Poachers

[TonkaBass]

I wanna see those hogs you catch Jalberg!

[jalberg]

Yeah I know there are some great people on this site, but I seriously cant believe the attitudes i'm getting for trying to do the right thing. Maybe I was wrong but there has been no constructive criticism, just bashing.

[TonkaBass]

True, I hear you there. Just the nature of the beast. People tend to get more outspoken when its through a keyboard.

[Hammer Handle]

That is the key...sportsmanship.

Is it wrong...yes. Can you do it and get by with it...yes.

Should you do it...no. Should people complain if they see you doing it...yes.

It is just like if someone went bass fishing and kept every single one of their bass, no matter what the size, to eat. It is not illegal to do so...but in this day and age...it can be harmful to the lake.

I will keep complaining to people that do this. If you are fishing "crappies" with large bait and don't catch a single one but catch bass after bass...stop. If you don't, the CO deserves a call.

Now, would I call the CO if someone kept bass legally...no. I wouldn't even complain for it is legal.

Can you catch bass while fishing other species? Of course. But, what I don't like is when people cast to the shore with lare spinner baits and even plugs and say "I am fishing crappies" when the crappies are not in yet and all they catch is bass after bass. It is a very common practice these days...and people wonder why "bass boats" get a bad rap. Funny, I go fishing in a bass boat alot, I never have gotten yelled at yet....

[MyFishHasRabies]

A law as unenforceable as this one should be taken off the books.

Well-meaning people are calling in people who know full well what they are doing and have perfectly legal explanations at the ready.

A time will come when proper fisheries science will dictate fisheries policy. Until that time comes, though, you may be a scofflaw or a law-abiding citizen.

I am surprised more people who participate in this behavior aren't coming forward saying they are committing an act of civil disobedience. It would put a better spin on the act and would probably direct people's attention to the unenforceable nature of the law.

When you make bass fishing criminal only criminals will bass fish.

[Wayne Ek]

I know that this will anger some of you. But after 26 plus years in law enforcement. Targeting fish during a closed season is (1) a violation of statutes and (2)is an enforceble violation. A CO can tell you to stop and give you a verbal warning or issue a citation... Then it will be your choice to see if you believe that targeting fish is something you can beat in court or just pay the fine. More people are probably issued citations than any of us know about. What sportsman or woman is going to post on a fishing site or even talk about getting a ticket for a fishing violation. Hey... guess what I got stopped by a CO last month and got a citation, my court date is such and such. Now targeting bass before the season may be very low on the enforcement scale for CO's as they are short manpower and have any number of other violations that I suspect they feel are far more egregious. Like spearing spawning fish or over harvest. But you can be issued a citation. Once the northern & walleye seasons the burden of proof needed for a conviction will be come much higher. But getting stopped tossing 3/8th ounce blades, soft or hard jerk-baits or pigs/jigs now... you would be hard pressed to beat it in court even with a good attorney. Plus, good attorneys cost money alot more money than just purchasing an Iowa or Dakotas license will cost you.

[reinhard1]

fishing out of season is a matter of fishing ethics. what you said makes a lot of sense, plus it is a matter of law. i have practiced this since i've been a kid. what is so hard to understand anyway.

i dont know how many steelhead i have released that were foul hooked over the years. now you cant keep them regardless which is good. it was never tempting for me to take one even when there was never another soul around. just the way i was raised.

law's are meant to be honored regardless if one agrees with it or not. if you want it changed then make some noise to your rep and get active in your beliefs. if the law changes i will honor that law as well. however if it's something i disagree with i will let my rep's know. good luck.

[GooBack]

Luckaly most cos only give verbal warnings

[Slob_Samurai]

But getting stopped tossing 3/8th ounce blades, soft or hard jerk-baits or pigs/jigs now... you would be hard pressed to beat it in court even with a good attorney. Plus, good attorneys cost money alot more money than just purchasing an Iowa or Dakotas license will cost you.

"Bowfins spawn in Minnesota in the Spring generally. Nests are constructed by males in shallow, weedy areas"

Multiple sites recommend spinners, crankbaits, and plastics for bowfin fishing. Call it what you want everybody, but bowfins are open all year and are an excellent game fish when caught. I will throw my spinners and cranks without shame. If a bass or pike chooses to attack my lure then they are sent away quickly with my next cast intended for a LEGAL bowfin.

I guess I don't see how you are proving i'm targeting out of season fish by using a multi-species lure choice. I would need a high priced attorney for that?

[grab the net]

Do you think people call during that two week period between the walleye/northern opener and the bass opener? If a bass is out of season, it is out of season. Or does it become more socially acceptable, yet still illegal, after the normal opener. Much tougher to prove for CO since you can catch pike on most bass presentations, and have a few hammer-handles in the live well to prove your point of species targeted. Back to my original question, I would guess not, because most are also out fishing, for pike.

[Bowfin Hunter]

You bring up valid points Samurai. I don't try fooling anyone apparently targeting "Crappie" when my favorite fish is the elusive Bowfin. I can't tell you how many Bowfins I've caught using a Spinnerbait.

[bASS_BLASTER]

crankbaits with steel leaders on April 20, 2012? I say this is poaching. Stuff like this just [PoorWordUsage] me off!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBSjL5iRbLM

[bassfshin24]

Unbelievable!

[bASS_BLASTER]

What can the C/O do about this?

[TurnUpTheFishing]

Well they posted dated, incriminating evidence on a public HSOforum if a CO were to see this they could easily find a name/address and send them a ticket.

Chalk another up for stupid criminals.

[NewJ]

There was that video of odowd, Auburn and whaletail a while back with dated proof of off season bass fishing on YouTube and I commented that it was off season. Next day I was banned from commenting and video was re edited with comments removed. Hummmmm.. Fishy fishy...

[kittycatcher16]

Im assuming that "keller" lake is in MN? If I am correct, I pray a CO sees this. Unreal.. Probably dont have fishing licenses either. Probably no license on that bad silly-me canoe either.

[RawHog]

I used to live right by "these people", you know who. They have no conservation ethics or respect fishing laws. I have talked my way out of getting stabbed and nearly gang beaten for telling them that what theyre doing is wrong.

I USED to fish for carp at the lake owasso's trestle during preseason. I casted into the main lake side for carp, they would basically hide behind the bridge and cast into the marsh/bay where the majority of fish in that lake spawn. I've seen them numerous times keeping spawning bass to eat and 3-5 inch crappies too. Yeah crappies are fair game but 5 inches, come on!

Sometimes it's a young family in poverty using fish as a means of survival, so i shut my mouth. But more than not, they show up in tricked out sports cars with 3 ft high spoilers, then they litter like its the hudson river, keep a bucket of fish, and leave.

It is now illegal to fish at the owasso's trestle thanks to poachers, white black asian smurf alike. MOTHER I-need-to-improve-my-english-language-skills

Please do not label me as a racist, I'm trying to keep this in-line and within reason as much as possible. But before I even watched that video on Keller posted above... I knew who i would see...

[bASS_BLASTER]

You are a racist, profiling...Tsk. I share family ties with these individuals but that doesn't mean we're alike. You haven't lived next door to me? A Poacher is a Poacher! Why can't it just be poachers?

By the way, I just went through the dnr list of Poachers and just by the names posted its surprising which ethnicity had the most violation. A Poacher is a Poacher, leave race out of this.

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/enforcement/revocations.html

[RawHog]

A Poacher is a Poacher, leave race out of this.

I stand corrected. I don't want to argue or offend anyone. I just meant to point out specific wrong actions that are continually happening in a certain place by a small group of people. I am not defining a whole race. I guess that came off the keyboard wrong. I'm sorry, but I can't pretend I didn't see anything.

This does not accurately reflect how I feel or think.

[Moe_V]

I'm with you brother. What's really sad is that his kids are probably going to hear what he's already saying about Hmong folks and they will have the same beliefs/ stereotypes about Hmong people also. Cant tell you how many times my niece (4th grade) comes home to tell me about the racist remarks that she hears at school. 4th grade.... A poacher is a poacher. No matter who you are. All we can do from here out is to educate these people.

You are a racist, profiling...Tsk. I share family ties with these individuals but that doesn't mean we're alike. You haven't lived next door to me? A Poacher is a Poacher! Why can't it just be poachers?

By the way, I just went through the dnr list of Poachers and just by the names posted its surprising which ethnicity had the most violation. A Poacher is a Poacher, leave race out of this.

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/enforcement/revocations.html

[bASS_BLASTER]

[Deitz Dittrich]

Yes, please... lets keep this conversation about poaching, and not race..

[OLY]

I can't wait to go "pike" fishing on the opener, just happens it will probably be on one of my favorite bass lakes. I am not going to go out and throw a drop shot or anything but lets face it I am going bass fishing. As long as I am throwing a spinnerbait, square bill, chatterbait or swimbait there isn't anything anyone can do about it, and as long as the pike season opens before bass season I will continue to do it.

[thatoneguy]

Great attitude.