Question about retention of a limit…

[Duffman]

Just a question about a convo I had recently with friends about retaining fish. Got me thinking as I really didn’t really have an answer.

When the limit is 3@18 fluke or 1@13 weakfish, what is the actual time frame on the limit? Meaning, if I fish and limit, run back the dock, drop em off and head back out, is that another 3 to retain?

If it’s broken down into 24 hour periods, what if I limit on a Sat afternoon, overnite on the water and limit again on Sun morning, can I be in possession of 6 fish legally on Sunday ?

What if fishing both half day trips on a party boat? Allowed 6?

Or is this just a judgement call on the CO’s part? Trust me this was just a conversation as those that know me understand the last thing I have to worry about is catching a limit. :D

[dakota560]

Duffman my understanding has always been per day. Example the summer flounder possession limits is often referred to as the daily limit. So 12:01 am to midnight again has always been my understanding.

[Ol Pedro]

I would think that it would be per day for regular limit. Retention limit is usually around 2 days limit. If I went to Prospertown on opening day of trout season limited went home took a nap returned to the lake and kept another limit even though I am within the retention limit I still would be cited for overlimit because I harvested them the same day. I think that a day would be from midnight to midnight.

[Pennsy Guy]

I think it's "per day or trip". I know with yellowfin tuna it is. Doing a 48hr tuna trip doesn't make much sense anymore. If you do two half-day trips and limit out on both, you'd be in violation of the "per day" limit. Limit out on a two-day trip each day, you'd be in violation of the "per trip" limit. I don't have to worry about limits inshore....

[tjd24]

I believe it's a possession limit/day. If you went out on a 48 hr trip and kept a double limit of YFT, they might ask for proof that you actually made the trip

[Ol Pedro]

I believe it's a possession limit/day. If you went out on a 48 hr trip and kept a double limit of YFT, they might ask for proof that you actually made the trip
I agree with Chuck. If anyone would know Chuck would. If the regs say per trip it's per trip regardless of it's length. Tuna and other highly migratory fish regs are specific. 3 Yellowfin per person per day/trip.

[Capt Sal]

I agree with Chuck. If anyone would know Chuck would. If the regs say per trip it's per trip regardless of it's length. Tuna and other highly migratory fish regs are specific. 3 Yellowfin per person per day/trip.

When they do extended Yellowfin trips on the West Coast out of California,is the limit still three yellowfin?

[Salt]

If you limit on one lake can you go to another lake or river and limit again?

[Salt]

I am sorry, my previous post belongs in the fresh water section and I do not know how to move it.

[Skolmann]

Duffman, I don’t think you have to worry—when was the last time you caught a limit of fluke ?

Sorry, I couldn’t resist-you threw a hanging slider and I just had to hit it.

Hope you have a good season.

[Ol Pedro]

When they do extended Yellowfin trips on the West Coast out of California,is the limit still three yellowfin?

Most of the long range fleet fish in Mexico for Yellowfin. I think it's 5 fish total per day of trip between Yellowfin and Wahoo . There's a 30 fish total per angler on trips longer than 3 days. In California waters it's 10 a day but most are small and they don't always make it to US waters.

[Ol Pedro]

If you limit on one lake can you go to another lake or river and limit again?

Salt, no. You are over the daily limit. You could tie on a barbless lure and catch and release.

[Salt]

Thank you Ol Pedro

[Solemate]

It is possession limit. If you are within the regulations on your possession you are good. Catch as many as you want. Just do not possess over the limit.

[damnyankee]

from the NJDEP code:

(c) A person angling with a hand line or with a rod and line or using a bait net or spearfishing shall not have in his or her possession any species listed below less than the minimum length, nor shall such person take in any one day or possess more than the possession limits as provided below, nor shall such person possess any species listed below during the closed season for that species. Exceptions to this section, as may be provided elsewhere in this subchapter, shall be subject to the specific provisions of any such section. Fish length shall measure from the tip of the snout to the tip of the tail (total length), except as noted below:

"day" is defined as 12am to 11:59pm

[Pennsy Guy]

I just looked at regs..could only find 2021 limits in Southeast region...They listed modified limits for trips over 24 hrs. Angler can retain 3 yft EACH day with proof of 24 plus hour trip. Now that was last year and gulf of Fla/Mexico.. Didn't find any info on our NE region. Somewhere in the regs I recently read that's not true up here, as I stated earlier. Per day and per trip (regardless of length) are both 3 yellows. That is only for "for hire" boats. ie: PB's and Charters...
I personally don't want more than 2 yft per day/trip...lft, now that's a different story.

[Billfish715]

Limits are set by regulations but are adhered to by an unwritten code of honor. Most possession limits get checked at the dock. While there are some on-water checks done by CO's, more cooler counts are done after the boat gets back and tied up. If you are successful enough to catch a limit on your morning trip, technically, you have caught your possession limit for the day, but if no one checks you, you are on the honor system if you go out and limit again. To my knowledge, there is no such restriction on a pay to fish party boat. If you pay for a second trip, you can keep a second limit.

Again, whether it's keeping shorts or keeping more than your limit, it's up to you and you still have to be caught.

[bowhunter]

NJ has no possession limit. Meaning You can only have 1days limit. It doesn't matter how many days You are out. When We do the Voyager multi day trips We can only return to NJ with 1 days limit of fluke even though we are out for 3 days. This is NJ. NY is different. Call fish and game for the real answer. Guys here are just guessing.

[Captain Rich]

Limits are set by regulations but are adhered to by an unwritten code of honor. Most possession limits get checked at the dock. While there are some on-water checks done by CO's, more cooler counts are done after the boat gets back and tied up. If you are successful enough to catch a limit on your morning trip, technically, you have caught your possession limit for the day, but if no one checks you, you are on the honor system if you go out and limit again. To my knowledge, there is no such restriction on a pay to fish party boat. If you pay for a second trip, you can keep a second limit.

Again, whether it's keeping shorts or keeping more than your limit, it's up to you and you still have to be caught.

To my knowledge, there is no such restriction on a pay to fish party boat. If you pay for a second trip, you can keep a second limit.


No...you are only allowed 1 limit per day, doesn't matter how or where you caught it. Let's say you placed your first limit in your cooler in your car or on the party boat and then caught a second limit and placed it in the same cooler. You will definitely be in violation and ticketed by a CO if caught.

[porgylber]

To my knowledge, there is no such restriction on a pay to fish party boat. If you pay for a second trip, you can keep a second limit.


No...you are only allowed 1 limit per day, doesn't matter how or where you caught it. Let's say you placed your first limit in your cooler in your car or on the party boat and then caught a second limit and placed it in the same cooler. You will definitely be in violation and ticketed by a CO if caught.

There is certainly plenty of confusion surrounding this topic. We could definitely use official word from a Fish and Game officer.
I’ve always thought that if I go fluke fishing on a NJ party boat morning trip and catch a limit, I can catch a second limit on the afternoon trip. In fact boats encourage patrons to fish the afternoon trip by offering a discount on the fare. I’ve never heard a captain or mate say, “you caught a limit this morning, anything you catch this afternoon is either catch and release, or must be given to someone else”.

[Captain Rich]

The boats offering an afternoon discount have a completely different agenda than the CO's. The boats do not track whether you limited out in the morning or not. Double dipping on limits on boats is no different than the poachers working the Raritan Bay shoreline and hiding the stripers in the bushes or running back to the trunk of the car once they are over the limit. Plenty of poachers have been caught with a legal limit in their possession and then more fish in the trunk of the car. How is that any different than making two trips on a party boat in one day. The limit is the limit, it's per day and it's up to everyone's ethics to abide by it.

[Pennsy Guy]

Strictly speaking giving away any over limit caught fish is also illegal--you caught and kept over the limit. Doesn't sound right/fair but that's the law.
It all goes back to "per day" and "per trip".
Rules are different in California and Southeast Region than up here in the Northeast...

[porgylber]

Thanks Rich and Pennsy. If I’m at limit, or close to it on a morning trip, I’m going to refrain from fishing the afternoon trip. On top of the other expenses associated with a day fishing, I don’t need a fine.

[Billfish715]

It’s nice to know that there are so many ethical fishermen chiming in. However, all of this discussion is purely hypothetical. The truth is that only a very small number of fishermen are ever checked either on the water or at the dock. I’d venture to say that most of the fishermen on this board have ever been stopped or checked by a CO. Or if they have been, we’re never cited.

The numbers are on the side of the fishermen and the percentages favor that the majority of fishermen will never be checked. CO’s are often alerted to illegal activities. They don’t go looking to harass a party boat patron or almost anyone else. They do spot checks to keep folks honest and it works in many cases since most guys are reasonably honest.

Like I said before…….” You still have to be caught”, and what are those odds.

Seriously, how many of you have actually gone out again on the same day and limited out with fluke? The jury is still out on keeping stripers on the same day especially when they are right out in front. That’s a separate issue. How many striper fillets do you need?

[Gumada]

I can’t speak for everyone, however even though chances of getting checked are extremely low. I don’t fish for meat, although I do enjoy some nice fillets that I catch. I fish to relax and do something I enjoy, to take a chance and add the stress and embarrassment of being caught with illegal fish would be counter productive and idiotic on my part.