Stop The Over Limit Short Fish People

[Stockton Lake Guide Service]

A couple of months ago we had a big discussion about the problems with calling the game warden out to catch a poacher or a bad counter. Some people were afraid of reprocustions from the bad guy, however the system is set up to take unidentified complaints and they do not require that you give your naume nad number to the agent. You can even get part of the reward if you do the complaint right.

I'm not trying to get eveyone on the lake to be snitches, however anyone reading this has to agree that we are sitting ont he best lake in the state.it's beautiful, it's not overcrowded, and it has more fish in it for us to eat than any other.

I have no problem with someone keeping their limit of fish to take home and feed his family, however he can only do this once a day. We have people going out 2 to 4 times per day. Some are from other parts of the country, coming in here to deplete our fish. We need to stand up and support our agents and catch these guys, not sit back and think it doesn't make a difference.

I have seen or heard of several problems this year with fisherman doing the wrong thing.

Just some thoughts for this evening and hoping everyone will help out and start turning in some of these people. If you see some guy or a group cheating the system, remember it is them that did it, you just helped the warden find them. We have a choice between sitting back and doing nothing and the lake might head the other way, or helping keep our fish in the lake and support the wardens.

Good luck on the lake. I will be posting a report monday!!

[Rick Baker]

"Man up" to me is talking to the people myself and making sure they know what they are doing is wrong. Then if they don't wet their pants, don't do things the right way, or are just too plain stupid and stubborn to believe in doing the right things. THEN i turn them in, or at worst sink their boat for being idiots.

[Stockton Lake Guide Service]

"Man up" to me is talking to the people myself and making sure they know what they are doing is wrong. Then if they don't wet their pants, don't do things the right way, or are just too plain stupid and stubborn to believe in doing the right things. THEN i turn them in, or at worst sink their boat for being idiots.

Yes this is an interesting way to keep them from messing up the fishing, but very good way also. I like it!! I just get the feeling that nobody wants to turn people in because they feel guilty. We need to all work together to stop these people and get them off the lake. not the guy who makes a mistake counting or is a 1/32 off on a walleye or crappie but the guys who have a livewell full of shorts, you know the people.

I just want to get some people fired up to make the calls that need to be made.

Good luck out there and don't sink to many boats.

[snagged in outlet 3]

I voted yes every time.

And I will talk to the people first to see what's up.

I told a guy at Taney that was rigging up rods for his kids with powerbait in the trophy area.

He said he had no idea of the regs and starting packing up.

His wife thanked me and I told them to go to Cooper creek and fish there.

I also had the pleasure of confronting 3 asians keeping small bass who claimed they didn't speak english. Not just a couple small bass but many, many small bass.

I saw them again the next day and made the call. Then I stood there and watched them get a ticket so they knew who called.

There is no reason to skirt the rules.

Snagged

[eric1978]

I also had the pleasure of confronting 3 asians keeping small bass who claimed they didn't speak english. Not just a couple small bass but many, many small bass.

There are no fish at Busch! And that's why...

A couple of those poll questions are a little tricky or poorly worded.

The limit for bluegill as far as I know is 50 per day per person, so that would be one hell of a stringer to even be illegal. And I'd be more concerned to see that happen on a small stream than a farm pond or impoundment, so there are some considerations.

Why do two of the questions have to do with old people? Are you exempt from the laws when you reach a certain age or something? I don't care if you're 15 or 115, illegal is illegal. I'd turn in Grandpa in a second if he was poaching in a significant way.

And the last question...I'd have to be pretty positive someone is keeping shorts to make a call. If the guy's 50 feet away and he tosses a "questionable" looking fish into the livewell, I'm not gonna jump the gun and start dialing (unless it's a smallmouth ). Save the dime and the CA's time for an important call.

[Phil Lilley]

If I called the law every time I thought I saw a violation, I'd keep the agent's phone pretty busy. I chose to pick and chose violations. If I think he can get to the violator, catch him red handed, then I'll call. But if it's something that I know would be tough to prove or catch, then I won't waste his time.

The culling question - I wouldn't call on. It's not that I don't AGREE with the law, I just wouldn't call.

You better be sure the fish are short... I have made calls before when I was WRONG and the agent wasn't real happy with me. Not that I should have NOT called him, I just should have been SURE there was a violation before calling. If it's a trout in the trophy area and it looks to be close, I won't call. If it's clearly in the slot, I'll talk to the people and then call if they don't heed my warning.

[Phil Lilley]

I also had the pleasure of confronting 3 asians keeping small bass who claimed they didn't speak english. Not just a couple small bass but many, many small bass.

Do what the agent does -

"Do you understand "jail"?"

[snagged in outlet 3]

That's exactly where it was Eric. I keep telling people there are no fish at Busch.

I voted yes to every question but I wouldn't call unless I was positive. An 11.75 inch trout is hard to eyeball at 50 feet.

Now a 16 inch fish is easy.

Phil, funny how he could cuss at me in english just fine after getting the ticket.

Snagged

[straw hat]

I am sorry Bob but if you check you will find out that the perp CAN get your name AND adress by filing what is called a FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) Request form to any civil or administative judge in the region where the citation is issued. That actually happened to me and my wife and we both recieved threats. The 911 system recieves the call and records the incoming number which is later cross referenced to the owners name and address. Subsequent to our previous discussion I have talked to two of the agents who work Stockton. Both said that if I contact them directly they will go check on the violator themselves and try to "discover" the violation as if they accidentally stumbled upon it. It should be noted that agent phone numbers are not listed. IF the violation however requires an eye witness (eg. I saw the person do...) then the agent would have to take and record your name in case of a court appearance.

[straw hat]

Bob I owe you an apology. After reading back over my entry above it sounded short and rude. I am sorry. I didn't mean it that way. It just brought back memories of a real bad experience. I hope you will accept my apology.