Author Topic: Illegal Sturgeon skins? (Read 5250 times)

criveraville · « **on:** October 21, 2013, 02:40:46 am »

I have a question for folks familiar with sturgeon fishing regulations. When trading for sturgeon skins how can you be certain the skins you get were "legal" length limit wise?

Being from Texas I never would have worried about this, but I traded for sturgeon skins with someone in Oregon or Washington a few years back and was informed that the skins I had were in fact illegal a few weeks ago based on their length. I had no idea or even thought about asking the trader if they were legal.

Thanks,
Cipriano

mullet · « **Reply #1 on:** October 21, 2013, 06:01:26 am »

Beats me. It is illegal to fish for sturgeon in Florida.

BowEd · « **Reply #2 on:** October 21, 2013, 07:10:39 am »

What are the length & limitations on sturgeon skins?Guess it might be kinda hard to tell once they're put on a bow.

mcginnis6010 · « **Reply #3 on:** October 21, 2013, 08:32:34 am »

No clue never fished for them before. Always had plans though to go to the great lakes as i hear they get huge up there and put up one heck of a fight!

Buffalogobbler · « **Reply #4 on:** October 21, 2013, 10:16:55 am »

I live by lake Erie and the sturgeon are making a comeback but it is illegal to fish for them and if you accidentilly catch one you are to return it to the water imediately.

Kevin

Ed Brooks · « **Reply #5 on:** October 21, 2013, 12:57:37 pm »

It will be hard if not imposable in most cases to make sure they are at least of legal size. In Washington State we can not have Green Sturgeon (so no Green skins) and the Whites have to be measured from the tip of the nose to the fork in the tail. The min size is 38" and max is 54", so if a skin is longer than 54" it is not from a legal fish, and would have to be pretty small to be able to tell it wasn't legal on the small size. Hope this helps, Ed

mcginnis6010 · « **Reply #6 on:** October 21, 2013, 03:18:33 pm »

Quote from: Buffalogobbler on October 21, 2013, 10:16:55 am

I live by lake Erie and the sturgeon are making a comeback but it is illegal to fish for them and if you accidentilly catch one you are to return it to the water imediately.

Kevin

Well there goes that idea

. Oh well thanks for the tip kevin. Guess ill have to make future plans for the next fish on my list and that alligator gar in Louisiana. I lived there for about 6 months but never got around to fish for gar. Ive tasted them before and they are delicious.

JacksonCash · « **Reply #7 on:** October 21, 2013, 05:25:26 pm »

Here's the regulations surrounding Lake Sturgeon in Michigan (my home state):
http://www.eregulations.com/michigan/fishing/lake-sturgeon-regulations/

Looks like all fishing for them in the big lakes isn't allowed, but there are quite a few other areas where it's okay. Check out those boundry waters! 60" minimum!

KHalverson · « **Reply #8 on:** October 21, 2013, 08:28:15 pm »

sturgeon are a cool fish
but I wouldnt be caught dead in michigan with a set of skins no matter where they came from.
the mdnr would hang ya for sure

Blaflair2 · « **Reply #9 on:** October 22, 2013, 12:30:55 am »

In NY I believe it's illegal to take the mast turds outta the water. Supposed to cut your line

Lemos · « **Reply #10 on:** October 23, 2013, 02:26:59 am »

I would say it would be hard to tell when the skins were harvested, and what was legal size at the time of harvest I'm not a big sturgeon fisherman but I see the regulations have changed quite a bit. Another thought was it hook and line or net caught, I recently acquired a skin from a commercial fisherman in Washington who said the commercial net regulations are different than line regs. Just my thoughts.

Pappy · « **Reply #11 on:** October 23, 2013, 09:35:53 am »

Man don't life get complacated,same here in Tennessee on snake skins,I have been ask by game wardens where I got them,I just always say Texas,

:)never went any father with them, like making me prove it.

Pappy

criveraville · « **Reply #12 on:** October 23, 2013, 01:46:19 pm »

Quote from: Pappy on October 23, 2013, 09:35:53 am

Man don't life get complacated,same here in Tennessee on snake skins,I have been ask by game wardens where I got them,I just always say Texas, :)never went any father with them, like making me prove it.
Pappy

Sure does Pappy.. Crazy.. Yep.. I've sent tons of Texas skins to ya

I got them too long ago and sent them for a bow I was getting in a trade. I sent pics and measurements of the skins to the person beforehand, but once the skins arrived I got a message saying from them saying the skins were "illegal" based on length and the trade was off. Bum deal and didn't make sense to me so I would like to get an idea on the particulars of the legality of it.

Cipriano

Pappy · « **Reply #13 on:** October 24, 2013, 07:09:39 am »

Ya sounds like a bum deal,guess I live in a different world,maybe I should but just never worry about it much.

I don't want Eagle feather on my arrows but other than that just don't give it much though,heck the warden's here probably don't know what a Sturgeon is.

the only time I have ever be ask about any of my gear/bows/arrows/fletching/heads was at a TTAS banquit and had some local wardens there.Had all my stuff on display and they saw it.Never been ask in the field,they just glance at my gear and usually ask if I really hunt with that stuff and then say cool,where are you License.

Pappy

bubby · « **Reply #14 on:** October 24, 2013, 05:43:07 pm »

yeah a couple a years ago I got into some pretty heated pm's with a guy on here that was a snake lover kept telling me you couldn't kill rattlers here and ended up pretty much calling me a liar even though I had the regs book and talked to the warden and biologist, and he wasn't from ca., don't even need a fishing license like ya do for other snakes

Primitive Archer