How would you guys handle this?

[niner93]

I've been fishing a area that has been very good this year for gills, number and size, it's a public place that not many people know about, there has been only me and one other guy fishing this area.

Here's the problem. We have become friends over the past month, this by seeing each other out there the 3 days a week I can get out to fish. He has been out there every day at all times. I'm not sure that he is employed right now because I have seen him there at 8:00 am and he's there sometimes till 6:00pm. I went down last night and started to talk to him. He said he has been doing good this past week. Then he showed me his bucket of fish. He easily had over 30 gills at 4:30. He then stayed until 6:30 when I left and I asked how many he had. He said he thinks he had over 50. I told him that he is over his limit by quite a few and he responded to that by saying well there is no one else down here fishing:( This got me pretty upset.

I want to turn him in because he's been doing this for the past week or so. Who do I get ahold of. I'll have his license plate number and full discription of shanty and everything.

This spot got overfished some years ago and this guys is seeing first hand that he is going to be the one that is going to do it again.

:mad: :mad:

[Happy Jack]

Toughy Personaly I think I would talk to the guy and see if I could get him to stop. You say you 2 have become friends so maybe if you talked about the hefty fines and the very real possibilty of a visit by a CO he might stop. However if he continued I might call the RAP hot line.

[Lunker]

Say good bye to your good gill fishing for a while if you dont do anything. Id tell him the limit on gills again if he brushes you off again turn him in.

[Brian S]

I would only turn him in as a last resort. If he gets busted, he will have no doubt who turned him in. And then what? You may end up with your tires slashed next time you're out there fishing.

I'd talk to him. Tell him that he may single handedly ruin the great spot you have. Maybe he will stop if he thinks you might turn him in.

OR you can give me the location and I'll go talk some sense into him;) .

[scottyhoover]

Turn his butt in quick. Make sure you take a cell phone and get him in the act. I have some of those good gill holes in SE michigan too...you know the ones you have to hike to get to. I don't even like people seeing my tracks in the snow anymore. Really, unless you haven't caught any fish all year, even 25 is more than I would take in one day from my most prized bluegill hole, I've started catching and releasing more than ever this year because I would like to be able to show someone an 11inch gill someday. Tell him how you care about the future of the fishery, then call RAP on his butt.

[ICEPAPPY]

The law is the law is the law! BUT, try to find out what he's doing with them. If he's selling them or giving them away I'd be pissed and I would call the DNR. If he's not working and he's feeding his family let nature provide. I've met "harvesters" before. Some good some bad. A few years ago while up to the PM for salmon I visted the Baldwin river where we noticed an old black man snagging salmon where it was illegal. Baldwin is a depressed area. No work, no jobs. He said he'd smoke the salmon and freeze it. We told him it was illegal where he was and he smiled and said "what's a judge gonna do to me? Fine me? I don't have a job, so I can't pay. Put me in jail? I don't think so cause they would have to house and feed me. That would be doing me a favor." So sometimes silence is a virtue. Its a moral judgement. If the DNR catches this guy on their own they will handle it. If you call the DNR and find out this guy is having hard times how will you handle it? Get more information and you will make the right decision.

[chuckinduck]

If knowingly tells you he has 50 gills he obviously doesn't care, he probably won't stop until he gets slapped with a fine, he is gonna ruin your hotspot in short order if he keeps it up. And if he is there everyday he has a lot of fish in his freezer, and my hunch is that alot are probably going bad by the time he eats them, if he ever eats them. 50 gills (nice size) is a lot of fish for a family to eat in a sitting. I have a family of 5 and to have a fish dinner 16-18 (7-8 1/2) gills is plenty for us, alot of time there is enough left over for a snack the next day. So I guess what I am saying is this guy is probably the type that likes to brag about how many fish he caught and they are probably going to waste. I only keep what I can eat fresh, frozen gills aren't nearly as good! Turn this loser in~

[ih772]

By him telling you he doesn't care if he is over the limit because nobody is down there fishing demonstrates that he doesn't care if he screws up that fishing spot for his own selfish reasons. If he would have said I know I'm over but I'm using it to help feed my family then ask him to stop at his limit and give him a part of your catch otherwise unemployed or not call RAP on him.

Have one of your buddys show up on the ice after you've been out there a while and pretend like he doesn't know you. Have him talk to the both of you and if the guy is over the limit have your buddy mention it to him. That way it looks like some joe-shmoe turned him in and not you.

[DuckDog]

Print this forum and hand it to him!

Remind him that he is stealing from all of us!

The number for the Report all Poaching hotline is 800-292-7800.

I turned in out of season trappers that were trapping where I had permission for the upcoming season. I told the CO that I knew the violators personally, and was afraid of retribution. I was able to stay completely out of the picture. I never heard anything else about it until the reward check came in the mail!:cool:

[niner93]

That's kind of what I was thinking, I'll mention it a time or two more then I think I have no other option.

I'm with you guys, when I go out I try to take home 15 or so and that's makes a good meal for my family and one tasty fish sandwich for lunch the next day.

I want to ask him if he works but I thought that would kind of be insulting, he's been great to me offering me advice on what they've been hitting on and other advice. But the law's the law and I would hate for this fishery to be hurt.

Thanks guys!!!

[Lunker]

Yeah Im not paying out of state liscence fees for nothing here! These arent lousy salmon these are worth even more , Jumbo gills and crappie is all I keep. I know of several old retired "poor guys" that are yacht owners and keep everything from 6" largemouth and smallies too 4" perch by the bucket fulls, and they know better to do it around me now.

[catfishtom210]

If this guy is out there feeding his family ala The Waltons.....and has no job, let him catch his limit and then spend the rest of the day looking for employment!

If he can sit all day fishing he could do the same at many jobs! My guess is that he has a job but is just a pure meat fisherman! Some of that type would sooner cut off a finger than release a fish. It may be no use talking to him! In essence he is a poacher and like many poachers they feel entitled to do things they have no right to do! That's why there is a law....it's gotta bug you when you observe the law and the guy next to you doesn't!

Good luck...let us know here how it turns out!

Tom

[bluedevil]

Well spoken catfishtom210. You took the words right out of my mouth.

[polarbare21]

You guys really think that someone who doesnt follow the law for his limit of fish would actually have a fishing license??

[Big Frank 25]

I would hope a CO would come along and check us both! 1 800 292 7800

[steelslam]

sounds like its only a friendship from the ice. myself id call the DNR an ask them to come out an check everyone on the ice that way he doesnt think about who may have turned him in. 25 is alot of fish per day thats 175/ week. just with legal limits. my guess he's selling them for cash. thats what the RAP line was set up for.

[tommy-n]

You already talked to him, yheres nothing more to talk about, your not that good of freinds turn him in. Scottyhoover, I hope you do catch a 11 incher. I caught one 11, and eight more that were 10 or better so far this year.:)

[Huron River Dan]

Talk to the local CO, tell him where and when he should check the spot. This guy is an outlaw and doesn't care about anything, he's the kind that kills good spots.

[skulldugary]

To the guy's that would give him a break...........Would you cut him some slack if he was poaching deer?

[FrankaB]

If you'd like, I'll talk to him for you. I'll ask him if he knows he's breaking the law? If he understands he's over fishing the lake? If understands he's hurting us all in the long run? What color jig he's using? Whats he's got for bait? Then I'll turn him in and fish his hole when he's gone.

[niner93]

I was thinking of holding a outing down there so all you guys could get to give your .02 to him. :D :p

Seriously the more I think about it the more upset I'm getting. I'll be down there hopefully tomorrow. I'm talking to him and then going from there.

Thanks guys!!!

[DuckDog]

Call the RAP hotline. Ask the officer to go fishing undercover when you go. He will check your license in view of the other angler, so you are not suspected of turning the violator in. Now that I have thought about it, I wouldn't even warn him, or talk to him. He may just ignore you, or move to another lake and continue poaching.

I had an officer go hunting undercover with me when I was harrased by anti-hunters. The anti-hunters were very suprised when they found out one of the two hunters at their door was an undercover CO who had witnessed the harrassment.

You might get a $ reward, and get the poacher off the ice!

[stinger63]

I personaly frown on anyone who is greedy and takes more than their legal limit of fish.Plain and simple laws are meant for a purpose and thats to leave plenty of fish for others who want to catch them.
Take your fishing poles and repeatly hook him tell you reached the limit of how many fish are supposed to be legal to catch.Then turn him over on his head grabbing him by his feet and repeatly bang his head on the ice until you excede the limit of how many fish are supposed to be caught.Next if you have a snow machine or quad tie a rope to his feet and drag him all over the lake for a long enough time that you feel justice has been served.Next if he survives this take your ice auger and drill a hole through the middle of chest.Then leave him there with his equipment and bucket of excesss number of fish for others to see.Or even better get your wood chipper and shread the entire contents of body using it to feed all those prize gills in the lake.This should fatten them up real well.This will send a very strong message that steeling fish is not tolerated and anyone that is caught doing so will have to pay.
Take plenty of pictures and post them on every internet forum you know about making it clear to get the message out to as many people as you can.This should make everyone obey the fishing laws.
Actualy I was joking about all this you should take his picture with him standing over his bucket of too many fish and tell him if he doesnt stop what you could posibly do with this incriminating eveidence.
Turn him in no doubt

[lawnboy]

I think it’s an easy one the dnr comes down and gives him a once over…either they cache him or it will make him question doing it again and getting caught.


Look at it this way the guy dose not respect the law way would he respect you? Let the right people set him straight.

Or you could do the sneaky Pete thing and bring the digital camera and when he says that he has a ton of fish tell him that you will take a few pics with all the fish and him in it and will mail them to him, but you will need his name and number.

[WALLEYEvision]

Originally posted by steelslam
...myself id call the DNR an ask them to come out an check everyone on the ice that way he doesnt think about who may have turned him in...

I agree with Steelslam. Even if he's not poaching at the time, knowing that the CO's are working the area may cause him to "limit" his take.

[bignoccursg]

My 2 cents

Everyone reading this is an outsdoors person. I think we really take it personal when we feel someone is taking advantage of the outdoor resources.
However, how many of us are driving over the speed limit while talking on a cell phone on the way to our fishing spots? Or, had a couple of drinks while out at dinner with our spouses, then driven home?
What I'm saying is everyone is a law breaker or a liar. I am not saying this guy should take over his limit, But I believe a guy who would take a few extra bluegills might be less of a law breaker than most of the population, and probably less of a lawbreaker than the CO that hands him a ticket.

I would worry about myself and what I'm doing, and not what this guy is doing.

[Chuck1]

I agree , with some hesitation, Although I am no angel, I follow the fishing regs pretty tight. But after having dealt with a few overzealous CO's in the past, I don't think it's my place to screw over this guy over a few bluegills. Now on the other hand if it is a really small , lake ,and you think between the two of you , you are going to hurt the lake. I would tell the guy , "hey I'm not cool with you pillaging the lake, how about just keeping your limit ,and releasing the rest. He may tell you "GET F#@#$$! " In that case I say let him burn. But if he's cool about it ,and for a moment understands that it ain't right what he's doing , you'll have done him a favor. If nothing else he'll probably be a little more careful regardless.

[niner93]

He's already told me he don't care if he takes more than the limit because we are the only ones down there. If he's taking out 50-75 gills a day everyday he himself can destroy even a large impoundment. I drove by on wed. and he was there at 7:00 am till 6:00 pm. At the rate that they've been biting this past two weeks I would put money he went home with well over 100 fish.

I'm heading down there tonight hopefully I can have a talk with him after that I'm not responsible for what happens. It's a pretty hefty fine for being more than twice your limit.

[tommy-n]

please let us know what happens, either way. this is intresting, keep us posted.

[johnny white]

what happened ?

[steelslam]

i cant wait to hear how this comes out

[slowpoke]

We have room for one more ice fishing outting. Why not there. I'm sure if 25 or so of us talk to him he will see the light.

[niner93]

Just to give you guys a up date. He wasn't out there on Fri. Way to much rain to want to go out. He also was a no show on Sat. or Sun.

I couldn't of busted him on either day. The rain muddied up the water so much it was less than 10" of visibility. It's very shallow where these fish are. I only managed 4 on Sat. and 8 on Sun.

Hopefully this week.
I'll repost it as "over limit update"

[Rat-Man]

Count me in slow poke !

The Golden Rule:
LIMIT YOUR KILL- DON'T KILL YOUR LIMIT !

Practice catch and release

[Happy Jack]

Could be his freezer is full OR he visits this site !

[niner93]

I was thinking the same thing. I wonder if he visits this site.
He wasn't out there last night. I didn't fish but I drive by it everyday so I can tell.

Maybe with the muddied water it makes it to much of a challenge for someone like that. In a way I like it that way. It makes me look for new spots that might not have as much silt in it. In other words you actually have to work for bites. :) :)

[ih772]

what ever happened to that guy? Did he quit showing up?

[niner93]

Once I posted on here for the first time he stopped showing up. I don't know if it was just coincidence or what but it seemed kind of strange since he was out there 5 days a week before I posted and never again after.:confused:

Well at least he left some of the fish in there, I got out 4 more times before the ice left and got 8, 15,13,18 on those days. And I seen plenty more fish down there and I know there are not many people that fish it during the summer. Hopefully next year will even be better!!

PM me if you have any guesses where I was this past winter. First correct answer get to go with me next year.

[Ralph Smith]

Is it the lake by Tyler cemetary on east side of 275? Just a wild guess. I'd love to catch some nice gills:D

[niner93]

Nope, sorry

[jamieking989]

Who are you to judge this man? Do you know him personaly? Have you seen him waste fish? Maybe he was just bragging. I would never take fish illeagly or over my limit. I teach my kids to fish and hunt leagally and safely. But I would never judge someone elses beleifs or ethics. If you confronted me 1 or 25 of you, you better be prepared for the outcome. This is a FREE country. Inocent untill proven guilty by a court of law. So go ahead and snitch him out, but what comes around goes around. Unless you own the lake you have no business aproaching anyone there with acquzations. I mean geez now your stalking him at the lake. I think thats illeagal to. I hope Im never confronted by anyone like you, But when you questions someones integrity you better be ready for what transpires afterward. I dont think you would like my reactions.

Jamie King ( real name )

wrench61271@hotmail.com

[Robert W. McCoy Jr]

But as he said in his first the guy had twice his limit?

We are all stewards of our natural resourses.

Blatent disregards for daily limits and such in a small fishing resource can really bring a small fishery to it's knees.

I beleive the daily limit on panfish is plenty for one person.

[boehr]

So go ahead and snitch him out, but what comes around goes around.So tell me Jamie, are you saying you protect poachers? Just wondering because that is what it sounds like here.

From the Game Warden (real occupation)

[Bucktail Butch]

Well said, Ray.

And to you, Jamie.
Re. ":mad: Mind your own business."
Protection of the resources is everybody's business. What do you think the RAP Hotline (1-800-292-7800) is for?

[SNAPPY]

Originally posted by jamieking989
Have you seen him waste fish?

Jamie King ( real name )

wrench61271@hotmail.com


Doesnt mater if he's wasting fish or donating it. Over the limit is still OVER THE LIMIT! Where do you fish? I wanna get a free fishin trip with niner93:eek: :D

[SALMONATOR]

Doesnt mater if he's wasting fish or donating it. Over the limit is still OVER THE LIMIT!

Yup. I agree.

Jamie,

I'd never confront anyone just because I suspected they might be doing something wrong while out fishing. That's boehr's job, but if I bumped in to you on a lake or river and you were dumb enough to tell me that you had twice your leagle limmit (like this guy was and did) I'd drop a dime on you in a second and I'd be well prepaired to deal with your reaction. I'd also be happy to appear in a court of law and help prove you guilty. We all own the lake and the laws are there for a reason.

Al

[Hunter333]

FINALLY someone that says what I so many times try to.....thanks SNAPPY for "Doesnt mater if he's wasting fish or donating it. Over the limit is still OVER THE LIMIT!" I dont care if you know someone personally (what the hell does that have to do with anything), the law is the law, PERIOD!! "Go ahead and snitch him out"? you ask..... Is it "snitching" when a person holds someone else accountable? If so, I shall "snitch on" for many years to come!! jamie, I think that maybe you should chill for a bit before you post, just in case you were caught up in the momemt... ie "you better be prepared for the outcome." Sounds like a threat to me..... imho!

[skulldugary]

JK989.You mean to tell us that if someone was poaching deer in your hunting area you would give him a pat on the back?"You better be prepared for the out come":mad:

[niner93]

I have to say I wanted to throw up when I read Jamie's response. There is no place in the outdoors for that kind of attitude. He's the kind of guy that would be right next to the guy I seen laughing and having a good time.

As I said he bragged to me about how many he had.

Don't get to riled up over Jamie guys I think it was just someone who wanted to cause trouble and get peoples tempers going.

It's sad that they also call themselves "sportmen":(

[chad 1]

Niner93, You did the right thing but I don't see this going anywhere good anymore so I am going to close it!

chad1