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2 ft radius cast net!

14K views 35 replies 17 participants last post by  JERMSQUIRM 
#1 ·
well the game commision has been busting my chops hard (i dont they they like catfisherman) asking me to see my license like 4-5 a week. I mean cmon gimme a break either talk about fishing or leave me alone. well i was told my 3ft radius cast net was "TOO BIG". I need to find one that is 2 ft radius (cannot exceed 4ft in diameter) i just think the officer doesnt know how to measure them. I said to her "honestly, the reason you cant have a big net is to keep you from taking to many shad, right?" HER "yes" ME" well whats the difference how big my net is if i cant take more than 50 a day?" HER " ................I gave u a warning and if i catch u using it again i will fine you :mad: " ME :crying: then :mad: " I need help please!!!
 
#3 ·
lol, took me a few minute to get it but thats funny. there are pretty big schools where i get em so it shouldnt be a problem (its actually 4 foot diameter) in like 6 inches of water. yeah but she told me to try and seine for them. she must be crazy they are so fast and as soona s they see you its too late.
 
#6 ·
Math is a simple thing but I've met a few folks with badges that don't know what a simple "radius" is. :confused:

Diameter is measured straight across the whole width of the net.
Radius is from the very center point out to any edge of the net.

So, if the radius is two feet, then the diameter is four feet. Pretty simple.

If you're going for shad with a two foot radius net then you'd better be darn good at it. They're fast little critters and using such a small net to catch them would be a pretty big job. It would seem to me that if your state limit is fifty then it really shouldn't matter how big the net to catch them is.

Steve
 
#8 ·
I went to Tennessee's web page of fishing regulations, and found the following: "Cast nets must be no more than 10 feet in radius with a mesh size no smaller than one quarter inch, and no larger than one inch on the square."
Now, there are some locations where it's illegal to use a cast net on any size, but it sounds to me like the officer didn't know her job. Also, it seems to me that if the law should indeed specify a 2' radius, and Tennessee publishes that up to a 10' radius is allowed, that would constitute entrapment, which could easily get them sued, big time. Maybe even some jail time for whoever authorized it.
 
#10 ·
So what would happen if you busted out a 12 foot seine net? Would that be to big? Man she would really hate me and my 8 foot radius net. You are only allowed 50 shad? That kind of seems like a low number I'm glad there is no limit on bait fish here. Mybe there is and I'm just breaking the law. Oh well time will only tell. I would say other things about her but it would not be nice.
 
#12 ·
I put a small gathering of brothers together this past weekend on the White River, south of Indianapolis. My brother (blood) had a fish on the line so I ran to grab my gloves and camera. As a was running to my bag, I noticed a uniformed officer walking down the bank toward us. I waved a ran back down to where my brother and everyone else was to assist in the landing of the fish. It turned out to be a 4lb channel. Anyway, by the time the fish was in the net the CO was standing right there. He asked for licenses and we all had them but one of my friends that came down there for an hour didn't. He didn't even bring a pole. I unfortunately had let him borrow one of mine and he had it in a stand. About 5 minutes before the CO came up to us, my friend had gone over to take up the slack on his line, which constitutes fishing. He told my friend that he could take him to jail but instead would write him a fine, and that the fine ticket would give him the 'okay' to fish for the remainer of the day in case another CO came by. (They travel in flocks :D ). He asked my friend to walk back to his cruiser about 300 yards away so he could write the ticket. Once they got back to the cruiser, the CO had my friend spread em over the trunk, took out his hand cuffs, and told him he disserved to go to jail. After a few tense seconds, he put the cuffs away and told him the $110 fine would be punish enough. Needless to say, my friend which hadn't been fishing since he saw me a year ago, was made to feel like a criminal, which is something that he is far from being! He now has to lie to his wife, and borrow money from his grandmother because he can't afford the fine. I have attached two pictures, one of my brother and friend learning that the fishing trip was going to cost $110 because of our uninvited guest. And a second with my friend walking back to the CO's car and the evil, unlawful, anarchistic fishing pole on the right. God Bless America! More like, God Bless Americans!
 

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#13 ·
fishing without a lisc is one thing. obeying the rules is a totally different. thing.

thereshould be a state regulation in penn on the size of your net that you are allowed to use. for example. in illinois its is unlawful to use a shad net uver 8 foot in diamater. witch is a 4 foot radius with a mesh pattern no larger than 3/8's of an inch. the law also states that its unlawful to use a shad scoop (trawl) over 24" in daimater. check your regulations in the fishing books. it should be clearly stated. then carry a copy with ya and if ya get a ticket it will be dropped in court if your were obeying the law. the officer may not have a clue..

also there should be regulations on seign size too. its all in the regulation book. in illinois they give the fishing guides out anywhere ya get a fishing lisc. check then. i dought a four foot diam net is to big. im betting the law says 8 ' diam and 4 ' darious. she is thinking that 8 ' diam is to big when your prob legal.
 
#14 ·
pennsylvania regulations right fron the state law page.


GAFF OR LANDING NET. A gaff or landing net is permitted to assist in landing fish caught using a lawful device. Nets of all types can be no larger (excluding the handle) than 4 feet square or 4 feet in diameter. It is unlawful to use any type of net or seine to catch or take gamefish.


this is the law for nets used to land fish.

1. Do I need a license to fish in Pennsylvania?
Yes. A current Pennsylvania fishing license, signed in ink and displayed (attach to a hat or outer garment), is required of persons age 16 and over to fish or angle for any species of fish. A license is also needed to take fishbait or baitfish. Casting and/or retrieving whether by rod, reel and line, or by handline, for oneself or another person, requires a current license unless specifically exempted by law.
Licenses are not needed on Fish for Free days, see Question 9 for more about fish for free days, all other fishing regulations still apply on fish for free days....go to Question 9.

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sorry. thats the first rule.

Douglas J. Austen, Ph.D

Executive Director





Annex A
Regulation No. 48A-176
Title 58. Recreation
Part II. Fish and Boat Commission
Subpart B. Fishing

CHAPTER 63. GENERAL FISHING REGULATIONS

§63.48. Permit for the use of cast nets or throw nets.

(a) The Executive Director or a designee may issue permits for the use of cast nets or throw nets for the taking of gizzard shad 8 inches or less in length and alewife only in waters to be determined by the Executive Director.

(b) In addition to other permit conditions that the Executive Director may require, the cast nets or throw nets shall be no greater than 10 feet in radius (20 feet in diameter) with a mesh size of at least 3/8 inch.

(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of §61.1 (relating to Commonwealth inland waters), holders of permits for the use of cast nets or throw nets may take, catch, kill or possess a daily creel limit of 100 gizzard shad and alewife (combined species).

(d) A person may apply for a permit for the use of cast nets or throw nets by completing the form prescribed by the Commission. The applicant shall submit the completed form to the Commission along with the fee specified in section 2902 of the code (relating to net permits).

(e) It is unlawful to use cast nets or throw nets for the taking of gizzard shad and alewife or to take, catch, kill or possess more than the daily creel limit of gizzard shad and alewife as set forth in §61.1 without the required permit. A permit for the use of cast nets or throw nets shall be carried so that it can be presented to an officer authorized to enforce the code.


there is the regulations for penn. b states that a net not be greater than 10' in radius and 20 ' in diameter. she is wrong. she has it most likly confused with landing nets. your legal.
 
#16 ·
The way I read it, he must have a permit for the use of the cast net, which means that the CO, luckily, does not know the law. My guess is, when she figures it out, she's going to be looking for you! Better apply for the permit and cease use of it until you have the permit. Also, if she really is checking your license so often, call the DNR and file a complaint of harassment. There was a warden down here that was doing that for a while, Someone complained to the state office, and he stopped doing it so much.
Above all else, try to remember that game wardens have a very tough job, often involving long hours, little or no backup, and little pay.
Oh yeah, once you have the permit, it might be a good idea to copy the above listing of the law and have it on your person for the next time, so that she can be made more aware of the situation.
 
#18 ·
the cast net thing isn't clear. i looked over several pages of stuff and searches to find anything on cast nets in penn. there are page after page of trout crap. seems like thats about all thier worried about.

now cook. on the landing net. this is what it means. you can only use a four foot net to land a fish like if it was caught on a rod and reel.

the next part simply means you can not use a seign or net to catch say a largemouth. you can land them with one not catch them with it. does that help??

sorry. i didn't see the permit thing. im sure theres something in the laws on them. that just must not be what i thought i found.
 
#22 ·
Sorry but here are the regs for your state on the net size. Heres the addy for the info. http://sites.state.pa.us/PA_Exec/Fish_Boat/fishpub/summary/bait.html


TAKING AND KEEPING BAIT is permitted using rod and reel or handline, dip net or minnow seine not over 4 feet square or in diameter, or a minnow trap with no more than two openings that shall not exceed 1 inch in diameter. All devices must be under the immediate control of the person using them. Unattended minnow traps or baitfish containers left in Commonwealth waters must be identified with the owner's or user's name, address and telephone number. If fishing in a group and the total number of fishbait or baitfish taken from Commonwealth waters exceeds the possession limit (50), separate containers must be provided for the fishbait and baitfish. Total possession limit in any one container may not exceed 50 baitfish or fishbait combined
 
#23 ·
jeeze. i agree cook. im staying out of penn. here the guide gives specific dimentions that a shad net and or a shad scoop or trawl cannot exceed. as well as minnow seigns. the size of the net as well as the mesh size. and ive tossed out over 50 shad to the fishes before i leave.

looks as if ya can't use a throw net. it says seign or dip net. wow.

when i searched i got 2 pages of a few regulations and 10 about trout. :glare:

and no goldies. :crying:
 
#26 ·
Some of the laws out there are total BS. It doesn't help that the officers trying to enforce those laws don't know them. Its even more annoying that the officers don't carry the guide books (given to the anglers/hunters) with them so that they can see what we see when we look at the rules.

there is a rule in the MD book that says that basically everything not mentioned is illegal except where provided for by law.... now i questioned a DNR officer on that and they take it as everything is illegal and if there was a law to allow it you would know about it for the reason being allowed... I almost want to "fake" some laws and have a copy of them w/ me to get them off my back sometimes. (not that i've had that issue often)

Actually my only real issue w/ DNR has been when using a castnet. I was fishing one time and an officer stopped me as i was trying to get sunfish for bait... had he come 10 min earlier he would have seen me throw back a few nice sized crappie that i caught in the net (didn't want them, and not really the right way to catch them in my eyes) and basically i had 2 other anglers say that there was nothing illegal or in the book about what i was doing so the DNR guy let me slide and just told me there was a 5ft radius rule (10ft in any direction) for freshwater (not in our books). a year later im doing the same thing going for sunnies (and not catching any which annoyed me further) and another DNR guy comes by and gives me shit... he came over and i told him, its ok its under the 5ft rule... still hassled me and i told him the officer the year prior had said it was fine since it wasn't 5 ft. He Still gave me a ticket... POS Jackass...


They don't know the regs. and its partially understandable w/ so many laws and alot of them stupid or poorly written.

the 2ft radius rule for your castnet should not apply... they are meaning handled nets and your officer is misinterpreting the reg.
 
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