Question About Gigging/spearfishing?

[Mitch f]

That

Yes, you guys are correct. I don't think they are serious enough (as Scott says) to do anything about it. I mean, short of having Seal team 6 to do it, who could justify sending troops out at night to hide in the bushes. They don't have the funding or man power to do it. You could possibly luck out and have a guy at the boat ramp and bust someone. But that guy would have to be pretty stupid to get caught.....and he has a cell phone. The biggest gigging poachers are the guys who have their gig boats tied to their own dock at their club house directly on the river. Almost impossible to catch.

[ozark trout fisher]

There is too much talk on the extremes of this issue IMO. Chief, I just don't get the argument of "well, you all are still posting plenty of pictures of nice fish, so it must be okay." No one thinks that these giggers are taking all of the big smallmouth out of our rivers, or if they say that, it's obviously an overstatement. Of course people still catch nice fish, and sometimes post pictures of them here, which has very little to do with the conversation at hand. Just because there are some left doesn't mean that illegal gigging of smallmouth isn't a problem. We occasionally get a deer hunting in the south-central MO, sometimes a nice one, but all the people running deer with dogs is still something that is a problem. So it seems like you're attacking a strawman there.

Here's what it its: it's the knowledge that, with the wrong attitude and the right skills, a gigger can do significant damage to the bass population, at least within limited areas. It's the knowledge that some of those fish that have been in the river for 4, 5, 6 years and are tough to catch by traditional methods by this point can be taken out of the river in relatively wholesale fashion without even having to be fooled. Just because every gigger in the Ozarks isn't doing this (and I'll be the first to admit it's almost certainly a minority) and because there are still smallmouth in the river doesn't mean it isn't a problem.

As I've said, I don't advocate we ban gigging. That isn't the right solution. What I would advocate is increased enforcement presence (something I believe we'd all agree on) and yes, at least considering the possibility of shutting it down altogether in smallmouth bass management areas. If we can do the same thing for non-native trout in their best habitat, then I certainly think our native smallies are worth that protection in several of the better stream stretches. But again, a wholesale ban on gigging probably isn't the answer IMO.

[fishinwrench]

"They don't have the funding or man power to do it."

Do agents not get paid the same wage whether they are in the woods or sitting at home "on call" ?

I wonder if a late night hotline call would even be responded to?

[Quillback]

Even if they respond and make a bust - what will be the penalty?

[fishinwrench]

I wouldn't mind getting paid to hang out at the river all night. Just saying'.

[Mitch f]

I wouldn't mind getting paid to hang out at the river all night. Just saying'.

Would you take it out in trade?...... Plastic crawfish? Al Agnew paintings?, cheaper insurance rates? Laser scan of your face?

[Seth]

Eh, I don't like gigging. But I can't entirely justify it. My go to argument is that I think you should have to fool fish instead of stabbing them. But then I hunt rabbit and deer and I don't have to "fool" them, I just have to try to get close enough to get a decent shot, which is basically the same idea.

So here's where I'll come down on this: just because it's an "Ozark tradition" (so is hunting deer with dogs) I don't have to like it, I reserve the right to wish it weren't happening after seeing those gig marks in bass, but I guess when it comes down to it I don't think it should actually be banned. But in-season, I sure do think there should be a higher level of enforcement on the more popular streams to curb illegal gigging of gamefish.

But at the end of the day, I don't quite see how one could get so bored catching fish on a good old hook and line that you'd simply feel the need to go at them with a spear. That part won't ever make sense to me.

Different method for different species. Why do people trot line for catfish when they are easily caught on rod and reel? It is much easier to go catch a mess of catfish on rod and reel than suckers. I rod and reel and gig in the fall and enjoy both. One is for bass that get put back and the other is for suckers and having fish fries with family and friends.

I would hate to have to choose a side in this fight since I enjoy both. I'd give up gigging though if I had to. Most people I know would rather be able to go out and drink beer and stab fish in the fall than have better smallmouth fishing the rest of the year. Most don't fish for stream bass. If it was put to vote, I think it would be a landslide win for the Pro gigging folks.

[ozark trout fisher]

Different method for different species. Why do people trot line for catfish when they are easily caught on rod and reel? It is much easier to go catch a mess of catfish on rod and reel than suckers. I rod and reel and gig in the fall and enjoy both. One is for bass that get put back and the other is for suckers and having fish fries with family and friends.

I would hate to have to choose a side in this fight since I enjoy both. I'd give up gigging though if I had to. Most people I know would rather be able to go out and drink beer and stab fish in the fall than have better smallmouth fishing the rest of the year. Most don't fish for stream bass. If it was put to vote, I think it would be a landslide win for the Pro gigging folks.

Fair enough. Not for me though.

[Flysmallie]

Not for me though.

Yeah I think you made that clear several times.

[Mitch f]

Different method for different species. Why do people trot line for catfish when they are easily caught on rod and reel? It is much easier to go catch a mess of catfish on rod and reel than suckers. I rod and reel and gig in the fall and enjoy both. One is for bass that get put back and the other is for suckers and having fish fries with family and friends.

I would hate to have to choose a side in this fight since I enjoy both. I'd give up gigging though if I had to. Most people I know would rather be able to go out and drink beer and stab fish in the fall than have better smallmouth fishing the rest of the year. Most don't fish for stream bass. If it was put to vote, I think it would be a landslide win for the Pro gigging folks.

If all the giggers were like you Seth, there wouldn't be an issue.

I've got to believe in the gigging circles there is someone others suspect of illegal gigging but don't want to turn them in for one reason or the other..... possibly fear of retaliation. All it takes is a high profile bust and maybe after while these guys will figure out it's not worth the risk. But that's wishful thinking on my part. I also want to apologize for calling the MDC dorks, shouldn't have done that, had immediate posters remorse on that one.