Giggers At Ozarks Finley River Park.

[Rusty]

The courts make more money off the other non-poacher offenders. The folks that are out there sitting in the mud/water/brush/foul weather want to do the job they were trained and payed to do, but sometimes the upper management have other plans.

[Al Agnew]

The other problem with enforcement is that the gigging season happens at the same time as all the major hunting seasons. So if the agents are doing their jobs, they've likely spent all day enforcing hunting regs, and then have to go out that night in the cold to check on giggers.

[vonreed]

I agree with you guys on the gigging problems. I trap on the rivers and I lose traps every year to giggers. But I don't think they should make gigging illegal. That's just one more Outdoors Privelage taken away, when they aren't adding any more to the list. RSbreth I know another problem at the Ozark Park. Otters. I went through there a couple weeks ago and seen 2 bass heads and 1 catfish head on the bank. I caught 3 otters there. Maybe that'll help ya out a little. You guys wouldn't beleive the number of bass I see on the James and Finley rivers that are dead from giggers. Some are just dead and others have been filleted out laying right along side of the suckers. I do a lot of floating during the river so I know the gigging problem just as well, if not better than most of you guys. But just like someone said, you can't catch the people that gig them and shake them off the gig into the water. Only the ones that keep the bass they gig. But then there's gotta be a CO at that access when they come in off the river, at who knows what time. And look at the number off accesses there are. It's pretty much a uncontrollable activity to a point.

[Trav]

Otter Slayer! Boy do I have shoreline for you. South bank of Taneycomo between Mile 8 and Mile 10. Help yourself.

[riverman]

If I may comment from the perspective of the gigger in this matter. I hear what you are saying and understand being upset about bass being killed

illegaly. However, not all of us who gig are poachers. As to the MDC regulating this, I have gigged some of the most visable water on the Elk river, current river, james river, spring river, and various arms of local lakes and never been checked. Most agents are not concerned with possession limits on suckers. If the local agent knows of giggers who like to kill game fish I have seen them set up in the middle of no where waiting for the boat to pass by. In all fairness this does not happen very often. As for dwindleing smallmouth numbers go out on the river some night and you will see how healthy the smallmouth population is.

If I may, yes the equipment used today is better than it was 15, 20, 30... years ago but then so are flyrods, fishing poles and most of the lures used today. I will be gigging the the Big Sac at Capplinger Mills tonight and I can guarantee you that there will not be any game fish taken from my boat. the guys I gig with don't do that. Anyway save the bass for C&R, eat the suckers. There better.

Riverman

[brianbarker]

Right on Riverman. I grew up gigging the Big Piney and Current, not becase we had to to eat or anything, its because thats what my grandpa and dad did and thats what I do and my boys will do, and I'll take any of you out who want to argue the smallie population with me. I see more gigantic largemouth and smallies every winter than you could EVER pack into my johnboat. And I have NEVER gigged anything besides suckers and redhorse. I made the mistake of taking a guy out for his first time 3 years ago and he gigged a smallmouth that went jetting up the river, and not just a smallmouth, a 20 inch smallmouth. I made him report the fish, which we took with us, to the agent who had been checking boats all night (yes, they do check boats sometimes, but it is rare) and the agent was understanding and put him on the "one warning for life list" and did not get a ticket. Not sure what became of the bass but that is the only illegal fish killed in my boat in 6 years, since my first trip. There are ALOT of ethical giggers where I grew up, mainly because nobody wants to chance loosing the ability to go. Not the greatest reason but still keeps them from killing the other fish they might like to. Anyways, I'm done. Just thought you guys might want to know that some of us gig ethicaly and fair and I will fight anyone who wants to put a stop to it tooth and nail.

[shipper]

I am new to the site although I check it often for all of your good info. On the gigging thing I live near the Meramec river. I have gigged all my life and enjoy it very much. The season is very long by some accounts but river conditions that past few years have been much to be desired. Two years ago we couldn't see more than a couple of feet for two months, although the past season wasn't bad. We do see a tremendous amount of bass, both large and small on every trip, and that is part of the fun. Some people think we are crazy, but gigging is best when it is below freezing and the bugs are gone. Also the colder it is the better the water is. I hate to hear that morons have to kill bass to eat or gig fish that they cannot identify. It can be hard at times when gigging deep to see what a fish is, but normally the bass just sit there and give you a good photo op. In our area gigging is the norm and may be in yours as well, but the MDC boys do a pretty good job of keeping an eye on things during the winter months. Word will travel as to who is violating the rules. Someone will run their mouth and the MDC boys will eventually catch up with them. Guys that gig game fish probably violate other rules while hunting and fishing. Maybe I have bad luck, but I have been checked a few times and trust me, if they want to find a violation it can be done. The guys in my group always try to follow the rules. Also, you will be ticketed for killing too many suckers. And other than crappie, there is no other fish (maybe walleye) that I would like to eat. That is just my opinion but fresh suckers fried on the river bank is hard to beat. I will be going crappie fishing in a couple of weeks, and due to conditions I will throw a bag of sucker fillets in so we will have something to eat! I enjoy the conversation and the various topics.

[soggyfeet]

Something I have noticed when these type of threads are started they get into the debate of restrictions and MDC lack control. We see a lot of guys/gals asking where are the agents (I ask myself that question sometimes). One thing I was wondering is what would you pay for haveing more control from the MDC. I dont know what a local fishing tag is now but when I lived in the state it was like 14 bucks if I remember right. I live in Kansas now and have to pay 47 bucks for fishing licence and trout stamp. I will probally never keep a trout but the trout stamp is required where I fish. I would like to think I would go ahead and buy the stamp even if it wasnt required just to help out where I can. There are only a few fish I would would ever keep but even after living in Mo for 28 yrs I dont mind paying the 40 bucks for a licence. Would you guys mind paying more for your licences, permits, stamps, and tags so that more agents could be trained and hired to patrol more regular and often. By the way the only time I have ever been checked by a CA was last year when we got back to the ramp from gigging frogs.

[taxidermist]

Like running deer with dogs, sometimes a tradition needs to pass. Snagging, grabbing and gigging I feel need to all go away. along with baiting bear.

If its going to be allowed as a tradition then it needs to be done traditionally, nothing more than a gas fueled Coleman type lantern.

Maybe its time for special gigging permits, like some states sell turkey tags and deer tags, maybe a gigging tag.

After all Arkansas is talking about going to a one 24" brown trout per year with a brown trophy trout tag and it being checked like a deer.

[Muleball39]

http://www.ussportsmen.org/Read.cfm?ID=2262

I have friends and family that are agents and they are spread really thin and they can only do so much. The link I posted is a law they are trying to pass and I know that it has nothing to do with fishing but it affects the MDC and all of us sportsman. I for one am a gigger, I grew up doing it and learned from my father and Grandfather, and I will take anyone that is complaining with the fish populations. I am not saying there are not bad apples that kill and fish illegally but it is a very few compared to how many obide by the law. As for stopping gigging, there is a reason there is a season on all animals and fish and that is to keep them at a healthy population so everyone may enjoy them. If you keep taking away things to do in the outdoors we won't have anything left to do. My last comment: there is nothing better than fried suckers and potatoes on the river!!