Fishing Report / Shuffling

[crappiefisherman]

chill out jeff.do your feet hurt today or what

[Tightline]

Fish your own game Jeff,your level of sportsmanship might not be the same as everybodys.If they (the shufflers) catch 30 and you catch 1 you know you did it the right way.In this world of game feeders,hen decoys,power bait,fish cameras,compound bows,i could go on & on,where do you draw the line on what is sporting.Most of the slob fishermen and hunters i've witnessed cheating have been from out of state or from our 2 biggest cities.Not locals

[OnTheFly]

Actually I was with a buddy that was chastising a shuffler one day and this guy went and got some kind of game/law official (I did not witness this part but heard 2nd hand from my buddy) that came down and warned my buddy that he was boarder line breaking the law by harassing legal fishermen and what I witnessed said buddy got out of hand in my way of thinking. Moral of the story is making dang sure you know your rights before you go trampling on others. Now at the San Juan shufflers are beaten, fined and thrown in jail for 20 years.

[Jeff House]

I have never been rude to anyone on the river before now and I'm not about to start even though it is frustrating. As I stated previously I have been known to politely explain the situation to people who I believe are shuffling because they don't know any better. The information has always been accepted politely the same way as it was given. As for assuming they are locals, I don't necessarily mean from Branson area, I guess by locals I'm incinuating that they aren't just tourists who are visiting Branson for the family vacation once a year. I fish Taney 2 sometimes 3 weekends a month and I see the same faces engaging in shuffling quite frequently. What city they are from is irrelevant. One more thing and I'm done with this topic. I by no means am a snobby flyfisherman who believes that my way of fishing is better than anybody elses, I started out fishing for trout with a spinning rod and bait and on occasion I still do if the circumstances warrant. I choose to flyfish because I like the challenge and the chase. I truly believe that shuffling is detrimental to quality fishing on any river or stream, but again, just an opinion of one person.

[Danoinark]

Here are the Chumming Laws direct copy from the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish

2007 reg book

Chumming

Chumming means attracting fi sh with organic materials that

will not injure aquatic life. Chumming is allowed only in

the following waters: The Gila River downstream from its

junction with its East Fork; the Rio Grande downstream from

its junction with the Chama River and all designated warm

waters. It is unlawful in any Special Trout Water to disturb

aquatic plants, sediment, or rocks to attract fish, or to angle in

the immediate vicinity of the disturbance.

The Arkansas Law is similar. I posted it once before on an identical topic thread.

I for one think the law can be enforced. You just don't hear of it being an issue on the White, Norfork, Little Red, Beaver or Little Missouri.

Dano

[gonefishin]

It is unlawful in any Special Trout Water to disturb

aquatic plants, sediment, or rocks to attract fish, or to angle in

the immediate vicinity of the disturbance.

The Arkansas Law is similar. I posted it once before on an identical topic thread.

Dano

In other words if one walks into the stream they are going to disturb

aquatic plants, sediment, or rocks. This in turn is going to attract trout to the area of the person walking. Which is of course illegal therefore it has to be illegal to wade and fish in the waters mentioned. Unless one can cast an awfully long ways so as to get actually fish out of the vicinity where they are walking.

Looks like a legal nightmare to me. Peta or some such group will probably eventually send a few smart lawerys down there to get wade fishing outlawed entirely.

[CaptainT16]

Here are the Chumming Laws direct copy from the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish

2007 reg book

Chumming

Chumming means attracting fi sh with organic materials that

will not injure aquatic life. Chumming is allowed only in

the following waters: The Gila River downstream from its

junction with its East Fork; the Rio Grande downstream from

its junction with the Chama River and all designated warm

waters. It is unlawful in any Special Trout Water to disturb

aquatic plants, sediment, or rocks to attract fish, or to angle in

the immediate vicinity of the disturbance.

The Arkansas Law is similar. I posted it once before on an identical topic thread.

I for one think the law can be enforced. You just don't hear of it being an issue on the White, Norfork, Little Red, Beaver or Little Missouri.

Dano

In other words if one walks into the stream they are going to disturb

aquatic plants, sediment, or rocks. This in turn is going to attract trout to the area of the person walking. Which is of course illegal therefore it has to be illegal to wade and fish in the waters mentioned. Unless one can cast an awfully long ways so as to get actually fish out of the vicinity where they are walking.

Looks like a legal nightmare to me. Peta or some such group will probably eventually send a few smart lawerys down there to get wade fishing outlawed entirely.

Yes, if someone walks into the river, of course it is going to get the fish going by messing up the botome of the lake or river, BUT it's not done intentionally. If someone out there is moving their feet around all the time purposely disturbing the bottom, that is what that is saying. Of course while wading you are going to move some small rocks here and there, but not purposely going out and shuffling the bottom to get some fish to eat at a free buffett.

[gonefishin]

I understand what is concidered shuffling. And I am not supproting the practice. I just think that by making laws like the one above, people are going to inadverently open a pandoras box. I would be more open to the idea if we were a natural fishery. If we were trying to protect a natural fishery from damage I could understand. Our areas do not naturally support trout; without us fishermen paying tax dollars to stock the fish - the fishery would eventually cease to exist. I just don't see the point in making laws that are frivilous, can't be enforced or can be manipulated to jepordize the sport.

[Wayne SW/MO]

I don't think they need to outlaw shuffling, just make it illegal to fish within 6' or the length of you fishing rod when standing in the water.

[rls1936]

I got an 18 inch ice fishing rod that might be useful.