Planned Fishing Snags

[RiverDiver]

Good Morning,
I just got a copy of the forums discussing divers setting "snags" in the St. Clair River. I thougth I'd add my two cents...........
I have been diving the St.Clair for over thirty years. I HIGHLY value the fisherpersons at the river and try to maintain a good relationship with them. Which is why I was p!$$ed when I was told someone was setting snags. So this is what I did -
First I dove the site and did find what I would describe as "traps". I immediately removed them.
Second I called the Sherriff's Department and notified their officers and divers.
Third I cut my prices (i do sell gear) in half, to lower the market value and make it less profitable/tempting for anyone to do this.
Fourth I told the local DNR officer that I know.
I thought it important for the fishing community to know that we divers do not appove of this behavior and are more than willing to notify the authorities. I did kind of take exception to the comment "Divers are making a hobby of setting snags......" To my knowledge this is the work of one idiot and has never happened before. Just like in your sport where one guy hunts out of season or takes more than his limit, doesn't mean the rest are bad.
As for selling tackle I have always looked at it like it's good all the way around. I am removing comtaminates from the river bottom (no small feat as I have brought up thousands of pounds of lead over the years.) I am removing diver and fish hazards (I have filmed live fish on snagged hooks, what a waste. And I recovered the body of a diver in Algonac who was fouled with fishing line.) I also sell at a tenth of the retail price (even when it still has the price tag!) making it much more affordable for local fisherpersons to keep coming back. And it buys me the occational hot dog.
Lastly, I will make the same offer here as I have made to numerous locals. If you have a site where you feel someone has "set" a snag I will meet you there, have you cast and go out and film the area. I am trusting your community not to take advantage of my time and send me out just cuz smeone is "curious" about a spot.
I really believe we each have the right and privilege to enjoy these amazing waters.:fish:

[William H Bonney]

:lol: That's amazing. There really were "traps" down there??:lol: Amazing:dizzy:

[Fried Fillets]

It sounds like you did a pretty nice thing, thank you!

[Joeker51]

Good post. Thanks. Bonney - Stinger fishes that section of river 7 days a week and knows his area exceptionally well. I gotta back him up on his rant. I fish with him every other weekend during the summer and you have to question the snags after seeing a diver go through. Seeing 2 or 3 divers in a weekend is not uncommon. Like anything there's always gonna be a bad apple in the bunch. For those that are interested in the river structure/fish, Joel - inthenet - at Probait has underwater video's of the river along the wall in PH taken by a diver - Brian who is a salvage diver by trade. Good guy.;)

Again, RiverDiver, thanks for the conformation and welcome to the site.

[William H Bonney]

Good post. Thanks. Bonney - Stinger fishes that section of river 7 days a week and knows his area exceptionally well. I gotta back him up on his rant. I fish with him every other weekend during the summer and you have to question the snags after seeing a diver go through. Seeing 2 or 3 divers in a weekend is not uncommon. Like anything there's always gonna be a bad apple in the bunch. For those that are interested in the river structure/fish, Joel - inthenet - at Probait has underwater video's of the river along the wall in PH taken by a diver - Brian who is a salvage diver by trade. Good guy.;)

Again, RiverDiver, thanks for the conformation and welcome to the site.

:lol:Yeah,, it's not that I didn't believe Stinger when he originally posted,,,, it just struck me kinda funny that guys would go through all that trouble just to snag fishing tackle and resell it. The "risk/reward" didn't seem to make all that much sense. Funny thing is,,, I was in PH on thurs. and fri. on business and drove down to the wall,,, first thing I thought of was Stingers rant.:lol:

[ruger 454]

I used to night fish at luna pier and swear someone sunk some carpet in the lake,I lost 2 j-13 rapalas there one night.I know it was carpet because I was able to get the third one off and it had carpet fibers on it!!:rant:

[learnedhand]

I am also suprised that it is worth the cost for people to sink things, then dive and recover lures to make it worthwhile.

As for the luna pier guy--I would have been livid about that

[huntingmaniac45]

First off River Diver.:Welcome: to our site. Sounds like you did us a service..........thank you. Also for your kind offer. On another matter...............if you have any #7 or #9 Rapalas in Vampire or Clown, let me know, I will take them off your hands.:lol:

[stinger63]

River diver thanks for confirmation of what I knew was going on and I appreciate your efforts in removing them and thanks for calling and notifiing authorities about whats going on.If its posible film some of these traps and snags and play some video of them.Its too bad that this idiot cant be caught and his diving priveledges from this river be banned for life.Its these idiots that give the rest of the divers a bad name.
Is there any specefic places where you found these traps and can you go into detail of how and what they were made from?I also know of couple areas that need looking into and investigated.
Aaron

[MiketheElder]

Thank you RiverDiver. You're welcome here anytime.

I've fished with Aaron before so I believed him when he said he was suspicious. Some folks travel a lot of miles to fish those walls in Port Huron. That's a lot of gas money to waste, along with the lures themselves.

I'm curious as well. Could you describe what the obstructions were made of in case we see someone in a parking lot somewhere with the same materials?

[Big Daddy Benelli]

There is one right in the mouth of the Belle River... Good Job I cleaning up the River!! Hats off to you!!

[huntingmaniac45]

I rember a few years back there was a guy that lived down stream from San Souci, on Harsens, that use to throw a weighted down old box spring with the fabric taken off, with a rope attached, off his seawall to set up a great snag. One day when he was not around we went over and cut the rope, dont know if he still does it or not, havent been that way in a while. People like that _iss me off.:rant::mad:

[jzwalleye]

Thank you for your help cleaning up the river RiverDiver! I am sure that most of the fishermen here are glad you remove these snags. I would imagine that all of the fishermen that have fished the SCR have lost equipment at one time or another. Can I ask a question? Where do you sell the reclaimed gear? I would not mind browsing through your selection...

[stinger63]

By the way River diver worked with an effort for making a masterpiece film in a joint project with Acheson ventures.It was showed at McMoran place tonight in port Huron where over 900 + people made the event.The film is about native and non native species along with some other great lakes and river history.For those who werent able to make it tonight it will be shown at vantage point daily at the building thats there on the corner.I wanted to thank everyone involved with the making of this film and a special thanks to river diver who I know personaly and I consider to be a great and valuable asset to fishermen and the st clair river.Great Job on the movie Aaron

[redneckdan]

I've seen some of the snags in the river while snorkeling, most of the ones I've seen are weighted bed springs.

[greelhappy]

I lost an anchor so I need an anchor. If you got one handy PM me. Thanks.

[Canuck136]

Welcome and thanks Diver! Great post!!

[anchorman]

Hi, I am new to the board, I coworker told me about this site. I have been diving for years in the St. Clair River, and have found my share of sinkers and lures. I have yet come upon a a set trap in the river for lures. The river has been a dumping ground for 200 years and still is. I see no reason to set up snags because they are natural, with the old tire pilings old seawall and log jam after log jam. when they replace the concrete along the board walk the old concrete goes in the river. Look at the old photos of the water front of Port Huron a hundred years ago with all the brick train yards and shanties docks. They where all pushed and bull dozed in. One dive in the river and you would see what your tackel is lost on. The zebra muscels can cut cat gut with the weight of the current alone. I have pictures of lures by the dozens hanging on logs. I would like to post them but do not see a link. I hope this helps. P.S. Greg Lashbrook is the one that did all of the underwater video in the St.Clair River that was shown at the McMorran and Vantage Point.
Thanks anchorman

[alex-v]

I have pictures of lures by the dozens hanging on logs. I would like to post them but do not see a link. I hope this helps.
It is complicated but then it really is not.

You cannot post a link to any outside or even internal site until you have 15 msgs posted. This helps keep out the sPaM people who want to post to illicit web sites.

But, you can upload the picture or pictures to your photo gallery and then tell us that they are there. Remember that there is a limit to how much space you can take up on the server so make sure that the pictures do not take up to much room.

[stinger63]

P.S. Greg Lashbrook is the one that did all of the underwater video in the St.Clair River that was shown at the McMorran and Vantage Point.


Seen that movie it was excellent work BY Greg and co.Hes a personal friend of mine as well.I have assisted him on many of dives by watching his equipment for and helping him get up the ladders along the seawall.Hes told me personaly about what kinda stuff is laying along the bottom of the river in certain places.Alot of this stuff has been burried for years and other divers are coming along and unburing it making snags for fishermen to lose tackle on.I witnessed 1 diver doing this personaly.I even have had a couple of personal run ins this fall by a local and not local divers coming through and cutting lures off fishermens and myself lines.This is something that irratates the heck out of me is divers swimming through our fishing lines which I believe is angling harrasment.Also some of these concrete structures and rocks are turned up sideways creating a trap to snag on as well.

[DE82]

I fish with Aaron(Stinger63) A lot durring the summer up there in Port Huron but because of the snags and basiclly A-hole people and divers up there I've stoped most of my fishing up there. To me it's just not worth messing with.

In one trip up there I had my line cut THREE times from a snag that HAD to be metal set up by a diver because it was just cutting the line without me even pulling on it. I'd start to reel and the line would give no problem. It was also cutting about 5ft. high. Not only that but when trying to walk the wall in the day time I had a smallmouth bass on my line and when I went to flip it a diver stood right next to me and told me I couldn't fish where I was. I told him to move so I could flip the fish and the guy said no and I lost the fish as a resualt. THEN to top it all off we had a guy come up and set up his stuff right inbetween my stuff and when asked what he was doing, he was a total a-hole about it. What bothered me most was this guy is somebody who takes every fish he catches in port huron and puts up 10-15 rods up everytime he fishes. It got to the point when it just wasn't worth my time, exspecially when you factor in over 3 bucks a gallon for gas.

I can only hope thing improve there in the coming year or as much as I hate to say it, I likely won't be up there half as much as I have in the last two seasons.

[stinger63]

I can only hope thing improve there in the coming year or as much as I hate to say it, I likely won't be up there half as much as I have in the last two seasons.

I agree and if I have anything to do with it there will be less divers who Im suspicious of setting traps on the river.
(Back this fall)
I wanted to let you know that a couple of weeks ago I had a run in with a local Diver after he came through an area where myself and several others were fishing at.He was swimming inbetween our fishing lines and then became entangled n several of the lines cutting off lures and weights that belonged to the fishernmen including myself.I seen him come up at the end of the wall and very politely/calmly asked him if he had been swimming through the area in which we were fishing.I then asked him if he cut off anyones lures and became irate at me throwing off his eqipment and then proceded to asualt me by shoving me.He made some very serious threats against my life and all of his aussulting and arriational behaviour towards me was witnessed by over 15 other people.He also had no diving flags which signaled a point of entry or exit nor did he take a tether bouy with him which is required by law if your not diving in a confined area.He thought that he was going to escaped unconfronted and with lures and the wieght that he cut off by taking the upper walkway above the wall,Sorry about his luck he was caught.Hes lucky that I didnt have him thrown in Jail and ticked by police for harrasing fishermen because after he cooled off he realised that he made several mistakes and came back and sincerely apologised to me.Good thing for him that he did because i could have toasted his ass.Aaron

[DE82]

I agree and if I have anything to do with it there will be less divers who Im suspicious of setting traps on the river.
(Back this fall)
I wanted to let you know that a couple of weeks ago I had a run in with a local Diver after he came through an area where myself and several others were fishing at.He was swimming inbetween our fishing lines and then became entangled n several of the lines cutting off lures and weights that belonged to the fishernmen including myself.I seen him come up at the end of the wall and very politely/calmly asked him if he had been swimming through the area in which we were fishing.I then asked him if he cut off anyones lures and became irate at me throwing off his eqipment and then proceded to asualt me by shoving me.He made some very serious threats against my life and all of his aussulting and arriational behaviour towards me was witnessed by over 15 other people.He also had no diving flags which signaled a point of entry or exit nor did he take a tether bouy with him which is required by law if your not diving in a confined area.He thought that he was going to escaped unconfronted and with lures and the wieght that he cut off by taking the upper walkway above the wall,Sorry about his luck he was caught.Hes lucky that I didnt have him thrown in Jail and ticked by police for harrasing fishermen because after he cooled off he realised that he made several mistakes and came back and sincerely apologised to me.Good thing for him that he did because i could have toasted his ass.AaronIt's crap like that, that keeps me away from there. As much as I like fishing up there with you, these A-holes are way out of hand. People like that need to get their attitudes cut down to size and wake up.

[stinger63]

It's crap like that, that keeps me away from there. As much as I like fishing up there with you, these A-holes are way out of hand. People like that need to get their attitudes cut down to size and wake up.

Bryon you have something in your drive way that can help get away from the wall.:D

[DE82]

Bryon you have something in your drive way that can help get away from the wall.:DThe boat will be ready this year no doubt about it and You and Joe are more than welcome on it :D

[stinger63]

The boat will be ready this year no doubt about it and You and Joe are more than welcome on it :D

Eventualy rig that sucker for pulling wire and get some whip fishing stuff you will have more eyes than you know what to do with.

Wow what a thread hijack:lol:

[DE82]

Eventualy rig that sucker for pulling wire and get some whip fishing stuff you will have more eyes than you know what to do with.

Wow what a thread hijack:lol::lol: I know sorry to the thread starter for that. Little by little we'll get that stuff. A fish finder is first.

[the rapids]

this thread made me check out some of the st clair river dives on youtube. man those guys sure do move alot of crap around up off the bottom and not put it back down. i can see how they can cause snags, and although some times it may not be intentional, its obvious how easily you can manipulate the crap down there to create big snags.

also, whats with the red neck bands they have to put on the soundtrack? come on you are diving man i dont think rocking out to saliva fits the video footage. maybe some yanni or something equally nancy. then the one video had this scroll across the screen: "air temperature 17 degrees...water temp 38 degrees". wow guys you are hard core!! oh, but looks like i out manned you just by standing on the shore that day in the 17 degree air. 38 degrees come on, i dont boast that i wade fish in that kind of water. these guys sure are rock stars...

[stinger63]

this thread made me check out some of the st clair river dives on youtube. man those guys sure do move alot of crap around up off the bottom and not put it back down. i can see how they can cause snags, and although some times it may not be intentional, its obvious how easily you can manipulate the crap down there to create big snags.

also, whats with the red neck bands they have to put on the soundtrack? come on you are diving man i dont think rocking out to saliva fits the video footage. maybe some yanni or something equally nancy. then the one video had this scroll across the screen: "air temperature 17 degrees...water temp 38 degrees". wow guys you are hard core!! oh, but looks like i out manned you just by standing on the shore that day in the 17 degree air. 38 degrees come on, i dont boast that i wade fish in that kind of water. these guys sure are rock stars...

You have a link to the youtube videos?

[ESOX]

Just og to youtube and search "St Clair River Diving" there are a lot of vids in there. Brethren Of The Coast, etc.

[the rapids]

You have a link to the youtube videos?

http://youtube.com/watch?v=TaoV4RBY3LA

http://youtube.com/watch?v=VpNI5blnc40

http://youtube.com/watch?v=mHj2DLvOQYY

http://youtube.com/watch?v=VghHkaQc0oM

http://youtube.com/watch?v=q5YcYArBrHk

http://youtube.com/watch?v=z8__ve6QzGU

those are most of them. i watched the 1st two. the 1st link especially you see the guys digging around.

my point is that in the water it is alot easier to lift heavy objects, especially with the aid of the current. you see these guys just move stuff and then either throw it back down or just let it float away. these actions most likely are creating the snags be it intentional or not.

[the rapids]

i guess i should add that diving seems like a cool hobby, but i like fishing too much to try it. much like ski doos/ speed boating/ boat-tubing, etc, diving gets in the way of my fishing so i am admittedly biased againt even wanting to partake in it. it doesnt mean i dont think it would be fun, but i care more about interfering with fisherman than i do having fun at their expense.

twice on maceday lake i have "had it out" with divers because both situations the divers boat did not have the required flag up and displayed as i was trolling by them, only for them to yell at me that there were divers in the area, then put up the flag. come on guys, have some common sense and at least follow your rules as i follow mine.

that is the kind of essence of "conflicting user interaction" that may or may not be the reason why there seem to be more snags on the st clair river as has been discussed in this thread. just like cutting snags from a river for canoesists and stuff like that, we all want to enjoy what we are doing so these kinds of things will always come up when groups have opposing views of how to have fun on a shared resource. it seems like once someone gets petty about something they will do what they can to discourage the other groups from having their fun too.

[stinger63]

Thanks "the rapids" for posting those links.Pretty cool to watch.Most of that diving video was recorded in the mid to lower portion of the st clair.A better video clip to see and watch would be from the upper part of the river like near the bluewater bridges and down stream.Thats where I do most of my fishing by the way.

[ICEGUY]

Thanks "the rapids" for posting those links.Pretty cool to watch.Most of that diving video was recorded in the mid to lower portion of the st clair.A better video clip to see and watch would be from the upper part of the river like near the bluewater bridges and down stream.Thats where I do most of my fishing by the way.

:yeahthat:

[the rapids]

ha, well they probably dont have any videos posted on that upper section because that is where they do most of their snag rigging.

[stinger63]

ha, well they probably dont have any videos posted on that upper section because that is where they do most of their snag rigging.

Actualy if I talk to Diver I might be able to con some out of him:)

[anchorman]

I lost an anchor so I need an anchor. If you got one handy PM me. Thanks.
greelhappy, are you still looking for an anchor ? I have over 40, now all sizes, lots of Danforths some with anchor chain. PM if you are in need.
anchorman