Does Turn In Poachers work?

[svttom01]

I drove by O'dowd Lake in Shakopee this afternoon and saw two guys fishing from a green Nitro bass boat (pulled by a white Ford F150)who were obviously targeting bass as I could see the 7' rods with spinnerbaits attached. I have noticed this same guy doing this for the past few years but have never called the TIP line as I figured it rendered useless. Does anyone have any experience with using the TIP line to help with obvious out of season fishing? Or am I better off letting it be?

[bassNspear]

not letting it be, call the TIP Or the DNR, they should not be out there at this time of yaer fishing for bass.

[Iambjm]

The TIP program will only work if people use it. If you saw someone breaking into a store would you ignore it? If you see something that doesn't look right report it, if it turns out to be nothing you won't be criticized. If it does turn out to be a violation, you have done something to protect our resources.

[Central Bassman]

I have my local DNR officers number in my cell phone. Yes it does work to call people in, I have done it before. It's sad that people have to be out there breaking the law.

[Daze Off]

I have called probably 3-4 times over the last couple of years and so far have seen no results/responses. Was tempted yesterday as I sat on the ramp of the Rum River watching people put rods rigged with walleye and smallie baits away when they got to the landing. Asked them what they were fishing for since I do not know of any panfish in the Rum (except rock bass) and the response was "anything that'll bite". Ticks me off but maybe there are panfish in the Rum...? Although I doubt that the way to catch 'em is with a 3-4" twister tail grub....

[Sandmannd]

Was out on Island lake on Saturday and went under the bridge. Coming back through saw some guys throwing big raps and spinners and he asked if we caught anything. We said we were just there testing out the boat. Called tip on them. Didn't see anyone while we were still there, but we left shortly after. With how much ground the CO's have to cover, I don't know that they can get anywhere fast.

[fishnhuntnboy]

I have called TIP once and it was this past deer season. Probably about an hour later maybe sooner a DNR officer came out. It doesnt hurt calling. The DNR love it when people call in and tell them that someone is doing something illegal. Since there are so few officers this helps them and appritiates it. Also i believe the DNR said if they make and arrest and fines are issued, whoever called it in get an award for helping out and reporting the issue. So if in doubt call, i mean whats the worst that could happen.

[polarsusd81]

Shane, that is the problem. And no, I am not saying we shouldn't call it in, but they get a lot of TIP calls this time of year for people fishing out of season and whatnot and there are only so many conservation officers. I am not sure whether every tip call is addressed by a CO or not, but I am sure the DNR puts all the reports in a database to use as a potential hotspots map for following years to give the COs a better idea of where offenders will be. It is very unfortunate that people get away with it. Whats even worse, is that you really shouldn't personally confront people on the issue when you see them doing it as you never know how they are going to react. Sometimes it can come down to a matter of personal safety.

[Neighbor_guy]

Well, I would say that tip works. I have had TIP called on me once and had a county mounty and a dnr officer show up guns drawn. It was great. Seems a tree hugger reported I was shooting bass with a rifle. The reality was I was bowfishing carp and dogfish from shore within sight of the road. After several minutes of checking licences and the fish on shore and in the truck as well as all my equip the dnr took all my fish and gave me a his card told me to shoot them all and tell my friends to do the same.

It was the single most exciting fishing moment of my life. After that I never go bowfishing without the regs book. And I put TIP in my phone. It gets responses, it works.

[Slyster]

Why did they take your fish?

[keith schultz]

I peronaly think that if they (dnr) would let some of us volenteer to ticket these people they would not have to cover so much of the area. plus i think it would keep more people honest, seeings how no one would know if you have a ticket book in your pocket.

[Newcastle]

I would love to see more aggressive pursuit of out of season pursuit, I think there is more that happens then people realize. Does the DNR every just send a CO out with a rod and reel out of uniform to sit with these guys and watch?

I don't think volunteers would work. You would end up with a few PETA nuts volunteering and ticketing everyone with a fishing rod with pursuing panfish.

My understanding is the determination of target species is somewhat subjective, for the CO to interpret the intent. Anyone have any clarity or experience with this? Pretty obivious if a guys trolling big crankbaits he's not looking for some crappies, but if i guy keeps pitching jigs under docks (even small jigs), could/would a CO pinch him for targeting bass? I have heard of a lot of guys 'accidently' catching 10-15 largemouth preseason.

[Mark Christianson]

Proving the intent of the people is pretty tough.

We used to have a regular poster on this site that spewed how he targeted dogfish with spinnerbaits as soon as there was no ice.

He was a member of some dogfish club that even had a HSOforum.

So in a court of law, how do you prove he isnt targeting dogfish, when he is a member of a club?

You and I and most other people know his true intent was to catch bass, and he used his dogfish [PoorWordUsage] to play games.

But really, its next to impossible to prove in a lot of cases. Even though we know its [PoorWordUsage] most of the time.

[keith schultz]

I wish they could be in regular clothing but it's called entrapment.

[Newcastle]

Would it be? I always thought entrapment was when an individual had been kind of lead into committing a crime by the officier. Undercover I don't believe qualifies as longs as the officier isn't the one suggesting that the individual commits the crime. If the CO sat on the bank and then suggested they catch a could walleye, thats one thing. If he's sitting there and they hook one, drop it in a bucket with out his interaction, entrapment would not apply.

[keith schultz]

SORRY!!!

[Newcastle]

 Originally Posted By: biglakeba$$

Proving the intent of the people is pretty tough.

We used to have a regular poster on this site that spewed how he targeted dogfish with spinnerbaits as soon as there was no ice.

He was a member of some dogfish club that even had a HSOforum.

So in a court of law, how do you prove he isnt targeting dogfish, when he is a member of a club?

You and I and most other people know his true intent was to catch bass, and he used his dogfish [PoorWordUsage] to play games.

But really, its next to impossible to prove in a lot of cases. Even though we know its [PoorWordUsage] most of the time.

Ya-tough to prove. I wonder if their success has anything to do with it? If he accidently catches 20 bass-no dogfish-and doesn't change his approach or lure, I think it would be pretty easy to prove intent (or at least his poor fishing skills). Again, realize the CO can't watch for hours so its pretty much impossible to get these types...

[Hammer Handle]

That is what I always here as the excuse....

"But, I am fishing for large sunnies" or some other species. 99.9% of the time, that is a joke.

The can wait with the fishing and the large plugs like everyone else.

[keith schultz]

H H

what kind of lure is that in your picture?????????????

[turn_in_poachers]

Ive called twice about people keeping smallies on the rum after the season. Nothing happened. I dont know if it works or not, but Im still going to call them if I see somebody break the law.

[rockman]

 Originally Posted By: keith schultz

I peronaly think that if they (dnr) would let some of us volenteer to ticket these people they would not have to cover so much of the area. plus i think it would keep more people honest, seeings how no one would know if you have a ticket book in your pocket.

Will not ever happen.MN statutes/criminal code/laws, will only allow tickets for such violations to be written by sworn and licensed peace officers only-this would include the following: police officers,deputy sheriffs,conservation officers, or state patrol officers.Way too much liability incurred by the state to allow volunteers to write tags for violations.Use TIP, call the CO directly if the number is available, or do a non-emergency call to 911,to get a hold of the local CO,or other law enforcement.

[Neighbor_guy]

Sly,

If I remember corectly they were garden bound. I ran into this CO three times that season and he took most of my fish everytime. The big ones (20lb+) he would leave behind. But he would take most everything else.

A lot of the large busts you hear about started as a TIP call. I keep calling. One more thing to consider is it is prime time for carp fishing right now, some of those guys get into it bigg time. Some of that stuff could look like bass gear from a distance. But I do agree seeing bass boats and spinnerbaits as soon as ice out is agrivating.

[Slyster]

Do you eat your carp and dogfish? I don't know much about them but I thought I heard carp is good smoked etc..

[Neighbor_guy]

Hook & Line they all go back. Carp under 5lbs from clean water I have smoked before. I used to have an Asian family that would take anything under 15 regardless of the body of water they came from. Other than that, my mother has the best garden, window boxes, lilac booshes you can imagine. (they dont smell like fish either. )

[ricqik]

 Originally Posted By: biglakeba$$

Proving the intent of the people is pretty tough.

We used to have a regular poster on this site that spewed how he targeted dogfish with spinnerbaits as soon as there was no ice.

He was a member of some dogfish club that even had a HSOforum.

So in a court of law, how do you prove he isnt targeting dogfish, when he is a member of a club?

You and I and most other people know his true intent was to catch bass, and he used his dogfish [PoorWordUsage] to play games.

But really, its next to impossible to prove in a lot of cases. Even though we know its [PoorWordUsage] most of the time.

Really?? Someone who is in a dogfish club pursues his own fish species and is considered fishing for bass??? Because we know so little about how to target and catch dogfish we assume he can't be fishing for them. Be more open minded, would we assume the same of someone who's going for whitebass, they rig with jigs and fathead, cranks or whatever, pretty identical to a walleye fisherman rig, is he targeting walleye. What about a fly fisherman trying to catch some early season panfish at square lake, is that his excuse for trying to attemp to catch trout. This is no different than calling someone in just because they're fishing from a bassboat, and it happens alot. Put yourself in his shoes, you're in that club and know a great deal about bowfins as a bass pro knows about bass and you really are fishing for bowfins and catching plenty, but you continue to get doubted by others and checked by co and sheriffs because other less fortunate and inexperience assume it's not possible for you to catch what your after.