Holland, 8/14 am whata wild quick trip!

[Whatahoot]

Late start with my wife on board. We headed NW towards PS and had 3 lines down @ 8:30a in 85 fow on SE troll when my wife spotted a fish swimming on the surface (what the &/$@!?), we circled back on it and netted the 6lb King!  She was pulling a wad of weeds with a green/yellow fly and green/yellow flasher with ~50ft of braid.  She was calm until she was in the net... And then went crazy!  Well, sorry for whoever lost the gear but thanks for the fish!

We only fished 2 hours due to the flies, went 3 for 3 with 2 Coho and a King, so 4 for 4 ;-)

6lb King and 8lb Coho, both on SE troll in 100 fow on 250 copper with Speckeled Dick Meat Rig

5lb Coho - E troll in 85 fow on braid dipsey 100 back on the same green/yellow flasher fly we netted earlier!  Hah!

No fish to brag about, but going 3 for 3 (4 for 4?) with my wife was a great short trip, sure beat sitting at home!!

LOTS of coolers full at the cleaning stations today, sounds like most boats were out before sunrise, glad to take a few leftovers!

 

[numberguy77]

Good job on the fish.

 

And, not to create a controversy or be a PITA, but, is it legal to net a fish like you did that was just swimming on the surface?

 

I had an opportunity to do that once with a good sized steelhead, but passed on it as I wasn't sure of the legality of it.  

 

Maybe someone can chime in on it that knows the rule.  I really couldn't find anything in the Michigan regulations, but, for some reason, I thought you couldn't do it.

[Fake Bait]

Curious question on the legality of netting the fish.  I have wondered that a few times myself after a big one had broken me off.  I looked in the Michigan Fishing Guide, but did not see a specific example.  It states that you can use a hand net to help land a "lawfully hooked fish".  The fish was lawfully hooked originally before it broke off somebody's gear so I could argue that it was still lawfully hooked and you were in the right to net it.  A CO may have a different opinion of course.

Hopefully someone has some first hand knowledge here on what the regulation is.

[FBD]

Have swung back and netted Lakers that fell off but did not swim away.  Don't think it's legal.  But I do think it's ethical.

[gmfishon]

I think it would be up to the co then ultimately a judge or magistrate. I think they may decide its not legal based on how far you gonna take it. Lets say you throw back a maker that floats and decide to take it after all. Well the fish was legally hooked. Was being the key word. Arguments could be made for both sides. Interesting question.

[Fake Bait]

56 minutes ago, FBD said:

Have swung back and netted Lakers that fell off but did not swim away.  Don't think it's legal.  But I do think it's ethical.

Yeah that.  I would not feel guilty for a second.

[Whatahoot]

Thanks for the interesting feedback guys.  I have had several friends ask me the same question.  I honestly didn't think about it until today when someone asked, and they didn't know either... Only to say they and others have done the same.

What  I did think about at that moment was that there is no way that fish would have lived pulling all that garbage behind it.  Heck, it didn't have the energy to avoid a slow moving net.  Not sure how long it was suffering.  Also not  sure what the CO will say until I ask them but it seemed to be the humane thing to do (vs. turtle meat?).

I will post what I find out :-)

[Nailer]

The legality is in the proof, and nobody has proof.  Nice job on the fish.

[Whatahoot]

Thanks!

[FBD]

In tournaments it gets gray.  Who hasn't had a fish pop off just ad you're netting it but still managed to scoop it up?  Illegal fish.  Ad an observer, I would not say a word.  Fish hooked just outside the mouth?  Fish on a j plug that rolls and ends up hooked in the gill plate?

[Whatahoot]

I just talked to a CO this morning, here's what he said:

"It would be situational, an Officer would ask questions, like is it a legal size and type of fish and in season?  If all other things being legal, and it's a unique, one fish situation, I don't see it being a problem."

This makes sense to me, actual common sense. 

FBD,

Obviously the tournament situation you bring up would then be up to the discretion of the tournament.  Again common sense.

Good discussion!

[RONDAYVOO]

its nice to hear that they have some common sense, you don't see that much with any government agency