Party Fishing

The North Dakota Fishing Guide is compartively small at 52 down-sized pages and less than ½ of that are fishing rules and regulations but I've lived long enough to understand that not every angler reads these handy booklets, especially front to back.

While some rules like the daily limit on walleye (5) are well-known by just about everyone, others such as "no pole may have more than two hooks or lures" seldom are discussed.

In recent weeks, a couple of regulations relating to party fishing and culling, which previously may have fit that “seldom discussed” characterization, have been receiving some attention.

Greg Power, fisheries chief for the State Game and Fish Department, said party fishing and culling are common practice with some anglers, though they have not been legal for many years.

Party fishing (or hunting) refers to the practice of anglers pooling their fish and counting one grand aggregate limit. Anglers must catch their own fish while on the water, much like hunters must harvest their own game while in the field. “The same rule applies,” Power said. “An angler cannot help another angler fill a limit by harvesting more fish than their own daily limit.”

As an example, if I take my kids fishing, I can catch a five-walleye limit and they can catch their own fish. Once I have five on the stringer, I must release any additional walleyes I catch. North Dakota continues to stress the importance of getting kids involved in fishing, and part of the equation is ensuring they are not simply just brought along to allow mom or dad to keep more fish.

In some states a young angler or hunter’s limit counts toward the adult limit, so if the limit for a certain fish species is five, the youngster and adult together can keep five.

In North Dakota a fishing license is not needed until respective anglers reach age 16. Prior to their 16th birthday, no license is needed and young anglers are allowed their own limit.

When anglers are fishing together and mixing their fish on a stringer or into a livewell, the total number of fish and who caught which fish is difficult or nearly impossible to determine. In fact, in a recent conversation during which I was explaining that party fishing is not legal, I was asked, "How in the world can a game warden even catch you doing that?"

Without giving away too many secrets, remember that binoculars and spotting scopes not only help you hunt and spot game, but also help wardens document who was fishing, what was caught ,and if it was kept or released. While they may not be able to pinpoint the exact size and weight of fish, documenting who caught how many fish is common practice.

So, a word to the wise. Just because you've caught five walleyes and your buddy only has two, doesn't mean you can help fill the three more needed to reach the aggregate daily limit.

Culling is the practice of keeping a fish, such as on a stringer or in a livewell, for a length of time and then releasing it when a bigger one is caught. While this is allowed in some states, it has never been permitted in North Dakota.

It doesn't even have to be a large fish to tempt anglers. I've heard instances of groups hitting the jackpot on a late trolling pass and wanting to kick out the fish from earlier in the day and replace them with a fresh catch.

Essentially, when you catch a fish you have a few seconds to decide whether to keep it or release it. While livewells when properly operated can keep fish alive for fairly long periods of time, the practice of culling brings with it too many potential issues that are not in the best biological interests of our cherished North Dakota fisheries.

Leier is a biologist with the Game and Fish Department. He can be reached by email:  dleier@nd.gov .