Planned on fishing off Sullivan’s with my wife and little girl in tow. The girls cancelled about 1:30. Told the wife I’ll see ya later. Got to a spot less attractive for the family. I began producing immediately. 27" red (personal best). Then caught two slot reds. There happened to be a DNR surveyer talking to boaters. He mentioned that if I kept a third slot that I would be done for the day and he explained because I was on the “Land” if I caught a 4th I could be ticketed for “Landing”, being in possession of over the limit even if I was going to release the fish. At that point decided to switch to the biggest live shrimp I could catch. Then caught my first 2 Blackdrum ever and a few rat reds. All in all 6 reds 1-27" 2-21" 3-rats, 2 Blackdrum, 1 small grouper, a grunt and some shocked bystanders.
All fish caught and released to their respective destinations in an hour and a half.
It’s time lady’s and gents, the fish are biting even from the hill.
quote:
Originally posted by C-rig There happened to be a DNR surveyer talking to boaters. He mentioned that if I kept a third slot that I would be done for the day and he explained because I was on the "Land" if I caught a 4th I could be ticketed for "Landing", being in possession of over the limit even if I was going to release the fish.
Was it a LEO or someone else?
Knowing the law is as much the angler’s responsibility as it is the officer’s who is enforcing the law. As the regulations are written, I’m not sure that what he told you is accurate.
It’s certainly a good question to ask. I’ve never given it much thought as we don’t usually keep reds, but there are plenty of times we catch a limit of something offshore and continue to fish for other species. As long as it’s catch and release, I don’t see the issue, but I certainly don’t make the rules. Maybe it’s one of those regulations that has to do with the angler’s intent, although I’m not sure if they could give you a fine for something that they thought you were trying to do.
Any DNR guys online that would care to clarify?
If a DNR officer watches me catch an overslot redfish, can he give me a ticket for possession? Even if I release it?
No.
They didn’t know what they were talking about.
Iain Pelto
Sea Hunt Triton 160 w/ 90 ETEC “JB3”
Native Manta Ray 14
It was not a LEO, just a guy doing a survey for DNR. I didn’t want to take a chance running into a LEO who was having a bad day and wanted to take it out on someone.
I do eat what I catch and spottail are rather tasty so I will keep one or two if I’m so lucky. I learned that everyone saying Blackdrum is good table fare is absolutely correct.
Sounds like he is confusing the restriction on striped bass (on some lakes) that it is “Unlawful to take, attempt to take, or possess more than [x-numbers of fish]”. In other words, once you have reached your limit on striped bass in certain bodies of water, you have to stop fishing. The “attempt to take” part is not included in restrictions for spottail, or any other species in the regulations.
Hopefully that survey taker is reading this thread.
ThreeOaks, I’ve read the thread in the striped forum on this issue and that is why I thought there might be a possibility. Didn’t want to take the time to look it up while fishing and two reds is plenty. Also really wanted to catch a Blackdrum.
Thanks for the info guys.
You caught a small GROUPER off sullivan’s surf fishing?
ALL GINKED UP
Looked just like this.
If the picture is not correct say something. iPhone always post them upside down.
Yes, that is a small grouper, I saw an 8 year old kid catch one at Crosby’s pier once. The juveniles live inshore. Not sure what sort, maybe a gag grouper.
By the way, I am almost certain that you are allowed to fish for redfish all you want as long as you aren’t literally keeping anything beyond the slot/creel limit. The DNR official you had was most likely a technician doing a creel survey, and could have been a college intern (I did this with the DNR freshwater folks in York County as a high school intern, a LOT of creel surveys on Lake Wylie). It’s distinctly possible that you had someone who didn’t understand the law.
“Sire, it belongs in truth to the Church of God, in whose name I speak, to endure blows and not to inflict them. But it will also please your Majesty to remember that she is an anvil that has worn out many hammers.”…Theodore Beza
Sounds like a wanna be LEO.
I do not believe there is a limit to how many you can catch, just how many you can keep.
“Apathy is the Glove in Which Evil Slips It’s Hand”.
we have caught two grouper like that in mcclellanville recently…pretty fish…both were in shallow water around oyster rakes.
As far as the rules on catching the reds…I agree with the other guys, as long as you are releasing from boat or hill and not keepiing fish over your limit or out of slot…I dont see where it would make a difference!
Maybe this “survey taker” should be reminded by DNR that that is what he is there for…and not to tell people rules that might not be accurate. thats just wrong.
We had one approach us at wappoo once and he was asking to see what I had caught, measured with…even asked specifics about where I had been fishing [:0]…wanted to look a the fish…etc…I then politely asked him why the questions and if he was DNR and not a survey person as he had said…to which he seemed to get flustered and returned to the questionier…but was pretty blunt after that. To be honest with you. I will answer to DNR all day long if asked or needed…and appreciate the great job they do…but these other folks…I try to avoid them completely.
miss’n fish’n
212 SEAHUNT CC
Sea Squirt 16
I have gotten clarification from the gentlemen, who did actual take a pic of me with my biggest red to date, and basically it is what most of you are saying. If in a boat you may only have three in possession at a time. I’f they are kept live you will be able to upgrade. If they are put in a bucket or cooler, as in my case, intending to retain, then I would only be able to keep three and not have the ability to upgrade. Once I have my limit I can continue fishing and must release fish for which I do have a limit. He does mention and is clear that he is not a LEO and cannot speak on behalf of a LEO. He did provide the actual law for me to read and interpret myself.
Most of the time the people “surveying” are the conservatist that try to poke holes in people that do the right thing. I’m out there to fish and If I limit out and get fined for continuing to fish, then the officer will have to prove me wrong in court.
yeah, we caught a grouper yesterday too in the Kiawah river. have caught several this time of year in the past. the one yesterday surprised me b/c it was about 9-10". Usually get the baby bay ones that are about 5-6".
quote:
Originally posted by NowakeMost of the time the people “surveying” are the conservatist that try to poke holes in people that do the right thing. I’m out there to fish and If I limit out and get fined for continuing to fish, then the officer will have to prove me wrong in court.
I can’t exactly disagree with you on this because I don’t know what experiences you’ve had, but I’ve done creel surveys myself (with the DNR as an intern) and I’ve been stopped before by the DNR doing creel surveys, and I’ve never been approached by a conservationist, only the DNR.
If you have been approached by a conservationist, it would seem that you have the right to refuse the survey (which, I might, because of the tendency of conservationist groups to be an unnecessary thorn in our side).
Have you been approached by conservationists doing creel surveys?
“Sire, it belongs in truth to the Church of God, in whose name I speak, to endure blows and not to inflict them. But it will also please your Majesty to remember that she is an anvil that has worn out many hammers.”…Theodore Beza
Yes that’s a juvie gag grouper. Caught one on the fly before blind casting near a dock off Sullivan’s. Never seen one inshore over ten inches, I guess that’s about the size they are when they begin to move offshore.
Knowledge of the law is key on everyone’s part. Glad you got it straight and probably educated some others along the way. Win Win.
what a crock, you can catch reds all day long as long as your not icing them. No different than culling smaller bass in a tourney, but you cannot be in possession of more than 3 slots. I have never heard anything like this but I will be getting clarification at the redfish seminar I am attending tommorrow night. I dont see the issue of catch and release with 3 in the boat, now different story if you turn around and cooler and/or put him in the live well in front of leo. some peoples kids
2009 Pro-lite 18 Flats
115 Suzuki 4 stroke
saw a gent catch a 17" gag off the mount pleasant pier a couple years back when I used to work there.
“mr keys”