2 Anglers - One Livewell Not Divided

[BredMan]

This has never been a concern to me before since I usually fish alone in my boat and I don't fish tournaments but recently a friend told me of a couple anglers being fined for not being able to determine which fish belonged to which angler that were all in one livewell with no divider. The livewell in my boat has no divider and I have only had my livewell checked two times in many years fishing from this boat. Neither time was there an issue. The one time 3 of us were all using the one livewell. At that time the agents took all the fish out and counted the number of fish to match what limits that applied to the 3 of us. We knew we were not over and the agents when done just said "OK guys, looks like you are having a good day". I just wondered if that's to be expected or those agents were just being kind to us that day. Anyone have a good way to mark fish when 2 or more are using the same livewell?

[Wayne SW/MO]

I would call the MDC in Jeff City and ask them. Just be sure and get the name of the person you talk to. Aside from hat, if you have to make a distinction a net bag might work.

[Feathers and Fins]

Never had the issue myself and many times had double limits and checked, sounds like maybe someone pissed off the officers and they let them have it. For waterfowl you MUST have them separate and if stored together clearly marked, for that colored zipties make it easy to do different color for each person.

[BilletHead]

I think you just got lucky. Cheap too. When two are fishing out of my boat I use shower curtain rings for one guy. For more than two I suppose you could spray paint a set to get another color. Does a good job if you keep fish to eat too. Nice to have that ring to grab to separate the catches,

BilletHead

[LarrySTL]

I would worry about any kind of bag impairing gill movement, etc on the fish. Or oxygen circulation if it was some type of plastic or similar bag.

The shower curtain ring idea ( the metal clips, not the prettier plastic circles) should work, as would the metal clips from the old metal stringers in the garage. Tie a short piece of colored rope to each clip, one color for each person, or spend about $ 10 and buy a culling clip system from BPS, Cabelas or whoever. Having a foot or so of rope on each clip also makes it a ton easier to get the fish out if your livewell isnt set up so that you can easily empty it.

I am not positive but my memory is that Mo requires some visible system to tell whose fish are whose, but I *think* Mo doesn't require two livewells. As others said, you probably ought to check with MDC.

[Quillback]

From the MDC online rules:

The possession limit is twice the statewide daily limit. Fish you take and possess must be kept separate or distinctly identifiable from fish taken by another person. If you are away from your catch, the device holding the fish must be plainly labeled with your full name and address.

[exiledguide]

Lindy's Livewell Liner at Reeds $19.95 been using it for a few years works great

[Jerry Rapp]

if all Mr. Agent has to worry about is if Moe and Curley don't have their legal limits separated it is a bad state of affairs. Poachers, giggers, spearfishers, etc I would think that separation of catch would would rank about 5 on a scale of 100 in importence of what they do.

[MOPanfisher]

$2 chain hook stringer, clip them on your hook and toss it in the livewell, poof separate and identifiable. Many folks get checked and get tickets for not having their fish separate and identifiable, usually if there is more than one persons limit of fish. Its the law, I'm sure a lot of folks get a warning and sent on their way but I wouldn't bank on it.

[jdmidwest]

Get a piece of stainless screen and make a divider.