Why Limit Number of Rods

[westwind]

I was thinking they should change the law and allow running an unlimited number of rods on the boat as long as everyone on the boat has a fishing license. I can see reasons for limiting the number to 3 per person if there are people on the boat without a license, but if everyone has a license then allow unlimited number of rods. What harm is there in that? There is still the limit on the number of fish allowed to be taken.

Thoughts?

[Line Dancin]

I agree with it for salmon fishing. I was talking with someone this summer about the same thing.

[jimcr]

wow I am setup to run 20 rods out of my 18ft boat, that could take a long time solo to set lines.

[Turfwrench]

Makes one wonder why there is a limit on the big ponds. You would think with the vast expanse of water and the depths there would really be no reason not to allow as many as one could handle.

[Indybleck]

Maybe that law was enacted back in the old days of commerical fishing. There are only some many rods you can run anyway so why not set you own limit.

[anthonyyost]

That sounds good until you combat fish and have to try and manage 10 lines by yourself. I would love to see 15 or 20 boats in a bunch and have that go on.

[mattmishler]

The business that were in it really dose not effect us at all. I mean 90% of out charters are 4-6 people. So that means i can run anywhere from 18to24 rods. Most days i have from 8 to 13. I run the whole back deck without help and i feel over 13 on the bank is way to many. Out steelhead fishing yess ill run 16or18

[sherman51]

yea, i think it should be atleast 6 per person. i,ve said this alot, you can have 6 or more rods out, and most of the time 1 or 2 of those rods is going to catch 60% to 80% of the fish. there just always seems to be that hot rod. even the same lures, colors, and depth and one rod just seems to catch most of the fish. if you happen to put out 2 of the cold rods, you wont catch much.

most people are going to know how many rods they can control. i,ve seen times i could only keep up with 1 or maby 2, but then i,ve seen times i would love to have 6 or 8 in the water.

we have a 3 rod limit here in indiana. i would just love to be able to use more for trolling. i can only use 2 in ohio on lake erie. it really sucks.

sherman

[jimcr]

One of the last times I was out this year I really thought about putting out a couple of extra rods, whos going to know right? well when I talked to another guy that was fishing near me in 250 fow , he had a visitor. the Wisconsin Dnr. Guess I will keep following the law. You never know who will show up or who is watching you.

[danthebuilder]

I heard Alaska has a 1 rod rule.

[Priority1]

It wasn't too long ago that the rod limit was two in Michigan. This was expanded to three rods for salmon. I think the three rod rule for salmon only caused some enforcement problems for the DNR. Someone could be fishing for walleye and claim they were salmon fishing. So now we have a three rod rule for everyone in Michigan. One person with three rods, or two people with six will have their hands full. I fish what I think is a big spread for walleye, (12 rods) when crew and conditions are right. Crew and conditions are very important factors. Three rods per angler is plenty.

I don't have anyone onboard that doesn't have a license. This is just asking for trouble.

[Just Hook'n]

We fish a pretty consistent 10 rod spread, but without at least three on the boat it's pretty hard to manage.

I figure I am burning the gas to get out there, I am going to put enough rods in the water to catch fish.

[willfishforfood]

Here in Washington state we can only run one rod

[jerryriggin]

i run a 7 rod spread fishing kings on the shelf out of manistee and that is plenty to catch all the kings i want. out deep for steelhead i run as many as we people for

[sherman51]

i know a guy that went out on the central basin of erie last year by himself. he ran 3 divers out each side and 2 downriggers. it took him about 2 1/2 hours to get his 6 eye limit. he didnt even have auto pilot. he drove with the waves and tied a big 6 volt flashlight to the steering wheel so the waves didnt throw him around sideways. he said it worked real good and only had to adjust the wheel a few times. he said he had no problem keeping up with 8 rods on the slow bite. im sure if he had got into a hot bite he couldnt have used so many rods

he stopped fishing when he reached his 6 fish limit. except the fact it was braking the laws, what did he do that was so bad?? if he had fished 10 hrs and got his limit the only thing different would have been about 80.00 more in gas and the wear and tear on his boat.

i guess some of you will see this as poaching is poaching. but i seen nothing wrong with it as he wasnt keeping extra fish or undersized fish. he just speeded up the time it took him to get his limit. there was no other boats within miles of him, so he wasnt being reckless.

whats your take on this adventure??

sherman

[sherman51]

Here in Washington state we can only run one rod

i would really like to see one guy with 3 rods and a 50 to 70 lb fish on all 3 rods. but i think you should have the right to try it. you might fish all day with 1 rod and not get a fish. i think just 1 rod is just wrong. in indiana we can use 3, in michigan you can now use 3, in ohio its still 2. i personaly dont think they should have a 1 rod limit anywhere.

sherman