Interesting story.

[bluebasser86]

I don't think netting is legal anywhere for game fish. Glad someone called the Authorities. I've seen people keeping shorts at War Eagle Mill. These folks were Hispanic as well. I blame Game and Fish for not cracking down on this. If people would start getting fined for limit and no license violations this would stop.

Blame the state for not allotting the funds to pay for enough GWs to patrol and catch more poachers. At full staff Kansas only has 71 GWs to patrol the entire state. Western Kansas has 3 to patrol an area that's bigger than RI, Mass, and Connecticut combined. Can't even begin to think those guys are going to be able to stop even a tiny percentage of poaching that goes on.

Even then, it's not going to stop. We have a powerplant lake where the fish really concentrate in warm water discharge during the winter months and poaching is rampant, usually by netters or snaggers and they're largely illegals. Problem with that is, unless they're arrested, you can write them tickets for days but they don't exist in the system so they'll never pay them. Take their cheap thrownet or Walmart combo and they'll just go buy another one. Take them to jail and they'll just get bailed back out (very few are deported anymore due to policy changes by ICE). It's not just illegals either, plenty of lowlifes out there that could give a rip about game and fish restrictions that will keep or shoot whatever regardless of seasons or bag limits. It's a sad deal but having spoken with several GWs about the issue and most are hunters and fishermen like we are and are just as frustrated, if not more so, than we are.

[Bass Enforcer]

Being in law enforcement myself, and like many other law enforcement officers, we often find ourselves chasing our tails with trying to get something accomplished with getting these "low lifes" off the street. If nobody learns anything from this forum, learn this and remember it, "as Americans we all have the right to vote" not all the time is it because of the prosecuting attorneys office that these "low lifes" are immediately let out of jail or not fined, but quite often it is. So the next election time, remember to vote for your prosecuting attorney in your county or city. They essentially are the ones who decide if a case goes to trial or not. If it does go to trial you want one who has the "nads" to fight for what is right.

[Champ188]

Being in law enforcement myself, and like many other law enforcement officers, we often find ourselves chasing our tails with trying to get something accomplished with getting these "low lifes" off the street. If nobody learns anything from this forum, learn this and remember it, "as Americans we all have the right to vote" not all the time is it because of the prosecuting attorneys office that these "low lifes" are immediately let out of jail or not fined, but quite often it is. So the next election time, remember to vote for your prosecuting attorney in your county or city. They essentially are the ones who decide if a case goes to trial or not. If it does go to trial you want one who has the "nads" to fight for what is right.

You said a mouthful there, Enforcer. Every word true.

[MOPanfisher]

I have known agents who wrote ticket afte ticket, only to get them dismissed by the PA, some agents get discouraged by that and don't write many, others will continue to write them and let the PA have to explain come election time why he dismissed so many. I don't know about TN but in MO you cant use gamefish for bait.

[Flysmallie]

I'm guessing they never used to pay much attention to just what species of minnows they caught and used in Mexico. Maybe this will be a learning experience for them.

In Mexico they run gill nets all over their lakes. They take EVERYTHING they catch to market. They aren't interested in catching bait.

[mjk86]

If they had 71 bass and a crappie in one bucket, they were getting bait - probably for catfish juglines. I think that would be legal if they had licenses and were netting shad instead. From the names of those arrested, I'm guessing they never used to pay much attention to just what species of minnows they caught and used in Mexico. Maybe this will be a learning experience for them.

Thats a good point, hadnt thought about that.

[Sore Thumbs]

In Mexico they run gill nets all over their lakes. They take EVERYTHING they catch to market. They aren't interested in catching bait.

Yep. At Falcon those nets are everywhere. They aren't supposed to net on American side but they did it anyway. Different world down there.

[Flysmallie]

Yep. At Falcon those nets are everywhere. They aren't supposed to net on American side but they did it anyway. Different world down there.

It gets even worse on some of the lakes further south. Just people trying to scratch out a living down there, they don't have many options.

[Sore Thumbs]

I here ya. It appears that most those guys are working for a bigger operation. They got it down pat. They bring em in to the bank. Got stations set up for cleaning. Soon as they are done its off to the market. They are targeting Talapia but they don't leave any fish behind. You could only imagine the size of bass they net. That lake has been spiraling downward for the last couple years.

[Flysmallie]

That lake has been spiraling downward for the last couple years.

It will bounce back. It always does. My dad and his buddies started fishing it in the early 90's. It has it's ups and downs but always bounces back. There are some better lakes south of the border but I'm not going back down there. It was a scary place when I went and is much worse now.