Rule 1501:31-13-14 | Walleye and yellow perch daily bag limits in the lake Erie sport fishing district.
In accordance with inter-agency fisheries quota management on lake Erie, this rule establishes annual walleye, sauger, saugeye and yellow perch daily bag limits in the lake Erie sport fishing district that will prevent sport harvest in excess of quota allocations for these fish species.
Each year, a total allowable catch (TAC) will be determined for one walleye and three yellow perch stocks by the lake Erie committee of the great lakes fishery commission. Ohio's annual TAC for walleye will be derived using an area-based formula of walleye habitat within Ohio's jurisdiction in the western and central basins of lake Erie. Ohio's annual TACs for yellow perch will be derived using an area-based formula for the Ohio jurisdiction in the west (lake Erie yellow perch management unit 1), west-central (lake Erie yellow perch management unit 2), and east-central (lake Erie yellow perch management unit 3) basins and associated quotas will be issued for each management unit as defined in rule 1501:31-1-02 of the Administrative Code.
Based upon Ohio's walleye TAC and based upon Ohio's yellow perch TAC for each lake Erie yellow perch management unit, the seasonal daily bag limit for walleye, sauger or saugeye and yellow perch will be determined by using the tables listed in paragraphs (B) and (C) of this rule. The bag limits will be posted on the Ohio division of wildlife website at wildohio.gov, in a statewide news release, and in a printed pamphlet prior to May first.
(A) Bag limits for walleye, sauger or saugeye and yellow perch will take effect on May first each year.
(B) It shall be unlawful for any person to take or possess more than the daily bag limit of walleye, sauger or saugeye, singly or in the aggregate in the lake Erie sport fishing district as determined in the following table and published by the division and posted on the Ohio division of wildlife website at wildohio.gov:
| A | B | C |
| Ohio TAC (numbers of fish) | Daily bag limit for walleye, sauger or saugeye May 1- last day of February in the lake Erie sport fishing district | Daily bag limit for walleye, sauger and saugeye March 1- April 30 in the lake Erie sport fishing district |
| Greater than or equal to 3,000,000 | 6 | 6 |
| 950,000 to less than 3,000,000 | 6 | 4 |
| 850,000 to less than 950,000 | 5 | 4 |
| 750,000 to less than 850,000 | 4 | 4 |
| 650,000 to less than 750,000 | 3 | 3 |
| 550,000 to less than 650,000 | 2 | 2 |
| Less than or equal to 550,000 | 1 | 1 |
(C) It shall be unlawful for any person to take more than thirty yellow perch in a calendar day from the lake Erie sport fishing district. Provided further, it shall be unlawful for any person to take or possess more than the daily bag limit of yellow perch in any lake Erie yellow perch management unit, as determined in the following table and published by the division and posted on the Ohio division of wildlife website at wildohio.gov:
| Daily Bag limit | Lake Erie Yellow Perch Management Unit 1 Ohio TAC (Pounds of Fish) | Lake Erie Yellow Perch Management Unit 2 Ohio TAC (Pounds of Fish) | Lake Erie Yellow Perch Management Unit 3 Ohio TAC (Pounds of Fish) |
| 30 | Greater than or equal to 800,000 | Greater than or equal to 1,600,000 | Greater than or equal to 800,000 |
| 20 | 400,000 to 799,999 | 800,000 to 1,599,999 | 400,000 to 799,999 |
| 10 | Less than 400,000 | Less than 800,000 | Less than 400,000 |
Last updated November 1, 2024 at 9:00 AM
Supplemental Information