I'm Really, Really Sick Of This...

[Chief Grey Bear]

Or you can just open another bag of Cheeto's and continue yellowing your keyboard.

I thought this may be how the posse would band together to combat the alleged problem.

[ozark trout fisher]

I thought this may be how the posse would band together to combat the alleged problem.

I wish I had time to actually do the things that you suggested. But it simply isn't there. I am only able to get out on a stream fishing once every couple weeks, and I am going to spend that time fishing. I'm sorry, but that's just the situation right now, if enough time ever frees up to be involved in those kind of things, I will jump on it.

The way things are right now the only conservation work I can do right now is things like emailing the MDC, and trying to talk to them. If that somehow seems lazy or undriven to you, I'm sorry. But I simply cannot be on a stream all the time doing the things you suggest.

[Chief Grey Bear]

What is pointless is providing thoughts and ideas on how you can make a stand and put your money where your mouth is. But the only response is excuses and more complaining.

[ozark trout fisher]

What is pointless is providing thoughts and ideas on how you can make a stand and put your money where your mouth is. But the only response is excuses and more complaining.

Can we get back to the point at hand?

[Buzz]

I don't and will not condone any kind of illegal harvest of any fish or animal. I wish these people could be caught and prosecuted, then their names posted in the county newspaper so that all of their family, friends and employers could read all about it. Well, since that seems more of a pipe dream than anything, I guess the peer pressure tactic would be as effective as anything else that is being done.

Sort of off subject, but did anyone ever hear the radio commercial that ran a couple of years back that educated people about "Turtles crossing the road and that care should be taken not to injure them"? I'm not kidding. It actually ran for a while over here. It was a MDC commercial. I don't even see " Operation Game Thief" commercials anymore. Just wondering if that kind of education from the state might help get the ball rolling in the realm of educating the public? At least give the legal fishermen a little boost of confidence to actually make the necessary calls.

Does ANYONE have a picture of one of these gigged fish, dead or alive, so I can actually see what you guys are talking about. I have never seen it, that I know of.

[Chief Grey Bear]

I wish I had time to actually do the things that you suggested. But it simply isn't there. I am only able to get out on a stream fishing once every couple weeks, and I am going to spend that time fishing. I'm sorry, but that's just the situation right now, if enough time ever frees up to be involved in those kind of things, I will jump on it.

The way things are right now the only conservation work I can do right now is things like emailing the MDC, and trying to talk to them. If that somehow seems lazy or undriven to you, I'm sorry. But I simply cannot be on a stream all the time doing the things you suggest.

I see you did a complete edit of your post after I posted a response. This is not the post I responded to.

Anyway just one more observation, those that appear to do the most posting here, always claim to have zero time for the cause.

Can we get back to the point at hand?

I thought the point at hand was to find a solution to a precieved problem or set of problems. Was the point only to complain and cast blame?

[Gary Lange]

I ran a search for Missouri Gigging Forums and actually found some up in the Central part of the state and they talked about getting out about two times a week and getting a bunch of suckers and how much fun they were having.

http://www.shomeoutdoors.com/forums/viewthread.php?tid=10597#pid118203

http://www.catfish1.com/forums/showthread.php?98715-Gigging-Every-throw-with-his-spear-this-guy-hits-a-sucker-fish

It appears to be a time honored tradition here in the Ozarks and I am wondering if the Smallmouths getting gigged is more suspected happening then fact. They just seem to talk about Suckers getting gigged. I am sure they wouldn't post that they gigged Smallmouths also but I wonder if this is just blown all out of proportion.

[Wayne SW/MO]

Gary I can't speak for the forum you found, but the ones I knew well had no problems talking about trout and bass gigged, as long as they felt they knew who they were talking too. You can't explain the lack of fish on some streams, or I should say the disappearance, to any other coincidence. That's why the Heron scenario is so funny to me, and in fact an insult, because we know they fish 365 and I don't believe they only attack larger smallies, and miss, conveniently during gigging season.

those that appear to do the most posting here, always claim to have zero time for the cause.

What time are you talking about CGB? It's not legal to harass people on the water or take up a role of vigilantes. How do you propose to carry out this plan? You realize these people are leaving an access and traveling up or down river, seldom alone, in the dark of night? How do you propose that they be watched? The truth is I've known a few who would probably send you for a swim, at least if they did it wouldn't surprise me.

This is a job that requires legal authority and the threat of closures to bring under control. Our job is to convince the MDC that we don't see any proof that points to sources other than gigging.

[fishgypsy]

I ran a search for Missouri Gigging Forums and actually found some up in the Central part of the state and they talked about getting out about two times a week and getting a bunch of suckers and how much fun they were having.

http://www.shomeoutdoors.com/forums/viewthread.php?tid=10597#pid118203

http://www.catfish1.com/forums/showthread.php?98715-Gigging-Every-throw-with-his-spear-this-guy-hits-a-sucker-fish

It appears to be a time honored tradition here in the Ozarks and I am wondering if the Smallmouths getting gigged is more suspected happening then fact. They just seem to talk about Suckers getting gigged. I am sure they wouldn't post that they gigged Smallmouths also but I wonder if this is just blown all out of proportion.

Gary- if it's more suspected than fact, where are all these dead gamefish with gig holes in them coming from?

I think I see what you're saying, that the issue is overblown. In my mind it's a moot point, it's still illegal and shouldn't be happening, no matter how many or how few people are doing it.

And from the first forum you linked:

"most people gig way into the wee hours, then they all pull up on a gravel bar and begin cleaning and have a fish fry right there. "

That's possibly a violation. I'm young, and I may be reading too much into his post, but MDC says gigging is to occur from sunrise to midnight only- not what I'd personally call "way into the wee hours."

[Deer Slayer]

I've just gotten to the "shrug your shoulders" point on this one. What really can be done? As mentioned, gigging will never be outlawed, and there will always be some scumbags who poach...period. It's the human condition.

However, I think it would be reasonable (although probably not popular) to outlaw gigging on some stretches that are SMAs. This might be difficult on rivers like the Big, where the SMA is very long. But the Meramec SMA, for example, I think would be a good prospect to try it. There is plenty of other water nearby to gig in if you have to.

Another idea would be to outlaw any motorized watercraft on certain skinny stretches of river above a point where it's just too dangerous to have one up there anyway. Obviously, this wouldn't protect the fish in the bigger and probably better water downstream, but like we always end up saying, it would be better than nothing.

I don't expect this problem to ever go away. This one REALLY is an issue with enforcement, because the one agent in the county is probably getting ready for bed when the violation is taking place. As usual, this problem is one that can only be addressed by changing laws and increasing enforcement, and I'm really losing confidence that the powers that be are interested in taking progressive steps to increase protection of smallmouth. If it's simply left up to the conscience of the average human to do what is right, without possibility of consequences to do what is wrong...well, that battle has already been lost.

Why is it that you say gigging will never be outlawed? I can't imagine that the giggers have a larger lobby than the Smallmouth and Trout fisherman. I find several trophy sized brown trout, one weighing 7lbs, every year that have been gigged in the Cardiac area of the Meremac. When is conservation going to get off their butt on this topic?