Big OOPS by a fisherman today

[Artwo]

I was at Fishermen's in Oregon City today around 3:30pm and as we are pulling in this guy is going into the store with a fish in a bag to weigh. As my freind and I enter the store he has it on the scales and everyboby is excited and saying it's the first springer they've had in this year. One of the employees goes and gets this guy a free hat and he's all excited as well. I stepped up and looked at the scale and it says 20.5lbs, real nice bright fish he said he caught it in the Willamette at the Clackamas. Only one problem I tell this guy, it's not a springer it's a steelhead, and a wild one at that. About the same time I say this, one of the other employees from Fishermen's steps up and looks in the mouth and it's as white as can be and says the same thing. This guy is now feeling a little nervous and swears it's still a springer, he promptley bag his fish back up and headed for the door. The same Fishermen's employee followed him out and looked at the fish again and concluded that it was definately a wild steelhead. I don't know if he was going to turn this guy in or not but I would think they should. Beautiful fish, but an unfortunate mistake by this guy. I wish now I would have got a lisense number or something.

JK

[ZaQ]

That sounds like an awesome steelie. That would have been my biggest yet. Too bad the guy didn't know what he was doing, we need that kind of gene pool activity going up the river to complete the mission. Here is one that is still out there. My bruddas first ever steelhead! Caught today. I wish I could remember the name of the river for you guys!

http://members.tripod.lycos.com/~Fishon_1/frank.jpg

------------------
Fish this!
ZaQ (http://zaq.4mg.com)

[This message has been edited by ZaQ (edited 01-20-2001).]

[Phish_on]

too bad. Sounds like a nice fish. Dead. The bonehead should be punished.

[Fish Cop]

To bad you didn't get a license plate. It is a shame to loose a fish like that. I'm sure the game officers in the portland office would love to talk to this guy or the employees at Fishermans Marina. Maybe it's not to late to catch the guy. Might keep it from happening again.
Oregon State Police telephone number in Portland is 503-731-3027 ask for Lieutenant Ken Allison (Game Officer)
Fish Cop

[bajaspecial]

It's probably a little extreme, but someone probably has video tape of the parking lot...maybe zoom in on the license plate...
...
...
...
Or is it extreme?

[Hammer Bob]

The kind of infraction this guy committed doesn't seem that extreme. Granted it was obviously a pretty bonehead move triggered by excitment and ignorance. I realize that is not an excuse but these type of infractions, while illegal, are really not the ones causing damage to our resources and wasting game. I worry about the people who go out on a regular basis knowingly breaking fish and game regs. by snagging, poaching and any number of other illegal activities. The fact is they know they are doing wrong this guy seems like a little heads up info would have gone a little farther rather than making a major issue out of it after the fact. I know wht he did was illegal but I don't think the intent was there. Just my opinion.

[SpinnerMan]

Well said Hammer Bob,

I'm sure there are others besides myself who have made bone head mistakes. Would hate to think I live in a world where everyone is watching, waiting to report me for one of them!

I think it is intent as you say. There are enough people out there that continue doing what is illegal -- knowing it is illegal after being told. They deserve to be turned in.

SM http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[fishchaser]

I know that what this guy did was totally unaceptable, but do you really think he would have brought it over to Fisherman's if he knew the difference between the two? I know that some of the "Old Timers" I use that loosly because I fish there and I am nowhere near "OLD" (hea hea hea), could have helped this guy if he would have asked or maybe they did say something and he didn't want to believe them. Still I feel that this guy should have known the regulations and the difference. Did anyone think that maybe he had never fished before? I think this guy may have learned a big lesson just by being cornered in a major tackle shop. I know that if I would be pretty scared sitting on a HOT SEAT. Maybe we need to have a fishing education course kind of like what they do with boaters and hunters. Or do you think that we, as fisherman, can handle this? We need to educate people and help people learn about our resourses. I try to do this every time I take a new person out fishing.
I am a member of the Whitewater boaters of Oregon and we teach that safety, common courtesy and respect can do a lot to ease the comflicts on our rivers and help to solve these problems before the rivers we love are taken away from us by restrictions and regulations. If we can solve these problems ourselves, then our rivers may remain free to be enjoyed by us and our children's children.

------------------

[ZaQ]

What do you do if you know the guy who did this?

------------------
Fish this!
ZaQ (http://zaq.4mg.com)

[local_hooker]

ZaQ- Who is your "brudda"? He is a dead ringer for a guy I went to school with in Idaho??

[Fish Cop]

I agree the guy probably didn't know what he had done. Just to let you know if the guy was identified and contacted by a Game Warden there would be several options available to the officer. 1: A warning, which would most likely include a lesson on how to identify his fish. 2: A citation as a misdemeanor which would require the officer to show some intent. 3: A citation as a violation which would be like a traffic ticket which just means the guy did it and no intent would be required. The legal term used for intent is "Culpable Mental State" (Did the guy know what he was doing) There are four levels of culpable mental state:
1:Intentionally
2:Knowingly
3:Recklessly
4:Without culpable mental state
Most important if he were contacted regardless of even if he were warned there would be a record so if he did it again it would be documented.
Fish Cop

[This message has been edited by Fish Cop (edited 01-21-2001).]

[4u2fish]

I was reading through fishchasers post when I thought isn't this info on the back of the local codes (the little yellow paper that helps you identify water codes for your tag)?? So I break out the wallet and look... Hmm the information here, although somewhat informative is vague at best. There seems to be a fair amount of free space available here to more clearly document the markings found on specific species.. just a bit of food for thought...

------------------
AKC H2O-K9

[Artwo]

Fishcop, ZaQ and others;
I did call this morning and left a message on officer Allison's voice mail. If I am asked I will tell him what I know. I to learned a lesson with this happening as well, next time I won't look the other way. I could tell that this guy was really exicted about what he thought he had caught, but that is no excuse for not knowing the regulations. And yes I to have made some bonehead mistakes also that I wasn't called on. But at the very least this gentleman should learn the differences between the types of fish he is fishing for. I know I have just for the simple fact that I don't want to make this same mistake. My opinion is, if you know this gentlemen than you need to decide on your own how or how not to handle that. Like I said, at the very least please educate him so he won't make the same mistake in the future, because I know I won't mistake my responsibilities next time.

JK

[fishchaser]

I don't know who this guy was but during the Silver run in September and October we stopped a guy, who didn't speak any english, who caught a beautiful native summer Steelie. He was going to cut the head off right there, we told him it was a native, he looked at us with a confused look and kept going. Again we stopped him and explained the difference between the two and showed him the regulation. That was when he told us he couldn't speak english. But we showed him the difference and showed him how to release that fish so it would live. I don't know if we helped but if we didn't I know what this guy looks like and I WILL turn his butt in if I ever see him with a wild fish.

[Osprey]

Ignorance is not an excuse,he proably learned a lesson today...lets hope.
What about the one's that don't care....Oh Ya we call them a Nation unto them selves

------------------
Row quietly and fish a Cataraft
Release all Wild Fish!!-----<'))>><

"Just Say No To Sovereign Nations!"

Ban All Nets!!!

[David Johnson]

I just talked to that employee of Fishermans and he told me it wasn't their responsibility to police the public. They let him know he screwed up and that's that.

It's a shame.

[Artwo]

David,
I disagree, I think they should have the same responsibilities that you and I have. Lessons learned all around I guess.

Thanks,
JK

[Hoosier Daddy]

I think Dave just ment that was Fisherman's take on it, not his. They probably don't want to lose customers. Think about it, if you were a dumbass like that, would you buy stuff where they would turn you in?? Hell no. They PREFER dumbasses, (they buy more junk!!) http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[highwater]

I was fishing on the Clearwater River in Idaho (1979) I got checked by game person.
We talked awhile, told me of checking a fish in the morning a women had caught, was a 25 lb. Salmon, at that time the river was only open for steelhead. He let her keep the fish and did not give her a ticket. The damage was done he said. Lets just be glad at this time that these people were not hunting, your pet horse might be in the back the pickup truck now.

[FishinMission]

Hey ZaQ... I know where you were. Your dad told me!! Ha Ha...Mark..aka "FishinMission"

[Fish Cop]

RT and others, just to let you know:

We followed up on the telephone call by Artwo.

A game warden in the portland area who is a friend of mine received the complaint from Artwo in regards to the guy who brought in the steelhead to the Fishermans Marina to be weighed as a chinook. My buddy went down to the store and tracked down the employee who was working that day and talked to him and the manager about the incident. They afirmed to my buddy that they didn't telephone the police. I see by the post above that David Johnson already found that out. We tried to get a description - license plate number - boat number - or anything, and didnt receive any information from the store employees to help find the guy. We figured the fish was already cut up and gone anyway but thought we should at least make the effort to talk to him so it wouldn't happen again.
Thanks for taking the time to telephone the information in Artwo. Maybe next time well catch the guy now that we know each other better.
As expressed above maybe a warning would have sufficed in this situation but compliance is what it is all about.
Fish Cop

[Bait O' Eggs]

Did anybody expend the 30 seconds it takes to read the Oregonian outdoor section?

The lead story under forecast talks about the OSP looking for the guy who kept a non finclipped steelhead and took it into a OC sporting goods story. I would speculate this info is from ifish.

Anybody know what night "Americas Most Wanted" is on? Maybe we can get a psychic to profile the poor dude. http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif

[THE REEL HEY_YALL]

Call that psychic hotline that O's uses for his fishing reports, then whatever description they give of the guy, profile the exact opposite http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif..j/k O's.

FISHCOP--question here. If people have spent the money for a fishing license, and for some reason or another, do not possess said license: Why can't the Game and Fish cops just radio in a SS# or something to see if this person paid for a license? I've talked to several people who've either had their license fall out of their vest while fishing, etc. and when they get checked, they got jacked with a hefty fine. I know several states that I've hunted in, not fished, the wardens radioed it in and found out the perp was telling the truth, and didn't do anything.

I can see how not possessing the catch card would come into affect, but what if they had a temporary make-shift catchcard like a piece of paper in case of a fishing emergency like a lost or misplaced license? Just something to allow them to fish if checked for say 8 hours or so, to allow them to replace the catch card, but not be charged with having to buy a new license? To me, that hurts the pocket book. I own 3 licenses that I keep everywhere just to keep me from losing a day of fishing.

I bought my first license, thought I lost it and replaced it. Found it in a pair of jeans 2 weeks later after doing laundry. Same scenario happened for the replacement. You get the picture hopefully. Would love insight and comments/opinions from FishCop and others.

[cureless1]

Question? Did he get to keep the hat?

What if you bring in a couple of spotted owls
do you get a T-shirt for that?

[HOGTIDE]

Blessed are the merciful...I know that "ignorance is no excuse , " when it comes to the law, but maybe we oughta give this poor fool a break. He obviously had no criminal intent, bringing the fish into the local hookhouse, to brag about it and have it weighed in public. I think justice would miss it's mark, if this dummy were to be singled out, sought out and persecuted/prosecuted.

If you are outraged over a wasted wild fish, perhaps you should take a beautiful fall day's drive up to Cascade Locks and look into the back of those pickup trucks parked at the CharBurger. This will give you cause for outrage.

[Pirate]

Hogtide
Your right on the mark, the guy is probably so scared of being tracked down, he'll never fish again. I would be.
And as for wasting native fish that goes double for the non-native gillers.


------------------
B

[Fishhead]

Well now that we've determined that this guy is a DOE-BALL, I wonder if he'll show up at Meldrum again? If the guys down there saw him catch that fish I bet they said something to him, wether it was a keeper or not! I wonder who helped him land that fish? If he dragged it up the bank you can bet there were guys who got a good look at that fish! So, knowing that much is the guy still guilty? I know excitment can get the better of most of us especialy if it was his first and was told he had to let it go. He probably said hell no he wasnt going to let it go! I encountered some people from south of the border last spring under the 99E bridge there at Clackamette park fishing for what they thought were trout. After the kids in that group got into my plunking gear I just cut them off and handed them their hook. The next time they got into me I let their PRIZE TROUT go. I asked them if they knew that this was NOT trout season and asked if they had tags to fish for steelhead or salmon. Since these were smolts that they were catching and not trout! Well the dad comes over and wants to get into it with me and my buddy. He wife is *******, his kids are whining, so it was time to go. Good thing we didnt get into it with this bunch because as we were leaving down the bech from us came my wife and kids. BOY would that have been a sight for my kids and wife to see. Me and my buddy on the ground with these guys going at it! So just remember that some of these people who have licences dont have a clue what they are doing and sometimes dont care! Just my 2 pennies worth..........Fishhead Vic