# possession limits -fishing/ salmon



## fishjump (Jul 28, 2007)

Recently fished on lake Michigan for salmon. 
We launched the boat and fished saturday. Reached our limit of salmon and headed to the marina to stay and fish the next day. 

We were overnighting in the boat at the marina, and the launch is about 1 mile from the boat. 

We fished the next day with some addition riders. At the end of the day went back to the marina cleaned the fish. The other 3 riders left with the days catch leaving us with Saturdays fish only, cleaned fileted and in zip lock bags. All good???

Wrong - Ran into a CO and he advised we were violating the law by having any "mutilated fish aboard any fishing vessel". Mutliated I called processed? 

Bottom line - you are allowed 1 daily limit and 2 in possession that is processed. 

Now we never received a ticket, but what are we supposed to do when we have have legally taken our limit 2 days in a row and take the boat back from the marina to the launch. 

Law seems flawed. 
Can I get a CO to clarify.


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## Robert Holmes (Oct 13, 2008)

Some fishermen will clean fish at one boat launch then fish or motor back to a marina or a different boat launch. It happens all of the time in St Ignace. If you look at it from the CO point of view the CO is absolutely in the right to issue a ticket. Once processed it is hard for the CO to tell when it was caught.


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## brookie1 (Jan 26, 2011)

You need to at least freeze the fish after cleaning if you plan on keeping them on your boat. They don't count as an extra limit unless they are canned, cured, or frozen. Otherwise you have mutilated fish on board your boat.

You left out some details of your story. Under what circumstances did you have contact with the CO and how did he know you had cleaned fish on your boat.


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## fishjump (Jul 28, 2007)

No freezer at the marina- even if we did he said no mutllated fish aboard the boat. Guess we will make the trip back to the marina in the boat, put the fish in a cooler at the car and hope it doesnt get too hot.

When we got to the dock, he asked how we did. I and explained and was very upfront with him. He was checking all the boats on a general inquiry. 

I understand him not being able to tell what fish where caught that specific day. Just wanted to know what other people do, it seems like it could get a lot of people in trouble.


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## Robert Holmes (Oct 13, 2008)

If they checked the cooler in the truck you may still have some explaining to do. You were up front with the CO which probably saved you in the long run. Fresh fillets will always be counted as a 1 day limit. Check the meat markets in the area if you buy gas, groceries, fishing gear from them they would probably be happy to freeze some fish for you. Would you be better off spending $50 locally or paying a ticket for $150 or more? Salmon frozen in freezer bags with the skin on will last a couple of months in the freezer.


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## brookie1 (Jan 26, 2011)

It's a relatively new law, so I suspect people do what you did thinking they are within the law. I have never had your problem, lol, but I would just use a local grocery store for storage and possibly even in their freezer. They may charge a small fee or maybe nothing if you buy your supplies there as well.

Looks like I was typing the same time as Robert. That ticket would also be a misdemeanor which means a criminal record.


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## malainse (Sep 2, 2002)

From the fishing guide:

Possession Limit: In addition to one (1) days daily possession
limit of fish, a person may possess an additional two (2) daily
possession limits of fish taken during previous fishing days provided
that the additional limits of fish are processed (canned, cured by
smoking or drying, or frozen)

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Law: (Edited )
FO-248.11
POSSESSION LIMITS FOR FISH

Department Fisheries Orders regulate various statewide and area-specific daily possession limits for fish. In addition to one (1) day's possession limit of fish, a person may possess an additional two (2) days' possession limit of fish that are processed by any of the following methods:
1. Canning in a sealed container.
2. Curing by smoking or drying.
3. Freezing in a solid state.
A persons processed fish aboard a vessel, on the water or at dockside shall be considered to be in the persons possession for the purposes of this Order.
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So placing them into a cooler they would still be in your possession and in violation. As they are not one of the above.


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## Rubenwest (Mar 8, 2011)

One more reason to have a Yeti! A chunk of dry ice in a Yeti has proven to freeze most filets overnight. 


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## Robert Holmes (Oct 13, 2008)

If you are fishing in the straits area this summer and need to freeze some fish for a couple of days I can probably help you out. My cell # is 906 430 7673. I can probably hold 100+ pounds of salmon/trout in my freezer for a couple of days.


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## jdman (Feb 9, 2005)

I Wouldn't Advise That !!!!! You Will Be Over Your "2 Day Limit"... I Know Its Dumb ... But Its The Rule.. 


FO-248.11
POSSESSION LIMITS FOR FISH

Department Fisheries Orders regulate various statewide and area-specific daily possession limits for fish. In addition to one (1) day's possession limit of fish, a person may possess an additional two (2) days' possession limit of fish that are processed by any of the following methods:
1. Canning in a sealed container.
2. Curing by smoking or drying.
3. Freezing in a solid state.
A persons processed fish aboard a vessel, on the water or at dockside shall be considered to be in the persons possession for the purposes of this Order.
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Robert Holmes said:


> If you are fishing in the straits area this summer and need to freeze some fish for a couple of days I can probably help you out. My cell # is 906 430 7673. I can probably hold 100+ pounds of salmon/trout in my freezer for a couple of days.


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