[Mark Youngblood Sportfishing]

Does anyone know whay so many cops were on the Cowlitz Saturday morning? There were to many deputies there just to be looking for game violations, they even came down the river on jet skis, the gammie had atleast 2 deputies on board with him and there were several more on the bank, just curious if anyone knows why they were there?

Fish Slapper

 

[DJFISHS2XS]

they were doing a great job????finaly

 

[West Linn Wader]

We drove up to Seattle on Thursday and saw maybe 30 Police cars in that 1 hour stretch of I5. I wonder if it was connected to what you guys saw on the Cow.

WLW

 

[BottomFeeder]

They were there Sunday too, OSP, a man younger, black hair, and a woman, short blonde hair. I went out for the evening tide and they asked everyone to show their harvest cards fish or not. Yeah okay, that was fine. Two hours later at the dock they wanted me to show it to them again. Whatever. Then the male officer wanted to see my lunch cooler (1X2') because "I appeared to have problems coming into the ramp." I think what he meant was that when I came back on the power in observance of the "5mph no wake" sign the current kicked out the back of the boat for which I had to correct. Outgoing tides make people drink? Anyways, showed them the cooler. Found two empty Pepsi cans. Suspicious indeed.. Then I was asked if he could check my boat bag. Knock yourself out cupcake. The contriban therein was among other things, the detachable part of my fishfinder, zip ties for my anchor (better get another unit down here), rubber gloves for handling bait, a first aid kit (oh my, have me arrested). Then they proceeded to do a boat inspection, despite the fact I already had a tag (from a guy a Sherriff that was actually a professional.) The only good thing about that was I blew the horn on my boat before they were ready to hear its blood curdling wail. I passed for the second time of course. This guy was just digging.

Some could make the argument that they were just doing their jobs but these two were obviously rookies. The female officer probably has a future in law enforcement if she worked at it. The male officer was a public relations disaster and should get a job as an airport baggage screener. That way he has a good reason to go through people's stuff and he can let his socially abrasive behavior hang out. The guy that came in after me didn't have navigational lights when he came to the ramp. Major bummer for him. I surprised they didn't draw their weapons. What happened to the Sheriff anyways? Someone needs to get these land-lovers off the water and back into patrol cars.


-Bottomfeeder

 

[Mark Youngblood Sportfishing]

Bottom feeder, looks like you were at the mouth of the Cowlitz, the area I was speaking of was at Blue Creek. I can understand the gammies checking for fishing violations, it is definitely needed at times. I have never seen that much law enforcement on the river in that area in all of the years I have been fishing there. There had to be something going on because they were extremely rude and apeared to be looking for something.

 

[AtWorkALot]

Maybe they were looking for a guy poaching steelhead and selling them to local restaurants???

 

[BottomFeeder]

Yep, I was at the mouth of the Cowlitz. I don't know what their mission was. Apparently it was to harass as many people as possible until they found the steelhead poacher selling to restaurants? I don't know. It reflects very negatively on OSP when their officers are rude and disrespectful.


-Bottomfeeder

 

[KingFisher85]

Most likely just warming up for this fall :wink:

 

[Snapset]

Sounds like on-thejob training. Please be patient with them.

 

[fishuntr2]

I was anchored next to bottomfeeder at the cowlitz mouth and when the police checked my boat the lady officer said "it looks like you are missing numbers on your boat registration"
(OR 5 AAJ). I said "nope", she laughed then checked our licenses and tags. Then left. They could have called in the number and seen that it was legit...They didn't bother. I didn't mind the check and at the time the police were friendly enough. Of course...if I looked like bottomfeeder then they would have fully investigated my cooler and condiment bag..and rightly so! :tongue: Anyone who drinks pepsi while wearing latex gloves should be suspect!! :grin: And did anyone else notice that the police first checked the only two boats that had recently caught fish? Then they went around and checked all the other boats in the area. They had obviously been "watching" for awhile.

[ 08-11-2003, 02:45 PM: Message edited by: fishuntr2 ]

 

[SGTQ]

I rarely say anything but I will now. As a regular at Blue Creek I have seen the following go from bad to worse.

A mark increase in the number of car and boat break in's
Trash piled up at the boat ramp all the way to Blue Creek itself.
Snagging or flossing
Keeping snagged fish
Not puching out your card
Going over the limit
Ignoring the "Dead Line" Posted signs
Fights and assaults
And some boaters, and I want to emphasis "SOME" , who seemed to think they are enitled to go any where they want. At any speed they want. And everyone on the water or standing on bank should have to yield to them.

There are changes a head for the Cowlitz and other rivers in Washington if sport fishing is to to have a future. It sounds like the local Law Enforcement is teaming up with the Fisheries Enforcement Department in an attempt to gain back control of the Cowlitz where things have been getting out of control of late. I say GOOD! I would like to walk into Blue Creek without the fear of my truck being broken into. I would like to stand in the waters of Blue Creek and not atop garbage. I would like to fish next to someone who isn't sangging. And I would like to pass by the boat ramp where I won't witnessed two fishermen cleaning 5 fish. And if you have fished Blue Creek you know you have experienced these same things yourself.

 

[Jignfloat]

I personally think its all about drumming up revenue. And I think they were looking in your coolers and lunch bucket to try and determine how many beers you may have enjoyed. THey dont have to act like that....but some of them do because of their personal nature. Ofcourse thats just my opinion, and I'm stickin to it.
On the Cowlitz rag...(Blue Creek)...that place has been a mess for years as far as I'm concerned. Ive fished that river on and off for near 25 years, and as of the last few years, I dont see any reason to go above the mouth. Russ

 

[Snapshot]

I have to agree that a lot of enforcement presence can help in several ways and they were well laid out so no need to repeat them. I don't mind seeing them as they will run some of the trouble makers off or at least add some risk of being caught into their pea sized brains.

I always tell them thanks for checking and I appreiciate them being out there. Perhaps if we would be civil everytime, their temperment might change a little. Kindness begats Kindness.

Last thought is that they have found they can write more tickets on the river than the freeways. It's a sad day in our perfect little corner of the world when we have so much to be cleaned up and checked out buy so many officers.

WE at Ifish can make a difference if we just let them do their jobs and show some appreciation. It may be your trailer not getting stolen becasue of their presence.

*Fish only bite wet hooks*

[ 08-11-2003, 06:48 PM: Message edited by: snapshot ]

 

[wambam]

things sure are different over on this side of the mountain, i passsed my inspection this spring on suttle lake with a beer in one hand, of course i am prepared at anytime,i have found if you are nice they are nice and everything is cool. they seem to harass the yahoos on jet skis and anything fiberglass. :cheers:

 

[Mr. Carp]

I appreciate the police and everytrhing they do but sometimes it can be frustrating and irritating.

We have had some run-ins with the river patrol while on the Columbia that were not pleseant and down right ridiculous. Some of the officers are very descent people and then there are some of them that think they are army rangers or something and are completing a drug bust on a Colombian drug lord or something. Sometimes they just don't have a clue either.

One time fishing sturgeon in the estuary with my dad's friend and his little boy, the cops docked next to us and were trying to give us a ticket for fishing with too many poles. They said they seem us hide the pole under the bow. What the really seen was the little boy playing with the tailer and tailing my arm and fighting me like I was a fish. (He was only 2, :grin: ) Besides, there is no bow compartment on his North River. Kinda silly IMHO...

Another time we were stopped on the first day we had our boat out after we got it. The police did a full check and wrote us a ticket for no muffler on a our engine. The funny thing is we have a *******g outboard 200hp Yamaha. It doesn't have a muffler like an inboard. My dad asked the cop what the hell he was thinking and finally got the ticket thrown away.

Just depends on who checks you it seems like.....

 

[proguide]

I was out at the mouth of the cowlitz on sun evening too. I dont like to be harrassed while I am just sitting there at anchor. When was the last time you were in your car parked and checked to see if you had your licence? Probly never.

[ 08-12-2003, 01:56 AM: Message edited by: proguide ]

 

[Leatherneck]

One day on the columbia we were checked by the Coast guard,Mult Co sheriffs dept, Skamania Co sheriffs dept and when arriving back to the dock The Oregon State Police. Did this irratate me,sure it did. If this is what it takes to stop poaching,car break-ins,littering and other criminal types of behavior then im all for it. For those who don't like the presence of law enforcement don't go crying when you come back to your truck and everything is gone. Just the presence of lawenforcement will deter alot of the petty crime that happens around the boat docks and parking lots. Just my two cents.

 

[Adofish]

I appreciate law enforcement's effort to keep crime down at the ramps and to protect our fisheries. I have meet rude officers and polite ones. Regarding the rude ones, I always do my best to be polite and cooperative. I understand that they have a difficult job to do and must be constantly concerned about their own safety. However, a Washington County Deputy did make me see red a couple of years ago. I had just pulled my 12' Gregor out of the water a Hagg Lake. A deputy approached me for a safety inspection. I was informed that since my boat was out of the water I could not be forced to, but could volunteer. I volunteered. What made me mad was, I was given a $75.00 ticket for not having a fire extinguisher on the boat. The regulation is that I do not need to have an extinguisher if the boat is 16' or under and of open construction with an outboard. I tried to politely explain this to no avail. I took time and effort to get the ticket cleared. Once again, I appreciate their efforts, but they should know the regulations before handing out citations. My 2 cents.

[ 08-12-2003, 03:38 AM: Message edited by: Adofish ]

 

[parker]

Hey, SGTQ, you didn't mention when you saw these two fisherman cleaning 5 fish, but the current limit on the Cow is 3 steelies a person. It's been that way for a while now.

 

[scooby]

It has been a 3 fish limit since August 1.