# Possession of Fish



## Scadsobees (Sep 21, 2006)

It's written into the law to give the LEO's leeway and tools to apply additional penalties when egregious law breaking is discovered. 

IE. If they catch a guy by himself with 100 walleye driving back to his house 20 minutes from the lake. He's gonna get his freezer checked.

If three guys are fishing and they have one over the limit, unless they're giving the LEO a hard time...probably not so much. Now if they let it drop that they've been out to the lake 5 times that day...well.....

But I agree that it's not appropriate as it criminalizes most normal people who like to eat fish. Even if I go to the store and buy a bunch of walleye fillets for a big dinner I'm putting on, I'm now in violation. I want to respect and follow laws, but this one makes it difficult for many. But then again, I probably broke the speedlimit this morning....


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## WALLEYE MIKE (Jan 7, 2001)

Maybe to deter sales of excess harvested fish. And waste cause from hoarding then gets freezer burn and is inedible.


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## retired dundo (Jul 21, 2015)

I freeze my pan fish during winter in containers in water.Iam just wondering how they would be able to count them


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## WALLEYE MIKE (Jan 7, 2001)

T


retired dundo said:


> I freeze my pan fish during winter in containers in water.Iam just wondering how they would be able to count them


Thaw them out.


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## retired dundo (Jul 21, 2015)

WALLEYE MIKE said:


> T
> 
> Thaw them out.[/QUThan you would have to eat them pretty soon.What if you did not plan on eating them for se verbal w eeks


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## DirtySteve (Apr 9, 2006)

scubajay said:


> A law/regulation pertaining to possession beyond a single day doesn't make sense to me. As long as the creel limit hasn't been exceeded for any particular day it shouldn't matter how many legally caught fish I have accumulated in my freezer. I'm not sure what problem this law is attempting to solve. I don't believe a possession law is in place for other game. For instance, I am allowed to have all the legally shot grouse I want stored in my freezer.


Are you sure you can have all the legally shot grouse in your freezer?










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## WALLEYE MIKE (Jan 7, 2001)

If they are investigating you for possession limits you got more problems than figuring out what to do with thawed fillets.


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## twodogsphil (Apr 16, 2002)

So, if I keep my fish freezer in my pole barn, the possession limit does not appply? Or, has MDNR expanded the definition of “residence”.


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## Downsea (Apr 12, 2005)

You won't win with that Phil.


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## WALLEYE MIKE (Jan 7, 2001)

twodogsphil said:


> So, if I keep my fish freezer in my pole barn, the possession limit does not appply? Or, has MDNR expanded the definition of “residence”.


*MY *fish+ *MY* pole barn = *MY* possession.


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## retired dundo (Jul 21, 2015)

I think the law is mostly just to catch poachers a way of catching them.I would guess that most people that go fishing a lot are w ay over there’s passion limit and the Dnr understands that


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## snortwheeze (Jul 31, 2012)

scubajay said:


> A law/regulation pertaining to possession beyond a single day doesn't make sense to me. As long as the creel limit hasn't been exceeded for any particular day it shouldn't matter how many legally caught fish I have accumulated in my freezer. I'm not sure what problem this law is attempting to solve. I don't believe a possession law is in place for other game. For instance, I am allowed to have all the legally shot grouse I want stored in my freezer.





retired dundo said:


> I think the law is mostly just to catch poachers a way of catching them.I would guess that most people that go fishing a lot are w ay over there’s passion limit and the Dnr understands that



Think ^^ that's the answer. If/when they catch violators it'll give them a reason to go and check their home-freezer and more violations = more trouble for offenders. Only reason I can think of such a dumb rule.

Say 85% or better that fish regularly have more then 3 days catch in their freezers ....


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## DirtySteve (Apr 9, 2006)

snortwheeze said:


> Think ^^ that's the answer. If/when they catch violators it'll give them a reason to go and check their home-freezer and more violations = more trouble for offenders. Only reason I can think of such a dumb rule.
> 
> Say 85% or better that fish regularly have more then 3 days catch in their freezers ....


I fish fairly regularly. Don't think I have ever had my limit in my freezer. I have a family of five. You can keep 8 walleyes in Michigan. A days limit is 40 fish for us. Times 3 is 120. I am absolutely positive I have never had 120 walleye in my freezer. I have probably never had 60 total.....more than likely 30-40. If I catch a mess of fish I eat walleye for dinner that week and probably make some chowder one night. Might freeze a few meals and give some to my dad. Typically 2 or 3 of us fish together at a time. 

When the fish are biting good I will go twice a week In the spring.

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## brigeton (Feb 12, 2004)

I don't think I have ever had over 30 walleye in the freezer at once. That said when we freeze fish they are cut up into small pieces ready to cook as they fry up better than whole fillets and fit in the bags better. How would they tell if a package of fish is one 24" or 3 15" ?


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## DirtySteve (Apr 9, 2006)

brigeton said:


> I don't think I have ever had over 30 walleye in the freezer at once. That said when we freeze fish they are cut up into small pieces ready to cook as they fry up better than whole fillets and fit in the bags better. How would they tell if a package of fish is one 24" or 3 15" ?


I write it on the package. Number of pieces and number of fish. I like to know for cooking purposes. Sometimes we go fishing and only catch 3 or 5.....especially in the winter. Sometimes I am cooking for 3 people sometimes for 8 or 10. 

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## Downsea (Apr 12, 2005)

Yep Dirty Steve, my wife labels each package and dates it. I had to go look but she also puts on the pkg how many fillets. Looks like for walleye their all 4 pcs. She does not like me in her kitchen so she vacuum seals and actually fillets about half in the kitchen. Women are funny.


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## Gamekeeper (Oct 9, 2015)

scubajay said:


> A law/regulation pertaining to possession beyond a single day doesn't make sense to me. As long as the creel limit hasn't been exceeded for any particular day it shouldn't matter how many legally caught fish I have accumulated in my freezer. I'm not sure what problem this law is attempting to solve. I don't believe a possession law is in place for other game. For instance, I am allowed to have all the legally shot grouse I want stored in my freezer.


No you are not.


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## Retrobird (Jan 9, 2019)

We typically pile them up in the freezer and then have a big fry. All packages are dated with contents marked so daily limit can sort of be verified.


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## snortwheeze (Jul 31, 2012)

DirtySteve said:


> I write it on the package. Number of pieces and number of fish. I like to know for cooking purposes. Sometimes we go fishing and only catch 3 or 5.....especially in the winter. Sometimes I am cooking for 3 people sometimes for 8 or 10.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G950U using Michigan Sportsman mobile app


Just weigh them. 1# will feed 2 average people. Well people who like to eat fish


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## DirtySteve (Apr 9, 2006)

snortwheeze said:


> Just weigh them. 1# will feed 2 average people. Well people who like to eat fish


I generally do. I figure 10 oz a person so pretty close the the same calculation you use. I dont always put the weight on the package but occasionally I do if it is a large package. Number of total fish keeps me legal. When I am cooking for the wife and kids I know how many pieces they will generally eat. If i am doing a large fish fry i will calculate the number of people and go by weight. 

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## DirtySteve (Apr 9, 2006)

Gamekeeper said:


> Fish and game are a public trust.
> Michigan has no guarantees for subsistence living, unlike other states.
> Consequently, no provisions for hoarding beyond limits set by law.
> 
> For the frequency that this topic comes up at, makes you wonder about people even more.


I think you missed the point here. Anyone can participate in subsistence living in michigan. Our game laws can very easily accommodate subsistence living. 

Putting 6 months worth of walleye in a freezer is not subsistence living. 

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## Gamekeeper (Oct 9, 2015)

DirtySteve said:


> I think you missed the point here. Anyone can participate in subsistence living in michigan. Our game laws can very easily accommodate subsistence living.
> 
> Putting 6 months worth of walleye in a freezer is not subsistence living.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G950U using Michigan Sportsman mobile app


What you are saying has been argued in court before. Ineffectually.
There are no provisions for community harvest nor bartering. Our laws are restricted to possession, and commerce.

I guess you could “ live off the land” but if you did anything but store possession limits you’d be open to be prosecuted.


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## DirtySteve (Apr 9, 2006)

Gamekeeper said:


> What you are saying has been argued in court before. Ineffectually.
> There are no provisions for community harvest nor bartering. Our laws are restricted to possession, and commerce.
> 
> I guess you could “ live off the land” but if you did anything but store possession limits you’d be open to be prosecuted.


Right. The reason for that is you could easily live off the land in michigan and be within the boundaries of possesion limits.

This isn't remote Alaska where you get around on sled dogs and you need to feed a team 20 dogs with your catch as well as your family. 

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