Crawler Season

[Bill Babler]

Boys as you know, I couldn't agree with you more whole heartly. I do have a problem with the confrontations. We are not law enforcement officers and let me tell you, confronting people if you don't have a badge, is never a good thing.

If we just all do our part and think with a mind toward the future it would be wonderful.

I have reminded people many times of the limits and the length of bass on the rock. I have also on a daily basis mentioned in a friendly way the rules of the restricted area on Taney. You always hope you are doing some good.

I would however, be very careful, about mentioning anything to the creel checkers, locations, numbers or anything. Seems some of them really have an appitite for spotted bass.

[Gary Lange]

The best advice from a retired Police Officer is to just take down the numbers on the boat and the kind and turn it into the proper authorities and let them handle it. They gonna have to head home some time and maybe they will get caught with a big old cooler full on fish. Confronting anyone about what he has taken from the lake is asking for trouble. Some of these Poachers, and thats what they are, are armed and may not like your butting into there business. It is dangerous enough for the Game Warden to confront them. It is nice to see a Boat, Tackle and everything else confinscated though. Please don't confront these people for your own safety.

[gonefishin]

I fish in a lot of places and I get checked on Table Rock and at The Truman Tailrace more than anywhere I fish.

Not to try to start an argument but is some people keeping a limit of bass really a big problem? I can understand why guides would not want anyone to ever keep a fish because they want an over abundance of fish in the lake so it is easy to take clients out and get them on fish hence the guides can make easy money. I understand this and can sympathize but, at the same time the lakes aren't built and fish aren't stocked and tax payers dont foot the bill for all of this so guides can make a living. Also if there were fish everywhere and it was that easy to catch them, then no one would need to hire a guide. So the big question is is this really a problem or is it sour grapes?

PS: I fish with crawlers but, I do not fish for bass nor do I keep bass of any kind. I am after Bluegill or better yet shell crackers.

[Gary Lange]

Bud, go back and read things again. Nobody says you can't keep a limit of legal fish. The people they were talking about were keep anything and everything and that is illegal and wrong. We pay for this fishery with our Lic. money and the Taxes on the fishing tackle and these Poachers should be run off the lake. If you want to keep a limit of legal size fish you are more then welcome to do so because you have that right. Those that keep all sizes and all fish caught do not and should pay for ther misdeeds.

[Chris Tetrick]

Thank goodness most people who just want to kill everything they can catch can't catch them here. I'm just as against killing a bass from here as anyone. I wonder if it's because they think we're overstocked with them or they don't care because they may never be back or once or twice a year? Whatever it is it's pretty un-sportsman like. One thing I'll tell clients is I'm 100% catch and release, and will gladly take a big tip loss to let some go back home. A fish didin't do anything to deserve to get killed because he bit a lure or bait and it seems pretty sad some people want to turn a fishing trip into a trip to Harter House. I've seen a plenty of these slaughter houses by boats here and there and wish there was something I could of done about it! Got any ideas how to stop someone from keeping short bass?

[J.E.]

  Gary Lange said:

The best advice from a retired Police Officer is to just take down the numbers on the boat and the kind and turn it into the proper authorities and let them handle it. They gonna have to head home some time and maybe they will get caught with a big old cooler full on fish. Confronting anyone about what he has taken from the lake is asking for trouble. Some of these Poachers, and thats what they are, are armed and may not like your butting into there business. It is dangerous enough for the Game Warden to confront them. It is nice to see a Boat, Tackle and everything else confinscated though. Please don't confront these people for your own safety.

Gary,

On the money and I might add, cell phone. If you see them at the ramp a vehicle description and license plant numbers passed on to any law enforcement agency as a "good car check" will go a long way.

[gonefishin]

  Gary Lange said:

Bud, go back and read things again. Nobody says you can't keep a limit of legal fish. The people they were talking about were keep anything and everything and that is illegal and wrong. We pay for this fishery with our Lic. money and the Taxes on the fishing tackle and these Poachers should be run off the lake. If you want to keep a limit of legal size fish you are more then welcome to do so because you have that right. Those that keep all sizes and all fish caught do not and should pay for ther misdeeds.

Don't get me wrong guys, I am all for fishing by the rules. I don't like poachers and agree it is illegal and wrong and they should be ran off the lake. Somehow tho I doubt that every person who keeps a fish is a poacher.

If I missed the point of the discussion I apologize but it seemed to me everyone was just dissing on anyone who ever kept a Bass and anyone who ever uses a worm to fish. I went back and re-read the posts and still get the same impression.

I fish with worms most of the time, I never keep an illegal fish and never keep bass. Funny thing is I don't even catch many bass. Guess I am using the wrong kind of crawlers.

[skeeter]

Well I guess "confront" was the wrong term to use. More like "do something about it " like calling in registration numbers if possible on a cell phone while on the water. I was referring to the meat hogs that Bill had posted about that are keeping short fish and keeping more than the limit. I've seen them in the past and just shook my head, no more.

As per prior post, excellent suggestion would be, if possible, find out where they launched their boat and get the vehicle license number. Many ramps have only one way in and out which helps.

[CMAC]

You know I have witnessed this alot ( I say alot, but I don't fish everyday like Bill ), usually when crappie fishing up here at LOTO. You pull up to a brush pile next to a condo dock and there are people keeping every fish they catch (obviously not long enough) or some guy is cleaning the smallest crappie and bass you have ever seen at his cleaning station on his private dock.

I have never reported anyone, just figured they would have to answer for it someday!!!

[jcoberley]

So what phone numbers should I keep in my cell phone? I think its our duty to report them. It makes it easer and better for the law to catch them.