01-03-2010, 03:44 AM
Thanks idahoron.
It reminds me of a quandary that I was in during a week long steelhead trip years ago. The daily bag limit was 3 and possession limit was 9. Each day, I would take my fish to the local butcher in Orofino and have them filleted, smoked and vacuum packed in packages that were about a pound per each package. The packages were then frozen. As I got closer to my possession limit, I started to wonder if I could keep more than nine. When I hit my possession limit, I called the local fish & game and progressively worked my way to the head fish cop in Boise. All of them said I would be illegal to transport more than nine fish -- until I got to the head man. He said that any processed fish was the same as if it was in my freezer at home. He said the law had to be that way or I would be illegal for having fish with the head and tail removed. He said the processing had to be done by a commercial processor and it therefore was critical that I keep my receipts. He also advised not transporting more than nine fish since most officers would ticket me (since they didn't know the law) and I would have to prove my case in court. He said cases in which folks canned fish in their motorhomes (in the field) were even trickier.
I ended up releasing the remaining ones that I landed that trip (including a 15+ pound male) to be safe.
FR
[signature]
It reminds me of a quandary that I was in during a week long steelhead trip years ago. The daily bag limit was 3 and possession limit was 9. Each day, I would take my fish to the local butcher in Orofino and have them filleted, smoked and vacuum packed in packages that were about a pound per each package. The packages were then frozen. As I got closer to my possession limit, I started to wonder if I could keep more than nine. When I hit my possession limit, I called the local fish & game and progressively worked my way to the head fish cop in Boise. All of them said I would be illegal to transport more than nine fish -- until I got to the head man. He said that any processed fish was the same as if it was in my freezer at home. He said the law had to be that way or I would be illegal for having fish with the head and tail removed. He said the processing had to be done by a commercial processor and it therefore was critical that I keep my receipts. He also advised not transporting more than nine fish since most officers would ticket me (since they didn't know the law) and I would have to prove my case in court. He said cases in which folks canned fish in their motorhomes (in the field) were even trickier.
I ended up releasing the remaining ones that I landed that trip (including a 15+ pound male) to be safe.
FR
[signature]