Over the horizon they came. Running in what appeared to be a confiscated drug running boat, the DNR folks headed right for us. It was a weekday and we were the only boat in site fishing the reefs. I had no idea number one that they would venture this far offshore. Being a state agency I thought their jurisdiction ended at three miles. Number two, I had no idea they were going to board my vessel!
Board they did with my permission. I suspect they would have boarded even without my permission; they were obviously exercised and looking for some thing or person. They went through every compartment in the boat looking – and obviously found nothing. It was about that time that my partner reeled up to check his bait.
We had several small fish on the bait board – ones we had used for cut bait. And Jason had a live, five-inch vermillion snapper (beeliner) on his hook. Officer friendly was not pleased!
He proceeded to tell us the bag and size limit for beeliners – a ten-inch length limit and a total of ten for the creel limit. I had about a dozen or so small beeliners in the live well and eight or ten “legal” ones in the ice chest.
I was in shock and disbelief! I have fished with live bait like this all my life and it never occurred to me that I was violating any laws.
They watched as we released all of the small beeliners from the live well, and then they headed back from whence they came. I got no warning or citation.
I still wonder about that encounter. I have talked to a number of DNR enforcement personnel and they have all told me that while technically it is a violation, they have never personally cited anyone.
So here is my dilemma – do I continue using small beeliners? Do I pitch them when a boat heads my way? Or, do I simply continue fishing the same way I have always fished?
My son fished a kingfish tournament this past weekend. On a Sabiki rig he caught some small bluefish, which he promptly placed on his trolling rigs as bait – and caught several king mackerel on them! Throwing a cast net for menhaden, he netted several small Spanish mackerel. They have been brined and frozen and are awaiting their turn to attract a wahoo or tuna.
No one that I have talked to has been stopped like I was that day – and no one has seen state DNR people that far offshore. So, I believe I’m safe to return to my live bait fishing. I do know that charter and party boat captains would all be hard pressed to give up their versions of small live bait!
