Law that few are aware of

machadobass · Post by **machadobass** » Sun Feb 20, 2022 11:01 am

Well, I’ve broken the law before and I bet most of you have too. Once you put a fish in the livewell, you own it! You are not allowed to release said fish. Only exception is a sanctioned/permit holding bass tournament. My suggestion if you want a photo, take it immediately and release it. I was shocked to learn about this law. It looks like most club tournaments are breaking the law. I wanted to give everyone a heads up.

machadobass · Post by **machadobass** » Sun Feb 20, 2022 11:03 am

Well, I’ve broken the law before and I bet most of you have too. Once you put a fish in the livewell, you own it! You are not allowed to release said fish. Only exception is a sanctioned/permit holding bass tournament. My suggestion if you want a photo, take it immediately and release it. I was shocked to learn about this law. It looks like most club tournaments are breaking the law. I wanted to give everyone a heads up.

Whoopbass · Post by **Whoopbass** » Sun Feb 20, 2022 11:18 am

Laws were made to be broken.

If I put a fish in the livewell whether it's a tournament or not that fish is going back regardless of what stupid law is on the books.

MichaelB · Post by **MichaelB** » Sun Feb 20, 2022 11:51 am

Most Bass Clubs have DFW Annual Permits ...... less than 50 people & less than a $1,000 purse.

Dave Brabec · Post by **Dave Brabec** » Mon Feb 21, 2022 6:11 am

Lets see the law.
Clubs have permits also.

machadobass · Post by **machadobass** » Mon Feb 21, 2022 8:46 am

Hi Dave,hope you’re doing well. I don’t know about club tournaments for I have never been part of one. I just posted this because a state game warden from Calaveras County explained it to me. I told him about a trout I caught that was bleeding. I figured it would die so I threw it in the live well. Well, the damn thing was alive and well a few hours later so I put it back into the lake. That’s what started the conversation and from what I found later on their website, He seems to be correct. I just thought people should know because I sure didn’t.

Mitch · Post by **Mitch** » Mon Feb 21, 2022 12:47 pm

machadobass wrote: ↑Mon Feb 21, 2022 8:46 am Hi Dave,hope you’re doing well. I don’t know about club tournaments for I have never been part of one. I just posted this because a state game warden from Calaveras County explained it to me. I told him about a trout I caught that was bleeding. I figured it would die so I threw it in the live well. Well, the damn thing was alive and well a few hours later so I put it back into the lake. That’s what started the conversation and from what I found later on their website, He seems to be correct. I just thought people should know because I sure didn’t.

Do you have a link for that ???

birdman920 · Post by **birdman920** » Mon Feb 21, 2022 1:41 pm

I had a DD in the box years ago at Clear Lake ! DFW wardens rolled up on me and actually took photos and high fives ! released it right in front of them ! no prob !…

Isaac O · Post by **Isaac O** » Mon Feb 21, 2022 5:44 pm

Spirit of the law versus letter of the law.

Dave Brabec · Post by **Dave Brabec** » Tue Feb 22, 2022 6:29 am

Ive read the DFW handbooks front to back every year when I had the store and have never seen that law.

Lawley · Post by **Lawley** » Tue Feb 22, 2022 8:00 am

I recall that law for trout back in the 80s
Planter trout rarely live once caught

I believe the laws intent is to prevent people from throwing back dead fish.
Unless you are tossing dead fish back to continue fishing especially with a limit I doubt there will be a problem

ash · Post by **ash** » Tue Feb 22, 2022 9:06 am

We are still not aware of what law you are citing. My recommendation is when in doubt ask the local warden or ranger what the law is for that lake. The rules are different by species, region, and body of water. In SoCal you cannot possess live trout so if you catch one you need to bonk it on the head or release it immediately. if you cannot release the fish alive it's considered wanton waste if you do release it and it floats. (This keeps people from using trout as live bait)

It's always good to talk to the local warden. I have never seen or heard of guys being fined or punished for releasing bass unless it was dead.

Kwin · Post by **Kwin** » Tue Feb 22, 2022 11:15 am

I think the OP was referring to 4.00(e) below as it was a trout in the livewell...

4.00. BAIT-GENERAL.
Legally acquired and possessed invertebrates,
mollusks, crustaceans, amphibians (except
salamanders), fish eggs and treated and processed
foods may be used for bait, except:
(a) No species specified as endangered, threatened,
candidate, fully-protected, or otherwise protected
under state and federal law may be used as bait.
(b) No salamander may be used as bait. See section
5.05 for other amphibians that may be used as bait.
(c) See Section 5.35 for restrictions on crayfish;
(d) See Section 7.50(b)(55) for restriction on bait
collecting in Hat Creek;
(e) No trout may be maintained or possessed in
a live condition in any container on or attached
to any boat;
(f ) Except for restrictions listed under special
regulations, dead ocean fish may be used as bait
statewide. This section supersedes the provisions
of sections 4.10, 4.15, 4.20, 4.25 and 4.30.

machadobass · Post by **machadobass** » Tue Feb 22, 2022 1:14 pm

I’m trying to get a clear answer on this. The warden told me, I have found, told a friend of mine the same thing several years ago. I have put an email request into the Director of fish and game and hoping for a response. I hope to get the correct answer. It’s possible the warden gave me false information but I really doubt it. We shall see.

machadobass · Post by **machadobass** » Tue Feb 22, 2022 1:18 pm

What I’ve referred to has nothing to do with what Kwin posted. My conversation with the warden started about a trout that I released but led to a discussion about bass. As I stated before I thought it was pretty crazy but he was quite adamant about the law.

biteme · Post by **biteme** » Tue Feb 22, 2022 8:12 pm

If this is true I'm guilty. My goal is to have some kid some day catch those bigger fish. They are super stressed and it seems like catch and release in the bottle helps them a bit before a release.

Guess I'm going to have to keep breaking the law.

WRB · Post by **WRB** » Wed Feb 23, 2022 1:46 pm

The no release law doesn’t apply to bass, it applies to trout to prevent anglers using live trout for bait.
Tom

jiggin4bass · Post by **jiggin4bass** » Wed Feb 23, 2022 11:52 pm

Tom your 100 % correct During the craze of big trophy bass fishing 70s and 80s people were catching limits of trout and selling them too trophy bass hunters. We had the the same problem at Eastman lake here form the mid 70s to early 80s with water dogs and trout
DFG restricted the water dogs being used on Eastman lake. Now the DFG may be lifting the 1 fish limit on Eastman off and the 2 fish limit of 15" on Hensley and going back to 5 bass limit of 12" on both lakes. They say the previous size limits didn't help either lake. Big mistake if they put a 12" 5 fish limit of 12" back on Eastman.