I just came back from the Columbia River, where I spent the Memorial weekend sturgeon fishing at a popular maggot hole. Fishing was decent for myself thumping keepers of 48" and 54" for three solid days of drowning bait. On the last day a husband and wife joined our group. They had the hot rod position landing the first two keepers of the morning. Thinking they were done I asked the husband if I could cast into his "hole." He replied that the two little girls running around were his and that they had punched them. These girls were petite and like six or seven years old; doubtful that they could even lift the big rod and reel combo. It didn't bother me until the afternoon, while we were packing up to leave, when the husband reeled in their third keeper. He immediately teathered it and cast right back out. His wife punched that one.

My buddies discussed this topic for most of the drive home. We could not agree on how legit this was, or if they were just plain greedy.

Certainly greedy. I don't know how legal they were, but I've seen entire families -- including kids in diapers -- in boats in Alaska during king season. Dad fishes until he has mom's, the three kids' and his limit of two kings each. There was enough weight in the back of the boat to tilt the bow upwards.

It's episodes like the one you saw and I've witnessed that should give the enforcement people a sense of humor failure. I wonder if there were enough life jackets in that boat? That's worth a few $100's in citations.

Must Play and Land fish on there own!!! This is the rule. Look at the tags you pick up for your kids.
Keep The Rivers Clean!!!

Definitely illegal. The rules state clearly that it is illegal to capture any portion of anyone else's limit, except in the case of handicapped sportsmen who need the help.

The position of one of my buddies was that just because the little girls couldn't "play" these sturgeon on their own, due to a lack of physical strength, it didn't precluded them from participating in this fishery and punching one. In their defense they were clearly trying to involve themselves with the fishing process, chopping up the shad carcasses and helping watch for bites. To my partner this was a similar situation to digging a handicaped person's limit of razors, because they were not able to do so themselves.

P14....Fishing in Washington State 2000/2001 Edition....Under Harvest Rules...YOU MAY NOT...9th paragraph states "Harvest any part of another person's daily limit, except as provided for under disability license."

Along the same line, I've watched river guides "hand off their rod after hooking the fish"..I question how legal that is!!!!!

This is an interesting topic. I can see it both ways. When was the last time a Westport charter boat captain required an angler to quit fishing before the "boat" limited? How about just a boat out in the Sound with more than one person on it? Do your buddys put up their rods, or are you looking to limit the boat? When you have a youngster who is trying to learn to fish, how much help can you give him or her before you break the law? Can you lend a hand to make sure the rod doesn't go into the drink? Can you take over if the kid panics? Strictly speaking, I think it is against the rules to continue angling, but this rule doesn't get enforced much.

Greedy bastards setting a fine example for their chirdren ,why keep one when you can keep four!Rules are rules we all have to live by them

This is a no brainer. Black and white. When either my wife or I limit, that rod is out of the water. Period! As far as guides hooking my fish; if a guide hooked a fish and handed me his rod, I'd figure he didn't want it anymore and chuck it over the side.

John

But what do you do before one or the other reaches the limit??? If one lands two fish do you punch one on each card and still fish til one limit is reached??? If your trolling or pullin plugs and it is family do you designate which rod is which or do you take turns??? If a guest (who doesn't fish much) is in the boat do they get the first fish on whatever rod hooks up first??? If you have the "hot rod" do you punch your fish and quit or do your fishin buds let you punch thiers to and vice versa??? How much help do ya give the 7 year old on a 20 lb king??? I think that most people (I will not say everyone) bends the rules to some degree, its the blatent disregard that needs to be addressed. What about the guides, if they didn't pass off I think that it would hurt thier business, most people who go with them want to get fish to take home. Do they allow the clients to punch fish on thier cards to take more home?? What are the rules of your boat??? How about the guides that read and moderate this forum, Bob, RT, and Mr. Mansfield (I see your posting here now)?? How about everyone else, do you all folow the regs to the letter of the law??

Illegal!! The rod has to be in control of the child.

Large sturgeon isn't for small kids. that guy was using his kids for illegal take it's obvious. Take the kids shad or trout fishing where they can enjoy actually catching the fish. I think the regs allow guides to hand off a just hooked fish for a client to land and the person who landed the fish has to tag it. most people bend the rules a bit for boat limits when the fishing is good and while that's not technically right it sure isn't in the ballpark with blatant poaching or using kids as human rodholders only to take the rod away to land a big fish the kids can't.

I have two kids, 3 and 5 who both have punchcards. If I'm out trolling I have a rod for each. Rule one is it's their rod. Rule two is they set hook and play it. I'll sit behind them but they have control. If I take over and land the fish I punch it. Once I'm out of punches I'm SOL. I'll help my kids but not all the way. It is legal to help, but if it's a record fish, they can't claim it if anyone helps them land it. It's illegal to punch fish after fish and they haven't done a thing though. When I'm on a river drifting my kids have their own rods (usually trout and have only hit trout thank God) but goes the same with them. They use their rods (my 5 yo is doing good, my 3 year old more stabs water then fish) I'll help land the fish but they have control of the rod. That was clearly wrong for that guy to fish sturgeon like that. If the daughters were sitting on his lap with the rod and helping that's one thing, but to be playing while he fished is a crock. Just my .02

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Same sort of deal goes on over here with a small twist. Draw hunt applications where due this week and I hear this a hundred times a year. A guy will put in for something he has a pretty good shot at getting, then puts his wife in for one of those 1-500 chances hunts that produce the real monster buck- bulls whatever. So the big day comes and she draws the tag... he shoots the critter... She does not even know how to load a gun, but they tell the F@G that she shot it.