Help settle a debate- I say the 5 bass limit still applies on a private pond. My neighbor says it doesn't. This isn't life or death- just a discussion (but I hate to be wrong!!)

It's a private pond. Owner can keep all they want. No limit applies.

^^^ Private water no bag limit or size limit

there's no fishing license required on private water, according to the annual, but it doesn't mention an exception to bag limit for private water.
oh well- I'm wrong a lot. I'm pretty used to it

Private pond = no bag limit. Eat everything in it if you want. It's your prerogative to take care of it, or not. The day they start forcing you to keep a private pond up to whatever standard they decide to set is the day we know we've gone off the deep end.

yo neighbor is right which makes you...

Wrong.

I'm pretty sure there are not ant bag limits on private waters.

The folks above are correct, no restrictions on private water.

The only issue you might run into is if a game warden happens to stop you traveling between the private lake and your home (like that's ever happened). It may be difficult to prove an ice chest full of largemouth came from private water and not public. Fat chance of that obviously but it's something to consider.

Been on a Private Bass Lease for 9 years and we cull 20 to 60 out almost every time we go. I even asked the game warden once at a gas station if I bring 30 bass home and release in another pond would it be illegal and he said no. I went on to ask him how would he not know that they came out of a public lake and he said it's my word against his, he said there wasn't any way he could enforce it.

You can take from private waters and put back in private waters but you can't take from private to public or public lake to public lake.

I've always wondered about when we used to fish the Roadrunner style events. Let's say I put in Bob Sandlin at the same park where the Monty ramp is and I catch a limit of bass on Sandlin. I pull my boat out of the water and as I am getting my boat tied down ready to leave the park the GW comes up and wants to see my catch. Let's say I have a limit of 3-4 pounders in my well.

I tell the GW I just came from Sandlin where the length limit is 14" minimum. Monty has a slot limit of 14-24". Now what??

whatever it takes to keep the private water healthy

Your wrong.