$20 Fish ??

Some people take all the fish they want from Wisconsin lakes. And some of those people end up paying for those fish in cold, hard, cash. They could even lose their boats, trailers, and cars, if they have more fish than their daily bag limit or possession limit. We know some folks who were fined nearly $240 for being 12 fish over the possession limit. That's about $20 a fish.

To protect the fisheries, limits are placed on how many fish each licensed person may take. This helps keep the promise of more good catches next year and in the years to come.

Daily Bag Limit

Each day, each licensed person is allowed to take up to their daily limit of each kind of fish:

• Panfish 25
• Bass 5
• Northern Pike 5
• Walleye 5

Possession Limit

Each licensed person is allowed to have in their possession up to their possession limit. Possession means all fish in your live well or stringer, in the refrigerator, freezer, or ice chest, in your boat, car, or cabin, and even includes last year's leftovers in the freezer back home, or in the resort freezer if marked as yours.

• Panfish 50
• Bass 10
• Northern Pike 10
• Walleye 10

Check your fishing license manual for details or ask for assistance.

Your fish might be worth cold hard cash in your pocket if it's one of those tagged for Fish-O-Rama. But it probably won't make up for a possession limit fine. :-(

The resort freezer is for your convenience. Any fish placed there that are not properly labeled will be disposed of. They count towards the owner's possession limit!

Some Alternatives

Catch and Release

Catch and release is a great way to:

• Have all the fun of fishing.
• Avoid all the “fun” of cleaning fish.
• Have even more opportunities for “fish stories.”

Shoot to Remember

On your next boat trip, bring along a camera; a good digital camera is best, because you're likely to be taking a lot of pictures, and getting a few really good ones.

• Look for eagles. There are lots of them in the area. See if you can find their nests. (Reports have nests on Moose Ear Lake and Prairie Lake. Many eagles are seen around Chamerlain's Point. There is a nest on Highway 53 just north of the Chetek exit.
• Take a picture of some kids being pulled on a tube behind a boat. Get a picture of a bass, walleye, or northern with its mouth wide open. Combine the pictures so it looks like the fish is about to eat the kids. Title your work, “Welcome to Chetek, where Fishing is King!” or “Trolling for the Big Ones!”
• Have a picnic lunch in Veteran's Memorial Park at the north end of Prairie Lake. Take pictures of your kids and the other wildlife in the area.