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The 'black eye' thing was just a figure of speech. I just figured I stepped on your toes by posting in this forum. Don't seem to be many women in here. Felt like a bad vibe...like the ones I got when entering AOL chat rooms 15 years ago...girls can be nasty..here in Illinois a lot of women are just that - NASTY! I only have a few girlfriends. Most talk S*** behind your back or try to go after another girl's man, or think you're after theirs etc. I was raised a tomboy...in the mud...on private lakes....where I caught as many fish, frogs & turtles that I wanted. I started working for this magazine 10 years ago from home. When I'm not working, I do enjoy camping and fishing, but never had the need for that many fish. We had just moved, money was tight. Would never purposely want to break the law or steal fish by fishing public waters. had permission to take as many as we wanted. Shoulda had a potluck instead. fine. Maybe you coulda brought the grits! Grits are hard to come by here....but they sure are good! I didn't meant to get off on the wrong foot. Just needed advice for them...not me. You know, Deb, you are a well-spoken woman. We just started a WOW section (Women's Outdoor World) in our magazine. Perhaps you'd like to send in some articles or photos? We think more women should get involved & be introduced to the great outdoors. Feel free to send them to beckyaso @ insightbb.com Anyone else can too. ASO is a free magazine so your submissions must be of your own free will and without compensation I'm afraid. I barely scrape by myself....but for a divorced mama of 2 starting all over, it pays the bills! Thanks for all the input everyone!

"As far as how we would feel if it were our property, that's not the circumstances." But that was my question for all of you. I have appologized profusely and admitted fault. I wasn't asking for more attacks.

:'( Thanks a lot guys. I'd take it like a man if I were one. The (very) old guy who owns the land had been the only one fishing it for years. He told these two guys they could take what ever they wanted because the one put a roof on his house a couple years ago. The lake is over populated. They only fished for a couple hours and said they threw a whole bunch of real small ones back. I don't want to sound arrogant or hateful BUT You know, seems to me that if I dug a lake on my property, paid for baby fish to put in it and a few years down the road wanted to catch a whole bunch to have, say, a family reunion, the state law shouldn't apply to my lake or my fish that I purchased. Just my opinion. I understand AND FOLLOW state laws pertaining to any other body of water. BUT I SWEAR TO GOD WE DIDN'T KNOW THAT PERSONALLY OWNED & STOCKED BODIES OF WATER WERE GOVERNED BY STATE LAW. I am so sorry for ticking everyone off. Definitely not my intention. I've spoken to many people here who didn't know they couldn't take as many fish as they wanted from their very own lakes. Years ago, in Groveland, a private township, there were no real limits set because we, as homeowners, paid dues to stock the lakes each year. Just a few years ago, we had to set limits because of outsiders making their way to our lakes. Yes we were ticked because WE paid for the fish for OUR use, not everyone else's. We would never dream of stealing - or poaching - fish, as someone stated. Can I please get an 'AMEN' from someone ANYONE who feels the same way about their own lake? I know I'm not the only one who feels this way. And I KNOW there can't possibly be only perfect, non-self-righteous people in this sportsmen's forum

I am ignorant of the law :-( But we did have a lot of people over. Those fish bearely fed us all. That's the only reason they went fishing at the private lake to begin with...so they could bring home a bunch. Stinks for me because I feel like I got them in trouble by printing their photo & info :-( But if I can't find that law in print somewhere....like in the 2007 guide, maybe they won't fine us too heavily. ??

Regarding a Central ILLINOIS private lake - Not sure if it's fenced or posted private/no tres. Here's the story.... My guy & his friend went fishing on another friend's private property. They assumed that since it was a privately stocked & maintained lake that there was no limit as long as they had the OK from the property owner. Anyway, the 2 guys came back with 30 lbs. of largemouth bass...approx. 25 fish total. I create a hunting/fishing magazine online and I feel stupid for doing this, but I printed the photo along with their names in my magazine. Before doing so, I searched the 2007 Illinois guide & couldn't find anything about private lake limits. SOOO here's the deal....we had a visit from the Conservation Police last night. Someone in the Dept. saw the photo. BUSTED! Evidently even on private lakes the limit is 6 per person. My guy was fined $52 & given a notice to appear for having 13 largemouth bass. We felt stupid for not knowing the law, but where is it stated? I need advice because he could be fined $100's depending on how the judge is feeling the day he goes to court. Need a leg to stand on. We honestly didn't even know a private lake limit existed. PLEASE HELP!!!! email me ASAP with any info or advice! THANKS SO MUCH! beckyaso @ insightbb.com