# Question about netting snagged fish



## mikey (May 26, 2005)

Here's one for you guys......a while back I was fishing Tippy and saw a guy fighting a large chromer up by the dam. After about 25 minutes of fighting this fish and the fish ended up in front of me, he asked if I could net it for him. Being the good sportsman, I netted it for him, only to find out he had snagged it in the back.
Well, I walked the net back to the guy and dumped the fish out and went back fishing. A few minutes later, I was told by another fisherman that if the DNR saw me doing that, I would've been just as guilty as the the guy snagging and keeping the fish. Has anyone else heard of this?


----------



## WalleyeHunter811 (Feb 26, 2007)

I would think that this guy might be misinformed but i could be wrong..I would think that netting the fish could only help by not causing anymore damage to the fish that should be released in the first place..You had nothing to do with keeping the snagged fish and was netting the fish in hopes that the guy would release the fish.I wouldnt think that you would be guilty but then again if you give a buddy a ride to the bank and he robs the bank and you dont know it your still going to the slammer so will love to see how this turns out


----------



## Dave Ash (May 3, 2006)

I had a co net my 11 pound Steel last night on a remote beach around holland. I found out that I had slightly foul hooked it in the side of the mouth (it looks like the fish went for the spoon and missed). After I got the tangle out of the net I took a quick picture and back into the water she went.

So in the answer to your question I would say that person is full of crap for the following reasons.

Clausable deniablity (How did you knowthe fish was hooked??. 
How do you know he gentalmen hooked the fish??

2. Posession is 9/10 of the law. You in no way possessed the fish. You netted a fish that he had hooked and yes he should have thrown it back, if he didnt you have no control over this person and he was the one that had there for broke the law.


At worst you could have been charged or given a ticket, but it wouldn't have held up in court.



Dave




no harm no foul?


----------



## ReddHead (Feb 17, 2005)

I saw on the Maumee river post that the dnr in Ohio will ticket the net man in the event that a snagged fish is kept by the one holding the rod. I thought about it and I concur with Dave. I think you would have to show intent to become an accessory to the crime. Similar to opening the door for a bank robber when you had no intent to allow him to escape, you would not be an accessory to the crime. I guess you can get a ticket for anything but its the hassel of going to court and fighting it. If you land a fish for someone that has snagged it and they keep it you could call the rap line to keep yourself out of trouble and uphold the law.


----------



## mattm (Aug 13, 2005)

I believe you could get a ticket for that, you might be able to fight it and win but I bet a co wouldn't feel bad writing both parties involved a ticket


----------



## ESOX (Nov 20, 2000)

You have to net even a foul hooked fish before you can unhook it and let it go. I can't see a CO writing a ticket to the net man if he wasn't even around when the "angler" decided to keep it after unhooking it.


----------



## boehr (Jan 31, 2000)

If the two individuals involved were with each other, partners, then yes both could get a ticket but it is likely only the person who caught the fish would get the hard copy. If the two indivduals were complete strangers and just one guy helping another upon request, the netter would not get a ticket.


----------



## quest32a (Sep 25, 2001)

boehr said:


> If the two individuals involved were with each other, partners, then yes both could get a ticket but it is likely only the person who caught the fish would get the hard copy. If the two indivduals were complete strangers and just one guy helping another upon request, the netter would not get a ticket.


My personal feeling though on the whole subject is better safe than sorry. Aside from the pier I don't help anyone land fish. I don't carry a net with me either (aside from the pier) so I hardly ever get asked. 

Even though it is very highly unlikely a CO would ever write a ticket to the netter, I wouldn't want to push the issue ever.


----------



## Jason Adam (Jun 27, 2001)

I still have the slightest bit of faith in mankind. I'm not gonna NOT help someone because I'm worried that there is a slim chance of getting a ticket for something that is really not wrong anyway. I guess on the off chance I do get the ticket, and I go to court and lose, then I just pay the fine.. Thats like letting someone die at a resturant cause no-one will give CPR cause they are afraid of getting sued.. Just do what you think is right...


----------



## Wolf_Dancer34 (Nov 14, 2006)

A few years ago i had a foul hooked fish on and the DNR Officer walked up to me and asked what was I going to do with the fish. First of all why the heck would I keep it. I smiled at him and politely told him as soon as I bring the fish in and get my hook back I was going to release it. When I brought the fish in I took out the hook and revived the fish and let it go. I did tell the officer that I would never keep a fish that was foul hooked. It would be so unsporting and illegal. I just hate to see fish with hardware hanging out of there backs is all so that is the reason for brining in the fist first.


----------



## WalleyeHunter811 (Feb 26, 2007)

Sometimes the dnr suprises me on blatant they are..Did the officer acuttaly think in a million years that you were going to look back at him and say well i figuured since it was hooked in the tail i was going to keep him because he was so stupid as to try to bite the hook with his tail? i mean come on if i was the officer i would have atleast waited till the guy realased the fish or kept it. If he realased it i would have told him thank you for being a sportsman and if he kept it i would have thanked him for the donation he made VIA ticket.


----------



## boehr (Jan 31, 2000)

It suprises me how blatent some posters are. Being an officer is not only about catching the poacher but making an attempt to prevent poaching before it occurs and education in ways other that tickets. Just because you hear some war stories doesn't mean it always happens the same way every time.


----------



## WalleyeHunter811 (Feb 26, 2007)

I think boehr if you are a poacher then you should get whats coming to you and not a second chance by an officer. and with an officer warning him before he does it is like me going down to a closed river and catching fish but as long is the officer educates me after the fact its right ? poachers are poachers are poachers and thats that


----------



## outdoor_m_i_k_e (Feb 3, 2005)

living so close to tippy dam and growing up fishing there, a coupel years back i was down there salmon fishing and about 15 yards downstream of me was an older gentleman (close to 60)that was standing on a rock with about an 8 foot rod, (heavy duty), and he was casting and he would set the hook about 30-40 times epr cast bringing his line in. It was obvious he was snagging, also he had his lead below a treble hook with nothing on it. after about 15 minutes i hooked a fish and ended up landing it near him(legally hooked). I went on the net the fish and the guy asked me what i was using. i showed him my fly and explained to him the laf about snagging. He was a person who hadnt been salmon fishing since snagging was legal, and was not up to date on any of the laws. just simply decided it was a nice day and he would go try to catch a coupel fish for his wife and him. I understand that not everyone is like this gentleman, but im sure i saved the guy a whoel lot of money and hassle considering there was a local CO there about half hr later.
]
There are people who intentionally snag fish and some do and some dont get away with it, but if the co asked someone what they intended to do with the fish when they landed it and they were too excited and told the co they were going to keep it, it would be just the same as hiding in the bushes and waiting til they put it on the stringer. crime doesnt pay so if ya just dont intentionally snag or keep an accidently snagged fish, then dont worry about it.

I have seen the CO's many times sit on the dam with binoculars and watch people for hours on end. and just when someone has put there third illegal fish on a stringer, radio down and send another officer in to greet them and give them the ticket. I havent seen this in a couple years but it used to happen a lot. I would much rather see the CO's walking around in uniform or plain clothes than do this. but im glad they are there not only to write tickets, but make sure peopel are fully educated about the laws. its nice to see a CO if i have a question about anything, rather then guessing!


----------



## boehr (Jan 31, 2000)

WH811, Sometimes circumstances warrant. Every case is different.


----------



## Wolf_Dancer34 (Nov 14, 2006)

boehr said:


> It suprises me how blatent some posters are. Being an officer is not only about catching the poacher but making an attempt to prevent poaching before it occurs and education in ways other that tickets. Just because you hear some war stories doesn't mean it always happens the same way every time.


Please tell me you are not calling me blatant for my post. I did the right thing by releasing the fish. I would always do the right thing in releasing it. I am not starving by any means and catch plenty enough legally that I dont need to keep one that I had foul hooked. I would rather see a fisherman TRY and bring in the fish than to snap his line and let the fish swim around with hardware somewhere in the fishes body...it certainly cant feel good to the fish.

The DNR have a job to do and the ones I deal with are really pretty cool. They have opened our shanty door before on different lakes and said oh no not you guys again and never once ask us to see our license or asked us how many fish we have. There are isolated incidents in every case.


----------



## answerguy8 (Oct 15, 2001)

Wolf_Dancer34 said:


> Please tell me you are not calling me blatant for my post. I did the right thing by releasing the fish. I would always do the right thing in releasing it. I am not starving by any means and catch plenty enough legally that I dont need to keep one that I had foul hooked. I would rather see a fisherman TRY and bring in the fish than to snap his line and let the fish swim around with hardware somewhere in the fishes body...it certainly cant feel good to the fish.
> 
> The DNR have a job to do and the ones I deal with are really pretty cool. They have opened our shanty door before on different lakes and said oh no not you guys again and never once ask us to see our license or asked us how many fish we have. There are isolated incidents in every case.


It was obvious to me that Boehr was responding to WalleyeHunter811 not you. Although I got a chuckle out of your comment the CO made "oh no not you guys again". I'll bet they make that same comment when they see Joe Poacher and his buddies down on the river. Just with a different context.


----------



## WalleyeHunter811 (Feb 26, 2007)

I have just had some really bad experinces with co's. I had a nice walleye hooked in the mouth and the second treble of my crank bait was was hooked under its chin..when i netted the fish he threw the hook in his mouth and all that was left was the hook under his chin and was told if i didnt throw the fish back it would be illegal to keep it because he didnt see the hook in his mouth as i was netting the fish. all he saw was when i took the fish out of the net that the second trebel was hooked under the chin. I have also had one come up and pull open my shanty door and have both me and my buddy step out and search us because he claimed that we were over our limit on fish and we were hinding them in our buckets. To his suprise we had not caught a single fish that day and got pissy with us when he couldnt find the fish he thought we had. Those are my only two times that i have had an encounter with a c.o so you can see what i have based MY OWN opionion on
Not saying all dnr are like this and i know they do good but i have had rotten officers


----------



## boehr (Jan 31, 2000)

There have been only two posts that used the word blatant, those posts refer.

It must be something about your looks.:lol: :lol: :lol:


----------



## blk82072 (Feb 10, 2007)

boehr said:


> it must be something about your looks.:lol: :lol: :lol:


LOL, I see you have met WH811 :lol:


----------



## WalleyeHunter811 (Feb 26, 2007)

Yeah i know i know, i am cute!!!!!!!!!!!! But do all co's check just the cute guys boehr? LOL and if this is so maybe thats why blk has never been checked LOL


----------



## cadillacjethro (Mar 21, 2007)

CO's are people doing a tough job. Most could probably fill a book with the excuses they have heard. They don't have the luxury of knowing at a glance if you are a sportsman or not. Do some come off as having a real attitude problem? It has been my experience the answer is yes. It has also been my experience that with time on the job, the attitude problem eases.


----------



## boehr (Jan 31, 2000)

cadillacjethro said:


> Do some come off as having a real attitude problem? It has been my experience the answer is yes.


 Yes your right. They are not unlike anyone else. If a CO does something wrong the supervisor needs to be contacted so it can be immediately corrected.

By the same token, there are people who want to blame their life problems on a CO or any LEO, this small part of the public also have an attitude problem which in most cases doesn't get better with experience and there is no alternative method to weed them out before they become humans.


----------



## cadillacjethro (Mar 21, 2007)

Well said!! Sabre-toothed cats took care of that problem once upon a time. My father says you can educate ignorance, but there is no cure for stupidity.


----------



## blk82072 (Feb 10, 2007)

Well I can honestly say I have never had a bad experience with a CO. They have always been polite and friendly when I have been checked. They have a tough job, no denying that, and I know I couldn't always be up beat and friendly if I had to deal with half the people they probably get attitudes from. My sister is a cop, just listening to some of her stories makes me want to smack people in the side of the head with a Maglite!


----------



## Wolf_Dancer34 (Nov 14, 2006)

Like I said the CO's in my area are pretty cool. This winter I had the pleasure in meeting the new one from my county....He was cool and took the time to talk to us for a little while before he headed on to the next fisherman. I commend him for being out in that bitter cold just to check licenses. Now if you want to talk about bad fisherman. This year I have had more than one bad experience with rude, down right awful fisherman. It only takes a minute to be nice. I try to be corgial to all the fisherman around me but sometimes they act like life will end if they have to say hello....goodness maybe they are just having a permanent bad day but.....I know for one when I get a chance to get on the river all the stress of life just washes away...I am usually exhausted by the time I leave the river and do so with a smile on my face...have a good one all....thanks the CO's in your area for there hard work and dedication to keeping our lakes and rivers good for the fisherman who think it is a priviledge to use them.


----------

