marking fish

[justin m]

is it legal in missouri to catch a legal size crappie and tie a string with a balloon tied on the other end to the fish and release the fish and fish around the balloon to find the school of fish? i have looked in the mdc book and can not find anything on this

[CrappieHead]

is it legal in missouri to catch a legal size crappie and tie a string with a balloon tied on the other end to the fish and release the fish and fish around the balloon to find the school of fish? i have looked in the mdc book and can not find anything on this

I e-mailed this question to MDC.

My personal thoughts would be it is not legal. But it is some thing to think about.

[beagle man]

The best way to understand the conservation book is, IF IT'S NOT IN THERE THEN IT'S NOT ALLOWED. the part about returning your catch to the water unharmed is the catch on the baloon trick, jmo

[FROSTY]

Hope your crappie has better luck of not getting hung up than I do.

[KCBALLER]

What ???? Put That Thing In The Livewell And Go Back To Fishing .....

[CrappieHead]

The Wildlife Code of Missouri is a permissive code, which means unless it says you can do something, you can't. Specifically, 3CSR 10-4.110 states that "No bird, fish, crayfish, mussel, amphibian, reptile, mammal or other form of wildlife, including their homes, dens, nests, eggs and larvae in Missouri shall be molested, pursued, taken, hunted, trapped, tagged, marked, enticed, poisoned, killed, transported, stored, served, bought, sold, given away, accepted, possessed, propagated, imported, exported, or liberated into the wild in any manner, number, part, parcel or quantity, at any time,. except as specifically permitted by these rules..." Since there is no regulation permitting fish tagging of any sort, then what you suggest is illegal. Doing what you suggest is not releasing a fish unharmed, either, and would be considered a form of molesting. So, attaching a balloon to a fish and releasing it to fish around is not a legal practice.

Hope this helps!

Rich

Richard E. Wehnes
Fisheries Programs Supervisor
Missouri Department of Conservation
P.O. Box 180
Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180
573/751-4115 extension 3162
573/526-0990 (fax)
email: [email protected]

[kazualobzerver]

Hope your crappie has better luck of not getting hung up than I do.

Hehe, amen Frosty. Just what I'd want is a free swimming fish that relates to woody cover with a balloon tied to it. I'd suggest you tie a helium filled balloon around your neck and go visit a store that sells ceiling fans, have about the same result.

[bwillaub]

For a 1st post............this was a goodun! Keep em comin. Welcome to the board.

[NITRONATE]

I've seen this happen, and it's freaking amazing how far they will travel in a 8 hour day.

[justin m]

the timber would not be a problem either in the winter when the fish are above brush in open water or in the spring as they start to stage for there spawn.how would this be any different than catching a catfish on a jug or catching crappie on small jugs with minnows either way the fish will try to stay schooled up even if you are waiting for it to tier out. i think it should be legal as long as your balloon or whatever you use is labeled same as a jug or trotline.