Confrontations on the water

[FloydianSlip 0]

I just read an article from http://www.wwdoak.com/byhook.htm. It brought an interesting point that allowing people to fish waters may be the only method of stopping illegal activity on the water.

 

Are there any stories out there of people actually stopping or confronting illegal acitvity? What were the results of your efforts?

 

Illegal activity includes poaching, fishing without a license, or any regs that are broken in your area.

 

I've only had an argument once with a spin caster who was annoyed at a fly fishing only regulation on a river. Nothing came of it, and I didn't report it. I also never saw him on the water again.

 

Anyone else?

[SullyTM 0]

FloydianSlip...

 

I don't have any sympathy for those who don't follow the laws and guidelines established for fishing. Locally, when I see anglers without their licenses displayed I casually ask if they have one and in the same breath say the the local game wardens patrol every day...That usually sends them home. Now, the poachers and snaggers...I have the local game warden's office on speed dial. And if I see illegal dumping and/or throwing of trash into the water I'll report the offenders also. I give any authority a description of the offending individuals...I am careful about how I "confront" people, however, if I don't make an effort it'll only get worse.

 

Get your local State Fish & Game enforcement number. At least you can call and report illegal activity without confronting people. Maybe F&G will put your water on a "to visit" list. My 2 cents worth...SullyTM

[Steeldrifter 0]

I dont go looking for trouble, but there has been a few times I had to confront someone about snagging. The rivers here in MI are full of snaggers during the salmon seaon so if I confronted everyone I saw I wouldnt have time to fish myself, but a can think of a few times off hand. Once was when a guy a little ways away from me started trying to snag a salmon I had hooked and was already fighting. I didnt say anything while I was fighting the fish, but after I landed and released the fish I walked over to the guy and let him know on no uncertian terms that if he didnt take his ocean rod and treble hook and get out of my sight I was going to stick that rod somewhere rather unpleasent for him ....he turned and left without even saying a word.

 

I'm not a small guy by any stretch, at 6'6" & 310lbs I can take care of myself to say the least, but I usually dont try to get into an argument on the river. Just because I'm not out there to look for trouble, and in todays world you never know if a low life on thats snagging is packin a gun or knife, but on occasion I just couldnt let something go without doing or saying something about it.

[burninbriar 0]

I cary a fishnet style bag on my wadeing belt for garbage and when I see people who are in the mists of trash and doing nothing about it I make it obvious that I'm picking it up in hopes that they will think twice about tossing trash , or better yet , maybee they will get a bag of there own and join the effort. I think yelling at a litter bug will make them litter more just to spite you.

[mb82 0]

I normally don't confront people. except my buddies who seem to think it is OK to throw their cigarette butts in the water... funny thing is these two guys are Ecology majors with me and one of them is the biggest litterer I know. I have gotten to the point I don't fish with them anymore because I don't want to be seen with people like that.

[Steeldrifter 0]

I normally don't confront people. except my buddies who seem to think it is OK to throw their cigarette butts in the water... funny thing is these two guys are Ecology majors with me and one of them is the biggest litterer I know. I have gotten to the point I don't fish with them anymore because I don't want to be seen with people like that.

 

 

 

Thats a HARD habit to break right there bud. Years ago I use to do that myself, but anymore I always try to stick my cig butts in my vest pocket.....but if you get to sitting there talking to your fishing buddy or start day dreaming about something then without even thinking you just flick it into the water out of habit :wallbash:

[mb82 0]

SD normally I don't really say much to them about the butts. I might crack a little joke or something about it but what gets me is the Soda Bottles and stuff like that. They are freeking Ecology majors they should know better then that.

[Kodiak Commando 0]

I see snaggers all the time and rarely confront them seriously, usually i just crack jokes about them or really rub it in their face when i get a salmon to bite. I never really worry because most of the snaggers are short skinny asians and i'm 6'7' and nearly as heavy as SD ( only i'm all muscle :flex: :whistle: )

[Steeldrifter 0]

Muscle in your mouth dont count KC

[Bud Guidry 0]

the sexiness from us big guys just ozzzzzzes from our skin, right Steve?

 

steve?

 

hello, Steve?

 

 

you there Steve?

 

hello?

 

 

 

Bud

[Sjo Crapels 0]

I once warned a guy because I thought he did not know the rules. We were fishing a water where barbless hooks are obligatory and he did not react to my warning. I then told him that there were frequent controls on the water and he told me to mind my own business. I rolled over the floor laughing my ass off when I saw him one hour later going to his car without his fishing gear which was confiscated by the German police.

 

I once warned people who were taking trout off a Catch and Release water and they reacted very agressively. They warned me and said that they knew where my car was or would I rather be molested in person right away. I stopped fishing and called the police who did not come. It was no priority for them.

 

Since then I mind my own business.

Sjo

[day5 0]

I tell any one I see breackin any rules that they are not following the law! Most of them act like Oh well I did not know some are Putzes about it.

[Sean Juan 0]

I was physically attacked twice by crazy anti-fishing people - once when I was a kid. Some people are simply deranged.

 

The bulk of the time that I have "confronted" rule breakers it was with folk who simply didn't know the rules - a simple "Hey that fish is too small to keep," does the trick sometimes I even get thanked. For those actually poaching I report it but I don't carry a cell phone so unfortunately I doubt it does much good.

 

 

[TerryLee 0]

I don't recall any confrontations on the water, other than reminding someone that the fish they were putting in the livewell wasn't a keeper. Usually they don't care and keep it anyway.

 

On one of the Navy bases I was stationed at we had awesome fishing, both fresh and saltwater. It was illegal to run trot lines on the ponds/lakes there though. Once I caught one of the lines and I cut it. Another time, I saw someone running their trot line. I didn't say anything to them, I just waited for them to leave then I went over and cut it loose. I don't like rule breakers/cheaters.

 

 

[djpeet 0]

Last year, right in the beginning of our season, in front of my uncles house where I have fished since I was five, a guy was fishing with salted minnows on what looked to be a grappling hook. I told the man that on this particular section there was nothing that simulated live bait, i.e. plastic worms, salted minnows, etc. He tried to tell me that he was a member of the DEC (the department of environmental conservation) and I just laughed. He asked me if I wanted to fight him, so I just waded into deeper water as he was casting his harpoon from the bank. It takes all kinds...