Reply by: malty falcon      Posted: 10/6/2012 10:31:55 AM     Points: 1115    

I think they are illegal in CO, they are no fun, not sporting at all. The locals use them sometimes in Mexico for commercial fishing.

 Reply by: regulatedhobbyist      Posted: 10/6/2012 3:40:19 PM     Points: 315    

I've been looking at the regs, and apparently we can use them. I've never tried them before, malty why would they be unsporting

 Reply by: IceFishingFool      Posted: 10/6/2012 6:37:36 PM     Points: 4379    

Ive used hand lines many times, when fishing for catfish in California growing up, All rules pertaining to amount of hooks applies, and you have to be tending the line at all times and not leave it unattended, or it would be classed as a set line. You dont have a rod/pole to play the fish,

 Reply by: El Jefe      Posted: 10/6/2012 7:35:05 PM     Points: 101    

Interesting question regulatedhobbyist.

Last year I met an individual out ice fishing that had baits down five different ice holes at once. When I questioned what he was doing, he pointed out that this practice was perfectly legal.
When I checked the regulations, I saw that he was, in fact, absolutely correct.
(He DID have a second rod stamp and could have legally been fishing six holes at once).

 Reply by: IceFishingFool      Posted: 10/6/2012 10:09:02 PM     Points: 4379    

El Jefe Maybe you should enlighten us on what he was doing and with what. I believe an explaination is in order.

 Reply by: regulatedhobbyist      Posted: 10/6/2012 10:59:31 PM     Points: 315    

IceFishingFool - I agree. It would seem that even if not using any rods at all, one could only assumedly and effectively handle two. Unless this guy had something he wasn't sharing.

El Jefe - How could he have used that many hand lines and it been legal. I thought that a hand line counted as a 'rod,' hence the need for a second rod stamp.

Besides, I thought we could only have two lines in at one time here in Colorado.

 Reply by: ZZZ      Posted: 10/6/2012 11:41:27 PM     Points: 1124    

My guess would be that he had one common line with three separate leaders going to three different holes, and a second common line with two separate leaders going into another two holes.

Every time he caught a fish he would be pulling in the common line which would remove all three (or two) hooks from the water at the same time.

It would be similar to having a second rod stamp and fishing from shore with three separate hooks per line. You would have six baits in the water at any given time but every time you reeled in a line you would be bringing in three of those baits.

I don't know how a ranger would interpret that in an ice fishing situation, but it would be interesting to find out.

Tight Lines...zzz

 Reply by: El Jefe      Posted: 10/7/2012 9:28:57 AM     Points: 101    

ZZZ,

You're absolutely correct. The law states that a fisherman may have no more than three hooks (with common shank) on each line. He had two lines that ran across the ice. At each hole, he would run a dropper line to the single hook at the end. Thus, he WAS completely legal as he had a second rod stamp. (In fact, he could have been fishing out of three holes simultaneously).
Within the letter of the law, but perhaps not the spirit.
It would allow someone "dead-sticking" sucker baits for lakers to cover a lot of area at once.
(God help the snowmobiler that might come by and hook the line with his skid :-)

 Reply by: IceFishingFool      Posted: 10/7/2012 9:35:58 AM     Points: 4379    

Thats what I envisioned

 Reply by: regulatedhobbyist      Posted: 10/7/2012 1:21:55 PM     Points: 315    

So, I get the ethical issue above. But is using your hand/arm to pull a fish in worse or unsporting as compared to using a rod? And I thought you could only have two hooks per line.

 Reply by: KingFisher13      Posted: 10/7/2012 2:09:06 PM     Points: 92    

.

 Reply by: wgrafel      Posted: 10/8/2012 5:24:23 PM     Points: 0    

My experience is that with a hand line you have a better change at feeling light strikes and depending on conditiions you can be more productive with a hand line than with a rod and reel. I can tell you that they are way more productive when fishing rough waters due to the sensetivity. You'll feel strikes on a hand line that you'll miss with a rod and reel when the boat is pitching up and down. If nothing else, it's worth trying just for the experience as long as it's legal on the water you're fishing.

 Reply by: hotrox54      Posted: 10/8/2012 5:40:23 PM     Points: 15    

Even with rod and reel trolling I always keep a touch on the line. Also while bait fishing from shore especially at night. Always a chance you miss a light hit while distracted.