Gigging Is Stupid

[bigredbirdfan]

What is wrong with making gigging be permitted and you have to go through a training course before you get one?

I thought education with the cornerstone of enforcement.

[Justin Spencer]

What would a gigging class entail?

[FishinCricket]

What would a gigging class entail?

How to watch out for aircraft?

[Al Agnew]

Kinda doubt that a gigging class would be of much use with this problem. I'm convinced that the guys that are gigging most of these bass are very well able to identify bass, and are experienced giggers who are doing it purposely. I suspect they are doing it just because the bass are there and they think it's cool to bring up a big smallmouth. Just because they are forced to take a class and get a special permit wouldn't mean that they'd automatically turn into ethical giggers.

The more I think about this, the more I'm pessimistic about any new regs on gigging having a chance of being passed, so I don't think new regs are the answer. I suspect the giggers would scream bloody murder if there was an attempt to shorten the season (so that they wouldn't be gigging in warm weather when the bass are more active and shallower at night), or to limit their technology, or to close the special management areas to gigging.

I'd really like to see just one or two special management areas closed, though, including the special management area on the Meramec. But first, I'd like the Department to get the very best sampling of the bass population on that stretch that they could, so they'd know how many 18 inch plus bass there are in it under current gigging regulations. Then close it for five years, and at the end of that time see if there are substantially more big bass.

And in the meantime, however, I'm really hoping that our gathering of photos and info from winter smallie anglers and presenting it to the Department will result in some serious efforts to curtail the illegal giggers in problem areas.

I suspect there are two kinds of illegal giggers who are doing the damage. One is the guys who, like I said, gig bass just for the heck of it, and toss them back. We see too many bass that were obviously hit badly enough that they wouldn't have escaped on their own, and there are too many of them showing up for it to be all cases of misidentification. The other is the people who do it to get the fish to eat. As somebody else said, you won't see the evidence left behind at the access like you will all the sucker heads and scales, because they ain't cleaning them at the accesses, they are sneaking them home.

[Mitch f]

I suspect the giggers would scream bloody murder if there was an attempt to shorten the season

Well, I'm screaming bloody murder right now, and if enough of us scream bloody murder louder than their screams the MDC will be put in a tough position where they might be forced to do something about it.

[LarrySTL]

Any way to perhaps combine this with the Oregon County prosecutions in the other thread ? Or with the conservation folks involved in that ?

[Kayser]

Something I noticed earlier- spearfishing isn't banned in MO, just in the rivers. This is mainly a safety issues, as the water clarity isn't good enough in rivers for this to be effective, as well as the current possibly pinning divers against obstructions. I've been pinned against enough log jams to know that it's a pretty bad idea. You can still spearfish any of the lakes you like- check the wildlife code.

But a selective case study would be nice- close a couple smallmouth management areas to gigging after getting some good shocking surveys, then check the populations in 5 years. I would definitely be in favor of this option, as it is the most scientific (and hardest to dispute) way to see what's really going on.

Rob

[Mark]

Plea bargains and $250 fines aren't going to change these criminals and most will continue poaching. Something like 96 out of 107 cases were pleaded out, a couple others were dismissed - GEEZ!!! It appears to be mostly a slap on the wrist for most of them, which usually happens in hunting and fishing violation cases. Some guys I know of where caught with too many deer a couple of years ago, and were fined $200 per deer. No forfeitures of guns, no loss of privileges, just $200. These were middle aged guys that had been poaching deer all their life - it's hard to guess how many deer, turkeys, etc. they have taken illegally in their lives.

These guys in Oregon County will just be more careful when poaching.

[Stoneroller]

I have received the enforcement data from MDC for last year. LOTS of data on this thing, They have violations broken down to specifics. TONS of fishing violations too. And as I suspected, an alamring number of 'illegal' method and 'out of season' violations. There is zero excuse for those kinds of violations in my opinion.

and Mark, I could not agree with you more. A slap on the wrist for poachers is a joke. I'm sure they have an even bigger network in place now.

[eric1978]

I have received the enforcement data from MDC for last year. LOTS of data on this thing, They have violations broken down to specifics. TONS of fishing violations too. And as I suspected, an alamring number of 'illegal' method and 'out of season' violations. There is zero excuse for those kinds of violations in my opinion.

Can you post up those numbers? I'd like to see 'em.