# Rod Police



## BIG JOHNSON (Aug 31, 2005)

Anyone else hear the rod police on the radio out at Vermillion this weekend? Anyone over rodding might want to watch out there, the guy sounded like he would take pictures if he had a camera. Just don't want to see anyone get in trouble over a little cry baby.


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## Gju42486 (Mar 7, 2005)

the rod police huh? sounds like the guy has waaaaay to much time on his hands al.............aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah you'll never catch me


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## krustydawg (Apr 26, 2004)

BIG JOHNSON said:


> Anyone else hear the rod police on the radio out at Vermillion this weekend? Anyone over rodding might want to watch out there, the guy sounded like he would take pictures if he had a camera. Just don't want to see anyone get in trouble over a little cry baby.


Stay within the law and no one will get in trouble... Most everyone that fishes Erie from a boat knows the regs. soooo, IMO if you are "over rodding" you should suffer the consequences. And no, I was not out this past weekend


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## BFG (Mar 29, 2006)

> the guy sounded like he would take pictures if he had a camera


Crybaby = Old indian word for poor fisherman


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## Torch (Feb 10, 2007)

BIG JOHNSON said:


> Anyone else hear the rod police on the radio out at Vermillion this weekend? Anyone over rodding might want to watch out there, the guy sounded like he would take pictures if he had a camera. Just don't want to see anyone get in trouble over a little cry baby.


Was also out of Vermillion Sunday and heard the chatter on the radio all day. The Rod police guy did crack us up, nothing else to complain about, type of guy that is mad at the world even when he is out fishing. The people talking about the election was starting get to me, I was the one who told everyone to SHUT-UP and fish. As far as running rod's to each is own. just don't break the limits. We had 4 guys on board and were doing fine with 6 rod's (limited) sometimes less is best.

Weather isn't looking to good for this weekend would love to get back out again.

Angelo


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## B Thomas (Jan 21, 2005)

My thoughts are if you are willing to risk over rodding thats your business and if you get caught that is also on you. I do not condone it.

I have more of a concern with these big charter boats that apparently were asleep during the rules of the road part of their course and like to send their big boards into a spread of inlines (he was close enough I could read his name on the boards and he was overtaking me since I was going 1.5mph. Now thats something I wish someone had a camera on! Tonnage doesnt give you the Right of Way!


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## Torch (Feb 10, 2007)

B Thomas said:


> My thoughts are if you are willing to risk over rodding thats your business and if you get caught that is also on you. I do not condone it.
> 
> I have more of a concern with these big charter boats that apparently were asleep during the rules of the road part of their course and like to send their big boards into a spread of inlines (he was close enough I could read his name on the boards and he was overtaking me since I was going 1.5mph. Now thats something I wish someone had a camera on! Tonnage doesnt give you the Right of Way!


We had that happen to us also, I think it may have been the same Charter, out around the 36-35 line. boards had what look like some pvc pipe flag. turned right in front of us and came back right at us and made us speed up to about 4-5 miles an hour to keep from his board taking out all three of our in line boards. I did want to go after him and give him an ear full but was having to good a time to let some show-off charter ruin my day.

Torch


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## Worm Man (Jan 7, 2006)

I heard him on Sunday too and chimmed in that I was fishing by myself with 9 rods and I was perching!!! Just kidding of course.


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## B Thomas (Jan 21, 2005)

they should call you octopus man not worm man!


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## seahawk (Aug 1, 2008)

I guess I don't see the controversy. If you are using too many rods, that's illegal. Lot's of laws we would rather not follow, but need to go to the legislature to change them. On this one, I doubt they will be sympathetic.

As to complaining about it over the marine band, well... maybe there are more effective ways to deal with it.


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## tpat (Apr 4, 2008)

it truly is campaign season.


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## Hooch (Apr 14, 2004)

I wonder if he was referring to my charter...I chartered Pooh Bear and he was running no less than 16 lines! We had 8 on board, so we were within the law.
It is quite an impressive spread and he covers a lot of water! I don't remember seeing any boats REAL close to us, but then again, I was awful busy reeling in fish! -Hooch-


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## Steimy (Jun 29, 2008)

The only thing worse than a guy crying over the radio about someone using too many rods is THE GUY USING TOO MANY RODS.


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## COOLERKING79 (Aug 5, 2005)

Al, 4 10 on the "Rod Police" thought it was quite comical! Like
others said, guy must have had a lot of time and negative fish
results! On a serious note "over rodding" is against the regs, but
unless your using this method to "overharvest" or you are a 
nuisance to other boaters (board control toward fellow anglers)
I personally would keep to myself, rather than putting out a Rod
Alert on 79! On the same note if you get a ticket, i have no sympathy!
Rules are Rules!

Jack....Coolerking on 79


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## fishingguy (Jan 5, 2006)

Every year we have the rod issue come up. It's one I don't get. Why can't two people fish six rods? If you are on fish, you won't need 6, probably can't keep 4 in the water. Some days all we could do was to keep 2 in the water. On the days where the bites are few and far between, whats wrong with fishing six rods, other than it's the regulation. I don't use more than whats allowed, but that doesn't mean I think it's fair. So on slow days maybe you might catch a couple more. As long as you do not go over your limit, what the he__ difference does it make. And I did bring this up on the odnr website and got a less than satisfactory answer, actually no answer or reason at all. All they said was to go to there next meeting to voice my opinion. If there is a law, they can collect fines when people break them. That's why the rod limit will never change. $$$$$$$ Just my opinion.


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## B Thomas (Jan 21, 2005)

Hooch,
I know Pooh Bear is one of the most highly respected charter captains on Lake Erie and he earned that reputation somehow. Fishingguy, I agree 100&#37; with you, why does it matter as long as you dont over harvest fish??? Save fuel and get your fish faster. Trust me I dont over rod because I dont feel like burning $100 in fine money.


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## FreeByrdSteve (Jun 28, 2004)

This isn't addressed to any one person - just a general statement.

The question on bigger boats and smaller boats fishing the same area comes up a few times a year and it really is never as simple as we'd all like it to be. In a perfect world the simple answer is to strictly follow the "Rules Of The Road", but that often isn't real practical in a fishing situation where you have a mixture of the larger boats and the smaller boats going multiple directions and THE BIGGEST ISSUE IS OFTEN THE SPEED DIFFERENCE. For someone in a small boat trolling harnesses they might often be trolling 1/2 the speed of the larger boats pulling big boards.

It usually works out if everyone will give a little ground and adjust course / speed enough to avoid problems. The biggest thing is ANTICIPATING what is likely to happen BEFORE THERE IS AN ISSUE.

Again most people try to follow the standard Rules Of The Road as much as possible, but sometimes the better solution is to communicate with the other boat as you anticipate a possible issue and often it is more practical for each boat to SIMPLY HEAD TOWARDS THE OTHER BOATS STERN and more often than not it will work out. If you don't communicate by radio or hand signals (not counting a 1 finger salute - LOL!), the best thing to do is make your intended course change as OBVIOUS AS POSSIBLE to the other boat so they can react accordingly. The smaller boats typically have much greater maneuverability and ability to change course much quicker than the bigger boats. Not at all saying that the smaller boat should always be the one to make the change but this is just reality.

If you are out fishing an area where most of the big charter boats are and decide to fish there and are going MUCH SLOWER than they are it is certainly your "right" to do so, but expect that at some point throughout the day you will likely get a bit frustrated.

I'm sure someone will disagree with this and state that all that should matter is "the rules of the road" and technically they would be "correct", but being "correct" and "right" aren't always the same thing.

The other thing which is kind of a "chicken & the egg" issue is that the area where "the pack" forms is often the area where the bigger / more full time charter guys are fishing. Why did "the pack" form there - often because there are people that simply look for the charter boats. But this is two sided as well - the big guys often create some of the issue by "radio advertising", but that is a double edged sword as well - if they don't give out info then people talk bad about them too.

Some guys are better than others in terms of trying to work with everyone fishing an area and being respectful of everyone on the water, and generally being real helpful.

All in all we have a great situation on Lake Erie.

Steve Carlson


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## boatnut (Nov 22, 2006)

Steve,
you said it a lot better then I could of. I agree whole heartedly with your statements. When i'm in a "pack" (which i try to avoid, prefer fishing on the outside of it) I will always give a call if I anticipate a problem and most of the bigger charter boats usually answer and you can work things out.

Regarding the number of rods, well....I kinda look at it like wearing a seatbelt. Is it against the law if you don't? yes, but should other motorists be getting on the CB and calling the highway patrol on you? Cyclists don't have to wear helmets...why should I wear a seat belt? I'm 110% against overharvesting, but I don't agree and don't always abide by the rod limit. Kentucky and other states have unlimited rod rules. I really don't see the harm if you're not overharvesting. It's sure a lot easier to pattern the fish, that's for sure. Too me, it's a personal choice and I don't think one needs to be "chastisied" for it. You "pay's your money and you take your chances".


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## Gju42486 (Mar 7, 2005)

boatnut said:


> Steve,
> you said it a lot better then I could of. I agree whole heartedly with your statements. When i'm in a "pack" (which i try to avoid, prefer fishing on the outside of it) I will always give a call if I anticipate a problem and most of the bigger charter boats usually answer and you can work things out.
> 
> Regarding the number of rods, well....I kinda look at it like wearing a seatbelt. Is it against the law if you don't? yes, but should other motorists be getting on the CB and calling the highway patrol on you? Cyclists don't have to wear helmets...why should I wear a seat belt? I'm 110% against overharvesting, but I don't agree and don't always abide by the rod limit. Kentucky and other states have unlimited rod rules. I really don't see the harm if you're not overharvesting. It's sure a lot easier to pattern the fish, that's for sure. Too me, it's a personal choice and I don't think one needs to be "chastisied" for it. You "pay's your money and you take your chances".


   i have nothing to say...........:C


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## Toolman (Jun 8, 2004)

Gju42486 said:


> i have nothing to say...........:C


Then don't say anything!  I'm not going to be the one to cast the first stone.

On the charter/small boat issue I agree with Steve for the most part. All the years I've fished Erie I can count on one hand the times I've had "run-ins" with charter guys and I felt it was their fault (or at least was their duty to avoid). That is far fewer instances than I've had with other weekenders or tourney anglers. I've probably caused at least that many screw ups (inadvertantly) by my own actions (or lack thereof). That being said, there's no doubt that sometimes there are some charters that feel the own a clear path to where they want to go for some unknown reason- Maybe some of this is due to frustration, as they do tend to have to contend with more boats and the "pack mentality". I remember one particular day in the spring of '07 I was fishing near a pack north of Kellys (I set up with very few boats in the area) and I was pushed off my line, overtaken and then cut off by a charter. The same happened to a friend of mine, who was in the vicinity. As a matter of fact, he had a planer board cut off by the charters big board as he was passed. At least it was later returned-to a mutal friend of ours. I think for the most part, most charter captains are more than courteous, but not unlike the average boater, a few are not.

There's my $.02 on that subject, but in this stagnant economy, it probably was worth slightly less. 

Tim


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## Snakecharmer (Apr 9, 2008)

I'm sorry but I have to disagree about ignoring the rod limit. Rules are rules...It becomes a slippery slope when you start justifying why you shouldn't follow the rules. Next why worry about size limits, its only a 1/2 too short or an inch too short. Then fish limits, I can only get out once a week so I should be allow at least a two or three day limit...Why worry about a closed season I'm only stretching out a day or too etc etc....I guess with all the crooks in politics and business, and steroids in sports its too much to ask for fisherman to have respect for rules and regulations. End of sermon!

Snakecharmer

ps. why not use dynamite?........


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## GRADY228 (Jun 25, 2005)

Well said Steve!!!! Rod issue, mind your own business!!! It is not up to you to be the Rod Cop. I see nothing wrong with how many rods as long as you don't go over your fish limit. So that is my business not yours and I will take it up with the ODNR if caught!!!!!!!


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## donkey (Aug 28, 2004)

This is a perennial post and one of my favorite topics.If you do this go far far away.


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## Lundy (Apr 5, 2004)

So if I use a high powered rifle to take my deer every year in Ohio, as long as I don't take more deer than allowed, it should only be my business and no other hunters should care?


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## krustydawg (Apr 26, 2004)

Just when I thought I knew some people on this board fairly well... Some of the comments I have read are truely disheartening and sad to read. I guess some feel that they are above the law......pathetic.


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## chaunc (Apr 11, 2004)

GRADY228 said:


> Well said Steve!!!! Rod issue, mind your own business!!! It is not up to you to be the Rod Cop. I see nothing wrong with how many rods as long as you don't go over your fish limit. So that is my business not yours and I will take it up with the ODNR if caught!!!!!!!


Are you saying it's alright to use extra rods when you're fishing touneys, like the hogfest and others? Or is it diffrent when no money is involved? After you pay your entrance fee, like everybody else, and someone see's that you have to many rods out, should they just keep quiet and mind their own buisness? Is it fair to the rest of the field? If someone takes a picture and turns it in, wont you be DQ'd? Sure you didn't over-harvest, but breaking the rules is breaking the rules.


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## BFG (Mar 29, 2006)

I don't feel I'm above the law, but I do feel that if a guy wants to run 20 rods, he should be able to do so. It's not up to me to decide how a guy catches fish. Don't try to confuse this issue with overbagging, keeping short fish, etc. etc. Completely different issues. I fail to see how rod-limits protect the fishery. This is a "time" issue..time spent on the water = expenses incurred while doing so. 

I've never understood the rod-limit thing. Guys down south laugh their asses off about these Great Lakes rules. Ever see the crappie spreads? LOL

I would much rather catch my fish with an 8 rod spread between two guys than troll 4 rods. This is manageable, and it would cut down on total fishing time and costs. The guys with whom I fish have BIG boats...and those same BIG boats use A LOT of fuel. If Johnny 4 rodder wants to spend 8 hours running 4 rods over spread out fish with his 8hp 4-stroker purring along...that's fine. I just don't see how that same guy could complain about a bigger boat running 16+ lines at once (which is very doable on the right boat with the right crew). 

One thing I've been told in defense of this law is "well...running more rods will result in more limits being taken and decimate the fishery..."

C'mon...the guys catching limits are gonna get their limit regardless on most days, and if I was running a big boat I'd want to get my fish as quick as possible. Sure there are days when it'll take longer and limits may not come, but there would also be plenty of days when the cooler would fill much faster...and less expense would be incurred for all involved. 

Please insert obligatory "why do you guys want/have to catch your fish so fast" or "it's not about catching limits but sharing time with friends, families, sunsets, sunrises, the great outdoors, blah blah frickin' blah..." replies here...those are applicable for sure, but I'm not trying to tell you how to spend YOUR day...whereas the law dictates EXACTLY the number of rods I can run on any given day on Lake Erie...which DIRECTLY impacts my time on the water and the expenses incurred. 

If you are thinking that I am a game-hog...think again. This has nothing to do with "always catching limits." It has to do with personal choice/preference in the way one pursues game. The rifle analogy was a silly one...that law is in effect b/c of the terrain that is present in the State of Ohio..and I think we can all understand that. To be honest, I wouldn't have a problem with a rifle-zone in the Southern portion of the State, similar to what Michigan does in their State. 

I can fully understand the desire to want to spend the entire day on the lake. That's fine. Go ahead...I don't care what you do with your time. Living close to the lake has its advantages, and fishing frequently out there does as well. 

This issue is spread out over most of the Great Lakes. It needs to be changed. Apply the law to inland fisherman/pier fisherman if you want to prevent guys from taking up entire stretches of piers/lakefront....but if I'm offshore...IT'S A DAMN BIG LAKE...so who the hell cares? I have several good friends that run charters on Lake Michigan, Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario...and each of them would love to be able to run more rods. 

Just my .02..


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## BFG (Mar 29, 2006)

> Are you saying it's alright to use extra rods when you're fishing touneys, like the hogfest and others? Or is it diffrent when no money is involved? After you pay your entrance fee, like everybody else, and someone see's that you have to many rods out, should they just keep quiet and mind their own buisness? Is it fair to the rest of the field? If someone takes a picture and turns it in, wont you be DQ'd? Sure you didn't over-harvest, but breaking the rules is breaking the rules.


You bring up another valid point...indirectly. How come the FLW tournies weigh 5 fish per guy in April when the limit clearly says 4 per day?

Oh...I get it...$$$$$$$$$$$$$$


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## Gju42486 (Mar 7, 2005)

as far as im concerned, the above comments make me feel sick. To come out on a public message board and admit that your breaking the law- and KNOWINGLY doing so just blows my mind.

As far as im concerned, you guys arnt fishermen in my eyes- your lawbreakers. 

Enough said.


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## Lundy (Apr 5, 2004)

BFG,

I couldn't disagree with you more on any of your observations or attempted points of support for violating Ohio's fish and game laws.

As for your assertion that the rifle analogy was silly clearly helps bring even further to light what is so obviously wrong with your stated positions, to most.


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## K gonefishin (May 4, 2004)

BFG said:


> You bring up another valid point...indirectly. How come the FLW tournies weigh 5 fish per guy in April when the limit clearly says 4 per day?
> 
> Oh...I get it...$$$$$$$$$$$$$$


No your dead wrong, you can weigh 5 fish because there are 2 guys in the boat!!!!!


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## Gju42486 (Mar 7, 2005)

K gonefishin said:


> No your dead wrong, you can weigh 5 fish because there are 2 guys in the boat!!!!!


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## crittergitter (Jun 9, 2005)

Wow! Here's an interesting thread. Bunch of folks whinin and such about wanting to poach and say it's ok. Maybe I should go to the Maumee River next spring and sling a 3/0 Treble hook with an egg sinker tied to it. What's the difference? It's just a matter of saving me a little time. I'll get my limit with floating jig in 4 hours or I'll get it with the treble hook in 20 mins. I got other things to do and can't be bothered with the actual regulations. Give it a rest guys. 2 rods per man and anything else is breaking the law and you deserve to get called on it.


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## 1MoreKast (Mar 15, 2008)

i cant grasp the whole..."who wants to spend 4 hours/6 hours/8 hours fishing when it could be done in 20 minutes using 100 rods....phhh come on man, it's fishing, if i could be out on the water all day, i would, what are ya doing? spending an hour on the lake then going back home to WORK?...yeah, not for me man. i take all the time i can get out on the lake/river/pond/puddle. 1-2 rods...end of story.


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## 2CatchEyes (Apr 11, 2008)

Well said Lundy. I once asked a local cop in my small hometown in ohio, if I could run a red light late at night if know one was around. His response still applies to this topic and any other were there is a law involved. 
His answer: The Law's the Law 24 hours a day!


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## BFG (Mar 29, 2006)

> No your dead wrong, you can weigh 5 fish because there are 2 guys in the boat!!!!!


But how many fish do the Co-Anglers weigh?


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## BFG (Mar 29, 2006)

> Maybe I should go to the Maumee River next spring and sling a 3/0 Treble hook with an egg sinker tied to it. What's the difference?


The difference is that you snagged the fish with the treble hook (illegal) and you caught the fish with the floater rig (legal). 

Don't confuse this issue. I'm not talking about snagging fish, over-bagging, keeping short fish, etc. etc. I'm talking about catching fish by legal means like always...just having more baits in the water.


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## krustydawg (Apr 26, 2004)

BFG said:


> But how many fish do the Co-Anglers weigh?


The 5 fish total weight per day is used by both the co-angler and the pro who are fishing that day together. Have you ever been to a weigh in or fished a tourney ? You are making comments on things you obviously know absolutely nothing about. What's the old saying ? Ignorance is bliss....



BFG said:


> I'm talking about catching fish by legal means like always...just having more baits in the water.


More than 2 rods per person is not catching by legal means


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## BFG (Mar 29, 2006)

> BFG,
> 
> I couldn't disagree with you more on any of your observations or attempted points of support for violating Ohio's fish and game laws.
> 
> As for your assertion that the rifle analogy was silly clearly helps bring even further to light what is so obviously wrong with your stated positions, to most


This is fine, but please explain why you feel that I should not be able to run more lines on Lake Erie. I've yet to read a solid explanation as to why so many feel this way. This is the same type of mentality that the MI DNR uses with its 3/5 rule for salmon fishing. Illinois, Wisconsin, and Indiana have zero issues with a "5 fish and you are done (with the exception of 2 lakers only)" and ya' know what?? It makes for happier fisherman....and disgruntled fisherman on the MI side of LM. 

FWIW...I have NEVER run more rods than is permissable by law. Steve was the one that opened that can of worms...so don't lump me in with those statements. I'm just trying to understand the mentality of why I can't run more rods. Nothing more.


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## brick (Sep 17, 2007)

more rods,less time and money is a poor argument for overrodding. The relaxation and challenge is the reason to fish. Its cheaper and more time efficient to run down to giant eagle and get some wild walleye for 11.95 a pound.


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## BFG (Mar 29, 2006)

> The 5 fish total weight per day is used by both the co-angler and the pro who are fishing that day together. Have you ever been to a weigh in or fished a tourney ?


So it's the best 5 fish in the boat....and each angler (Pro and Am) gets to count that weight towards their total when they were only permitted to legally take 4 fish each, but they can still count the "best" fish that the other guy caught/landed towards their total. 

BWAHAHHAAA....

Yes..I've been to the weigh-ins at PC and other places. 

BTW...I didn't attack anyone here...please keep this discussion civil. I'm not telling YOU how to fish.


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## K gonefishin (May 4, 2004)

BFG said:


> But how many fish do the Co-Anglers weigh?


The Co angler's weight is the same as the pro's they are a team for the day and have a collective weight of the 5 best fish, the co and pro's fish are one in the same, not seperate.

It's the same as two guys fishing in the spring, 2 guys are allowed to keep 8 fish, in case of a FLW tourney it's the boats best 5 fish, completely 100&#37; legal to do so actually they are underharvesting because 2 guys COULD keep 8 fish, but the rules state they can only have 5 in the boat and only weigh 5


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## krustydawg (Apr 26, 2004)

BFG said:


> BTW...I didn't attack anyone here...please keep this discussion civil. I'm not telling YOU how to fish.


Not an attack just an observation.....I already know how to fish *LEGALLY* !


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## crittergitter (Jun 9, 2005)

Breaking the fish and game laws is poaching. Period. You can argue about how much you dislike the regulation all you want. However, I would bet a game warden wouldn't be very interested in your assertions. 

Oh, and you don't like my treble hook analogy. Fine. I'll tie on 3 jigs to one line and catch them legally in the mouth. Then, when the GW writes my ticket, I can explain to him that I caught them legally right????? You don't like the regulation then go to one of the many ODOW open houses and voice your opinion on that regulation. That would be the only way to get it changed or reviewed.


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## BFG (Mar 29, 2006)

> the co and pro's fish are one in the same, not seperate.


I get it...but that's like talking boat limits or blind limits....which is also illegal for all you legal-like types. 

Ok...so why not just weigh 4 fish per guy? Pro has his livewell, Co-angler has his livewell. Ahhh...I see now...b/c it is the BOAT that is fishing...not the ANGLERS...so individual bag limits do not apply. Ya' never know when that biggun is gonna hit...so if Johnny Joe from Avon grabs the rod on an 8# fish..the Pro for darn sure is gonna weigh that fish in his bag, and the Co-angler also gets to count that weight towards his total. 

Very clear now...Catch 8 (or whatever the tourney rules say you can have (per Kgones post), weigh 5. Doesn't matter who did what. I see clearly now why Co-Anglers are encouraged to participate.


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## BFG (Mar 29, 2006)

> I'll tie on 3 jigs to one line and catch them legally in the mouth. Then, when the GW writes my ticket, I can explain to him that I caught them legally right?????


You cannot do that, as per the law. I also realize that I cannot run more than 2 rods per guy on the lake (although I can run more than one bait per line, which makes NO sense to me in regards to this law). What I am proposing is a change to the regs...and yes, I have voiced my opinion in public forums. 

You guys are dodging the issue here. Why shouldn't one be permitted to run more than 2 rods per person on Lake Erie? The assumption that poaching would occur should this happen is mystifying. I've got your answer, but nobody wants to hear it.


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## K gonefishin (May 4, 2004)

BFG said:


> I get it...but that's like talking boat limits or blind limits....which is also illegal for all you legal-like types.
> 
> Ok...so why not just weigh 4 fish per guy? Pro has his livewell, Co-angler has his livewell. Ahhh...I see now...b/c it is the BOAT that is fishing...not the ANGLERS...so individual bag limits do not apply. Ya' never know when that biggun is gonna hit...so if Johnny Joe from Avon grabs the rod on an 8# fish..the Pro for darn sure is gonna weigh that fish in his bag, and the Co-angler also gets to count that weight towards his total.
> 
> Very clear now...Catch 8, weigh 5. Doesn't matter who did what. I see clearly now why Co-Anglers are encouraged to participate.


Co-Anglers are encouraged to fish for alot of reason, learn from the pro's, fish as a team, have a shot at winning money, be a part of a pro circuit with alot less cost and investment, a stepping stone to the pro leagues fishing different techniques on different water, comradary....Do you want me to keep going?? Why a Co fishes has ZERO to do with how many fish can be kept. On the bass side there weights are seperate and not collective like walleye tours. MWC is a team format and same goes for them, no co-angler involved whatsoever. 

On day 4 of the championship in the FLW Tour the pro fishes by himself, if the legal limit in that said state is 4 fish, they only fish for 4 fish....NOT 5. All tournaments have limits on fish kept and every time they fall within the state's regulations.


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## honey (Oct 13, 2006)

Do you have your own livewell when you and your buddy go fishing?
When two of us are trolling we do not keep track of who caught the fish. Whoever is near the rod grabs it. If i had the set and he reels in the fish, but i net it whose fish is it? Or is it the person who drove the boat to where the fish would strike? This is one of the most pointless discussions I have seen on this forum. It is the boats fish! 

As for the more than allowed rod controversy, if you keep what you are allowed in terms of fish i really do not see a problem. If you are willing to take the chance on a ticket so be it. I sort of see this as going 75 in a 65 zone.


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## Snakecharmer (Apr 9, 2008)

On a side note I have a Musky lure that I bought at the Cleveland Sport show that I can't use in Ohio...Reason - 4 trebles. Didn't realize until I went to put in in the box that it had more than three...I need to check but I think its illegal in Canada too...The guy was from NY so I think I may be ok in that state. 
It sickens me to think that some of you may be fishing in tournaments with such a lack of appreciation for rules and laws.


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## K gonefishin (May 4, 2004)

BFG said:


> You cannot do that, as per the law. I also realize that I cannot run more than 2 rods per guy on the lake (although I can run more than one bait per line, which makes NO sense to me in regards to this law). What I am proposing is a change to the regs...and yes, I have voiced my opinion in public forums.
> 
> You guys are dodging the issue here. Why shouldn't one be permitted to run more than 2 rods per person on Lake Erie? The assumption that poaching would occur should this happen is mystifying. I've got your answer, but nobody wants to hear it.


Why argue a law in the first damn place, I got a ticket for tinted windows yesterday, could I argue that in Florida or California there are no limits to how dark windows are but in Ohio it's 50% I was at 22% knowingly breaking the law...I knew it and I got caught so therfore I got a ticket. 

You can argue any law on the planet and the people who make laws set them for there reason. PERIOD.


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## Rednek (Nov 6, 2006)

This is a fun to read thread. Lemme muddy the waters a little.

Can someone explain to me why my fishing buddy and I can take my boat to Lake Erie and only use 4 rods(lines) but we can go to the same location in February using my 4 wheeler and ice fish using 12 tip-ups and 4 rods for a total of 16 lines in the water.


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## BFG (Mar 29, 2006)

> This is one of the most pointless discussions I have seen on this forum.


I beg to differ...

On one side of the fence you have a group of guys who are sticking to their guns in their defense of the current regs that state you can only run two rods per angler on Lake Erie. I have zero problem with someone agreeing with the current regulations.

On the other side of the fence you have guys like myself who would like to see this regulation changed. What bothers me most is that there has not been a logical response as to why the rod limit should be 2 per person when I can run 2 per person but then run a 3-way with 2 baits on each rod. Make sense to you?? Doesn't to me. 

One of the most humorous things that has come out of this discussion is that even though many tout the regulation of running only 2 rods, they also then admit to having boat limits and promote/make a big deal out of fishing in tournaments which promote/accept such a practice. To be clear..it is the tourney that is artificially inflating the daily catch weights for each angler...per the apparent tourney rules. 

I guarantee you that if my buddy and I got back to the dock in April and a CO asked us how we did..and I told him..."well, I got five, but my buddy didn't get any...but it was the boat that caught 'em...so it don't matter, as we were permitted 8 for the boat, right?"

We would surely have an issue...but then again...NOBODY here would ever do that... 

LMAO.......


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## Snakecharmer (Apr 9, 2008)

Rednek said:


> This is a fun to read thread. Lemme muddy the waters a little.
> 
> Can someone explain to me why my fishing buddy and I can take my boat to Lake Erie and only use 4 rods(lines) but we can go to the same location in February using my 4 wheeler and ice fish using 12 tip-ups and 4 rods for a total of 16 lines in the water.


Because those are the regs?
I have it on good word that the State of Ohio was concerned about the long term effects on the cold on the taxpayers of the state, so they in there benevolence increased the number of lines in the water to limit the exposure of the taxpayer. That's my story and I'm stickin to it.


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## honey (Oct 13, 2006)

BFG, Ah yes I see your point! Good argument, but one that would never hold up once an officer arrives on the scene.

What it really comes down to, is people should look out and police themselves and not worry so much about what everyone else is doing!


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## crittergitter (Jun 9, 2005)

BFG said:


> I beg to differ...
> 
> On one side of the fence you have a group of guys who are sticking to their guns in their defense of the current regs that state you can only run two rods per angler on Lake Erie. I have zero problem with someone agreeing with the current regulations.
> 
> ...


This is silly. You would not get a ticket at all. Now, if you and your buddy parted ways and you were in possesion of all 5 fish then you would get a ticket. However, on the water it is treated differently......the boat has a possesion limit......it is 6 fish per man thus if a boat has 4 men the boat limit is 24 and it doesnt matter if 1 guy caught all 24 and put them in the livewell. At the end of the day if 4 guys all go home with 6 walleye a peice, then all is good. I do believe it is looked at a little different when fishing from shore. You take possesion of the fish when it is landed therefore, the regulation is a little different for river and bank fishing.

Now, I hear you clamoring for support of changing the regulation. This may have been a bad thread to make your case for that since the original intent of the post was to warn individuals that they should not be doing this or they might get caught......not that they shouldnt be doing this because it is illegal. Therefore, most respondents stuck to the original point of the thread and kind of avoided your hijack topic. I dont' know why they have the rule of 2 rods per man. I have fished crappie tourneys and felt at times it would be nice to fish more than 2 rods for sure. Maybe it's a safety issue? Maybe it's a method of deterring poaching? I don't know. If you brought this up at an open house hearing by the ODOW then I would think they would have explained it to you at that time. They would be the appropriate ones to ask "why".


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## FreeByrdSteve (Jun 28, 2004)

Just want to clarify that my post and comments were only about the couple posts mentioning problems with boats cutting them off and tyring to point out that the speed difference in the big boats and smaller boats often accounts for a lot of the problem and that if everyone tries to ANTICIPATE issues in advance and everyone "gives a little" that USUALLY problems can be avoided and that the navigational "rules of the road" aren't always the most practical way to deal with a trolling situation where you have boats going in many different directions and many different speeds (sometimes 1/2 the speed of other boats).

My post and mention of navigational "rules of the road" had nothing to do with the amount of rods in use. The Ohio laws on the number of rods allowed are pretty clear. If you choose to break this law and get caught you have no one to blame but yourself. An effort to get the law changed is a whole other topic. There was something going around a year or two ago to increase the number of rods from 2 to 3 but apparently nothing came of it.

In the words of Rodney King - "Can't we all just get along??"


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## BFG (Mar 29, 2006)

> This is silly. *You would not get a ticket at all*. Now, if you and your buddy parted ways and you were in possesion of all 5 fish then you would get a ticket. However, on the water it is treated differently......*the boat has a possesion limit*......it is 6 fish per man thus if a boat has 4 men the boat limit is 24 and it doesnt matter if 1 guy caught all 24 and put them in the livewell. At the end of the day if 4 guys all go home with 6 walleye a peice, then all is good. I do believe it is looked at a little different when fishing from shore. *You take possesion of the fish when it is landed therefore, the regulation is a little different for river and bank fishing.*


JMO..I would have been ticketed, there is no such thing as a boat limit, and when a fish goes in the cooler, on a stringer, or in a bucket..it is considered possessed and counts toward YOUR daily bag regardless of where you are fishing..lake, river, pond, or barrel.


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## crittergitter (Jun 9, 2005)

BFG said:


> JMO..I would have been ticketed, there is no such thing as a boat limit, and when a fish goes in the cooler, on a stringer, or in a bucket..it is considered possessed and counts toward YOUR daily bag regardless of where you are fishing..lake, river, pond, or barrel.


Explain to me how the warden enforces this rule. He pulls up to a boat in July that has 20 walleye in 1 cooler. There are 4 men on the boat. Who gets the tickets?


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## Toolman (Jun 8, 2004)

Hooooweeee !


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## boss302 (Jun 24, 2005)

BFG said:


> The difference is that you snagged the fish with the treble hook (illegal) and you caught the fish with the floater rig (legal).
> 
> Don't confuse this issue. I'm not talking about snagging fish, over-bagging, keeping short fish, etc. etc. I'm talking about catching fish by legal means like always...just having more baits in the water.



BFG?????????? Catching fish on an extra rod is the same!!!! You are using illegal means (extra rod or rods). By the definition YOU ARE A POACHER!!!!!
NO different than somone over harvesting, snagging, spotlighting........

" POACHER.....: The means used are illegal (for example, baiting a field while hunting quail or other animals, using spotlights to stun or paralyze deer, or hunting from a moving vehicle, watercraft, or aircraft)." from wikipedia


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## BFG (Mar 29, 2006)

> Explain to me how the warden enforces this rule. He pulls up to a boat in July that has 20 walleye in 1 cooler. There are 4 men on the boat. Who gets the tickets?


Ok...keeping up with the thread here. That response was to my original hypothetical situation posted where 2 guys show up at the dock in April with 5 fish, and the DNR asks about them, and 1 guy says..."I got 5, he didn't get any"..

Your situation would go by the wayside without any issue at all as long as when asked about your catch, nobody said they personally caught over their limit. If you are trolling and you let one guy reel in all the fish, then by all means you are running the risk of potentially having an issue. 

Is it likely that you'll get in trouble? No. Do guys routinely offer up that sort of information to a questioning officer? Not unless they want a ticket. I've been on drift charters where 3 of the 6 guys caught all the fish. Tell me that's legal. Boat limit...hahaaaaaa. It's a common practice to go along with the boat limit ideal...but I'll tell ya' what, the way I see it, it is not legal to do so. Do I care? No. We let newbies reel in all the fish all the time...and don't worry one bit. The point being..we are breaking the regs when we do such a thing...and so are you. 

Say you have 4 guys on the boat. How many of you pull rods when you reach 21 fish? You don't...and that's another point that needs to be made....as in Wisconsin and Illinois waters of Lake Michigan they enforce that law. You have 4 guys in the boat...you catch that 17th fish...you gotta pull two rods (5 fish limit per man). Nobody that I know of does such a thing on Erie. 

Point being...there are SOOO many laws and regulations that are not followed on a day to day basis out there it is comical that some of you would get so wound up with a PROPOSAL to change a simple regulation as the 2 rod limit per angler. 

And yes..I think the guy who was saying he had a camera and was going to take pictures of boats running too many rods is definitely a douchebag.


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## BFG (Mar 29, 2006)

> BFG?????????? Catching fish on an extra rod is the same!!!! You are using illegal means (extra rod or rods). By the definition YOU ARE A POACHER!!!!!
> NO different than somone over harvesting, snagging, spotlighting........
> 
> " POACHER.....: The means used are illegal (for example, baiting a field while hunting quail or other animals, using spotlights to stun or paralyze deer, or hunting from a moving vehicle, watercraft, or aircraft)." from wikipedia


Please refer back to the many times I've stated in this thread that I have not run more rods than is legal on Lake Erie. Thank you.


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## ezbite (May 25, 2006)

if you cant get it done with 2 rods per person, maybe you should be doing something else for a living.


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## roger23 (Mar 7, 2007)

we got checked we had 12 rods out ,,,,sorry for there luck we had 7 licenced people in the boat,,,we were told someone complained about us....I guess who ever the whinnier was should have looked in the cabin


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## turkeymikey (Jul 3, 2008)

I do think we have beat this horse to death. It all boils down to what a persons morals are. You have to live with yourelf. On Mosquito Amish will have a couple kids with them and the kids never reel in a fish. You could beat this horse for a week and still boils down to morals. Nothing more.


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## Papascott (Apr 22, 2004)

I should know better than to say anything BUT, Last year, I had someone complain that we were running too many rods off cleveland. We had 3 guys and 6 rods out. We also had 4 more rods in verticle rod holders for STORAGE! All I have to say about this whole thing is, If you are going to throw stones make DAMN sure your throwing them at the right target!


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

BFG said:


> Say you have 4 guys on the boat. How many of you pull rods when you reach 21 fish? You don't...and that's another point that needs to be made....as in Wisconsin and Illinois waters of Lake Michigan they enforce that law. You have 4 guys in the boat...you catch that 17th fish...you gotta pull two rods (5 fish limit per man). Nobody that I know of does such a thing on Erie.


So where is it in the regulations that says you can no longer fish when you have caught your limit? The violation is "possessing" over the limited number of fish. What do you think tournament fishermen do when culling? I don't know enough about how other states treat that situation but I am pretty sure that your analysis is incorrect for Ohio. I looked quickly at the Wisconsin regulations and they do state that you must stop fishing for that species once you have reached your limit (no catch and release from there on). That is not stated in Ohio's regulations.


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## boss302 (Jun 24, 2005)

BFG said:


> Please refer back to the many times I've stated in this thread that I have not run more rods than is legal on Lake Erie. Thank you.


Correction: Those who use more than the legaly permitted number of lines are poaching. BFG, Sorry for misrepresenting you personaly as a poacher.


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## fishingguy (Jan 5, 2006)

Other than it against the law, I still haven't heard one reason why a someone trolling in lake Erie shouldn't be able to troll 3 rods. I am a reasonable man, let me hear a reason. Other than it's against the law, or, two is good for me so it should be good for all. Let me reiterate, I follow all regs. and laws. It makes no sense to me.


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## Dixie Chicken (Nov 12, 2004)

Hey Het,
When does the count down start?
DC


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## Hetfieldinn (May 17, 2004)

Dixie Chicken said:


> Hey Het,
> When does the count down start?
> DC



At least it's staying civil. At this point.


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## coman61 (Jul 6, 2006)

Maybe the theory is that if you only use the 2 rod per man limit, there will be times that you won't limit every time you go out. I fish by myself quite a bit and there are many times I don't limit out, if I were allowed to run 4 rods my chances would double. As far as the example of being able to run 2 baits from the same rod, 4 baits on 2 rods this would also double if you ran 4 rods and 2 baits per rod, this would equal 8 baits in the water so you can see the number of baits keep doubleing. You don't have to limit to have a good day on the lake but it helps.


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## seahawk (Aug 1, 2008)

the argument that rod limits don't matter, as long as bag limits are observed does not make sense. i don't know how many times i wished i could put more rods out when fishing alone, but didn't. i could have ran a bigger program, with more variables and, ultimately, caught more fish. but i didn't run more and i didn't catch more due to the rod limit. and those fish are still out there. i guess i am just a fool.

why respect the bag limits either, if you have no respect for the rules and can get away with it?


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## coman61 (Jul 6, 2006)

seahawk said:


> the argument that rod limits don't matter, as long as bag limits are observed does not make sense. i don't know how many times i wished i could put more rods out when fishing alone, but didn't. i could have ran a bigger program, with more variables and, ultimately, caught more fish. but i didn't run more and i didn't catch more due to the rod limit. and those fish are still out there. i guess i am just a fool.
> 
> why respect the bag limits either, if you have no respect for the rules and can get away with it?


My point exactly.


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## seethe303 (Dec 12, 2006)

fishingguy said:


> Other than it against the law, I still haven't heard one reason why a someone trolling in lake Erie shouldn't be able to troll 3 rods. I am a reasonable man, let me hear a reason. Other than it's against the law, or, two is good for me so it should be good for all. Let me reiterate, I follow all regs. and laws. It makes no sense to me.


QFT

it is just an arbitrary number. 

If it really does cut down on number of walleye harvested I'd like to see some documentation of that. 

For the record, I also fall all regs. and laws.


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## Steimy (Jun 29, 2008)

roger23 said:


> we got checked we had 12 rods out ,,,,sorry for there luck we had 7 licenced people in the boat,,,we were told someone complained about us....I guess who ever the whinnier was should have looked in the cabin



If you buy into BFG's flawed logic (fish as many rods as you want), you could have been the only the guy in the boat with a valid fishing license and you would have been legal.


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## ohiojmj (Apr 16, 2004)

Sportsmanship is conformance to the rules, spirit, and etiquette of sport. More grandly, it may be considered the ethos of sport. It is interesting that the motivation for sport is often an elusive element. Sportsmanship expresses an aspiration or ethos that the activity will be enjoyed for its own sake, with proper consideration for fairness, ethics, respect, and a sense of fellowship with one's competitors. Being a "good sport" involves being a "good winner" as well as being a "good loser".[1]

Often the pressures of competition, individual achievement, or introduction of technology can seem to work against enjoyment by participants. As a result, sportsmanship may be contrasted with gamesmanship.

Examples of poor sportsmanship are winners "rubbing salt in the wounds" of the losers, or the losers expressing frustration at not winning, perhaps to the point of holding a grudge, booing the winner's national anthem (at an event such as the Olympics) or failing to congratulate the winners.

Sportsmanship typically is regarded as a component of morality in sport, composed of three related and perhaps overlapping concepts: fair play, sportsmanship, and character.[2] Fair play refers to all participants having an equitable chance to pursue victory[3] and acting toward others in an honest, straightforward, and a firm and dignified manner even when others do not play fairly. It includes respect for others including team members, opponents, and officials.[4] Character refers to dispositions, values and habits that determine the way that person normally responds to desires, fears, challenges, opportunities, failures and successes and is typically seen in polite behaviors toward others such as helping an opponent up or shaking hands after a match. An individual is believed to have a good character when those dispositions and habits reflect core ethical values. This is important to a lot of sports.

Sportsmanship can be conceptualized as an enduring and relatively stable characteristic or disposition such that individuals differ in the way they are generally expected to behave in sport situations. In general, sportsmanship refers to virtues such as fairness, self-control, courage and persistence[5] and has been associated with interpersonal concepts of treating others and being treated fairly, maintaining self-control in dealing with others, and respect for both authority and opponents. Five facets of sportsmanship have been identified:

Full commitment to participation (e.g., showing up, working hard during all practices and games, acknowledging ones mistakes and trying to improve); 
Respect and concern for rules and officials; 
Respect and concern for social conventions (e.g., shaking hands, recognizing the good performance of an opponent); 
Respect and concern for the opponent (e.g., lending ones equipment to the opponent, agreeing to play even if the opponent is late, not taking advantage of injured opponents); 
Avoiding poor attitudes toward participation (e.g., not adopting a win-at-all-costs approach, not showing temper after a mistake, and not competing solely for individual prizes).[6]


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## BFG (Mar 29, 2006)

So I am exhibiting poor sportsmanship in wanting to run more rods? Game hog? Poacher? Law breaker? 

Geesh...

Lemme have your GPS chartplotter, 3-D color fishfinder, radar, linecounter reels, planer boards, 19 boxes of realistic cranks/spoons/harnesses, dipsey divers, downriggers, leadcore, Slide Divers, braided line, and laser sharpened hooks....

But then again, all of the above things are within the law...but please do not make the insinuation that I am a poor sport just b/c I would like to run an extra couple rods. 

My goodness.


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## seethe303 (Dec 12, 2006)

Does Canada have a limit on rods? What about PA? Or New York State?


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## Steel Cranium (Aug 22, 2005)

Why not have a different limit on the big lake? Michigan has 3 on the big lake while 2 otherwise (they area actually looking at going to 3 statewide).

What are the current line limits for recreational anglers (Michigan)?

A person shall not use more than 2 single lines or 2 single rods and lines while fishing. The exception to this rule is that on Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Superior and the St. Mary&#8217;s River, persons in the act of trolling may use 3 lines and rods if they are targeting trout and salmon.

What are the line/rod limits in adjoining jurisdictions?

&#8226; Indiana: 3 rods
&#8226; Minnesota: 1 rod, 2 rods may be used while ice fishing
&#8226; Ohio: 2 rods
&#8226; PA: 2 rods
&#8226; Ontario: 2 rods
&#8226; Wisconsin: 3 rods


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## seethe303 (Dec 12, 2006)

Because different states have different laws on how many rods, the only moral issue here is following the law (which I do, and which you should do!) But someone isn't unsportsmanlike if they want to run three rods on Erie, that is ridiculous. If they are then every fisherman legally running three rods in Indiana is also not a sportsman. It is an arbitrary number. I still haven't seen any solid documentation for _why_ two rods was picked over three, or even one.


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## Habitual Eyer (May 22, 2006)

Maybe it's simply an effort to keep it sporting.
I know and extra rod or two does not matter much if your only taking your limits, but where does it end before it's not sporting anymore. If the DNR allowed (whatever) to ensure you got your limit "every" time out, I bet you would see reduced limits allowed in order to compensate for this???


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## seethe303 (Dec 12, 2006)

Maybe? I don't know! I don't think that even if we were allowed to fish 6 rods per person that everyone would limit every time out. 

If it _is_ an effort to keep things 'sporting', does that mean it is less sporting to fish in Indiana? or for trout or salmon in Michigan?


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## Habitual Eyer (May 22, 2006)

I don't know. I can't answer that. I only live 10 miles South of the Southern tip of Lake Michigan, but i drive over to Erie for the enviornment, the great friends i've made, and because I'm a walleye fanatic.
(I would trade Lake Michigan and a 10 pole limit for Erie and a two pole limit).


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## Habitual Eyer (May 22, 2006)

You really can not compare Lake Michigan with Erie. I do not believe that L/M see's near the pressure for Salmon/Trout that Erie does for Walleye.
Erie is a hell of a resource, I would lean on the side of caution from a regulation standpoint if it were me making the rules.


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## crittergitter (Jun 9, 2005)

If I go crappie fishing and use 8 rods per man then me and my buddy would have 16 rods out. Do you think that would give us an advantage? How's about if I tie 3 jigs to each rod for a total of 48 baits in the water. Maybe it is 2 rods per man as an arbitrary number. Maybe it is easier to enforce then 3, 4 or 8. I don't care why the law states it is 2. I also don't care if you want to work to get the law changed. Knock yourself out. Have a ball. Go chase that dream. I will be rooting you on.


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## seethe303 (Dec 12, 2006)

crittergitter said:


> If I go crappie fishing and use 8 rods per man then me and my buddy would have 16 rods out. Do you think that would give us an advantage? How's about if I tie 3 jigs to each rod for a total of 48 baits in the water. Maybe it is 2 rods per man as an arbitrary number. Maybe it is easier to enforce then 3, 4 or 8. I don't care why the law states it is 2. I also don't care if you want to work to get the law changed. Knock yourself out. Have a ball. Go chase that dream. I will be rooting you on.


 

ok?

I'm not trying to get the law changed, I am just trying to stimulate intelligent and rational discussion on this matter. Every time this issue comes up the threads descend into name calling and personal attacks and sarcasm. 

Why we have a limit on the number of walleye can easily be demonstrated - we need to restrict harvest so future generations can experience the same fishing that we are. 

I have to say though, that I _do_ care why the law is the way it is. Questioning the 'whys' of our laws is one of the reasons America is great.


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## BIG JOHNSON (Aug 31, 2005)

Guys, This post was not intended to fire up such controversy. It just struck me funny how silly this guy sounded. It just reminded me of a 5 year old tattling on his sister for looking at her. Thats all, nothing more. I found it humorous when I heard it, thats all.


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## Seaturd (Apr 14, 2004)

I googled the question and in the first 5 pages of hits found no answers. A lot of one rod and two rod limits but no reasons for it. My guess is that it is an arbitrary number picked because it SEEMS reasonable that a fisherman wouldn't need to use more than one rod per hand. Especially since many of the laws were written before the invention of planer boards, dipseys and other devices that take lines out to the side. Maybe they should just let us go back to gill-netting - as long as we don't take more than our limit whats the diff? Seems like most people's only goal is to get a limit....


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## BFG (Mar 29, 2006)

Oh well...some for it, some against. We'll see if we can't get this thing changed. 

FWIW...MI waters of Erie are restricted to 2 rods per person as well.


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## Snakecharmer (Apr 9, 2008)

BIG JOHNSON said:


> Guys, This post was not intended to fire up such controversy. It just struck me funny how silly this guy sounded. It just reminded me of a 5 year old tattling on his sister for looking at her. Thats all, nothing more. I found it humorous when I heard it, thats all.


TROUBLEMAKER


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## Bob Why (Jul 16, 2004)

Quote: But someone isn't unsportsmanlike if they want to run three rods on Erie, that is ridiculous. If they are then every fisherman legally running three rods in Indiana is also not a sportsman.

A True Sportsman will follow the laws. Regardless of what he/she thinks about them.


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## bassmastermjb (Apr 8, 2004)

Rules are rules.My car can go 110mph but the law restricts me from going over 65mph on the highways.Why do I have to drive 65mph when my car can go much faster? Answer: Because it's the law, it's that simple.Without regulations there would be total chaos.Why not keep 7 walleye each trip out, its only 1 over the limit?Then again, why stop at 3 rods, fish 7,8,9 or just make it 10, thats a nice round number.Why can't I hunt with hand gernades or a bazooka? The end result is the same...dead deer.Can someone reasonably explain why I need to keep my bazooka in the closet when I go hunting? ................Mark


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## 419fastrascal (Apr 30, 2008)

This is kinda on the topic i guess. My 8 yr old goes fishing with me and my wife almost every weekend and 90% of the time we catch our twelve walleye. There have been many times when i will hold the rod up and my son reels in the fish. We use mainly dipsys and the weight of the fish and dipsy are too much for him. My question is legally i know he can fish but how about keeping his limit since i almost always have to help him.Just wondering what you guys thought.


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## true2plue (Jul 12, 2004)

BFG said:


> Oh well...some for it, some against. We'll see if we can't get this thing changed.
> 
> FWIW...MI waters of Erie are restricted to 2 rods per person as well.


If you can't catch fish with two rods, then maybe you should learn how to fish. It's been this way forever, no need to change now!!


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## Papascott (Apr 22, 2004)

[/SIZE]


Bob Why said:


> Quote: But someone isn't unsportsmanlike if they wantto run three rods on Erie, that is ridiculous. If they are then every fisherman legally running three rods in Indiana is also not a sportsman.
> 
> A True Sportsman will follow the laws. Regardless of what he/she thinks about them.


Read what he wrote. He stated many times over he wants to, but does not.


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## corndawg (Oct 24, 2007)

Like so many other posts this has splintered off but has stayed on subject if you get my meaning. Ok, opinions are like butt holes, everyone has one so before this thread gets nuked heres mine. 

This thread started off about a guy policing  boats using more than two rods per person but Is that any different than one of us policing someone whos over the limit and calling the poaching line? One wildlife law is no more important then the next. They all should be obeyed. Its not unsportsmanlike to question why only two rods. Some laws need to be questioned. Good or bad theres a reason, we just dont know why yet. But just because someone doesnt understand or agrees with a law is not a pass to disregard it. 

For those who disagree with the law of using only two rod your best bet is to attend a public meetings that ODW has periodically. Check the ODNR calendar for the next meeting. Voice your opinion where it will really matter. Fishing is not only a matter of following the states laws its a matter of the fishermans ethics. Until the law of only two rods gets changed, anyone who catches fish while fishing with more than two rods per person is poaching. 

"ETHICS----what you practice when nobody else is watching"


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## Dock Time (Sep 12, 2006)

I asked a DNR guy if I could buy 2 licenses and run 4 rods, he said "no". Based on the % of revenue the state gets from a license, I thought it might not be that bad of an idea. In regards to fish harvest (I like to eat walleye and trout), me alone in 70 FOW with 4 rods does about the same damage to the gazillion walleye and steelhead in Lake Erie as taking my neighbor along. I would even pay a "surplus" to run extra rods, which I don't...simply because I love fire drills with multiple hook ups and trying to drive the boat and net by myself is actually challenging!
Of course...until the law changes....you should follow it! There are smart guys/gals who get paid to set rod limits and size limits and season limits to protect our fisheries.

Dock Time


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## BFG (Mar 29, 2006)

> If you can't catch fish with two rods, then maybe you should learn how to fish. It's been this way forever, no need to change now!!


First I was a poacher, now I'm an inept fisherman. Fantastic. 


Lemmings....lemmings I tell ya'!!!!


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## seethe303 (Dec 12, 2006)

BFG said:


> Lemmings....lemmings I tell ya'!!!!


Interestingly enough, I recently learned that the idea of lemmings committing mass suicide by jumping off of a cliff is a myth! One species, the Norwegian Lemming will sometimes reach a cliff and wish to cross the body of water, so the wee little lemmings will start jumping into the water. They are not committing suicide though, as they can swim.


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## krustydawg (Apr 26, 2004)

BFG said:


> Lemmings....lemmings I tell ya'!!!!





BFG said:


> BTW...I didn't attack anyone here...please keep this discussion civil. I'm not telling YOU how to fish.


Hmmmmmmm......


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## BFG (Mar 29, 2006)

Newly created "ignore" list:

1. Krustydawg


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## krustydawg (Apr 26, 2004)

BFG said:


> Newly created "ignore" list:
> 
> 1. Krustydawg


BOOOOOOOOOOOOO on BFG ! I thought you would enjoy that ! LOL !


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## BFG (Mar 29, 2006)

> BOOOOOOOOOOOOO on BFG


Happy Halloween to you too...


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## Duckdude82 (Feb 26, 2007)

krustydawg said:


> BOOOOOOOOOOOOO on BFG ! I thought you would enjoy that ! LOL !



i thought it was funny. kinda brought back memories of the game. any of you guys ever play it? hours of fun i tell ya.......


i personally have notice that the more rods i run the more i fish and hence the larger my pee pee grws when bragging at the ramp


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## krustydawg (Apr 26, 2004)

Not that I want to dredge this thread up from the abyss but I finally got a response from the ODNR in regards to why the law only allows 2 rods per fisherman. Below is their response:

Hello Matt,
I apologize for the late response. I think that our law enforcement section may have already responded to your inquiry, but I wanted to follow up just in case.

The 2-rod limit has been in place since at least 1952, and probably much longer. Its history is rooted in the idea of fairness rather than in any biological evaluation of the effect of the number of rods on fish populations. Evidence to this effect is that the regulation was set during an era when biologists did not believe that sport fishing could ever result in the overharvest of fish populations. That view has definitely changed, but from the standpoint of fisheries management, the amount of time that it takes an angler to harvest a limit is a social issue. 

The rod limit is more of a law enforcement issue. Our law enforcement section believes that there are potential problems associated with anglers crowding out other anglers in areas such as tailwaters below Deer Creek or on the Ohio River if they are allowed to use too many rods. Likewise, there are law enforcement considerations for who is actually attending a rod in multiple-rod situations. These regulations vary by state. Ohios 2-rod limit is probably not unusual, but many states allow more than two rods, or have no rod limits. 

I hope this helps.

Good fishing in 2009!

Scott Hale

Inland Fisheries Program Administrator
ODNR, Division of Wildlife
2045 Morse Road, Building G-3
Columbus, OH 43229-6693


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## BFG (Mar 29, 2006)

Thanks Matt, and I might as well add that Michigan approved the use of 3 rods per angler in the waters of Lake Erie starting in April 2009. 

I have rec'd a response from Scott, as well as several of my friends over the past couple months. 

It would seem if nothing else, the issue will at a minimum be brought to the table and discussed when the time is right.


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