Open Letter to Red Wing Water Patrol/DNR

one Other thing if anybody other than Brian K started this thread they woulda had there arse handed to them.

^ Wrong on two out of three counts.

I don’t know if anyone was “pinched” .

500 feet is not a federal thing.

and lastly, thank you for holding me in such high regard, but it really does distract from the post.

BK what about my point that if they sit there, then the people who willingly and knowingly fish the area, will just wait for the sheriff to leave.

I guess it comes down to if you think the people who are going to fish it are ignorant of the regulation or arrogant to the law.

Quote:

---

I guess it comes down to if you think the people who are going to fish it are ignorant of the regulation or arrogant to the law.

---

I like to believe in positive intentions. Call me gullible…I’ve been called worse.

I just assumed there were actual confirmed payable tickets written versus written or verbal warnings. I guess we dont see a lot of warnings these days so maybe they all were tickets.

We were visited by the DNR CO and had a pass by from the Sheriff while along the lock side. It appeared the Sheriff
was using binoculars to check for proper boat registrations…while the CO checked everyone’s licenses. He also gave us a complete, albeit grim, fishing report…”checked 16 boats clustered below the “Y”, he said… only 2 small Sauger and one legal walleye among them…
I fish below the Wisc Dam side a lot because I enjoy casting jigs/plastic in that area. The Spawning Restricted Area sign is old but plenty big enough to see. I’ve often thought a bright colored, informative seasonal poster at the boat launch would be a good reminder for all…especially newbies…to watch for the protected area.

Speaking of scour holes and wintering fish…P-4 is one of the few places I know where those are NOT protected until an early or regular season opener…But I am not looking to open a can of worms…the law is the law…if we don’t like them then we must use our voice or our vote…

Quote:

---

Is it legal for me to get a Sheriff decal on the side of my boat?

---

Yeah, but you could put “Sheritt” and just say you named your boat!

They are not all in “marked” boats either. My uncle and I were fishing the dam area last spring and there were a couple guys fishing next to us in a brown Lund Alaskan. We both noticed that they had their heads on a swivel most of the morning. They moved out of the area and then about 30 minutes later they were back, sporting uniforms and badges that were previously not shown. They wrote several tickets and they were on their way. Sometimes you might not even know you were checked, but you were.

They do it down here too. One did it last year after the big white bass raid. We were all lined up fishing and here comes the CO in plain clothes, with an old tackle box and and old rod. He stood in the middle of us and had his head on a swivel. Took all of 2 minutes for everyone to realize who he was. Every fish caught he was leaning over looking to see if it went on a stringer or back in. He thought he was being sneaky.

Just finished talking to Deputy Sheriff Swivel-head.

After reading my post he explained to me (rest assured he’ll correct me if I don’t get this right )

When Leo’s are up near the no fish area few and most of the time none go into the area. When they slip back or leave and come back folks end up in the no fish zone. It works that way all the time.

People fishing up there want fish and if it’s closed off so there must be fish there.. that’s where they go to fish.

He went on to say the Sheriff’s Dept doesn’t get any funding from the tickets they write, it all goes to the State because they are State laws.

(I will add this was a Pierce Co Sheriff and he was talking about WI. MN may or may not be different)

So I’ll summarize our talk in my own words.

Most of the SOB’s that are fishing in the No Fish Zone know what they are doing and do it when Big Brother Swivel-Head isn’t around. Or so they think.

A WI Sheriff Deputy can write as many (or as few) tickets as he/she wants. The Dept and officer get paid the same.

Moral of this thread? There’s a No Fish Zone below Dam #3, might want to stay out of there and if you do decided to fish there, be ready to give your autograph to the nice officer that’s doing his job.

On final note, I asked if he was in a patrol boat lately. He said Sunday. I asked if he wrote any tickets in the No Fish Zone?

Nope, not a one but there were a few written in the Red Wing No Wake Zone for being on plane.

Sounds like only people breaking the law are getting tickets. Perfect.

Someone owes me an apology.

Also, you think calling him swivel head is a good idea since he now knows you?

Quote:

---

Someone owes me an apology.

Also, you think calling him swivel head is a good idea since he now knows you?

---

I’m sorry. But now I’ll have to go back to read what I’m sorry about. Tomorrow…maybe.

He’s known me for a good long while and come to think of it, calls me worse things. LOL!

This is from the last time he checked up on me whilst I was napping.

Well, at least that’s who I think did it. I was napping.

I just want an apology! Not for anything in particular. My ego is low in the tank and I need some filling.

I’m sorry your ego was stifled in the global warming thread.

How’s that?

Quote:

---

I just want an apology! Not for anything in particular. My ego is low in the tank and I need some filling.

---

You sound like a politician, but ok…. You’re Sorry. How’s that?

Quote:

---

I’m sorry your ego was stifled in the global warming thread.

How’s that?

---

Close enough. I’ll take it.

Quote:

---

You sound like a politician, but ok…. You’re Sorry. How’s that?

---

Close enough. I’ll take it.