Can you keep your kids limit

[kball4]

After reviewing the WDFW website I cannot find where it gives any guidance about having an extra limit for children.  I know that 14 and under don't need a license but require a catch card.  So if you take your very young child say halibut fishing where there is no chance they are going to reel it up, can you keep their limit? 

[bowhunterwa87]

I highly doubt it. i would assume they would have to do most of the fighting of the fish.

[WSU]

They have to participate.

[trophyhunt]

I believe you can, just have them help you reel it in.  It's like clam digging, most very young kids can't pull up the gun, I just had my daughter help pull up and had her grab the razor clam.  But Im not positive, maybe bigtex can verify.

[CP]

I always did until they grew up.  Now they keep their own limit. 

[fishngamereaper]

License and participation. Clams, shrimp,crab easy to do at any age, halibut, salmon etc keep it reasonable. My kid was cranking a reel for halibut when he was 4-5. Pulling shrimp heads and finding clams at 2.

[WSU]

My kids are 4 and keep their own clam limits. They keep small fish but I haven't had them keep salmon yet because they haven't really been able to participate much. We'll see how they do this summer.

[h2ofowlr]

I guess the question would be up to the game warden if checked.  If you have a 6 month old with a 50lb halibut, you might get a ticket.  If you have a 4 or 5 year old or older your probably fine.  I used to help hold the salmon rod for mine and I would let them crank a way on it until we could net it.  They got there first opportunity for salmon with pinks.

[cavemann]

I've been checked twice with my kids while fishing and asked the game warded..  You can legally assist but ultimately they have to hold the rod and reel at some point.  He put an emphases on who is doing the "most" of the work while landing it not fighting it.

I would hook the fish and hand them off to my youngest, he didn't have an issue with it as long as my limit wasn't retained.  My other 2 kids where fishing unassisted.

[Fungunnin]

I've had a fishing license since I was two and always added two salmon to the boat. Ultimately the game warden would have to be a real --------- to push the point of whether or not the kid caught the fish.
Get an electric reel for halibut ------------------
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[Bullkllr]

I would add, you can leave the rod in the holder, and electric reels are legal.

[kball4]

Thanks all good to know, WDFW website just doesn't lay it all out black and white.

[Tinmaniac]

If they are with you they are participating.They get up early and endure long days on the water.My kids and wife and grown men for that matter catch and retain fish on my boat while they are sleeping.My favorite thing when my kids were young was to run three poles while they were below deck.When I would hear nosy,wanna be fish cop boaters mention my 3 poles,I would have the kids pop out.I miss those days!

[shadowless_nite]

If they are with you they are participating.They get up early and endure long days on the water.My kids and wife and grown men for that matter catch and retain fish on my boat while they are sleeping.My favorite thing when my kids were young was to run three poles while they were below deck.When I would hear nosy,wanna be fish cop boaters mention my 3 poles,I would have the kids pop out.I miss those days!

Hmmm.... I had my kids with me early mornings this last summer for summer steelhead on the CR and we'd catch outgoing tides sometimes around 4am. They slept in the rig while I sat on the tailgate and watched the poles. I never ran them a pole in the water until they were up and out of the rig on the sand.  Granted "participating" is hard word to define I chose not to leave it to the discretion of a warden. Especially with a million other eyes on the beach and on the water willing to turn you in for any and everything possible even if you did nothing wrong.

[lokidog]

I've been checked twice with my kids while fishing and asked the game warded..  You can legally assist but ultimately they have to hold the rod and reel at some point.  He put an emphases on who is doing the "most" of the work while landing it not fighting it.

I would hook the fish and hand them off to my youngest, he didn't have an issue with it as long as my limit wasn't retained.  My other 2 kids where fishing unassisted.

I think this is true in freshwater, but anyone can catch another person's limit in the salt.  That is how the charter boats get away with taking fish from others to supplement the limits of the pukers.