Poaching Season

[Justin Spencer]

If the giggers didn't have suckers to eat they would have to fill the freezer with smallmouth. You guys closer to the cities have some real problems, glad I am down here where people are a little more ethical although I guess we don't allow gigging on a good portion of the river.

[Mitch f]

Went to Busch Wildlife to burn a couple of hours. Look what I found

[Fishslayer88]

Who drinks modelo?

[oneshot]

"If you don't like the way I'm livin, then just leave this long haired country boy alone..." Charlie Daniels

Fly the rebel flag, too.

Good grief. At some point, Missouri has to join the ranks of the living, and say goodbye to Ozark "tradition." Just because it's old, doesn't make it worth saving. In fact, this slavish devotion to the "Ozark" past is absolutely crippling individuals, families, towns, and regions. Time to grow up and embrace the present and future. We are getting left behind in most economic and social and educational parameters. Don't even ask about fishing.

As I've said before, our state animal is the mule for a reason.

Ok lived most my life in areas of Missouri where in truth there isn't much Law, you see anything and have the urge to call the Law think again about it because it could get your House burnt or worse.

As far as Gigging Smallmouth and catching them later, has it not occurred to you Guys if someone was Gigging these on purpose you wouldn't be finding them. It is people that can't tell the difference. Ok I know it isn't that hard but that is what you have.

oneshot

[lee G.]

I know what you are talking about one shot, i grew up on the Niangua.

[Al Agnew]

Ok lived most my life in areas of Missouri where in truth there isn't much Law, you see anything and have the urge to call the Law think again about it because it could get your House burnt or worse.

As far as Gigging Smallmouth and catching them later, has it not occurred to you Guys if someone was Gigging these on purpose you wouldn't be finding them. It is people that can't tell the difference. Ok I know it isn't that hard but that is what you have.

oneshot

Probably some do, but some gig them just for the heck of it. Not everybody feels like it's a sin to kill something and then waste it. A big smallmouth makes a tempting target.

[Chief Grey Bear]

Chief, as to the comparison between giggers and catch and keep anglers, what catch and keep anglers are doing is legal. Sure, they crop off some big ones, but most fish during warm weather when the fish are scattered, and catch one here and there. What we continually see with gigging is that they decimate certain wintering pools. We know these pools on the Meramec, and we know they should hold fish, but some of them mysteriously seem barren of fish over 16 inches after the first few weeks of good gigging conditions. And besides, it's illegal. Do I know how many big ones are being killed by giggers compared to catch and keep anglers? No. But that gigging mortality is over and above however many are caught by the meat fishermen, and we believe it to be significant.

Whether it is legal or not is not the problem. Which not all rod and reelers follow the law either. In fact I would wager there are far more rod and reelers that poach than giggers. And that is my main point. I believe, and with good reason, that there are far more large bass, and just bass in general, being harvested both legally and illegally by the rod and reelers than by giggers.

I fully understand that giggers can decimate a stretch of water. But one must also realize that rod and reelers can do as much or more damage on a far greater scale by virtue of shear numbers of participants and having far greater mobility.

The question is do we want to unite and try and create plausible solutions that could possibly be adopted by the MDC therefore making a positive impact or do we want to continue our tradition of constant complaining on this and other related subjects year after year? That is the most import question that I believe always goes unanswered.

[Feathers and Fins]

Brit, I doubt anything we can do will ever prevent illegal activities. Can we come up with a way to dent the problem? I have given it some thought and do not see a way to do it. You keep bringing up rod and reel anglers and I agree but even more they could be "snagging" the fish as well which really increases their ability to destroy the resource.

We have far to few wardens in EVERY STATE. But in the Midwest DEER is King and that will be where the highest priority will be followed by Turkey and Waterfowl. Unless the poachers of all species get caught on video doing the act and reported it will not change no matter what regulations are implemented. Put a 15'' 2 fish regulation the law abiding person will obey it but then again they obey the rues now. Poachers wont care they don't now! Confrontation with them is very dangerous for a warden let alone a civilian.

The only solution I can even see as being applicable would be the hiring of more Wardens but even then there are how many miles of water ways and they cant be on them all at all places all the time. The poachers also know and have used false reports to their advantage in the past and know a few anonymous calls send wardens to a different area leaving them free to do what they do. The other thing is they know where the wardens live and have used look-outs to see when they are home and when they leave. The only way to combat that is to bring in one from another area and now that takes away from his duties to that area.

It is a frustrating situation all around.

[Chief Grey Bear]

You are exactly correct, poaching of any type will never stop. Can it be slowed, possibly. But there is still a predominantly large portion of the fishing public that are law abiding. I am of the belief that if we have have a change to stricter regulations on unimpounded waters of this state, it will make a positive effect on the resource.

A little fun fact. In Missouri, and other states where deer is king, we have the exact same amount of deer agents as we do fish agents. Exactly the same. And deer season is much shorter. Much shorter. The problem is they have so many other mandated obligations, they hardly have time for their field work. And that needs to change too.

[awhuber]

Who drinks modelo?

check out Troutnut69's blog I prefer my suds in amber bottles.