Comments on: FWC Law Enforcement Report: Deer Depredation, Boating And Fishing Violations

By: SAYWHAT

SAYWHAT — Mon, 03 Jul 2023 16:15:53 +0000

Here is my point Scott,you can not use a bream for bush hooks (ANYMORE), BUT, you can use them for bait when using a pole. (MAKES ALOT OF SINCE)
But even though you got LARGE HOOKS, AND LARGE WEIGHTS in your boat, with live bream in your livewell, and big poles for big catfish,YOU ARE COMPLETELY LEGAL .Unless they catch you checking a line with a bream on it, how can they write you a dagum ticket?

By: Scott

Scott — Mon, 03 Jul 2023 14:22:56 +0000

https://myfwc.com/fishing/freshwater/regulations/taking-fish/
This did take me a minute I don’t do much freshwater fishing so it was enlightening. All the rules are easily available online and FWC even has an app to keep us on the right side of things.
1. You can have a cookout on the beach with mullet. What you can’t do is catch a regulated ‘Game’ species (bass, redfish, etc) and cut it up prior to being ‘done fishing for the day’. With no head it’s impossible to tell the size. The rule says’ done fishing for the day’ so if there were no lines in the water and he’s returning to ramp. It looks like this was legal…. saltwater rules state ‘must remain in whole condition until landed ashore’. Not sure why the rules read differently. It’s likely better to clean them out on the water instead of feeding alligators at the ramp.

2.Bush hooks, can be used to catch ‘non-game’ species such as catfish and you can have all the spare gear you want in the boat. The issue is that you can’t also be in possession of a ‘game species’ such as crappie/bream/bass at the same time. You are not allowed to possess a game species with illegal means to catch them in the boat. This makes a day on the river of setting lines for catfish and fishing with a pole pretty impossible.

The best one is spearing a 34″ redfish under a public fishing pier……that guy was clueless!

By: SAYWHAT

SAYWHAT — Mon, 03 Jul 2023 13:08:45 +0000

I guess when you catfish with poles at night you need to know what hooks and leads you can use now boys !!! Evidentalie FWC knows the difference between hooks and leads used for bush hooking and lead and hooks used for catfishing with poles at
night. I get it about the line being in the boat, but the HOOKS & LEAD ??

By: M in Bratt

M in Bratt — Sun, 02 Jul 2023 15:39:23 +0000

In todays world, you need to take two people fishing with you to try and stay out of trouble; You need a marine biologist to identify your catch because there are many that are hard to identify even to the trained eye. You need to take along a lawyer to help interpret the fishing rules that are so confusing that only the game warden can interpret them,,,,,,,his way. This all is the result of our legislature ceding their authority to make laws to a bunch of beaurocrats in in Tally that have probably never been hunting or fishing. It’s time for our legislature to take back our woods and water from the beaurocrats that probably would outlaw hunting and fishing if they could get away with it.

By: Bill L.

Bill L. — Sun, 02 Jul 2023 15:36:35 +0000

I grew up catching mullet in our bays and having fish fries on the beach after cleaning our catch….never realized I was breaking the law. Some of these things need some discretionary allowances.

By: D.b.

D.b. — Sun, 02 Jul 2023 13:31:11 +0000

And this is why I don’t hunt or fish anymore. There’s no way you’re going to go out without violating some law or regulation. Just not worth the trouble anymore. I understand the need for some rules, but some are so obscure that only the game wardens know them.

By: jeffrobodean

jeffrobodean — Sun, 02 Jul 2023 13:05:18 +0000

Sum buddy help me out?? in the first paragraph under Santa Rosa County section it says “It is illegal to possess any bush hooking equipment while in possession of a freshwater game species.” i’m 60 yrs old and been fishing on escambia river since i was 5, when i set bush hooks i always have extra line, lead ( i use 3/16″ nuts for lead cuz they cheaper than buying lead) , and some extra hooks. These items are still in my boat when i check my lines, i’m always having to repair one or two of my hooks where something big has gotten on um and messed them up and usually got a couple cat fish on the lines also cause that’s what i’m after to begin with. as that reads once i catch a fish and put him in the boat i am violating a law?? i can’t have the stuff i’m fishing with in my boat when i catch a fish???

now, skip down to the third paragraph SRC section the guys over the limit with bass and has one he cut the head off of yadda yadda and this ” The subject was issued a notice to appear citation for being in possession of gamefish not in whole condition.” when i go fishing i always, or try to always, clean my fish in the boat throwing all the waste remains, hide, scales, guts and head back in the river from which they came, wash my fish and throw them in a trash bag and throw um in the cooler till i get home and wash them again before i fry um up.. is that also a violation for me to do that???

appreciate you fellers in uniform, yall do a great mostly thankless job, hats off to all of you. i just wanna make sure i aint breaking the laws, most of this i learned from my Grand Paw Mr. J. D. Diamond.