Big Blow Out On Stockton

[beagle man]

NOW that I have your attention, I just sent a e-mail to the MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION asking about boat titles and how to determin if your fish are legal if only one side of the fishes tail touches the line, or head depending which type of measurer you use or which way you place the fish on the measurer,

Buzzy and I caught the heck out of crappie and probably tossed back two limits of fish. we didn't want to get into trouble. seems like the tails were worn off from spawn I guess and havent grown back. anyway whats y'all thought on this, everyone should answer it is VERRY IMPORTANT I am going to have to take a test later and I need info.

[Bulletman]

If I measure crappie, it's mouth closed, tail together instead of flared, and COVER the line, of course I made my line at 9&1/8"------ BUT hopefully the fish I catch you can just LOOK at them and know they are over 9" but it doesn't always work that way. I've been checked a few times and the Warden has always looked at my fish and has never measured any, the people I know of and have seen get tickets for short fish were keeping anything over 6".

[Ranger397V]

Beagle when I do keep some for the skillet, they are in the 10-11" range on Truman. I hear you on the way people measure fish, it can be a fine line so I just play it safe. I thought I saw on MDC somewhere the tail and mouth closed but Mr. Greenpants may have a different interpretaion.

[Hookin'&Cookin']

mouth closed ,tale pinched have your ruler checked against Mr. greenjean's nest time you see him

[beagle man]

the point is if one side of the tail is over the line is it legal.

[DADAKOTA]

Mouth closed. Tail can be open or closed. If any part of the tail touches the line is is a legal fish.

[Bulletman]

If ANY part of it is over the line it's LEGAL, as I read the regs.

[Jigging15]

Just catch bigger fish is the best way. I use the Grip-N-Check. It slides the fish down to a mouth closed position and has an area that is checkered between 9 and 10 inchs. I do not keep fish very often but I try to make them hit the 10" mark when I do. It was nice today I never even had to get the board out.

[bwillaub]

LOL.
Jim and I didn't have to measure any Wed either. They were all well over 10". Twas a good day.

[Pole Bender]

Beagle,

I posted this before but you may have not seen it, last time I got checked I asked the man (I can not remember his name but the young man at Stockton) and he told me to pinch the tail and if it measured 10 inches it was a legal fish. This means all those fish were legal fish. It does not matter if one side is shorter then the other because when you pinch them you are only measuring the tip of the mouth to the tip of the pinched tail.