[txjeep]

2coolers, I need some help. I have checked the state regs and have not found my answer. Is there a minimum age an angler has to be to keep a limit of fish? I am asking because my 3 yr old has observed me taking his older brother fishing and he wants his turn. When the seas lay down I was thinking of taking my little man out to let him try to catch some snapper (with help of course). Am I likely to run into trouble with the GW if we keep a limit for a 3 yr old?

TIA

 

[A Salt Weapon]

I was told by the folks in Austin at TPW that "as a Texan, you have a right to posses fish, whatever the allowed limits are". But, be careful, cuz it's my understanding that if you son slips up and say something like "my daddy had to catch one of my fis, cuz I only caught one", then he can actually ticket you for catching more than your limit. (hope that makes sense.)

Someone correct me if I'm wrong on that.

 

[jtburf]

Yes !!!!

If they cannot show the officer they have the ablity to handle the rod/reel your in trouble....


john

 

[Tiny]

All you have to do is, hook the fish and put your child in front of you and assist them in landing the fish. Your child will truely believe that he/she caught the fish and ther will be no slip of the tongue if asked. However, this does not include say fo instance a small child that could not handle the fishing pole, without a fish, without any help....

About 4 years ago, when my son was 5 I took him fishin' and ended up with 5 reds, he did reel 3 of them in and that's what he told the lady at the the bait camp and everyone else for about a week.. that he had caught 3 red fish and they were huge!! in a child eye...

Take them kids fishing!!!!

 

[clydeg]

I've wondered the same thing since I take my 4yr old with me on the smooth days. I think the key word in the regulations is "possession". I haven't seen anywhere that says each person can catch x number of fish, only that a person may possess a certain number of fish. Since my 4yr old is obviously defined as a person both in the dictionary and any law book, we keep his limit. Ofcourse he usually does help in reeling in some of the fish but I don't see how that matters.

 

[Instigator]

Business idea

Offshore daycare! The solution to high fuel cost and low limits.

 

[txjeep]

Thanks for the replies. I'll take him with me and see how he does. This is not your every day 3 year old. He thinks he is 8. What if I bait his hook, help him drop down, put the rod in the rod holder, wait for a bite, and let him reel in a fish like that? Does that qualify as landing the fish? That's how his older brother started out. He is going to be really mad at me if I throw back what he catches.

John, I have taken 40 yr olds out there who could not handle a rod or catch a fish without help.

 

[jtburf]

Never said do not take him... I personally would not return with a three person limit if it's you and your two sons....

I have spoken to Game wardens about this when my kiddos were small. it will amount to a judgement call by the Warden and if you get a young officer trying to make a name for him/her self the hassel is not worth it.. (IMO)..

But other wise by all means take them fishing....


John

 

[txjeep]

I just called TPWD in Austin. I talked to a lady there who said as long as I have a valid fishing license, my 3 yr old can keep any legal fish that he catches. I asked if this applied to offshore species who were subject to a daily bag limit. She said no problem. I said I was concerned about a local GW giving me a problem about his age and she said it was not a problem. Based on this, I am going to let my son keep whatever he can reel in with my assistance (or using the rod holder).

 

[Bill Fisher]

at the end-o'the-day just don't stand too close to your 3-yr-old when he's filleting the catch............ i've seen'em get pretty carried away wieding those sharp fillet knives and you don't wanna get cut

 

[SkeeterRonnie]

I dont think the GW will give you grief as long as the kid is capable of holding the rod/reel. If they do , PM me thier name and I will personally call the TPWD and cause a stink bigger than a field of skunks..... deterring children from fishing would be against 95% of what TPWD preaches....

 

[Capt. Sandbar]

The child needs to help with all of his limit, otherwise you are over yours.

 

[jaredchasteen]

if a game warden tickets you for taking your kid fishing, maybe it is the wrong time of the month for him.

 

[DavidG]

I would say you should be able to help the kid in any way as long as he was taking a part (holding the rod,turning the reel handle, etc) If you're just taking the kid a long to get additional limit or you're fishing to "finish" up his limit is the only time when I think you'd have a problem.

If you look through the TPWD Regs Annual, it doesn't really address the fact of an individual harvestor only taking his own limit. In most fishing situations, people fish a "boat limit" anyway, regardless if its technically right or wrong.

I've been looking at the Florida regulations getting ready for a trip to Destin and the last regulations just published addressed this very issue. Look at the last line of this link: http://myfwc.com/marine/docs/07FLSalt_webregs.pdf It explicitly defines a harvestor as one who takes the fish and lists the possession limits for the 'harvestor' and states that a person (including a child) NOT actively fishing may NOT be counted for the purpose of bag limits.

 

[pickingarb]

2.5 year old

I took my 2.5 year old out the other weekend and he reeled in a red snapper and king fish. It's all he still talks about, and I'm certain if asked he'll be happy to tell you "catch big fish"! He can reel like crazy!!!

 

[Kyle 1974]

I just called TPWD in Austin. I talked to a lady there who said as long as I have a valid fishing license, my 3 yr old can keep any legal fish that he catches. I asked if this applied to offshore species who were subject to a daily bag limit. She said no problem. I said I was concerned about a local GW giving me a problem about his age and she said it was not a problem. Based on this, I am going to let my son keep whatever he can reel in with my assistance (or using the rod holder).

oh hell... sometimes I still use the rod holder to help me out! Good luck!

 

[ron]

Rules

I take someone out every year for the Touning Point Drum Tournament,one person I took didnt have but one hand and his other was crippled,I did most of the fishing for him and even got a keeper for him to enter and there was no problem,my boss always takes a man that is blind and has no fingers so you know who catches his fish and he has won money for keeper drum.Its no different than a person that doesnt know how to fish being helped by a deckhand on a charter boat.Keep a limit for your son.

 

[txjeep]

Thanks for all of the input.