snagging

[fishhead5]

I don't know how some people can call themselves fisherman. I was out fishing this morning along with 25 other people, I had to quit. I sat back and watched, of those 25 people one was using bait. The rest were using huge corkies or a 6 inch piece of yarn with hooks big enough to use for sharks. Their fishing method was cast and jerk about 4 to 6 times through the drift. The most comon thing I heard said was "missed another one". There were a few fished hooked, none in the mouth, some were kept. It wasnt too long before the other person using bait gave up too. I'm going to harass the game dept. this year to see if I can't get them to do something about it. I'm going to take my video camera down and set it up on a tripod and see if that won't discourage some of it. Any one else have any ideas?

[wiser]

Yes. The Oregon State Police Fish and Wildlife Division should be advised.Their phone number is 731-3027 Monday - Friday 8AM - 5 PM. During non-buisness hours call OSP dispatch at 731-3030 and give info on illegal activities. Also, you can call 1-800-452-7888 to report violations. You might want to consider your health and value of your camera before acting on your own. Admirable but possibly hazardous to your health.Good luck in getting rid of the scum.

[Grant Scheele]

Where were these shinanigans going on?

[Fishmaster]

Shoud have been on the Kilches 20 years ago.When those big runs of chum came in, it was like the entire Northwest turned out. I saw more snagging violations there in that time then I have in the last 5 years.Unless I count the morons who hunted the lake behind my place last winter and ammassed over $ 3000 in game violations among 4 people, and still didn't get it.

I saw 35 # Chinook snagged when the dipshots were trying to snag chum. They guffawed and yelled,although they did get busted when doing this right by the bridge.

Maybe a simple reading course with the game manuels would benifit some of the less intelligent who buy hunting and fishing licenses, as in read the manual!! Duh!!!

[steelhead guy]

the people that like to snag fish in washington state should fish on goverment property because the game warden never drives in there. a good place to go is whidbey island. next to the old seaplane base. there are sea-run cutthroat running there now.

[NEUTRON]

As true sports minded people, I think we are
responsible to make sure the violators know we don't approve and there are consequences to their illegal acts (litter, snagging etc).
Safety is a concern though, people like this are idiots. I've watched scenarios like fishhead describes too many times. On the upper columbia last year we watched 2 guys get apprehended for keeping snagged fish in a sled worth 20k. I don't get it, I'm sure Tony's fish market would have been cheaper. Worst part was when we saw them back the following weekend. fines aren't stiff enough. Use those 800 #'s before more oppurtunities are taken away from us because of a few bad eggs.

[Pilar]

Fishhead5. Sorry you had to see that. I like the VHF radio myself. If you call on VHF-16 "any law enforcement please respond" the man will respond. I've called them down on people snagging, stealing crab pots and just being stupid (BUII). Nothing beats catching the jerks red handed and the man is happy to do that. Otherwise you'll get "we have to witness the violation" or shot at when you aim your video camera at the poachers or report it after the fact. There are a few notorious places where the authorities have duck blinds with video cameras. I discovered this a few years ago when I saw myself on TV a few days after cutting work to fish during the week. The talking heads were jawing about 'the few responsible fishermen' while showing me tailing a foul hooked salmon and letting him go. My boss saw it too and gave me some guff about the 'fishing pox', oops! Keep the pressure on the poachers because your silence gives them consent to cause your fishing hole to be closed!! The bend is your friend!

[fishhead5]

I didnt give the name of the river because there are too many people allready. Good news is that the game dept has been down there every day writing tickets so it has slowed down a lot

[Deleted User]

Good going fishhead5. The more we do this maybe the less they will be doing this sort of stuff. Hurt them in the old pocketbook.

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Guardsman