Idiots!!

Had a couple of hours to fool around before bowling tonight so I took a small beetle spin to cast from shore just for the funsies. Ended up at the bridge on White Bear Lake where I came upon 3 guys in their mid 20’s digging around in the rocks on shore. Here they had about a 24″ muskie that one of them caught and they flipped it up on the sand and let it flop there. After getting their lines staightened out they put the fish in a wire basket on a rope and put the basket in the water.
The conversation went something like this:
Me: “You know that is an ileagle fish?”
“Just a small northern”
” It’s a muskie, it’s below minimum size and season isn’t open for either fish right now.”
“Well he’s just in the basket.”
“The law reads catch and immediate release.”
“Let me check the laws. What lake are we on? Well, maybe we’ll just keep it for a picture and let it go.”
I headed for the truck to call TIP but looked back and saw them release the fish but no wonder we get a bad name once in a while. They also had a small sunfish flopping in the sand because they couldn’t decide wether to keep it or not,

Glad you said something.

Ron

Hope there is no next time. but instead of a (could be) touchy situation make the tip call. some guys just don’t get the message or game laws. a ticket in their hand will make them believers (hopefully). Jack.

I woulda got the rubber hose out

….I was dinking around with crappies the other day. Fishing alone no boats around, Here they come…..Parked twenty yards from me ………I’m TO’d…..I notice two guys in the boat and three bobbers. Thought for a minute, Finally I said “hey,…Can’t catch enough with 2 rods in the boat or what” Well I ate my foot, It was just a bobber floating around. Yup I felt like an

I like the part about its only a northern. There closed too idiot!

I stopped at teh dam a few years ago (durin walleye season), and talked to a guy who had a 8″ walleye in his bucket. He let me know he had caught a small one too, but had let that one go.

Here one for the good guys

It’s funny how big an 8 inch eye looks in the spring.

Had the same problem a couple of years ago down by Shield lake, crappie fishing the bridge.

There, people catch bass, walleyes, and pike while finding the crappies. Well, a dad brought his young daughter (around 8 or 10 years old) fishing down there. They were not catching much, but then the kid caught a 20″ northern.

What does the dad do? He puts the death grip on the eye sockets of the poor northern, like Baron Von Rashke giving the claw……..

Then, he tosses the fish into the bucket.

I gently informed him that he couldn’t keep the fish, because the season was closed. He looked at me dumbfounded…..I enlightened him when the season opened.

He responded the same way……It is just a fish…….I informed him that the game warden would feel different. As he went to release the fish, I told him not to bother, because he already killed it by squeezing the snot out it on his eye popping death grip. He was really floored when I told him that…….

Some people just don’t know or get it, or even bother to find out…….He just wanted to go fishing with his kid…..I didn’t ride the guy hard, just explained the laws. I told him that he should probably scoot out of here, go clean the fish and take some pictures of it at home before he gets fined………..

Maybe I was wrong for telling him to take it home, but the fish was not going to survive in the water, and I wasn’t going to make a big stink in front of his daughter……

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Maybe I was wrong for telling him to take it home, but the fish was not going to survive in the water, and I wasn’t going to make a big stink in front of his daughter……

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I think you did the right thing by not embarassing him in front of his little kid. I’m sure she was excited by the fish and after he basically killed it, it wasn’t going to make it. Hopefully he took the opportunity to explore the regulations about the hobby he and his daughter began to share!

I think we would shudder if we knew how many acts of poaching go on every day. There must be thousands of guys like you saw that never get caught since there are so few CO’s. Character and integrity is what makes the differnce between them and the true sportsman. Thanks for getting on their case but be careful. That type of person could be dangerous.

The TIP line is a complete joke. Chances are they won’t answer the line, and all you get is a message telling you someone will call you back the next business day! The sheriffs department won’t answer poaching calls and the wardens we do have can’t be found. I’ve brought my digital camera along and actually taken pictures of people poaching, and had a picture with a date on it, but was told there was nothing anyone could do if they weren’t caught in the act. I’ve noticed that the unlawful seem to be getting bolder as the years go by, just because they have virtually no chance of getting caught.

As a very active TIP line caller (a couple calls this week already) I’ve largely had good experiences with the TIP line with a couple real disapointments mixed in. I’ve never had my call go unanswered. It’s worth calling…. occassionally a warden is just too far off to get to the scene in time. I have always had the warden assigned to the area call me back to follow up on the incident or ask for more details.

By the way, the TIP line number is on the back of your MN fishing license.

I’ll echo James’ comments. The TIP line has always been answered by a live person for me. And every call was followed up with a return call from a CO. The TIP line does work.

-J.

Based on knowing a game warden pretty well, (Best Friend Dad), I know how busy those guys are and the financial restraints put on them by the DNR. They do not have financing or the time to check every lake, river, etc. more then every now and then. Then take a look at the amount of ground they need to cover. It is a wonder we ever see them at all. The TIP line is one of the only ways they have to monitor the areas they are responsible for. I have the utmost respect for those guys and the amount of crap they deal with on a daily basis. I don’t agree with the financial restraints placed on them, but then I don’t have a say in how the state spends there money. Keep calling in those TIPS.

All the CO’s in the upper midwest are at Mille Lacs Lake baby sitting the natives as they are doing their spring netting. They don’t have enough to do, and here we are spending $$$$$$$$ in monitoring the natives take.

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By the way, the TIP line number is on the back of your MN fishing license.

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I have it on speed dial.

Ron

In the past I have had little luck with the Illinois tip line. Not for lack of effort on the CO’s part, just too few of them, and too much ground to cover. In the last couple years, it has gotten much worse with huge budget cuts for the DNR, non-replacement of vacated positions, and strangulation by the current Gov.’s budget.
I have found a solution though, as we have a Federal Fish and Wildlife officer in the area. I have his personal cell #, and if he cannot respond, he will contact someone who can. Works pretty slick, and he is a great guy, dedicated to his work!

Thanks for the list BareBack.
Everyone should print out a copy of the directory that BareBack provided. and put it in your car, and also a copy in your boat. Good idea. Jack..

John, can a federal warden enforce state regulations? I know the violations occur on federal waters, but the states make the rules concerning the fish and game.

Yup, he has checked my fish a couple times, I watched him write a ticket to a spoonbill snagger with one too many fish, and he told me personally that one of his pet peeves is guys who are ignoring the slot limit for walleyes. He said he would do his very best to make sure someone gets to those keeping over sized fish if he heres about them. I give him a huge

Ok, then I’ll assume you’re on the waters of the Upper Mississippi Fish and Wildlife refuge system.
Runs from Rock Island to Winona.

I agree that we don’t have enough COs. Prehaps the state should look at PA. In that state they have voleenteer COs who are trained and then work about 30 hours or so a month. They are even able to work undercover and fish or hunt as the same time they work. Could you imagen what it would be like if when fishing you did not know if the guy in the next boat was a CO and he could come over and check you when you put that 1 crappie or so over your limit in the bucket. I think it would help curb the poaching in this state. From what I understand the State of PA pays for the training and uniforms and you provide the Firearm and the time.

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Ok, then I’ll assume you’re on the waters of the Upper Mississippi Fish and Wildlife refuge system.
Runs from Rock Island to Winona.

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Yup, we are that Herb! Too bad we don’t have a dozen more officers like him in the bi-state area!

I agree.

Some people are not trying to poach they are just uneducated. Maybe there should be a written test to get a fishing license and a BIG!!! fine for fishing without one.

Everett
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IF I can’t fish in heaven I’m not going

Everett, that would work…assuming they bought a fishing license