermen? Once the spawn is on, I hardly ever see a CO checking the shore line fishermen. I fish lakes with a 20 fish creel limit and a 10" length limit.

I guess it is about time to start having CO's check the individual limits on pheasant hunters. How many folks hunt in groups of 10+ people split out there limit of 4 birds per day?

These type of regulations are not realistic. It boils down to each angler being honest and obeying the rules.

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kscrappeye,

Please see the corrected post above.

I apologize for the confusion.

Thanks,

Craig

Thanks for the corrected information Craig. The information you provide for us so helpful especially with all the new changes to the regulations.

Craig i'm confused now because on the main page there is a rule 115-7-1 quoted and it looks like everyones catch needs to be separated.

Well Craig, add me to the confused. I am not challenging you or anyone else, but it is apparrent there is a conflict in the regs. I checked again to be sure and I see, located in;

[B]KAR 115-7-1

Fishing; legal equipment, methods of taking, and other provisions.

(1) Each individual shall place all legally caught fish on a stringer, cord, cable, or chain, or in a
basket, sack, cage, or other holding device, separate from those fish caught by any other individual.[/B]

Within the ongoing discussion within "Creative Ways to Sedate Crappie" (thread below) and discussion with others the last several days, other questions have surfaced.

In reading this following language in this reg;

Fish with length or creel limits shall have the head, body, and tail fin left attached while in possession on the water or until consumed on the water. Sportfish taken must be kept until consumed, processed, taken home, released, or disposed of at a designated fish cleaning station

the questions----- Is the boat dock considered off the water?
I pull up to the Fish Cleaning Station at the dock on a length-limit lake, put my fish in a bucket and start cleaning the fish while my partner is backing in the boat trailer. Can the CO challenge/question me on the fish lengths/creel count after I have cleaned some/all of the fish? Or whose fish they are, my partners or mine?

Any thoughts??


Thanks Craig!

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Originally Posted by Crappiewhipped

Craig i'm confused now because on the main page there is a rule 115-7-1 quoted and it looks like everyones catch needs to be separated.

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Originally Posted by eatmorfish

Well Craig, add me to the confused. I am not challenging you or anyone else, but it is apparrent there is a conflict in the regs. I checked again to be sure and I see, located in;

[B]KAR 115-7-1

Fishing; legal equipment, methods of taking, and other provisions.

(1) Each individual shall place all legally caught fish on a stringer, cord, cable, or chain, or in a
basket, sack, cage, or other holding device, separate from those fish caught by any other individual.[/B]

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Crappiewhipped and eatmorfish:

A very important section has been omitted from the quotes of the regulation provided elsewhere on this page. The section in front of the reg causing the confusion has been missing. Fish only need to be separated in certain areas described in the section that has been omitted which I've provided below (the blue text).

...(g) The following additional requirements shall apply in the flowing portions and backwaters of the Missouri river and in any oxbow lake through which the Kansas-Missouri boundary passes:
(1) Each individual shall place all legally caught fish on a stringer, cord, cable, or chain, or in a basket, sack, cage, or other holding device, separate from those fish caught by any other individual....

You can find the full regulation HERE.

So in short, anglers are not required to separate their catches in Kansas unless fishing on the Missouri river as described above.

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Originally Posted by eatmorfish

the questions----- Is the boat dock considered off the water?

I pull up to the Fish Cleaning Station at the dock on a length-limit lake, put my fish in a bucket and start cleaning the fish while my partner is backing in the boat trailer. Can the CO challenge/question me on the fish lengths/creel count after I have cleaned some/all of the fish? Or whose fish they are, my partners or mine?

Any thoughts??


Thanks Craig!

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eatmorfish,

The boat dock is considered 'off of the water'. Just don't be cleaning fish while you are still actively fishing and you will be legal.

I've eaten plenty of crow today trying to field the law enforcement questions! For the best answer to these types of questions, call the Conservation Officer that oversees the lake you are fishing. You can find contact numbers for KDWPT COs on Page 29 of the 2012 Fish Regulations Summary.

I hope this helps.

Thank you Craig,you do a great job helping us understand all these things.