Northwest Fishing Reports

I just noticed something in the regs that really caught me off guard. I was always under the impression that party fishing/hunting was not legal. I accepted that idea that you were required to bag your own fish and or game. However, if you've ever been on a charter boat, you know this is not the case, and every one fishes until the "boat limit" is reached. Well it would appear that this is within the limit of the law, as can be found on page 102 of this year's fishing regulations, if you are fishing in the salt.

In Washington waters where a saltwater license is valid, each angler aboard a vessel may continue to deploy angling gear or shellfish gear until the daily limit of fish and shellfish for all licensed and juvenile anglers aboard has been achieved.

Being that the statement does not address several issues with "party fishing", has anyone run across an enforcement official regarding this recently? The main question I have is: If person A has documented a limit on their card are they allowed to reel in a fish for person B who is still in need of a fish to complete their limit (Same question can be asked for crab gear) or does the person who has not yet limited simply grab any rod that gets bit, effectively fishing with more than one rod?

I'm going to be sending off an email to the Bothell office of WDFW for my own peace of mind.

Yes this has ben the case for years now. Well at least the last three that I know of. Now I have never asked the question about only the one who doesn't have his limit being able to reel the fish in. But last year we were boared by WDFW and my card had a limit and we had two lines out. I was in the back of the boat and buddy was manning the wheel. So that would have implied I was the one reeling in the fish if one of the poles went off. Of course you never know with all these rules and regs now a days.

Good question though please keep us updated.

scott080379 wrote:Yes this has ben the case for years now. Well at least the last three that I know of. Now I have never asked the question about only the one who doesn't have his limit being able to reel the fish in. But last year we were boared by WDFW and my card had a limit and we had two lines out. I was in the back of the boat and buddy was manning the wheel. So that would have implied I was the one reeling in the fish if one of the poles went off. Of course you never know with all these rules and regs now a days.

Good question though please keep us updated.

scott, what was the outcome of your WDFW encounter?

I did some more digging on the subject and found that particular phrase first showed up in the 2001-2002 sport fishing rules pamphlet. I'll be sure to post any response I get from enforcement.

FYI - You can look at a copy of archived regs going back to 1997 on the WDFW site, here is the link: http://wdfw.wa.gov/publications/search. ... at=Fishing

BentRod wrote:

scott080379 wrote:Yes this has ben the case for years now. Well at least the last three that I know of. Now I have never asked the question about only the one who doesn't have his limit being able to reel the fish in. But last year we were boared by WDFW and my card had a limit and we had two lines out. I was in the back of the boat and buddy was manning the wheel. So that would have implied I was the one reeling in the fish if one of the poles went off. Of course you never know with all these rules and regs now a days.

Good question though please keep us updated.

scott, what was the outcome of your WDFW encounter?

lol.......sorry didn't write that part in did I. Well the outcome was them telling us to have a nice day. If I would have thought about it I would have asked the question at the time.

I will say that if I fish with my friends We usually alternate punches regardless of who caught it. I dont think thats real real kosher but it dosent say you cant.Plus if I catch two and partner dosent catch I'll give him one of mine. Thats kinda like a unwritten rule fishing with friends to me.

I have known thats legal in the salt for a long time. I was checked on opening day of halibut. We had 4 rods in the water for 4 people. We had 3 butts in the boat and the officer had me reel up one outfit so he could check the barb. No hastle, no problem. I think its a great law.

I first saw this rule in the regs last year during pink season on the salt. I had no idea it existed prior to last year. Great question about the catch record card, if yours is full what then. I'm guessing it may not be about who reels in the fish but how many are in the boat. Again, just a guess. I have a friend who is a Sergeant with the WDFW who I see occasionally. I will ask him the next time I see him. Interesting!

The way it was explained to me years ago by a charter capt, think of it as a boat limit. Your supposed to fill out punch cards as soon as you catch a fish, but if there is still a punch left on someone else's card the boat keeps fishin. He explained that out on the water officers really have no way of regulating who catches what and made this rule to accomidate the charter fleet to limit for their clients. It works on the salt.

I've been on charters out of Westport and Ilwaco and that is how it has always been for me. I never gave it much thought and just kinda figured it was for commercial/charters only, but now that it's brought up I guess it makes sense to ask before you get a ticket in your own boat...