Can 2 fish over slot be retained in a team tournament?

Since there are two anglers on board the boat. Had a tournament director say you could but I was just double checking.

I have always been told no

Depends on the tournament rules but if you do you only get one over per fisherman and that's a state law. I think that's correct.

depends on the tournament. Some say only one over per team or boat. Ask to make sure.

Depends on the tourney rules, they will typically address it. By law it must be caught by different team members. This kind of stuff can come into play with unders also. Was in a team tourney on oh ivie several years back and partner had to cancel at last minute. Had 2 over 18 inches and culled unders all day but couldn't get limit cause you can only keep 2 under 18. On the up side it wouldn't have mattered tied for no money either way.

in 2014 on Lk Fork - Basschamps.. i believe a Team caught 2 overs and it counted.

http://www.basschamps.com/results.cfm?tournament_id=210&type=team&yearSelected=2014

20lbs - 3 fish...

Depends on tournament. But be prepared for a polygraph asking if each person caught an over, not one angler catching both

Depends on tournament rules and how specific they are on this. Regulations allow the transfer of a wildlife resource to another person and thus removes that resource from your possession limit. So, if you catch two overs then you can legally give one to your partner.

TRANSFER OF WILDLIFE RESOURCES
A person may give, leave, receive, or possess any species of legally taken wildlife resource, or part of the resource, that is
required to have a tag or permit attached or that is protected by a bag or possession limit if the wildlife resource is
accompanied by a Wildlife Resource Document (WRD) (see pg. 100) from the person who killed or caught the wildlife
resource. Also at: www.tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/outdoor-annual/hunting/general-regulations/transfer-of-wildlife
• For deer or antelope, a properly executed WRD shall accompany the wildlife resource or part of the resource
until it reaches its fi nal destination and is quartered (see Defi nitions, pg. 54, 55). For turkey, the WRD must
remain attached until the turkey reaches its fi nal destination and is fi nally processed (see pg. 54).
- NO WRD is required to possess a wildlife resource that is required to be tagged if the wildlife resource
is tagged.
• For all other wildlife resources except aquatic resources (for aquatic resources, see “Possession Limit,”
pg. 32), a properly executed WRD shall accompany the wildlife resource until it reaches the possessor’s
permanent residence or a cold storage/processing facility, except:
- NO WRD is required if a person receiving the wildlife resource does not exceed the possession limit
(exception: see Migratory Game Birds - Documentation, pg. 69).
- A person may use the WRD provided in this guide (pg. 100) or a handwritten WRD document that
includes the same required information may be used.
NOTE: No WRD is required when the entire carcass of a deer (including head, which may be skinned or
unskinned) or antelope (including head, which must be unskinned) is given to, or transported by, another
person if the tag from the hunter’s license and other required permits or the pronghorn permit remains
attached until the carcass reaches its fi nal destination and is quartered.

That's easy,

Set the hook. Hand the rod to your partner. Like I do my 3 year old. Then he caught the fish

Youll just have go read that tournament trails rules. Say your fishing lake fork in a team tournament, the slot is 16-24. Usually its a 5 fish limit between you and your partner, meaning 4 unders and 1 over. Certian trails may do it differently so just check the rules to make sure.

A team won Fork Bass Champs with 2 overs a year or so ago.

Ive seen a lot of limits with more than two unders weighed in where limit is 2 unders per person.

Ive yet to hear anyone question as to whether each fisherman each caught two.

Unless tournament rules state 1 over, why would overs be treated any differently.

I have a hard time catching one over, so I don't have to worry about it!

When a trail specifically limits a team to one fish "over the slot", usually that means they are trying to be more fair to the single angler fishing as a team. In a trail like Champs when they did allow 2 overs (but the site limits stipulated the overs must be caught by different anglers), a single angler was at a major disadvantage.

But like has been said, each trail has there own rules for these special situations when they hit a slot lake. That's also why some trails just refuse to fish them.

Good luck with the Polygraph on that one...

Yes. Each individual in the boat is legally able to catch 1 over each in their limit. But it has to be caught by each angler.

Now......there are some tournaments which will only allow you to weigh 1 over in. But most will let you weigh 2 in your limit.

I think maybe he was referring to a lake like Jacksonville where you are only allowed 2 fish under 18". Maybe.

Is there a special exception for that?

That's the lakes I'm referring to as well. I've seen a number of teams weigh in 4 unders and have 1 person state that their partner caught all the fish that day. In team tournaments I've never heard of anyone being asked if each person caught 2 unders, or if 1 person caught more than 2 unders. If you are lucky enough to cull your unders (which can happen all day on Alan Henry), can anyone honestly say after several culls who each fish in that livewell?

If it doesn't matter with unders, why does it matter with overs?

Good point. I'll admit I don't really pay attention to it.

I remember the old Axton night tournaments back in the day before the slot changed and it was common to catch over the slot fish. We had two weigh ins and were allowed to bring in 2 over the slot fish at each weigh in to go with 3 more under the slot fish. There were many times me and my partner would bring in 2 overs for each weigh in but I don't remember anyone ever asking who caught what. Then again I remember 4 over the slot fish by themselves not even getting you in the money with the likes of Dreabon Joiner and others winning all the time with the limits and fish they brought in.

I question it. In fact I have had this discussion over email with two folks from bud light and refuse to fish them anymore because of the way they handle this rule at Ivie and Alan Henry. Its against state law if each person doesn't contribute two of the fish weighed in my opinion and without a polygraph how will you know.

So if you and your partner each catch multiple unders, cull several times, and must weigh in 4 unders, are you telling me you are going to be 100% certain at the end of the day that you caught 2 of the unders weighed in and your partner caught the other 2 unders weighed in? If your partner is sticking 2.5 lb unders and you are catching 1.5 lb unders, I'm betting you show up to the weigh in with 4 unders that weigh 10 lbs.


I have been checked several times with more than two unders in my livewell on Alan Henry, and I've never been asked by the game warden how many of them I caught.

You could keep them separate in the livewells, right?

Sure you can. I'm just curious if ANYONE is actually doing this. Not saying their isn't a way. Only saying I know of NO ONE that is doing this. It is an interesting question for sure. I completely understand the argument that each angler much be responsible for 2 fish each, just have never seen anyone question it before.

Easy, approach it like an individual tourney keeping each partners fish on one side of the livewell, (overs don't matter in this approach) cull your own fish and at the weigh in combine. Your above situation is my problem with it. Thats why I don't fish them anymore. Its my opinion maybe but I believe thats against the state regulations. In your example if you had a family of four all on the boat together that had licenses but only the dad was fishing and he caught eight unders and kept them all - its the same thing and I think its wrong.

But that is the law... It is 'per person' yes, but based on all those fishing or eligible. How do you think guides handle it when they have a boat full for striper fishing?

This might shed some light: http://www.lsonews.com/john-keith-61/
Its not the law - the law is per person - maybe its hard to enforce because proving that in a court could be extremly difficult for the state especially since polygraphs aren't accepable in court, but its still against the law. I couldn't pass a poly if I did it in a tournament - and don't care to fish against those who have no problem with it.