Thread: Tennessee Crappie Possession Limit?

It is my understanding that no one can have in their possession at any place (home in the freezer or campsite cooler, etc.) more than 60 fishes. I interpret this to mean per person per resident. The law is not specific here.

1. What is your interpretation of the possession law?

2. How are the possession limits enforced?

Every late winter/early spring I see thousands of fish hauled out of here. Some of these people spend months just hauling off fish. Do they ever get busted? I believe they are breaking the possession laws for sure. Is the money more important to the State than the possession laws?

Possesion is considered in the field. Not at home in the freezer

Originally Posted by catchin30

Possesion is considered in the field. Not at home in the freezer

Tn possession law includes your freezer.I called them about the white bass & striper laws and they said all there laws include your freezer.They however did state before hanging up (whats the odds of us checking your freezer) now you can take that whichever way you like,but I took it as if you give us no reason if the field to think you broke/break any laws why would I goto your home to check.

Is there any species that doesn't have a catch limit there? I know you can only keep 30 crappies per day but what about the catfish, bluegills, yellow stripes, and pickeral? Are there bag limits for them too? I know you can keep 10 bass and 6 sauger.
Up here in PA, we have a very generous bag limit of 50 panfish in any congrgate, 6 walleye, 6 bass, 2 musky or pike or 1 of each, and 2 striped bass. You can fill a freezer pretty fast up here. I've never got a grand slam in one day. The day's not long enough to catch all those limits.:D

Originally Posted by chaunc

Is there any species that doesn't have a catch limit there? I know you can only keep 30 crappies per day but what about the catfish, bluegills, yellow stripes, and pickeral? Are there bag limits for them too? I know you can keep 10 bass and 6 sauger.
Up here in PA, we have a very generous bag limit of 50 panfish in any congrgate, 6 walleye, 6 bass, 2 musky or pike or 1 of each, and 2 striped bass. You can fill a freezer pretty fast up here. I've never got a grand slam in one day. The day's not long enough to catch all those limits.:D

It depends on the water you're fishing...the regulations book you get when you get your license is a TINY fraction of what the book really is and some regulations aren't very clear...in one part of the book it'll tell you one thing , but read differently in another part of the book. As far as possession goes , whether in the field or not, you are only allowed twice the daily creel limit of any given species.

I wondered the same thing about Lake Barkley and asked the warden. He said it did not apply to the home freezer only to what was in possession in the field and he said that limit applied to coolers back at the tent, camper etc. but not at home. I bet its one of those laws they enforce anyway they want if they want to make a case against you. Speck

I was also told that it was while on the water or camping. That way one person can not have 180 fish and say well I have been fishing 6 days even though he did it in 2 days.
I hear that one guy goes up to Ky lake and around Barkley and loads his coolers up each spring and fall. Were talking 3 150 qt cooler. And he brags about it. But he has not been caught yet.
Sure would love to see him caught for that.
pete

TWRA is very serious about the crappie size limit as well. My son was fishing this past spring and the game warden had him pull out his fish and measured them. He said it was $200 dollars a fish for any under 10 inches. I've never seen that in writing but it's worth keeping a ruler or similar item on your boat.

Well from past experince fishing I always go possesion is what I got that day.Heck a person can have a freezer full of fish in his freezer at home whether it be caught in Tenn Ala Ky.How do they know what state a good fillet is from.When I go over to Springville fishing and there for a few days or duck hunting I make sure I keep up with my bag for each day.I know when I come up out of the bottoms from duck hunting the warden is there waiting and checking guns shells limits and all.Most of you guys in that area know him Ronnie Cole.But so far I kept my nose clean and not done anything illegal.Duck season is soon to be here so I will be hunting in the morning and fishing in the evenings cant wait.