Im Furious!

mute

mute

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Sep 8, 2006
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So i went fishing today over at pickering again. Landed a few fish, was leaving and seen 2 guys about 20-28 fishing with fish on stringers. My cell phone didnt have service down in the valley so i couldnt call the authorities, although now that i think of it i dont even know a number i could of called. Theyre lucky there was 2 of them and one of me or else i would of bashed some heads. They were heading right to the one hole with 20 or so grouped up fish too. I wouldnt be surprised if tomorrow half those fish are gone or all scared up and about to die.
 
Isn't the winter trout limit still 3 fish? How many did they have?

If they were breaking regulations, I would have said something.

One question though... why would the fish be scarred up from their fishing the hole? (they all seem to be scarred anyway)
 
Mute I noticed that the hole by the tree was not fishing well the other day. I could tell there were not many fish left in there (even under the bridge) and I saw a dead fish on the shore. Some could have moved but I actually thought that someone may have been stinging them up. I wouldn't have known what number to call either but what i like to do is usually just say something like "just to let you guys know, the ranger was up on the road and I just don't want to see you guys get a fine" Sometimes people just don't know and other times it's pure ignorance. But it's not worth starting a fight over, although I would also call the commision if I knew the number.
 
Theres no harvest right now....And they both had 2 on stringers. And the fish would be scarred up/dieing because they were using bait and can you say its Snagging Time.
 
Ah, it must be a DHALO area. I wasn't aware-- I never fished pickering.

That aside, I don't think it's fair to assume they are going to snag. These fresh stocked fish are so easy to catch that it wouldn't even be worth snagging them. Though I guess people have done worse.

I still would have said something... Perhaps they didn't know.
 
Yea mikemus, its sad. JayL. Well in any other case, i wouldn't be so fast to assume they knew they were poaching, But after i seen them upstream, i drove out and headed downstream where i seen parked cars and talked to 2 men fly fishing the bridge. I told them what i saw and they said they saw the 2 men fishing where they were and said they said "Yea they really steal the bait". And the 2 men told me they told them youre not allowed to use bait on this stream and they just headed up stream(where i was). Thats where i still seen them fishing.....So therefore they new it wasnt allowed yet continued to do it. If they are that ignorant, when they get to the pool with 20 fish stocked up, i can almost guarentee they will be snagging.
 
Mute,

Put your frustrations into action and call the authorities. If we don't police our fisheries, nobody will. Here is the contact information for each region. PF&BC regional contact directory.]

Scroll to the bottom for the SE region.

I would recommend to everyone that they take note of their local law enforcement office and make the call as soon as you can after seeing a violation. Descriptions of the perps, plate numbers, time of day, activities observed are all things they will ask, if they do not, tell them.

Maurice
 
Numbers in my phone now, thanks.
 
Mute,

You should call now, even though the act is a little cold just to get the complaint logged. It amy cause the WCO to keep an eye on the area. And then, if you see it again, call again. As often as you are there, you are a pretty good eye on the scene.
 
I applaud your concern and passion. But don't get mad get even...like Mo said, let SOMEONE know. Even if its too late for this time. Just be careful when on stream. As others have stated on here before. Some guys are "packin'" And while they shouldn't be doing it, It isn't worth getting killed over.
 
I have called WCO Bonney on various occassions over the past couple of years regarding this section of Pickering and EB Brandy. He got there in time once and made a nice bust on a bunch of jacka**'s. It was satisfying.

Another reason you might want to consider for lack of fish in that hole at the tree is that they get sick of being bunched up in there after a few days. They will spread out and be in pocket water the whole way down from there to Rt. 29.
 
I've also reported anglers poaching fish in the past. It was on the weekend and there was nobody there to answer the phone. I called State Police in hopes that they could get in touch with a WCO but unfortunately, they couldn't.

After contacting the WCO's office for my region, they asked for a description of the perpetrators, and a description of the car. I passed along the information and they informed me that the WCO in that area would be paying closer attention to that area.

It's frustrating that there's not much you can do when it actually happens, short of going over and talking to the guys, but that is very much discouraged by any WCO I've ever spoken to. The reason for this is to avoid confrontation. Some people will appreciate what you tell them, but many will not.

Just be as alert as possible, log as much info as you can and report it to the field offices. Lots of good advice has already been given, but that's my two cents on it. NEVER let an issue like this go unreported. We are the extra eyes in the field for the WCO's and they do appreciate our help.
 
Allow me to chime in and say that the poaching on Pickering has become as bad as it is on Ridley. I have not fished it lately due to conditions, but I was astonished last spring to see 2 "non English speaking" good citizens throwing a cast net into the water. I was not able to reach them, but they were run off by another diligent fly fisherman. Some weeks later, and on more than one ocassion, there was a van parked on Pickering Dam Rd just below Hartman's Run, and there was a FAMILY of "non English speaking" sportsman sitting on the bank at the deep hole with the overhanging tree. Ahh, but these wise anglers were using plastic shopping bags to conceal their spoils. I have tried to reach the WCO for our area numerous times from Pickering, but cell coverage is pretty much non existent. He is well aware of the problem but one man cannot cover the enrire enforcment area alone. He does a really good job considering. I think we should all put as much pressure on these poachers as possible, without getting ourselves killed of course. One suugestion I think is to have the posted regs in other languages, maybe Spanish?
 
All you really have to do is start taking pictures. At first I hated taking my mobile phone to the stream; after all I fly fish to get away from the infernal thing. But it has a digital camera feature. And you can send wireless picture messages from any camera phone. Believe me, people of all languages know and understand this. Then I tell the perp’s I’ve just sent their pictures to the enforcement phone #. They will clear out when they hear that. I’ve used this a couple of times on the Little Lehigh heritage section.
Tight lines,
Larry
 
You beat me to it Larry.
 
Very upsetting and frustrating! Glad I was not there.
 
Mute, I know a couple of places were you can train up a little so you can open a can of whoop a## on them next time you see them. But I would say something to them and if they don't listen I would hang around and take pictures or through rocks at where they are fishing at least if you do that you are farther away so if they come after you. you a have a nice cusion to get away :-D Remeber Fear is your only GOD if you can control your Fear, than you are GOD :-o
 
Mute, was that you down stream from the walking bridge yesterday?

I saw two guys as well, I think they walked down towards you.
 
Stocked fish are meant to be harvested. Who cares, if those guys love to eat fish that much let them have em. Maybe thier poor and have to sustain thier families with fish.
 
SlumpBuster
Stocked fish are meant to be harvested. Who cares, if those guys love to eat fish that much let them have em. Maybe thier poor and have to sustain thier families with fish.[/

OH NO HE DIDN"T !!!!!!!!!!! :-o
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