Quote:
Originally Posted by james92026
doesn't exactly say easy reach, but immediately available...
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Quote:
No person shall take finfish from any boat or other floating device in ocean waters without having a landing net in possession or available for immediate use to assist in landing undersize fish of species having minimum size limits; the opening of any such landing net shall be not less than eighteen inches in diameter.
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Yep that is the reg.
You have to use some common sense with these things.
Like I said when they came up with that reg it was designed for boats (if I remember correctly sportboats) where people were up off the water. In the old days sportboats didn't carry nets only gaffs. So that reg forced them to carry nets for releasing small fish.
Kayaks tubes and other floating devices are considered the same as boats as far as the reg is concerned so we technically have to have a landing net in possession or available for immediate use.
The only net specification for the net is that the net has to have an opening 18 inches in diameter. It doesn't say that the net has to have a rigid frame, or a pole, a handle, or hoop structure, it just has to have the right sized opening. So according to my buddy at the DFG it can legally be a bag type net like I carry.
Any net anywhere on your kayak even under the deck is obviously in your possession, and since they are always right there at arms length even nets below the deck are available for use. In comparison most private boaters keep thier nets tied down under a gunnel or in in thier cabins.
So basically any kind of net with an opening of more then 18 inches anywhere on or in your kayak is going to meet the reg. If a warden asks you about your net all you have to do is produce one and you are good.
Believe it or not wardens for the most part are not idiots. They know damn well that kayakers don't need the nets, even though by law we are required to carry them. Personally I do not know of anyone who has been cited for not having I net while kayaking in California, or even fishing a boat in California, but I still carry a net under deck in order to meet the regs minimum requirement if asked about it.
Jim