Little Bay de Noc Fishing Reports

Captain Keith Wils · Veteran Member

Big Fines for Walleye

eyecatcher · Veteran Member

Maybe I'm wrong Cliff, but I thought in Michigan we were allowed 3 limits in our possession as long as 2 were processed.

Paul

-- Edited by eyecatcher on Friday 5th of October 2012 12:05:07 PM

Cliffy · Member

So does this mean if I'm up there 7 days I can only bring home 1 days limit of Walleye's? If so I don't think that is fair for someone coming up and putting the money into the local economy. Whats the difference if I live there and go out daily and bring 4 fish home every night. Just asking. Can't make it up there this year and I am bummed about that. Usually in the last week in October I spend 7 days up there and will miss it badly. Hope everyone has a great fall of fishing.

Cliff

eyecatcher · Veteran Member

Cliff,

I've been going to the Sioux Lookout, Ontario area for 20 years and yes, you can only possess one limit of each species of fish at all times. If you have 4 walleyes in your livewell or freezer, don't tell the game warden that you ate one for lunch or dinner either. The ones you eat that day are considered part of your limit! They've even come into our cabin to count what is in the freezer. I've had the game warden visit me at shore lunch, count my livewell ask me how many we ate and warn that if he sees me later I can only have X many in my livewell then. We've been stopped at roadside searches too! I hope this helps!

Paul

Cliffy · Member

Paul,

Yes, I knew this was true in Canada about keeping only one days limit. Did not know this was true in the states (Michigan). I going to think twice about staying up there for a week at a time.

Captain Keith Wils · Veteran Member

FO-248.11

POSSESSION LIMITS FOR FISH

In accordance with 2010 PA 30, and by authority conferred on the Department of Natural Resources and Environment by sections 41101 to 41105 and 48721 of 1994 PA 451, MCL 324.41101 to 324.41105 and 324.48721, the Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment on March 10, 2011, ordered that for a period not to exceed five years, the following provisions are in place:

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 persons processed fish aboard a vessel, on the water or at dockside shall be considered to be in the persons possession for the purposes of this Order.

This Order does not apply to lake sturgeon. The harvest of lake sturgeon shall be limited to the provisions as set forth in FO-240.

This order shall be assigned number FO-248.11 and is entitled "Possession Limits for Fish."

This Order shall take effect on April 1, 2011. This Order shall remain in effect until March 31, 2016, or until this Order is amended/rescinded, whichever comes first. Although this Order may be reviewed and amended on an annual basis, a review of this Order shall occur no later than August 1, 2015.

slammer · Senior Member

Cliffy wrote:
Paul,
Yes, I knew this was true in Canada about keeping only one days limit. Did not know this was true in the states (Michigan). I going to think twice about staying up there for a week at a time.

So what your saying is it's OK for me to come down to Lily Lake ( Illinois ) for a week and if there is a limit of 50 per day on panfish and a family of four catch our limit for a week , it's NOT OK to travel home back to the U.P. with 1400 perch from Lakemoor. Hmmmmm, I guess I'll think twice about coming down there for a week at a time!!! Slammer!!!

Cliffy · Member

Slammer,

First of all I don't think there's even fifty fish in Lily Lake. The thing is I feel bad for possibly taking too many fish home in the past. What if you were able to go out everyday and catch 50 perch out of Little Bay, I beleive thats ok if your a local ,am I correct? Alls I'm saying is that I think if you are fishing anywhere,you should be able to take home a days, limit per day that you are staying. People who fish pump alot of money into local economys when they are out fishing or sporting. I have no problems with following the rules I just think thats a rule that needs to be adjusted. There is other problems that leads to the fishing population being down. I will continue to fish up there because I enjoy fishing,scenery,the people and just being out on the water.I hope I didn't offend you or anyone,that was not my purpose. I hope you enjoy the rest of your fishing season. The next time I come up there I'll buy you a coctail of your choice.

Take care,

Cliff.

slammer · Senior Member

Hey Cliff,
No harm, no fowl!!! I get where your coming from , but I don't think it's a bad rule. If it wasn't in place a lake could probably get raped in a hurry ruining it for everyone.
Most people are within the law or rules, but ther are the ones that take it to the limit. Kinda like hearing old stories from the local old timers saying the would literally be able to catch a boat load of perch years ago and do it till their freezers were overflowing having to give em away. Well, then we wonder why we can't catch em any more and when we here someone got a dozen nice ones we think that things are turning around just to find out they got lucky. There are very few people that can go out and consistantly catch their limits ( of any species on most lakes) but i get a little tense when I hear it's OK for the locals, cuz in all reality it's just not happening( with the rare exception) .
You are absolutely right though, our local economy depends on tourism and without it and the money generated from it, we would be dead in the water......no pun intended. But if our resources are hurt by people not obeying the rules, then guess what??? No more fish to catch, no more vacation to the U.P., no more tourists, no more local jobs, and most importantly ..........no free drink for me!!! LOL
I only fish the hard water and trust me when I tell ya my freezer isn't full. Hell , I even have to borrow fish from Kevin (Sal mar Resort) just to get by LOL
Glad you enjoy what a lot of us take for granted and glad to have ya up here. Later !!!!
Slammer!!!

eyecatcher · Veteran Member

Maybe I'm wrong, but wasn't the article Capt. Keith posted about Canadian limits being violated? I think Michigan's 3 limits in posession is a very generous rule. In Minnesota we only get one limit on most species. Of course, if we have a license from a different state or country we can posess that limit too, but that is rare. biggrin