Poachers

[Musky Buck]

Watch the large pike fisherman choosing stocked musky water after walleye opens. It's called getting a jump on the competition.

[tengauge]

At least up here in the lakes area it should be illegal to operate a bass boat before opener to clear up any confusion, because if you have one and are on the water you are automatically breaking the law, I get called in often for bass fishing when all i have in my boat is casting bubbles and crappie plastics.

[TonkaBass]

hahaha people hate bass boats.

[Superduty]

hahaha people hate bass boats.

Tonka hit the nail on the head! My boy and I fish out of my Jon boat and we get all kinds of help and friendly chit chat. When we take the bass boat we are evil aliens in a space ship.

[bASS_BLASTER]

Guess my young sons and are Evil Aliens.

[RumRiverRat]

Tonka hit the nail on the head! My boy and I fish out of my Jon boat and we get all kinds of help and friendly chit chat. When we take the bass boat we are evil aliens in a space ship.

One advantage to a Tin Boat is I do not worry about scratches in my clear coat, if I did I would have sent you a bill after our first pool 4 trip.

Most of the backlash you bass bass boat owners get is just peoples way of expressing their envy and jealousy of your sweet rigs that look fast just sitting in the water.

[Stick in Mud]

Most of the backlash you bass bass boat owners get is just peoples way of expressing their envy and jealousy of your sweet rigs that look fast just sitting in the water.

I'd agree. Heck, I know exactly what that jealousy feels like!

[bemidjibasser]

I love my bass boat!

[Bagman101]

I find it fairly disturbing that people call authorities because someone is throwing a certain kind of lure at a certain time of year. I must say, some folks have an oddly skewed list of priorities in life. You may also want to be careful of labeling such people as 'criminals' too. Simply TARGETING (POACHING = HARVESTING) a species out of season would amount to an infraction (same as a traffic ticket), not a CRIME. I applaud the authorities for having the good sense NOT to respond to these silly calls.

Frankly, I feel its a shamefully sanctimonious act to be distracting valuable law enforcement resources for such an inane, 'feel good' issue. Do you really believe that the MN DNR has nothing better to do than to respond to a call of someone throwing a spinnerbait or crankbait in March, April or early May? Lets say, based on your call, they dispatched an officer to your location. As he was getting on the lake to pursue your (non) "poacher", a call comes in where someone has ACTUALLY been spotted POACHING a deer or turkey. Now you have wasted that resource and reduced the chances of him nabbing an ACTUAL POACHER. Apparently, common sense...is all but dead.

Authorities realize it would be virtually impossible to convict someone of 'targeting' bass, out of season. If I am throwing crappie minnows, spikes or red wigglers the bass gobble them up as quickly as any crappie, bullhead or sunny...ALL OF WHICH are legal to fish for...at ALL times. Who is to say that someone throwing lures is not targeting bullhead? Is a small (beetle spin) spinner, smaller crank or small plastic lure worthy of a phone call too? We all know those catch bass as well as pan fish and bullys too. The 'grey area' is gigantic here. I wonder why?

Take a good look at NoDak...where they have NO SEASON...on ANY species of fish. The ND Game and Fish biologists have done their homework and understand that closing/opening seasons on fishing, amounts to little more than a reason for a holiday. The ND fisheries have never been stronger.

In summation...you are WASTING YOUR TIME AND THE (DNR) RESOURCE by placing your misguided "poaching" phone call. Here is a recent article (with an admission by the DNR), that bolsters my point:

2/7/11

""The Minnesota DNR is aware of a large sturgeon caught last week in the St. Croix River and expressed concern Monday that the fish may have been caught illegally.

“We suspect that this is going on,” said East Metro DNR Fisheries manager Jerry Johnson.

But Johnson said that enforcing fishing out of season regulations and then proving allegations is very difficult. Sturgeon season is open normally from early September until mid October.

“Technically it’s illegal to fish for a fish that’s out of season,” said Capt. Greg Salo, DNR Region 3 enforcement manager.

Last Wednesday night Nick Radke of Bayport was fishing on the St. Croix River when he hooked a 62-inch sturgeon. He and his fishing partner had to use a power auger to create a bigger hole to land the fish. Radke took a few pictures and says he released the fish back into the river. He told KSTP that he caught three more sturgeon the next day. If he were targeting that species, that would be in violation of fishing regulations, said Salo.

“We need to get him to admit that,” Salo said. And so far Radke has not. A KSTP-TV reporter called him Monday and Radke said that he had done nothing wrong.

On a sportsman’s web chat site Radke revealed that he was using 30 pound test and a heavy duty Abu Garcia 6500 reel, and a walleye jig tipped with two fathead minnows to catch the fish.

There are other large species in the river that are in season like northern pike and catfish.

The DNR said Monday they had discussed KSTP’s story about the sturgeon catch, but were not pursuing a case against Radke because the case would be simply too hard to prove.""

[NewJ]

THANK YOU Bagman101! Could of not been said any better.

[TonkaBass]

I agree. I would never call on someone if I saw them fishing with a bait that is used for a closed species. Not only is it an entire waste of time, I have much better things to do than be an adult version of a tattle tail. Look at any crappie world magazine from down south, those guys us straight up bass gear to catch the big ones. All the guy would have to do is bring the magazine to court and say, "I was fishing crappies". People really need to start watching their own bobber.

[eyebenband]

CO Angie Warren (Thief River Falls) checked area angling activity on area rivers. The public is reminded that it is illegal target fish including walleye and northern pike during a closed season even if they are caught and released.

Several TIP calls were received in reference to rather flagrant violations regarding migrating steelhead. However, in some cases the caller waited to report the violations until they watched it happen for two or three days. When officers received the information and worked the complaint, the suspects were then gone. Please call the TIP line immediately to report violations; delay only makes it harder to catch those stealing from the rest of us

CO Thor Nelson (Bloomington) received calls regarding taking bass during the closed season.

CO Jackie Glaser (Mound) checked fishermen on area lakes. She responded to several TIP calls about people taking bass out of season.

CO Marty Stage (Ely) spent time working ATVs and checking early fishermen. Many complaints have come in about early illegal fishing activity that people have observed. Other than the border water for walleyes, there are no places where walleyes can be fished for right now and that is closed in another week.

Seems to me there is something going on.

[TonkaBass]

Yeah, a bunch of wasted gas for our CO's. Not saying that its ok to fish early, just saying that calling tip cause you see someone with a bait that catches fish of all species is bogus. If they want to mandate what you can use, then they need to make it a law. There's a HUGE difference between taking a bass out of season and accidentally catching one.

[bassin]

Well said indeed! These post every spring get very annoying. I wonder if these people call the police too when they are driving the speed limit and get passed...

[Hammer Handle]

I bet if the CO keeps getting calls, something will be done eventually.

Either there will be more restrictions....

Or the C&R season will open earlier....

The squeeky wheel gets the oil....

[Bushwacker]

CO Angie Warren (Thief River Falls) checked area angling activity on area rivers. The public is reminded that it is illegal target fish including walleye and northern pike during a closed season even if they are caught and released.

Several TIP calls were received in reference to rather flagrant violations regarding migrating steelhead. However, in some cases the caller waited to report the violations until they watched it happen for two or three days. When officers received the information and worked the complaint, the suspects were then gone. Please call the TIP line immediately to report violations; delay only makes it harder to catch those stealing from the rest of us

CO Thor Nelson (Bloomington) received calls regarding taking bass during the closed season.

CO Jackie Glaser (Mound) checked fishermen on area lakes. She responded to several TIP calls about people taking bass out of season.

CO Marty Stage (Ely) spent time working ATVs and checking early fishermen. Many complaints have come in about early illegal fishing activity that people have observed. Other than the border water for walleyes, there are no places where walleyes can be fished for right now and that is closed in another week.

Seems to me there is something going on.

Note that there was no enforcement action listed on any of those reports. It seems that the way the laws set up, the CO's are really handcuffed on what they can actually do.

Bagman101- Welcome to the forum and way to kick it off with one of the best posts ever!

[NTW]

Welcome Bagman101, I agree with your statement as well.

[jalberg]

Ok ok ok! Apparently i didn't get the memo on when it's socially acceptable to call TIP. So, to all of you who think i did the wrong thing, at what point exactly is it ok for me to call TIP?

[Craigums]

Ok ok ok! Apparently i didn't get the memo on when it's socially acceptable to call TIP. So, to all of you who think i did the wrong thing, at what point exactly is it ok for me to call TIP?

Maybe when you see poaching (ie- harvesting out of season, or over limit harvesting) taking place. Hence what TIP stands for (Turn In Poachers).

Thats just my opinion though, To each there own

[fishdale]

My thoughts on this is that the vast majority of the people doing this know exactly what they are doing and what they will say if they are questioned so they will not get a ticket.

If someone wants to call on this the CO's have the choice to respond or not to respond. I doubt there will be many/any convictions but the CO talking to someone throwing a spro frog for crappies doesn't hurt and may get people to shy away from doing it.

Will I call on this no. But I may pollitly talk to them and in some cases they may unpollitly tell me to shove it.

Part of being a sportsman is living to the rules that are in effect when you buy a fishing license not by what rules you think should be out there or what rules you think the CO can enforce.

[TonkaBass]

jalberg, your a great fisherman and I know you care a great deal about the sport. We just have a difference of opinion on this one, and that's ok.

[jalberg]

Maybe when you see poaching (ie- harvesting out of season, or over limit harvesting) taking place. Hence what TIP stands for (Turn In Poachers).

Thats just my opinion though, To each there own

Ummm.... yeah, I get that! What I'm asking is what do I need to see happen. Such as if a bass goes in the livewell and i dont happen to see them release it? Or let's say I see them on the dock and they have 42 bass in a couple coolers? At what point would I have all of your permission to call?

[Bushwacker]

To each there own if they are going to call TIP. Personally, if I would see someone killing something out of season I would call, whether that be an animal or a fish.

One major issue is if you go through the forums right now, there are photos of guys throwing 1/64 oz crappie jigs and catching 5 lb bass. As long as fishing is allowed right now, people are going to be catching fish that have closed seasons. If they are practicing C&R, its really tough for me to determine what there intentions are. Even if they are using spinnerbaits and frogs, I personally know guys who specifically target bowfins this time of year. In fact, so many people do that this HSOforum has a Carp/Sturgeon/Real-Gamefish forum. That forum has as many people viewing it right now as the Crappie-Sunfish and Walleye forums do.

This personally strikes a nerve with me. A couple of years ago I was out fishing for sunfish. It was a really calm day and I was very slowly moving around with my trolling motor and catching sunnies at a rate of 4 to 1 to small, 10"-12" bass. I was using a 1/32 oz jig tipped with a Gulp maggot under a float. I was 100% targeting sunfish for one of the four or five meals of fish I harvest a year, and actually getting annoyed at the small bass. All of a sudden I get yelled at by some guy about calling TIP and because I am breaking the law and poaching. My assumption was primarily because I have a bass boat. I don't know if he actually did and the CO didn't bother to come out or it was just a threat. Either way the CO didn't show up, but it just leaves a real sour taste from an otherwise nice, relaxing evening on the lake.

[Craigums]

Ummm.... yeah, I get that! What I'm asking is what do I need to see happen. Such as if a bass goes in the livewell and i dont happen to see them release it? Or let's say I see them on the dock and they have 42 bass in a couple coolers? At what point would I have all of your permission to call?

For me if a fish goes in a livewell out of season, its being reduced to posession and in my mind thats an appropriate time to call TIP. You asked for other opinions and I threw my thoughts out there. You don't need anyones "permission" to call TIP. If it gives you a warm fuzzy feeling to inform the DNR that somebody is catching and releasing a fish out of season be my guest.

[jalberg]

Thanks for your insight Craig. It's comments like yours that remind me why I'm not going to be on here for a while.