I was fishing in a small 3 boat hogline out at Bachelor Island yesterday morning (two rows below 5 cents) and when I pulled up, the boat inside of me was fishing two rods with only one guy in the boat. He didn't pull the rod in when I pulled up. I thought this was pretty brazen, but I wasn't in the mood to start any trouble so I tolerated it. Because he was so close to me, I didn't want him to overhear me calling the Sheriff (he's local and I didn't want anything to happen to my boat either)so I just let him fish. Well, he happens to be in the slot and catches two nice springers by 11:00 a.m. When he nets the second one and tells us it was a keeper (I wouldn't doubt it if this outlaw kept unclipped fish) I reel my line in and prepare to move over into the slot when he leaves. The boat inside him had cought two fish also and I hadn't had a single take down. Well, he proceeds to tie up again and I say "You're not really going to keep fishing are you" and he says "I've still got 2 summer steelhead and a sturgeon to catch!" I called BS and told him what I thought of that. He just sat there and continued to fish with the same two wrapped kwikfish he cought his salmon on. I moved downriver below him and promptly called the Columbia County Sheriff. Of course, I couldn't get a live person and had to leave a message. I never did get a call back and he kept fishing for another 3 hours and then finally picked up and left. I never saw the Sheriff and they never called me.
For those of you that fish this area, he was in a really old 14'white fiberglass boat (I'd guess 50's vintage) with a 33 horse Johnson (60's style) and small Mariner kicker - I'd guess 4 horse. On the side of his boat he has a round decal (about a foot in diamater) that says "Southwest Washington Anglers". He has a crummy old folding top on the boat and it has a windshield but no open bow. His name is Mike and I've heard it's his brother's boat. The number on the boat is WN 019 KB. Apparently he lives right on the water in the marina at Ridgefield. I've seen him out there numerous times. If you see him, he'll undoubtedly be fishing two rods by himself and I'd appreciate it if you call the police on him.
[ 04-10-2003, 01:05 PM: Message edited by: Killertraylor ]