Share Catch Or Each For Their Own

[Fish Guts]

hi pete,

re- loaves and fishes.

I respect your generosity and there should be more likeminded fisherman like yourself out there, however i think it was good that this was a once off. I believe that if the other boat couldnt catch a feed than tough luck, maybe give them one if they look like complete gumbys, but giving 6 fish over is really taking the piss. I dont want to go on about bag limits, beacuse its already been said, hence why this should be a once off. I think its every boat for themselves out there.


cheers and beers

fish guts

[wags on the water]

If you wanted to be pedantic about it, it could be argued that the law was broken. For that brief time that it took you to hand your excess catch over, you were in fact, exceeding your limit by being "in possession"

kev

Monostrecho
If you had caught your bag limit then caught additional fish for the nearby boat you were in fact "in possession" of more than the bag limit.
If you had a visit from the fisheries officers before you offload to the other boat, what would their reaction be? Would they believe you as just another fisherperson doing a good turn? Maybe you could've mentioned to the guys that your spot is where they could anchor up when you leave.

My opinion.

Wags

[thatp1g]

there's the letter of the law and the spirit of the law i guess.

if you catch a couple extra and you want to keep fishing cause you like fishing and you offload some extras to your mate then who gives.

if you catch your limit then offload to a boat so they can ferry your catch to shore then keep fishing and repeat the process then you deserve the foul plug on the way home and the inspectors at the ramp.

[VoodooChile78]

I think you should have just opted for C&R...it's not in the spirit of the law for bag limits to catch them, then hand them over to someone else, even if it was done as a good deed.

I am not religious but I think they have a saying "give a man a fish and feed him for the day, teach him to fish and feed him for a lifetime". Maybe you should have helped out with their technique/gear and helped them land their own. Nothing is more satisfying than catching your own.

Plus hard to argue with the inspectors...oh these aren't for us!

[aussiefool]

Have I ever given fish away??? ..... Yep a few times.
The first time was when I was in Gove and landed a large Queenie and was just about to head home when along the rock ledge swam an other large fish dropped the lure in front of it's nose and I had it on the rocks befor the hooks had set. I noticed a bloke fishing a short distance from me who had not gotten anything so I offered he the fish, whitch he took. I found out later that the fish I gave away was a Jack... oh well I still felt good about it.There have been other times that I have given a few Tailor away to people walking around the rocks because I have only one or two and not over keen to clean them. Made there day aswell as mine.

[bushbeachboy]

I've personally never given away any fish. Most of the time it's because I have only caught a feed. If I caught a lot would I give some away? Maybe. I don't know. Would I accept a couple of fish offered to me? Again, maybe.

I have given away excess bait at the ramp on many occasions. I just figured it would be better off being used while it is still fresh than sitting in my freezer and basically going to waste. The bait was accepted with many thanks.

I personally think it was very generous of monostretcho to give away six fish to a nearby angler who was not having any luck.

As for the legality of the matter, I guess it would depend on the order in which it occurred, ie: Was the bag limit reached, then six given away, then fishing continued, or were sixteen caught then six given away?

I would also agree with the theory of helping a fellow angler with 'how to's' of catching a feed. If they are using a technique that is obviously not working, perhaps a little advice etc. Maybe they are casting into the wrong area. Again a bit of advice.

But if anyone starts telling me what 'the spirit of the law' is they'll quickly be told to go away and mind their own business. Or they could go to church. I don't care, just don't preach to me. If I've done something illegal then I'll cop a serve about it, no worries, and be glad that someone has let me know so I don't repeat it. Even the Boating and Fisheries Patrol don't preach to you. I've had them come and check me three times in the last four trips, but no lectures.

Cheers

Craig aka BBB

[darryl13]

good on you for sharing your catch but really how much fresh fish can one eat
Limit your catch dont catch your limit

[mini696]

Any fish that I have caught and want to keep I will. However once I have enough fish for myself I will ask the other boys on the boat if they want it, if the answer is yes it is theirs. If they dont want it it goes back.

[boombah]

Hey Mono,
i think that its great that you can help your fellow fisho out like that...can you let me know the next time you go out so that i can anchor near you...wont take a rod but will be sure to take a small bbq and some sweet chilli sauce....

[mickstar001]

Nice gesture but i think its the wrong thing to do!

Mickstar

[DR]

a positive spin is that you were practising C&R, it shouldn't be held against you for releasing them into the boat next to you..

[sc0pe]

my point was that it would have been fine if the 6 fish u gave away were from your own bag limit, and no extra fish were kept to make up for the fish u gave away, but they were and u inturn fished over your own bag limit as you caught the fish, and you didnt return the 6 extra fish to the water, hence being 6 fish over your bag.

that said, as u say it was a once off, but i still believe in the limit your catch, not catch your limit principle

[charleville]

To be honest, I would be too proud to accept free fish from another fisho.

For a later developer like me, part of the joy of fishing is to show off to the people at home what I have caught myself.

Amateur fishing is not an economic activity. If people don't catch fish on the day, what the heck! They need to be inspired by those who do, try harder next time and ask questions on how to do it.

[tunaticer]

It depends on the scenario i guess.
Let's say that i had organised a trip out to scarby reef with my brother. He took his boat and i took mine and we each had a friend aboard so there are two ppl per boat. If by some odd fluke of piscatorial suicide i caught my limit of whatever and my bro and his offsider had not caught zilch i would split my bag limit with them and see what else would add to our tally after that.

However if I was out there and my bro came along with said friend and it wasnt an organised trip of two boats i would not split my bag with them and keep fishing. Upon leaving however if they still had not caught a feed i would slip them a feed before departing.

Jack.

[webby]

Pete you have to watch what you say around here, too many ready to throw a few knives, or maybe its jealously
But for a bloke whose always told me you've never caught a legal fish in the bay before, you've exceeded your expectatons this time
From now on i wont tell you where to go
As for giving hard earnt fish away to some poor sole who hasnt the ability to catch some, your bonkers.
There not going to learn if they start accepting free handouts
Catch up soon for a game trip, or maybe spend a few days off Breaksea Spit .
regards