I will be fishing around Astor 2/20 - 3/7. I know 25 specks is the day limit, but how may can I have in my freezer and not brake the law? JC
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I will be fishing around Astor 2/20 - 3/7. I know 25 specks is the day limit, but how may can I have in my freezer and not brake the law? JC
Two days bag limit. It is best to check if there is any special limit/size for the lake or lakes you are fishing. Good luck!
So 50 is the max I can have in the freezer. I wanted to be sure of that because a friend of mine that stays near Astor through the winter tells me that the game warden has been knocking on some doors around there and checking freezers. I personally only bring 20 or 30 fish home (Ohio) with me, but I wanted to be sure I knew the law. I'd hate be be asleep and at 3 am the SWAT team bust the door in and swing open my freezer and go AH HA!! Next thing you know they are doing a full body cavity search on you. Anyone ever have them want to look in your freezer??? I wouldn't think they could just knock and say let me in so I can look in your freezer, but I don't know how the law works. I'll be down 2/20 - 3/7 fishing the river, Dexter, Woodruff and maybe Lake George. Thanks for the answer. JC
Your freezer is allowed to have a combined possession limit of all liscensed angler at the residence. A husband and wife would equal 100 if both are liscensed. Yes the game warden has free range unlike other officers they can enter your property without consent. They won't though without probable cause in most cases.
They won't or can not enter without probable cause? I'm interested in actually coming in your home to look, not looking in a freezer that is on the porch or in a shed? Just curious. JCQuote:
Originally Posted by crappielimits
Game wardens can go anywhere they want.
JC I can tell you a few years ago we used a guide out of Astor and we jigged the pads along the St Johns. We didn't have much luck but they guide was saying it had been a tuff year and they had just sprayed the lakes.
Please report back. I will be there the weekend after with my dad and brother. Good luck.
I usually go down early November for 2 weeks and late February for 2 weeks. I don't think they ever stop spraying the lakes. This last November there was not a weed in Woodruff except for a few places at the mouth of tick run and Highland run, the pads at the mouth of tick were all brown so I'm sure they had just sprayed them too. I don't know why they think they need to kill them all. JC
Check with Astor bait & tackle, they usually have pretty good finger on whats
happening and what lake is producing best. They are excellant people to work
with. Woodruff seems to be hot location at present.
Canada is only place ever had OPP come in - count fish in live boxes where boats
were moored, count the filets in refrig. and then count filets in fry pan and what
was on table being ate.
We were a party of 10, had been comming to same lake area for 10 years - and
they were tuff up there. Was same year they stopped us on open highway,
checked everything in coolers, fresh & frozen - also took everything out of 3
vehicles to make sure we had not hidden anything before we reached the border.
The next 5 years we went up and stayed for a week with all expenses inclusive
at a lodge - (lodging - meals - guides everything)
Florida by far is quite liberal on fishing this time year - its now hunting season and
they can get more on fines from hunters. FWC doesn't like to work after 5pm......
Come, enjoy your trip - take plenty of pictures and memories.
I'm glad to hear that they are doing the checks that you speak of. Years back I sat at a restaurant and listened to 3 old guys talking of how they would catch their 50, put them on the porch on ice and go back for 50 more. They would clean them at night and do it again the next day. Frozen by the bucketful they would unload the freezer, put the freezer in the pickup and reload it and hook it up to an extension cord, and head back north the next day for the big fish fry with all their buds. I finished quick and left, so mad I didn't dare say anything. Spoke to a possum cop a couple of days later while doing a slow burn over it and he acted like he couldn't have cared less. Now our limits are half that and I can only hope that those practices are far less than in times past. Had the warden checked the freezers of those guys I'm sure they would have made the papers. You get my point so I won't ramble.
I agree with you skeetbum!!. abide by the law, you will be fine. Two days bag limit per license in possession.
Grape Hammock fish camp at KIssimmee a few years back had some guys out of
SC - shellcrackering - Someone (don't know who) "dropped a dime on them" regarding
their catch limits (you are allowed 5o per person per day)to the FWC - who finally
came out and checked them at their cabin = FWC counted 2,583 over limit fish.........
I along with few other danced in the streets.........finally someone got caught.
For curosity - i called Grape Hammock regarding situation and they informed me that
they were sure sorry to hear one of the best customers had a slight problems with game commission. These people were excellant customers and had been
comming down here for several years...... This money hungry fish camp knew
the situation and was turnning their head as do several on the Kissimmee
chain.
Have been told by a few higher ups in FWC - that their hands are tied through
the efforts of the "Florida tourism" - We are a major tourism state and should
use all of our resourses to induce more people to come, spend money.
Skeet,
If you want to get sick again - go down to Okeechobee - Kissimmee river and
watch the pontoon boats go out a night to fish- 36 -45 rod holders on each boat,
parked nose to tail up and down river for 1/2 - 3/4 mi at night - Crappie fishing.
Guides get 375 - 400.00 per night with 2 customers - 125.00 ea additional. This
is not counting the Yankees that come down from October - end of March.
Okeechobee has 10" size limit, but if no one is checking - how many thousand per
night are taken out. Not counting the 400 - 515.00 guides in daytime," single pole
jigging the reeds -etc..............
I'll make you puke...............................
A limit is a limit no matter how many rods you have out. 9 or 36
5 years or so ago I was fishing the river near Astor and there was a small bass boat with 6 people on it trolling near me. They would hoot and holler ever time they pulled a fish in. I didn't think any thing about it until a few days later when we passed pretty close and I heard them celebration another 6 man limit, I look and this guy has a speck no more than 7" and in the cooler it went. How many fish could they have ate and how many did they have in the freezer. The thing that bothers me is how many of those small fish never even had the chance to spawn at least once before they left the water. I understand if there is not size limit you can take them, but man with all the fish I catch over 12" I just cant see taking the little ones. Like I said in my first post, I take what I want to eat that day and I take about 30 or so fish home with me. I guess there will always be someone that does not give a crap about anything. JC
Thank you for your comments -
The situation down here is tuff one
You have two fractions -Dept of Tourism and amount of money it brings into the
state in so many ways, and the FWC which is the watchdog protector of the
natural resources we enjoy in this state.
This department, i believe is extremely underfunded not only in money, but
personnel employed to properly adminster laws written to proctect our
natural resources.
Will stay off "soap box" as this pet pieve will keep me rambling for hours
We have a very unique state - surounded by water on 3 sides - we live in a
bubble persay. Weather -climate and amazing number of various spieces of wild
life - (always tell people that when "you move to Florida - get on a first name
basis with your pest control company") you will see insects, animals, birds that you
have never seen before in open - not caged. What a wonderful state.
How many fish in my freezer? How many fish sticks come in the box? :scratchhead:dono
Catch, Picture, and Release seems so much easier. :woohoo
Had no clue on any of this combined bag limit stuff..............good information guys and Thanks! :ThumbsUp
To clear the record, FWC officers may legally enter any property in the performance of their duties as it relates to state laws concerning game and fish. That said, they will not be entering any dwellings or opening any coolers at ones residence without a search warrant or consent of the owner. Their scope in entering a property is greater than other law enforcement officers, but beyond that, the same rules apply to search and seizure at a residence.Quote:
Originally Posted by crappielimits
They do have the authority to conduct those searches at non-residence places: "vessel, boat, vehicle, fishhouse or warehouse." Even in those instances, the FWC officer needs some information that leads to a reasonable belief that a violation (under Natural Resources section) has occurred.
I've heard stuff like this since I was a kid. Always get a chuckle out of it still.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tundah
Being a game warden doesn't make you above the Constitution. They absolutely have to have a search warrant to come on your property. There is no special powers granted to a warden.
Not attacking you personally [emoji4]
§FSS 379.331(2)(a).
I'll let the statutes speak for themselves. I've authored enough search warrants in my years and done even more knock n' talks to know the legal thresholds. A search warrant is to do exactly that, "search". Entering a property to make contact with a resident while conducting a lawful investigation in the course of duty does not require a search warrant. I was just pointing out that FWC has a minor nuance, in fact, very minor.
The essence of my post was that notion of a "warden" (we don't have those in Florida) driving up to your lodge/cabin/hotel/house and demanding you open your cooler is not going to happen.
Not taken personally :cheers2
In the game wardens defense, my buddy and I had one tell us exactly were to go and catch fish. We followed his directions and ended up with 28 in about two hours 'til the rain came in last Thursday and we had to leave the fish biting. I'm planning on going back soon so I will not say where but it was on the Harris Chain. lol
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tundah
You are 100% correct. They have free range of all open property. In the occurrence of an established residence which would even include a make shift structure such as a cardboard box, they would need an administrative warrant at the least or permission. All they need to obtain that is a report of a violation and with that warrant can only look for what is stated on warrant. If it is a fish camp then all they need is the owners permission, unless residency has been deemed instead up temporary stay. A freezer or cooler in plain sight they can search. In case someone misunderstood FWC does not come in like swat and break down doors. They have rules to abide by like anyone else and a responsibility to follow them to the T to ensure proper conviction. FWC does a great job of doing that and taking time to gather that burden of proof before making a move. Though, you don't see them on the water they are there many times. Also, their Cyber team is very proactive and protecting our resources. Just to add FHP will ask to search your boat or cooler too. Remember it is a felony to cross state lines with illegally obtained wildlife. Not a common practice but they can confiscate your vehicles and boats.
^^^^^ I know of several occasions that someone on Florida Sportsman forum was payed a visit. FWC is faced with a very difficult task for the small number of officers they have available. We sure have a lot of water and land to keep watch over, along with being tasked to aid in drug patrol and waterway violations. Alot of help is needed and we all should have their report # 888-404-3922 or #FWC in our phones. If ya see something call it in, helps if ya get registration #'s and make and color of boat if possible. You can also text to [email protected]
Thanks - Tundah - Crappielimits & Huntinslabs and big tip of the hat.