Lets Change The Law!

[bro_catfish]

OK, I'm unsure how to go about this but I'd be willing to do all the foot work and I'm sure it wouldn't cost a lot.

I propose to start a petition, write letters, see the Governor or whatever it takes to change the limit of only two rods per person while fishing. It's a dumb law and as a fisherman over the age of 16 I have been zapped for a fishing license every year, I pick up my trash, I don't take over my limit, I practice catch and release and I help other fisherman (as do most of us). Ohio is one of the few states that has a two pole policy, many other surrounding states allow more poles by far. I think that Kentucky is unlimited! Upping the pole limit would only increase our chances of catching fish--there is no ecological ramifications.

Let's take a stand and in an intelligent way do what we can to make it at least three or four poles per person. What do you say?

[BIG-G]

I say it would be a good thing for folks responsable enough to handle it.

[dinkbuster1]

i think your right, but if we are allowed extra poles i beleive we should have to buy an extra pole(or two) stamp or something. i break that rule all the time (shhh!). i beleive that rule was put in place to keep folks from hoggin up spots and fishing out bodies of water. those types arent going to buy an extra pole permit,stamp, or whatever, let alone a liscense. i come across a LOT of people who havent bought a liscense in years. as a matter of fact i havent seen a game warden in years, and all the years i've been fishing (20+) i have been checked only three times! in a way i beleive it is a silly rule, but then again it is necessary to keep those #@#$#@#$ from hoggin up all the spots and cleaning out the fish. maybe the extra revenue could pay for an extra "warden" to run those non-liscense fishermen off.

[warcraft1975]

in kansas you can get a stamp for a third rod permit but thats the max

[Desperado]

I have seen this come up at a DNR open meeting a few years back. All that was said was we will get back to you. But I think it owuld be nice. The question I asked was" Why do we have to use only two rods with a limit of three hooks each by the law... Can we use 3 rods with 2 hooks each or even 6 rods with one hook each? Of course, it got passed up. But I would like to get something going with it.

[Fishinfreak]

i think your right, but if we are allowed extra poles i beleive we should have to buy an extra pole(or two) stamp or something. i break that rule all the time (shhh!). i beleive that rule was put in place to keep folks from hoggin up spots and fishing out bodies of water. those types arent going to buy an extra pole permit,stamp, or whatever, let alone a liscense. i come across a LOT of people who havent bought a liscense in years. as a matter of fact i havent seen a game warden in years, and all the years i've been fishing (20+) i have been checked only three times! in a way i beleive it is a silly rule, but then again it is necessary to keep those #@#$#@#$ from hoggin up all the spots and cleaning out the fish. maybe the extra revenue could pay for an extra "warden" to run those non-liscense fishermen off.



Or guy`s that fish with more poles than allowed

[dinkbuster1]

:D :D :D :D :D :D :D Or guy`s that fish with more poles than allowed

[DELLIS]

I don't think i have ever seen a game warden and i have been fishing for years of cousre i get it around the 2 pole rule take the kid and wife fishing
all she wants to do is read and son is only 4 so i have usually 4 to 6 poles in at once but i would be willing to help in southern ohio about getting the law changed things happen in numbers one gets ignored but how can you ignore thousands of us

[Deltalover]

I am curious. What is the fine for fishing with more rods then allowed? Here in Calif more then one rod in the river is around 300 bucks the first time, the second is more and if you get caught a 3rd time you may end up in prison!

[bro_catfish]

Im unsure what the fine would be but its far more than I would like to cough up. The whole thing kinda rubs me the wrong way , Ive broken the law by fishing with three rods , But Im kinda jumpy anyway and I was so nervous I ended up catching one fish and putting that rod up anyway
I figure that anyone willing to break the 3 or 4 rod rule would just be the same one's doing it now with the 2 rod rule

[cat73]

i definately has its advantages but i can remember a time last year i was fishing at dillon my son was there and a few other buddies that will remain nameless we sat there for two hours with two poles a piece in the water.nothig was hitting then out of nowhere my son got a good hit my 8ft baitcaster got a good hit and a long run and my 10ft spinning reel got a blast from another relm bending it olmost in half on a normal i usually help my son with his hits so i went over to help him 15 feet away i about lost my baitcaster that day and there was no way in hell i was getting the third pole which at the time was already bent in half. so my nameless buddy had to run 50 yards down the beach to catch that pole falling twice along the way(granted it was hillarious to watch )but taught me a good lesson that time like that im glad there is only a 2 pole limit but other times i wish it was more all that rule did that day was save me $150 that i might not have saved if i had 3 or more poles out there

[bro_catfish]

Yeah I see your point Doug, But what about the times when you want to fish with more then one pole ..no one says you have to use 12 at a time
And for your information I only tripped once and stumbled once :rolleyes:

[cat73]

yeah dj i want to see the laws changed so lets find out how. Now you realize their way of cambatting the rules would have to be raising the fishing licence to some insane amount per year but i do know some people at the ohio DNR so ill look into it and see where it gets us

[Ol Whiskers]

I personally don't mind the 2-pole regulation, I think it's sensible. Some of the places I fish due to easy shore access would be absolutely unmanageable if every person there had more, and they definitely would. Some that fish the GMR in Hamilton now use 6 or 8, and I'm waiting for DNR Officers Serio and Ireland to catch up with them some night.

I know the boat guys (I used to be one) would use more if they could. I really don't have a problem with that, because you're pretty much in a confined setting, making it somewhat self-limiting. With KY license on the Ohio River you can use as many as you can handle from your boat.

What I don't understand is the "commercial" allowance for netting and trotlining huge fish in large numbers, sending them to ********. The bigguns surely can't have any commercial value as food, based on the local fish consumption advisories. These laws and regulations are antiquated, and should be updated to reflect modern stewardship values, promoting retention of trophy stocks to maintain and improve resources.

Just my $.02.

[ryang]

I dont mind the rule either to a point however I usually use a 3rd one to try and catch gills for bait. It really helps when my son is trying to bass fish and Im using his other one. :)

[shovelheadwolf]

how about two big cat poles, two smaller bait poles(any thing other than cats). one lure pole, one cast net, a small firearm and a two hot chicks(for rebaiting and cooler duties). common sense is all we need, how about self governing. that would be AMERICAN!

[teaysvalleyguy]

Great Thread Started here, would also like to see another pole added.

[jason454ci]

I agree an extra pole would be nice. But where I usally fish the idiots can't handle 2 poles without tangling in my lines. I just can't imagine having to cut that many more lines to get mine out of the mess. I wouldn't mind paying an extra fee for an extra pole. That seems like it would be the best way to do it, as a add on option. But knowing our state if they did pass a law like this they would raise everyones license by $15 or more. And you would not see any improvements anywhere. Just my opinion though.

[bill_gfish]

It really doesn't make sense that you can use 2 rods with 3 hooks on each but can use bank, limbs and jugs as far as the eye can see. Why not just limit the number of hooks out. Not sure I could handle more than 3 rods out but it would be nice to have 3 or 4 dif. baits out as I only use one hook per rod.

[flathunter]

I am all for it, I say if the rod and reel fishermen can use only two rods in ohio, then the same for trotlines and jugs..two hooks for a trotline and only two jugs allowed.

[Fatkat]

I think it would be nice, I would be willing to pay for a 3rd pole.

[bro_catfish]

I would be willing to pay for an xtra stamp or a special licenes..what is it this year 19.99 for the licenes?
So if I payed 25 and could use 3 rods , Heck Id do it
And no one says that everyone has to or even for that matter should use 3 poles. Id be willing to say that they let morons with Jet Skis and power boats on the lakes and no one has come up with a law that says, Hey leave the fishermen alone ! Or a law that says you must stay 20 ft away from the next fisherman unless invited over
It would be a choice to use more then one rod if a law was passed

Ill be making phone calls and writing letter Monday morning. If there is anyone who has any points or arguments that might be helpful in the letter to the powers that might be please post it or email me at Warsaw_74@yahoo.com
TIGHT LINES

[loanwizard]

Bro, you might try your State representative Jim Aslinides, or our State Senator, Joy Padgett both from Coshocton for guidance. If you call me at work on Monday I can get you their numbers.

[Salmonid]

Bro Catfish, I have some experience with this type of stuff as my group lobbied ODNR for several years rearding the addition of a trout stamp within Ohio to help pay for the expensive stocking/rearing of brown, rainbow and steelhead trout.

The letter writing campaign is a good start as every formal letter sent in will be addressed with a formal response, this is better then just calling , but calling and letting them know you are on a letter writing mission is justified.

Best angle to use, is:
It would be a vouluntary license, not a mandatory one. ( Like the Trout Stamp Idea)
It will increase the bottom line with revenue generation. Everything hinges on revenue so keep bringing this up.

Realize that ODNR Director Sam Speck will have to like and approve of the idea before any legislators buy off on it, so start small and work up.

Also know that all revenue generated by the fishing license sales goes into the "General Fund" so do not think it would help adding more wardens, more fishing stocking, etc. Dont try that approach.

See if you can get to a point where you can meet with some of the DNR brass to talk the situation over. We need more then anything to let them know the Catfishermen are organized and trying to speak up for increased catfish opportunities including future better management regulations as the trophy regs but do not stop there.

Let them know that a recent ODNR Catfish study by Tim Parrett, cited that within Ohio,89% of freshwater anglers over the age of 16, fished for catfish and bullheads in the year 2001. It is a large percentage of anglers that very well may purchase a 3rd rod license, if you cant sell more licenses to the folks, then offer then the chance to pay more to fish, if they choose to.

I have many more thoughts on this but I suggest calling each districts supervisor and starting there by asking there opinions on if this would work or not, take quotes from each supervisor, tape conversations perhaps and then write a formal letter addressed to Sam Speck and quote some of the district supervisors comments.

Salmonid

[bro_catfish]

Wow that is alot of Quality information thanks , Ill have to get my phone book and make some calls and write some letters

Loanwizard I sent you a privte messager with my number
Anyone interested in helping ? If not thats fine I just thought Id ask

[Netmanjack]

DJ, I sent an e mail to my state district Representative about 2 o'clock today, asking about the hows and whys. I wish I would have read Marks post first. I didn't know about the general fund part. Any way, I will share their response if I get one. Go get'm buddy.

[bro_catfish]

Ok guys,
I had the number of a DNR officer and was going to call him to get a personal insider opinon but like always something happens, with my father having only a few days left with his fight on Cancer I get a call from my mother and my grandma was rushed to Knox county hospital and the they had to use the defibulater on her ,(shock paddles) then life flight her to Riverside in Col. she had as bad of a heart attack as she could have ,so Ive spent most of my days with one of the other
So tomorrow I plan on calling this officer again and trying to formulate some sort of intellegent plan

[truck]

I am all for the extra pole,it would save me $35.00 not having to buy a KY license every year;)

[Baitkiller]

Who said you can't fish with more than 2 poles in Ohio?

LOL, IF your wading in the Ohio River even on the Ohio side you go by WV or KY rules, WV is as many as one can handle.

I'm all for the 3 pole permit IF IF IF they would use the money for Ohio Fishin and not some dang road project!

<><Baitkiller><>

[s_man]

If the DNR brass or MR. Specks office falls back on the old argument that the two pole limit is in effect to keep down crowding at the most popular lakes, Maybe they would be agreeable to site specific type language.
The lakes where its already shoulder to shoulder fishing would keep the two pole limit,Every thing else would be open for multiple poles.
They do it now for creel limits on certain lakes. These are always small lakes or ones with limited public access because of private homes all the way around. Or they could lift the two pole rule for boats on those lakes and keep it for the crowd control on the beaches. There would still be other lakes to go to without the limit. Or the limit could target the high intensity holiday weeks during the summer and be open at other times.

[s_man]

The thing that galls me the most about the two pole rule is the trot/limbliners can put out more hooks than I even own. So the argument can't be about protecting the resource. If it is, than any place I'm limited to 2 poles they should be limited to 2 hooks period. Maybe the law that should change should be any where it's legal to run trot/limblines we can use up to 4 poles.

[s_man]

How about a multiple use stamp for pole fisherman, maximum 4.
And a limb/trot-line stamp plus lower hook limits on them.
where is the equity in allowing them 50 lines a night and us only two.

[truck]

Baitkiller if you are fishing with Oh lic,does not matter where you are KY Wv,you have to go by Oh laws;)

[Baitkiller]

Truck

Thats not what the State of Ohio e-mailed me said in it. Maybe it has changed since "04".

<><Baitkiller><>

[s_man]

great topic bro,

Let's say we kick this around for a couple weeks, get some ideas on what changes we'd like, 3 poles 4, unlimited. multiple use per pole tax stamp, whatever we can agree on then one of us good a documents can
design something eye-catching and concise we can print ourselves and distribute to bait shops etc...

They all have bulletin boards with stuff tacked up. I'm sure there are other fishermen who don't catfish who would like to have more lines in the water also.
Cause we will need many voices just to get in the door and be heard.
sound like a good idea?

[bro_catfish]

S man. what an awesome set of post with exellent ideas and genuine excitment and thought , Ive given you a rep point for it !

I think its a great Idea about Rod and reel R/R fisherman to be allowed to use up to 4 poles in places where trot ,jug and limb lines are legal

[s_man]

Any of you have a buddy or aquaintance that works for the DNR?
Ask him what the thinking is amongst his/her peers on this topic.
They are out on our waterways 365- 24/7. They know if its feasible,enforceable,reasonable...
Is this a DNR management decision or does the word have to come down from the legislature? Who has the final say? Can we put up a ballot initiative??????


I've seen this and similar topics come up on here since I joined in 2000.
They always get interest, but no action. I think its time for action. We can all post and wish and post and wish. Anyone have some ideas for actually getting something off the ground? I admit I'm clueless about how to start,but I will be a bulldog if you set me on the right path.