No real reason to be mad…

My wife, a couple friends, and I decided to go out for a little shore fishing tonight (as my truck is out of commission for a few days). We decided to head down to Kinnikinnick State Park, because it is close and has been productive before.

Normally, we’d walk down the peninsula to where the Kinni meets the St Croix, but as that is all flooded we had to set up poles in a less than ideal place. After a while the park rangers pulled, up checked our licenses, and they informed us that we were fishing in a swimming beach and that we’d have to move.

Now I know that the law is the law, and I can’t be mad about them enforcing it. They pointed to the buoys in the water and said that they marked the end of the beach and that we could fish on the other side of them… a 20 foot area between the buoy and shore.

One of the officers asked who two of the poles belonged to.. So I told him that they were mine. Then he asked who was fishing with them. Really?!?!?

I get that it was a beach, but it was dark out, flooded, no one was swimming, and there wasn’t anywhere else we could actually fish without getting wet. I just got the feeling that the rangers wanted us out of the park, even though we are allowed to be there as long as we’re actively fishing (swimmers are not allowed to be there after park-close). We weren’t fishing in a fish sanctuary… It’s a crappy situation all around, and they were just doing their job.

-Mike

So you’re saying you had a reason to be fishless and didn’t need to make up an excuse like Pug does huh?

I guess you could look at the bright side Mike, they didn’t give you a ticket.

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… and they were just doing their job.

-Mike

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I disagree here. Their job is to protect the fishery and keep people safe. They did neither of these. They simply exerted their power in an unnecessary situation, further proving the point of many who think gov’t has gotten out of control.

The laws are there to give them the authority to tell people to stop doing things that are harmful in one way or another. However, they also have the freedom to use common sense and discretion. All officers have the freedom to look the other way on harmless minor infractions like this. Just like the troopers who decide NOT to pull over people who are driving 56 mph in a 55.

Just because something is illegal doesn’t necessarily mean they HAVE to enforce that law at any given time. It just gives them the ABILITY to enforce it.

There are millions of examples other than the 56 mph thing. It’s illegal to hang men’s and women’s underwear on the same clothesline in MN, but I wouldn’t say that a cop who gives out tickets for doing so was “just doing his job”.

To me, it sounds like rather than doing their job, they were just being jackwads. At least that’s my 2 cents.

I have nothing against most wardens. I have ran into a lot of good ones

But in this case…. I’m also gong with jackwads

How old where they?

I’m not sure what your river conditions are there but I don’t think to many are in swimming conditions yet!!!

You did the right thing by not arguing with them. Sounds like they would have just made matters worse.

Interesting take aanderud.

I aways thought that fishing in a swimming area wasn’t allowed because of the chance of break off’s and hooks laying on the bottom. Of course fishing while people are swimming would be another scenario.

Kinda like not having glass containers on the beach.

Swimming Beaches are closed to fishing.

Pack it up and move on….

Dog

BK – You are correct.

They want to keep hook, lures, etc out of swimming areas.

I have to fish around beaches – all the time in the Metro. I have been reminded and the warden showed the law – from the fishing handbook, to me.

Just comes with the territory.

Actually, makes sense, when you think about it. How would you like to come up with a Lindy Rig hooked to your foot?

Dog

So, if you are driving 80MPH in a 55MPH road in the middle of the night and no one is around, it is ok? I would say that their job is to enforce the law, not to interpret it. You are wrong, let it go.

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BK – You are correct.

They want to keep hook, lures, etc out of swimming areas.

I have to fish around beaches – all the time in the Metro. I have been reminded and the warden showed the law – from the fishing handbook, to me.

Just comes with the territory.

Actually, makes sense, when you think about it. How would you like to come up with a Lindy Rig hooked to your foot?

Dog

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I would agree but why wouldn’t a warden put it to you like that?

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One of the officers asked who two of the poles belonged to.. So I told him that they were mine. Then he asked who was fishing with them. Really?!?!?

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This always makes me think they are looking for more. That’s why I ask how old they were.
If it is a warden that has been around for awhile he already knew who was fishing with them poles before stepping out
Like I said, I’ve hit some very nice wardens. But there is still the one that comes along every now and then lacking in people skills.

I wasn’t there at the time either and might have read more into it than I should have.

Remember these are WI State Park Rangers.

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Remember these are WI State Park Rangers.

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Aaaaah… licensed to kill

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BK – You are correct.

They want to keep hook, lures, etc out of swimming areas.

I have to fish around beaches – all the time in the Metro. I have been reminded and the warden showed the law – from the fishing handbook, to me.

Just comes with the territory.

Actually, makes sense, when you think about it. How would you like to come up with a Lindy Rig hooked to your foot?

Dog

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Exactly. Has nothing to do with being dark, flooded and no one was swimming. How would you like your kids to hit that beach and get a hook in them? There is a reason for the law other than to be dinks. They did their job.

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I aways thought that fishing in a swimming area wasn’t allowed because of the chance of break off’s and hooks laying on the bottom.

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I was brainstorming after I made this post and came to the same conclusion… Anyway, there is a designated swimming beach, but it’s not like swimming is actually limited to this beach. Maybe it wouldn’t bother me so much if they posted “no swimming signs” in the rest of the park.

And, there were two officer/ranger/wardens or whatever you want to call them (they have guns and can enforce the law (but technically speaking, they were rangers)). One younger guy and an old one.

-Mike

I know the two you speak of!

I think the average person would see the designated swimming area and know they are on their owe in other areas. I mean there isn’t a sign for no nude bathing either.