Is this legal?

[fowlmouth]

I have been practicing skipping docks behind my house with a tube. I know the season isn't open yet, but I am poking the line through the end of the tube and tying it off on a worm weight, no hook. Am I actually fishing? There is no way I could catch anything with this setup, but am i asking for trouble?

[Revtro]

I would imagine fishing requires a hook.  So my guess is that if a CO came up to you, he'd not give you a hassle about practicing casting.

[joshimoto son]

Fowlmouth,

Here's what you do...

If a C/O happens to come up to you and ask you what you're doing, ignore him... hopefully he'll go away.

If he persists... turn around and give em the business... then tell him to fly the coop.

This C/O should be intimidated and leave, but from experience, most C/O's don't and will come for you.

My suggestion then would be to hand him the pole and say, "there... you're doing it too!"

(That really gets em mad)

When he's wrestling you down to the ground to put the cuffs on, don't forget to let him know that his wife likes it this way too... that's always good for some laughs around the campfire telling stories.

Just a little advice in communicating with your local C/O


joshimoto son

[Cheetam]

I would imagine fishing requires a hook.? So my guess is that if a CO came up to you, he'd not give you a hassle about practicing casting.

When the DNR was holding the "townhall" meetings to discuss the (then) proposed catch and release season, I asked one of the CO's in attendance at the Novi meeting if fishing without a hook (and I used the example of going out and scouting for bass the week before the season opener with a tube bait with the hook cut off) was legal or illegal.  He flat out said it was illegal because you would be "targeting" a species out of season.  Would they hassle you?  Who knows, but in this guy's mind it is illegal...and he carries the ticket book.

[fowlmouth]

Good to know!  Well, I guess I'll have to learn how to skip a crappie minnow. OR... I could always head over to the community center pool! Thanks for the input. I'll just stick with the driveway for now.

[MBell]

Just fish however you want, unless your keeping fish in your posession there is no way to prove what species your targeting.
-Matt 

[DennisB.]

I would have to say no, but I would do the same thing if I lived on the water. just do it in the evening during the week. They are probably all home eating dinner anyways.

[djkimmel]

I was at the meeting when jcheetam asked the question. Things were a little tense there. I have to believe you would not get a ticket if you had no hook, but you would want to be polite and explain what you were doing. You may never get checked, especially if you just use the same dock over and over.

Now, if you are moving along casting to many different docks, there may be more skepticism. Other than a swimming pool, not really any other good ways to practice skipping. Just don't have any rods with lures out on the deck, or lures with hooks laying in sight.

There's always a risk if you get the wrong guy on the wrong day.