Catching your own fish

[raptor2003]

I'm heading down to fla in a few weeks and i like snorkelin and i was wonderin what the laws and limits where and if u need one if ur under 16 and where you are allowed 2 capture the fish??I'm goin 50 miles north of tampa so is there any place near tampa or clearwater or weekie wache??

 

[corky]

It is illegal unless you have a license. Hmmm, but I'll never tell.

 

[raptor2003]

why won't u tell corky please?!?!?

 

[fishin family]

I think Corky meant that he/she won't tell anyone about you not having a license!

 

[corky]

I was just trying to add a little humor as fishin family stated. There are many differing laws that are put into effect to protect wildlife. These change from state to state and are possibly even more localized. It is best to check with the local authorities as to what they allow (which isn't much!) Hey, but should a fish jump into your short pockets....

 

[option720]

Raptor2003-
I was in hawaii for my honeymoon last week and was considering doing what you want to do. Here are some things to consider. Fish live in the water and we are just visitors, what i mean is they are super fast and usually will not let you get close enough to just snag them with a net. And if you could catch one it would be so stressed that it would probably die. When they catch fish out of the ocean they dump large amounts of iodine in the water to stun the fish so that they won't become so stressed. I think you would have more fun just looking at the fish and probably have more luck just buying one at the store.

 

[rglenn828]

The Florida Marine Fisheries website has the regulations and License information. Good Luck if you decide to capture fish.
http://www.floridaconservation.org/marine/
Regards,

 

[pufferlover]

My son lives in Tampa and has gone out drag netting and caught some of his own tank fish. But in his case he takes them right home and in the tank they go. There is something to the fact that we are mainly ill equipped to catch them and move them ourselves given the chance to do so if we have to transport them a long distance.

 

[surfthearth]

get a portable aerator, a 20 gallon cooler or so, drill a hole thru top of cooler top so you can close it, and pull the hose of the aerator thru, simple as that, fish have survived 3-4 hours like this easily. once you bring them home, dip them in freshwater, and drop them in the tank, and voila!