Case In Point ILLEGAL GIGGING

[Seth]

I hope I can make it to one of those gigging tourneys one of these days. That looks like a blast! I know you hate on the lowly gigger, but I know many of the guys that were in that video and many are adamant bass fishermen as well. They would be just as whizzed off about somebody killing a nice bass that they could be catching on rod and reel as you are. I'll never be able to wrap my head around why anybody would purposely kill bass when suckers are so plentiful and taste better.

[fishinwrench]

1 hour ago, Seth said:

I'll never be able to wrap my head around why anybody would purposely kill bass when suckers are so plentiful and taste better.

I can tell you exactly how the last gigging episode that I witnessed the aftermath of went down.   They motored upriver sticking every fish that came under the light, and if it was a sucker it went in the boat, if it was a bass or trout it got shook off.    I'd say they probably got from 12-20 suckers but killed 50-70 trout and bass while doing it.   They had just stocked trout at Barclay the week before so this time the casualties we're mostly 12-13" rainbows.

After going to all the trouble of raising and stocking those fish you'd think that MDC would be a little upset about that, but honestly they really didn't seem too worried about it.  Didn't ask me any specific questions or anything, just said "ok thanks".

[Chief Grey Bear]

18 minutes ago, fishinwrench said:

I can tell you exactly how the last gigging episode that I witnessed the aftermath of went down.   They motored upriver sticking every fish that came under the light, and if it was a sucker it went in the boat, if it was a bass or trout it got shook off.    I'd say they probably got from 12-20 suckers but killed 50-70 trout and bass while doing it.   They had just stocked trout at Barclay the week before so this time the casualties we're mostly 12-13" rainbows.

After going to all the trouble of raising and stocking those fish you'd think that MDC would be a little upset about that, but honestly they really didn't seem too worried about it.  Didn't ask me any specific questions or anything, just said "ok thanks".

 This isn't passing my smell test 

[fishinwrench]

1 minute ago, Chief Grey Bear said:

 This isn't passing my smell test 

Which part?  

If you're thinking that I made this up, or am even exaggerating....I can call two other witnesses.  

[Seth]

That's wild! I've been gigging for 20+ years and know many who have done it far longer and I'm not aware of anybody witnessing anything remotely close to that crap. Somebody would be getting their butts kicked if they pulled that in front of most people I know who also enjoy gigging.

[Chief Grey Bear]

16 minutes ago, fishinwrench said:

Which part?  

If you're thinking that I made this up, or am even exaggerating....I can call two other witnesses.  

I'm just thinking that we've had these discussions multiple times a year for a decade and we've never heard this story. Just saying it doesn't smell right. Even good food  can stink. 

[fishinwrench]

8 minutes ago, Chief Grey Bear said:

I'm just thinking that we've had these discussions multiple times a year for a decade and we've never heard this story. Just saying it doesn't smell right. Even good food  can stink. 

You weren't paying attention then.  I talked about it on here the evening after it happened, and called MDC the following morning.     Jim Stouffer and Gaithel Blankenship were there.  I don't just make crap up, and I'm kinda bummed that you think I do.   Call your homies at MDC and see if there's record of it being reported.

[MoCarp]

in a nutshell why can't you spot light deer along as you stay within limits? or shoot bass with a bow as long you stay in limits as harvest is harvest right????

gigging is a tradition true enough... you should have to do it with ancient tech... wood torches...make your own raft or canoe....atl atl only with locust thorn gig....and no modern warm clothes ether..furs and buckskins.....and you have to get to the stream with a horse or wagon or better yet on foot.........then its awesome

kinda like modern blackpowder guns.....don't even get me started

[Chief Grey Bear]

Yeah I guess not. I a lot of the action on this forum.  I don't come close to clicking on every thread unless add an interesting title.

[MoCarp]

we all love our ozark fishing and try to protect it from abusers....that we all can agree