Thread: How many rods?

On lakes without the 2 pole limit, how many can you use at one time?

I can't make sense of the IL reg book. It says you can't troll with more than 3 rods. It says you can use 50 labeled sportfishing devices.

Do you guys stick to 3 rods or do you label your poles and spider rig with a mess of 'em?

Joe

I just have 2 poles in the water at the same time these days. If I was fishing where there is more than a 2 pole limit, like bank poling a river, every pole other than two you are fishing with, must have your name and address on it. I use mailing labels with clear tape as a water barrier. I put the labels on most of my poles anyway so folks will know who the poles belong to. It is cheap and easy to do.

I haven't tried trolling with 3 poles on a 2 pole limit lake. The law is very confusing on that issue.

You know what I dont get. If an angler abides to all limit and posession laws, who cares how u catch them... I could see not using trot lines but spider rigging should be fine. just my thought.

Originally Posted by Redtick

I just have 2 poles in the water at the same time these days. If I was fishing where there is more than a 2 pole limit, like bank poling a river, every pole other than two you are fishing with, must have your name and address on it. I use mailing labels with clear tape as a water barrier. I put the labels on most of my poles anyway so folks will know who the poles belong to. It is cheap and easy to do.

I haven't tried trolling with 3 poles on a 2 pole limit lake. The law is very confusing on that issue.

Now theres a good ideal get those little mailing labels all the time going to puy them on my tackle boxes and things like that thinks forn the ideal Redtick,

I spoke with a game warden one time about how many poles you could use because the state limits are 3 and most of the lake limits are 2. he said you have to go with limit on the body of water you are fishing on. The bigger lakes are all 3 pole limits such as carlye, rend, and kinkaid. But I agree with bigoslab that there shouldn't be a pole limit if there is a creel limit. We did well spiderigging on some small lakes and pits with 2 pole limits but if you don't have 2 guys in the boat it seems kind of pointless to go to lake and troll if you can only use 2 poles. I'ts just my opinion but that is one law I wish they would do away with. We fish down in mississippi every year and they have poles all the way around there boat with bells on the ones behind them and beleive me it hasn't hurt the fishing down there.

Thanks for the agreement Express. We go down to Reelfoot lake once a year in the spring, and to see all the boats out spider rigging makes you think how nice it would be to have the opprotunity to do that on your local bodies of water. I think it could be a great way to take a kid fishing as well.

I agree with you guys about pole limit, what does it matter how many you use as long as you don't go over the limit of fish your able to catch. I go to reelfoot once a year aswell I think it would be nice to sprider rig like they do on reelfoot but I not going to spend that much money for on time a year. since were not able to use more than 2 poles here in this fine state of Il.

Originally Posted by bigoslab

Thanks for the agreement Express. We go down to Reelfoot lake once a year in the spring, and to see all the boats out spider rigging makes you think how nice it would be to have the opprotunity to do that on your local bodies of water. I think it could be a great way to take a kid fishing as well.

I't would be a very good way to take a kid fishing. It also can be a deadly way of catching suspended crappie in open water!! Especially in the summer and winter in most of the small lakes and strip pits that have very little natural cover. Most of them get over looked and have some good crappie in them!! I wish there was a way that could be changed even if it was a 4 pole per person limit. Then it would be worth while going out trollin by yourself if you had no one to go.

Count me in with Bigslab and Xpress...don't worry about IL anglers buying rods, reels, lines and rod holders and spending money...let us do our part to stimulate the economy. Intelligent and well-enforced creel limits on lakes should be the issue. Does it make any difference if a guy with a cane pole and bobber rig exceeds the creel limit?

How an IL angler decides to fish, whether it be vertical jigging, slow trolling, trolling cranks, long lining, or simply fishing one rod any way he wants, ought to be left to the individual IMHO. I would love to be able to spider rig here on IL waters as I do when I go to KY and TN...which is several times per year. Four rods by myself is all I can handle anyway. Six is really a lot of work...more than that is a cuss fit:D.

One last thought, I feel strongly enough about wanting to use my boat and my Driftmasters (spider rigging involves one hell of an investment...I'd like to be able to use my investment on IL waters) that I would put my money where my mouth is...why not have a REASONABLE license fee to allow spider-rigging or using up to 6 poles. Just thinking out loud...Doesn't the state need the revenue? I really don't think I should have to pay more, but I would.

CR

spider riggen isn't fishing it's catching