Snagging Limits Question

[btjohnson44]

At Truman Lake I understand that there is a limit of 2. spoonbill. The language is not clear though and seems to mean that after you have snagged 2 legal sized fish you must stop. Does that mean even if you release your fish you can not snag anymore? Do you have to stop after the first 2 legal sized fish weather you keep them or not, or can you snag more and only keep 2?

[Seth]

I think you have to stop after catching two "legal" fish. Honestly I don't know how well they enforce that rule though. I've released fish that I thought were right on the edge of the length limit and kept snagging EVEN THOUGH they probably would have measured.

If you do release a paddlefish, just be sure and not ram a gaff hook through it's belly so it dies anyways. I want to punch every person that I see doing that do a short fish. We have stopped using a gaff hook in recent years and just grab ahold of the fish, remove the hooks while they are in the water, and then lift them in the boat. A few treble hooks in the legs have made us start removing the hooks before bringing the fish overboard.

[btjohnson44]

I think you have to stop after catching two "legal" fish. Honestly I don't know how well they enforce that rule though. I've released fish that I thought were right on the edge of the length limit and kept snagging EVEN THOUGH they probably would have measured.

If you do release a paddlefish, just be sure and not ram a gaff hook through it's belly so it dies anyways. I want to punch every person that I see doing that do a short fish. We have stopped using a gaff hook in recent years and just grab ahold of the fish, remove the hooks while they are in the water, and then lift them in the boat. A few treble hooks in the legs have made us start removing the hooks before bringing the fish overboard.

Thanks for the info. We have to go from the bank so hopefully no gaffing involved.

[gonefishin]

I have never used a gaff. seems to me a fish doesn't have much of surviving after being gaffed. I use a tool I made years ago that looks kind of like a dog choke stick. I use a piece of PVC pipe, thread a line (my line from an old trotline) through it and make a slip knot in the line. Use the pipe to guide the rope over the bill then push the pipe and pull the rope at the same time to secure the knot. If you want to let the fish go just release the knot, after removing the hook/s from the fish. If you want to keep the fish pull the pipe from the line, throw a couple of half hitches around the fishes nose and tie him to the boat. Simple and no extra damage to the fish.