Wildlife Code of Missouri

[duane]

Please read this and tell how you think this reads.
If you have your poles labeled with your name, can you use more than 3 poles at a time?


Sport Fishing in Missouri

When it comes to fishing, Missouri has a lot to offer the angler. While there are more than 200 species of fish in the Show-Me State, anglers focus their attention on about two dozen species. The seasons are long and the daily limits are generous; but there are regulations to improve and maintain the quality of fishing, ensuring that everyone has an equal chance of catching fish, while protecting fisheries resources.

The Wildlife Code of Missouri is a permissive code. This means that you may take or attempt to take only those species of fish and other aquatic wildlife permitted by the Code, and only by those methods, and only at the times and under the circumstances mentioned. As one angler put it: “If they don’t say you can, you can’t!”

A permissive code means that rather than giving you an endless list of “thou shalt nots,” we keep it simple by telling you what you may do. The reason for this is to make access to Missouri fishing as fair and as uncomplicated as possible.

Sport Fishing: General Rules

■ Methods

You may take fish by pole and line, trotline, throwline, limb line, bank line and
jug line. You must not use more than 3 unlabeled poles at any one time. No matter what methods you use, you may not use more than a total of 33 hooks at any one time. Hooks on trotlines must be staged at least 2 feet apart. Hooks on any type of line, as well as the line itself, must be attended every 24 hours or removed.

[TAE73]

Duane,

Someone told me one time to spider rig, have your names labeled on the poles and you could have as many as u wanted in the water. As long as you didnt have more than 33 hooks in the water. I havent heard this straight from a agents mouth so.... I dont know if its true or not, but it might be worth the try. Just make sure that you have a copy of the rule book on you to show the agent if you do get stopped.

[duane]

Duane,

Someone told me one time to spider rig, have your names labeled on the poles and you could have as many as u wanted in the water. As long as you didnt have more than 33 hooks in the water. I havent heard this straight from a agents mouth so.... I dont know if its true or not, but it might be worth the try. Just make sure that you have a copy of the rule book on you to show the agent if you do get stopped.

\
I sent a e-mail to the Cov. dept to find out for sure

[duane]

Ted I am in the chat room if you have the time

[Crappie Attitude]

You are allowed 33 hooks (50 on the Mississippi.) You can have up to 33 single hook "poles" as long as they have labels. If they are "unattended" they must ALL have labels. If they are attended you can have three unlabeled.

My interpretation has always been, if you have no more than three poles they can be unlabeled, (but not to exceed 33 hooks.) When you go over the three pole limit, the poles must be labeled and no matter what, you can only have a total of 33 hooks.

I feel very comfortable with my interpretation but I'm not an agent.

[CrappieOutlaw]

Is it worth fighting it duane? Two guys in the boat is 6 poles + 2 beers = only two hands to run 6 poles. I sure havent had much luck with the MDC when it comes to answering questions like this one. I will tell you this I do similar state regulation enforcement work and it is the regulators interpretation of the rules not ours that will make the difference in a ticket or not. Hope you get an answer soon, until then I wouldnt take the chance.

[TAE73]

Outlaw, Charlie B is the one that told me about labels and showed labels on his poles. Were talking about spidering in missouri and the number of poles. I doubt Charlie would be a law breaker... Glad that we arent fishing today wow! that wind is wild.

[duane]

Is it worth fighting it duane? Two guys in the boat is 6 poles + 2 beers = only two hands to run 6 poles. I sure havent had much luck with the MDC when it comes to answering questions like this one. I will tell you this I do similar state regulation enforcement work and it is the regulators interpretation of the rules not ours that will make the difference in a ticket or not. Hope you get an answer soon, until then I wouldnt take the chance.

Yes I am with you on this one, courts let robberies go with just a slap on the wirst but get caught with to many rods on an unclear rule and they through the book at you.

[TAE73]

If I was spider/trolling by myself I dont know if I would want more than 4 rods. 2 on each side of the boat would be plenty of work unless they wasnt biting.

[adamr]

i've heard the same as you guys. three don't have to be labeled and the rest do. i do have another related question for you guys. i've heard that if you are jugging with unanchored jugs, you must be within seeing distance to all of your jugs. it seems that i heard this was a new law a couple of years ago. anyone know more about this?