yeah, since there are always someone who always get it personally about it. I don't want to cause anything on it.
Anyway, let know if that catch, weight at bait shop, and released back into water is possible or no. I surely want to know if that is allowed.
If yes, then our fishery should be booming in several years later due to released all pin-fishes and you get rewards and fish get reward too.
If you don't want to do that, there is always catch and release program.
Anyway, let know if that catch, weight at bait shop, and released back into water is possible or no. I surely want to know if that is allowed.
If yes, then our fishery should be booming in several years later due to released all pin-fishes and you get rewards and fish get reward too.
If you don't want to do that, there is always catch and release program.
This past Spring, I fished at gate 43 and brought in two Landlocked
Salmon that I had in my live well. Both were over 4 pounds and qualified for pins. There happened to be an EPO (warden) at the ramp who was checking boats. He asked how we did and I told him about the salmon. He asked if they were still alive and I told him they were. He made me kill both fish prior to leaving the reservoir and told me (nicely) that it was illegal to transport ANY live fish. That is why I don't have any state pins for smallmouth or largemouth bass. I have caught them big enough to qualify but can't bring myself to kill them. I caught a smallmouth in the CT. River last year that was my biggest so far. It was a hair over 21 inches long and had a 14 1/2 inch girth. ( When I went on-line and looked it up the fish could have weighed a little over 6 lbs. )
I was in a kayak and had the option of killing him/her and weighing it in for a pin or releasing it. So, my daughter who was fishing with me took a photo with her cell phone and I released it. I wish I had a better camera with me but I was in a kayak and didn't dare bring my good camera. I have since bought a water-proof case for it and will be sure to have it in the future. On another trip, this time to Quabbin, my niece who was about 12 at the time caught a 4 lb 12 ounce Smallmouth. I have a picture of her holding it up on the scale clearly showing the weight. I gave her the option of keeping it and weighing it in for a pin (quite possibly a gold pin in the youth division) or letting it go to get bigger. She chose the latter! Very proud of her.
That being said, I was with my friend when he took a giant carp (39 + lbs,) to a weigh station in a huge plastic tub. We weighed it in and then took it back to where he caught it and released it. He got the gold pin that year for largest carp. I have pins for Salmon, Walleye, and Crappies because I like to eat them. I will probably never get one for Bass. The state should come up with a catch & release pin program so these fish can be released to be caught again. I think the pin program is a great idea and would be even better if you didn't have to kill the fish. So, if you're thinking of transporting a live fish to get weighed just keep the law in mind so you don't get an unpleasant surprise if a warden happens to be at the weigh station! Also, just to be clear. If you make the choice to kill a bass to eat or to weigh for a state pin that is your choice and I am in no way trying to be critical of you. It is just my choice not to kill these fish. By the weigh I am an avid hunter and have no problem killing a fish or animal that you are going to eat.
Salmon that I had in my live well. Both were over 4 pounds and qualified for pins. There happened to be an EPO (warden) at the ramp who was checking boats. He asked how we did and I told him about the salmon. He asked if they were still alive and I told him they were. He made me kill both fish prior to leaving the reservoir and told me (nicely) that it was illegal to transport ANY live fish. That is why I don't have any state pins for smallmouth or largemouth bass. I have caught them big enough to qualify but can't bring myself to kill them. I caught a smallmouth in the CT. River last year that was my biggest so far. It was a hair over 21 inches long and had a 14 1/2 inch girth. ( When I went on-line and looked it up the fish could have weighed a little over 6 lbs. )
I was in a kayak and had the option of killing him/her and weighing it in for a pin or releasing it. So, my daughter who was fishing with me took a photo with her cell phone and I released it. I wish I had a better camera with me but I was in a kayak and didn't dare bring my good camera. I have since bought a water-proof case for it and will be sure to have it in the future. On another trip, this time to Quabbin, my niece who was about 12 at the time caught a 4 lb 12 ounce Smallmouth. I have a picture of her holding it up on the scale clearly showing the weight. I gave her the option of keeping it and weighing it in for a pin (quite possibly a gold pin in the youth division) or letting it go to get bigger. She chose the latter! Very proud of her.
That being said, I was with my friend when he took a giant carp (39 + lbs,) to a weigh station in a huge plastic tub. We weighed it in and then took it back to where he caught it and released it. He got the gold pin that year for largest carp. I have pins for Salmon, Walleye, and Crappies because I like to eat them. I will probably never get one for Bass. The state should come up with a catch & release pin program so these fish can be released to be caught again. I think the pin program is a great idea and would be even better if you didn't have to kill the fish. So, if you're thinking of transporting a live fish to get weighed just keep the law in mind so you don't get an unpleasant surprise if a warden happens to be at the weigh station! Also, just to be clear. If you make the choice to kill a bass to eat or to weigh for a state pin that is your choice and I am in no way trying to be critical of you. It is just my choice not to kill these fish. By the weigh I am an avid hunter and have no problem killing a fish or animal that you are going to eat.
I've been in touch with Mass Wildlife a few times concerning adding a catch and release program. As it stands there isn't one. If you remove a fish to be weighed it is considered transporting and it must be dead. On the form it also states that the fish must be dead. Sad but true.
I think we should start Emailing Mass Wildlife again to renew our interest in a catch and release program.
Isn't our money in taxes and license fees that keep them going.
I think we should start Emailing Mass Wildlife again to renew our interest in a catch and release program.
Isn't our money in taxes and license fees that keep them going.
I've been in touch with Mass Wildlife a few times concerning adding a catch and release program. As it stands there isn't one. If you remove a fish to be weighed it is considered transporting and it must be dead. On the form it also states that the fish must be dead. Sad but true.
I think we should start Emailing Mass Wildlife again to renew our interest in a catch and release program.
Isn't our money in taxes and license fees that keep them going.
I agree. What a friggin disgusting travesty! Its ironic that in order to get in the books you have to kill your record. We should start an online petition for catch and release program, I bet we could get enough signatures to at very least let the state know that most don't agree with the law and the ball would be in their court. I'm going to research how to go about creating a legitimate petition to try and fight this.I gotta start searching and getting some info
http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/recreation/fishing/pdf/sportfish_affidavit.pdf
Line 10 all fish must be dead.
Sorry I don't know how to make a clickable link.
Line 10 all fish must be dead.
Sorry I don't know how to make a clickable link.
how does that promote a healthy fishery and environment? mind boggling.
i agree. its totally assanine and rediculous. on a seperate unrelated note i think that its kinda crazy that the ma state record chain pick is only 1 oz smaller than the world record lol. as much as id hate to kill a fish to get a record if i cought a world record it may be a different story but i wouldnt be able to make a decision like that unless i was actually lucky enough to somehow get to that point but jeez imagine that? how pissed would you have been taking that thing to weigh and finding out that you were 1 oz shy of matching the world record and only a couple oz shy of setting a new world record lol
I believe the intent of this law is to prevent the introduction of an unwanted species into a body of water. It has happened a lot. In Maine, fish such as pike have been put into lakes that held native brook trout and have decimated the population. There are many instances where this has happened. People who were well intentioned (or not) have taken it upon themselves to stock these fish illegally not realizing the damage they were doing. It has happened all over the country. Ever hear of the Snakehead? They theorize that someone had some of these fish in an aquarium and once they got too large released them. They are all over the place now and they displace native species.
Those people who have transported live fish to be weighed in then released broke the law, even though they meant well. The reason they got away with it is because there was no EPO around. A lot of the weigh stations are just sporting good stores and have no power and probably no desire to make an issue out of it.
Those people who have transported live fish to be weighed in then released broke the law, even though they meant well. The reason they got away with it is because there was no EPO around. A lot of the weigh stations are just sporting good stores and have no power and probably no desire to make an issue out of it.