# Fish'IN LITTLE RIVER OUT OF SEASON



## bigbuckbob (Jan 26, 2009)

Went to cabin friday on the little, when we got there noticed someone fish'in downstream yelled to him" river is closed until april 1st" he raised his hand and waved and walked up the steps. Same guy sunday morning caught him sneaking back up the steps w/rod in hand. As we were leaving I was going to get address and lic. plate #, we confronted a vehicle that was just leaving driveway. After a few breif words the passenger became a real @#$%^%$ so I said thank you for your time ,they left we got lic.# and address. At this time I have call into local C.O and waiting for return call. ( question is did I start a fire w/a neighbor our did I do the right thing---- my gut says I did the right thing) -------thanks for any input------Rob


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## leakywaders (Apr 12, 2005)

I don't see how you did anything wrong. The law is the law. If it did start something, it wasn't started by you. He should never have had put you in that position in the first place. To you, I say, thanks. Too many people just let these things go all too often. Whether they feel that it is none of their business or they are just too lazy, they just don't. You are just defending a river for the rest of us.


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## WhiteyNorris (Dec 29, 2008)

Sure, you might have started a small fire with your neighbor...but its his fault for putting you into a position to have to question him and report him. The law is the law, regardless of what some might think of it...and with budget cuts thinning our dnr officer herd, its up to sportsmen to help keep each other in check. So nice work. Watch your back for a while though..some guys go a little crazy when questioned on their ethics and practices!!!!


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## Jekart (Apr 27, 2006)

I'd say you are in the right, depends on the "few words" you said 
(  ) but from the sounds of it you went about it in non-confrantational way and any pissing matches that may result from this would the fault of the violator, not the one looking out for the river.

Thanks for the effort, I wish more people would step up.


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## Michigander1 (Apr 5, 2006)

Well i guess you did the right thing if you want to fight with your neighbor and look over your shoulder now.Sometimes in life you need to look the other way.Who cares if some guys fishing anyways.Im, sure you never broke the law in your life right ? Was he carrying any fish? Your 1`st mistake was letting him know who you was and bitching about it.Now you made your bed lay in it.Mich


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## bigbuckbob (Jan 26, 2009)

Not saying I'm perfect but sometimes in life you have to stand up for what's right. 

Why are you so angry about it? Was it your foul mouth sitting in that passenger seat??


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## Michigander1 (Apr 5, 2006)

bigbuckbob said:


> Not saying I'm perfect but sometimes in life you have to stand up for what's right.
> 
> Why are you so angry about it? Was it your foul mouth sitting in that passenger seat??


 Na not me.But theres a unwritten law about what you did.And by letting him know you did was a bad thing.Now you have to worry about your place.Never tell on a local.And if you do. Never ever tell anyone or let them know you did.Im sure he keep an eye on your place when your not around if ya know what i mean.See its not worth it.Sry but im being honest,Mich


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## Pike Eyes (Jul 9, 2008)

I think you did the right thing by calling the CO. Sometimes in the process of doing something upstanding you are most always going to @!$$ off the people that can't follow the rules. Cheers!


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## bigbuckbob (Jan 26, 2009)

Ah...I've broken an unwritten law. That makes perfect sense. 

Your advice is it's always a good idea to be the wimp in the schoolyard and tuck tail around the bullies...perfect sense.


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## Michigander1 (Apr 5, 2006)

Your call not mine.I sure in the hell would not put my face out there and call the CO afterwords.You did what you felt what was right so that all that matters ,Mich


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## duxdog (Apr 13, 2008)

That is a never ending battle on the LM. Heck, some of the local boys around there enjoy there "locals only" private fishing spot for a few months.


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## MrFysch (Feb 9, 2008)

You definitely did the right thing. There is a reason the Little is closed til April 1. Amazes me how many people fish it before season though and claim ignorance. Owning a cabin on the river doesnt give you the right to violate.


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## Michigander1 (Apr 5, 2006)

MrFysch said:


> You definitely did the right thing. There is a reason the Little is closed til April 1. Amazes me how many people fish it before season though and claim ignorance. Owning a cabin on the river doesnt give you the right to violate.


 No its doesnt.But it a fact it happen up there.Im sure its no big deal.Mich


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## steelheader12345 (Oct 5, 2006)

Michigander1 said:


> No its doesnt.But it a fact it happen up there.Im sure its no big deal.Mich


So if you were to get caught there and given a ticket by a CO you would say, "oh well it no big deal"???


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## riverman (Jan 9, 2002)

As a cabin owner on a popular river I'll put my two cents in here for what's it worth. Locals and neighbors on the river can be a tricky situation. Pi#@@# the wrong local off you run the risk of having your dream torched or vandalized. Be real here, most places are off the road and out of sight. Pi$%^ your neighbor off and that's what you get to look forward to everytime you go up to relax and enjoy getting away from it all. Remember your reasons for buying the place. What is done is done and only you and your neighbor can work it out from here. A freindly conversation on the river edge instead of yelling off the porch has resolved many issues for me and my family and actually made us some very reliable contacts(locals) who we utilize all the time. It doesn't work all the time and we HAVE called the rap line more than once. I guess what I'm trying to say is talk face to face, perhaps your conversation with the fishermen may save him a ticket down the road or better yet make him think about what he doing, and even better maybe the two of you will spend some time together enjoying both your cabins.


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## riceburner (Jun 9, 2005)

I was with Bigbuckbob at the time and he was in fact very polite as the person in the passengers seat became very obnoxious. In fact the exact words were " How do you think we ought to handle this ?". I also had my son with us and I feel that he learned the proper way to handle this from the begining to the end.

Just my 2 cents.
Ricey.


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## Queequeg (Aug 10, 2007)

Riverman reminds me of an incident that happened to my family's cabin. It is a little different situation, but at the end of the day our family's cabin was burned down by locals that were not happy about a situation. Fire department said it was intentional arson, and though no one actually caught the perps we all knew pretty well who it was. In the middle of the woods with no one around a seasonal cabin can become an easy target.

Additionally, the few times I've fished the LM (two times I think) I saw numerous violations. Granted, this was during August when a few salmon showed up, but snagging was prevalent and what appeared to be locals didn't seem even a little phased by the fact there were CO's 100 yards away. Even when told there was a CO they followed up by saying "F&%# them." 

So, in short that is a touchy one.


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## Michigander1 (Apr 5, 2006)

steelheader12345 said:


> So if you were to get caught there and given a ticket by a CO you would say, "oh well it no big deal"???


 1st off i have no reason for any CO to give me a ticket.How could anyone enjoy fishing not being legal ?Just cause i say the way it is.Dont mean i follow them ways.I just Respect the way it is ,Mich


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## bigbuckbob (Jan 26, 2009)

Michigander1 said:


> How could anyone enjoy fishing not being legal ?



Thats the problem w/many people they don't respect the SPORT or the laws, they think they have the privledge of "making" their own laws. And they are the same people who get P.O when they get confronted or caught by a C.O


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## marshman (Nov 29, 2005)

I can understand both sides of the fence. however, I think that what you did was right. I dont know about your river in particular but I was caught in a similar situation where I was " the violater " ...I buy my licenses, sticker my boat and now keep my receipts for bait....but a C.O. was called on me when I was honestly sucker fishing and was thought to be trout fishing out of season. Luckily the C.O. was understanding and didnt write a ticket. But if in your case the river is closed, then that is that. I'll have to agree with some of the others, its better to make a phone call on the DL than announce it....whoops! Its still a shame that you have to even think of something like that happening but in todays awesome economy and unemployment sky rocketing, what else can you expect! I'd blame the goverment!!! LOL

~marsh


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## f-or-h-im-there (Jan 13, 2009)

You did the right thing. It's a shame that people would resort to burning down someones cabin, or vandelizing it. Just show's there true colors and character. Especially when they go back to the same spot a day later 

Hope you post back a little on the phone conversation with the CO


Kuddos to you.


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## Michigander1 (Apr 5, 2006)

bigbuckbob said:


> Thats the problem w/many people they don't respect the SPORT or the laws, they think they have the privledge of "making" their own laws. And they are the same people who get P.O when they get confronted or caught by a C.O


 Shame on them .


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## Splitshot (Nov 30, 2000)

MrFysch said:


> You definitely did the right thing. There is a reason the Little is closed til April 1. Amazes me how many people fish it before season though and claim ignorance. Owning a cabin on the river doesnt give you the right to violate.


Wrong! I live on the Little Manistee and I know many people up and down the river and with only a few exceptions they have respect for the river. If this happened around the 9 mile bridge area I think I already heard this story from a local. Someone asked if there were many fish in the river and someone else who lives on the river asked another person to come over and see if he could hook one. When he agreed he later said it was a stupid thing to do since someone confronted him.

I was asked the same question by a local to check the river and I refused access because the season is closed. They can find out April 1st if there are any fish in the river like the rest of us. I also heard from another local that an old poaching family speared a dozen steelhead in just one day last week somewhere below Johnsons Bridge and the COs have been notified. Difficult to catch them even if you know who they are and where they are poaching.

Ill just say MrFysch most people who live on th river dont think they have any special right ro violate and if you knew what you were talking about you wouldnt have made that statement. Most of us are looking out for you. Most of the poachers according to the COs I have talked to come from somewhere else, but poachers are poachers and should be treated accordingly.

If you go to any river that has salmon in August you will find many more poachers then you will on the Little Manistee, but when the salmon are in the rivers, they are everywhere. Bigbuckbob, you did the right thing thanks!


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## ausable_steelhead (Sep 30, 2002)

> That is a never ending battle on the LM. Heck, some of the local boys around there enjoy there "locals only" private fishing spot for a few months


That happens on more then just the Little Man. Go up above 55 on the East branch Au Gres, and you will see the lanterns hanging off trees, pitchforks(one particular yard), and tons and tons of FRESH, empty redds. Now sure, some of those fish spit n' split, but a whole lot more get zipped/snagged/speared a few weeks before the season opens for that particular stretch by the "locals" up there. They're not all guilty, but some certainly are. It's to bad theres @$$holes that treat fragile, wild fish producing streams like that.....


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## Boardman Brookies (Dec 20, 2007)

You did do the right think but I would have just called the RAP line first and let them sort it out. My heart would want to go and say something, but my gut would tell me no. I like my family cabin to much to have some jackasses destroy it. Let us know how it turns out.


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## Frantz (Dec 9, 2003)

I praise you for your efforts and say good job!


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## big_phish (Jan 1, 2009)

You did the right thing. I applaud you for atleast telling him the river is closed. I probably would have called the dnr and let them deal with it. Bust now, ask questions later.


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## MrFysch (Feb 9, 2008)

Not singling out anyone in general just saying this river has this going on every year. I have fished the little on April 1 for 20 years and almost every year i do a drive buy the bridges the day before to check water levels and will see people fishing. Some people just are ignorrant of the opener and some give me the 1 finger salute.


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## Ranger Ray (Mar 2, 2003)

I used to float a major trout stream every year the day before opener. You would not believe the number of cabins and camps getting a early start. They sure are surprised when they are in the middle of nowhere and you show up.


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## tommy-n (Jan 9, 2004)

I'm not here to judge anyone, you must do what you feel is right The only thing is alot of people live by the laws of the jungle, hopefully nothing bad will happen to your personal property when your not there.


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## michhutr (Jan 16, 2009)

Call Rap hotline...

Solves all the problems discussed. No one will know who you are and you won't have to worry about ticking off the LOCALS. Your house will be safe from these law abiding citizens and you can act friendly and smile when they brag about their own private season. They will come to think of you as one of their own. You may even learn a few new deer hunting tactics..........................I think we all know some like that.


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## cane crazed (Jul 22, 2008)

i have stuck my neck out before in the name of angling justice and almost got shot back here in tennessee. my suggestion to you is to accept your call if it was heart felt and for the right reason. i also suggest that you keep an eye peeled on that neighbor. if you really knew him good, you may have been better off to let it slide. had he been keeping fish, well that may have been a different call. cane crazed


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## Michigander1 (Apr 5, 2006)

Real easy.Just keep your mouth shut and call RAP if it bothers ya.Odds are the CO wont do nothing on a report like that anyways.He way up in TC that covers that area.I know thers only 2 COs for a huge area up there.Mich


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## bigbuckbob (Jan 26, 2009)

Hind sight is always 20-20 , but I still feel like confronting him was the right thing-------- Rob]


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## kwcharne (Jan 8, 2008)

Michigander1 said:


> Well i guess you did the right thing if you want to fight with your neighbor and look over your shoulder now.Sometimes in life you need to look the other way.Who cares if some guys fishing anyways.Im, sure you never broke the law in your life right ? Was he carrying any fish? Your 1`st mistake was letting him know who you was and bitching about it.Now you made your bed lay in it.Mich



I would have to agree. So the guy was fishing in his backyard while the river was closed. As said before, did you see him with any fish? Burning a bridge with a neighbor is never a good thing in my opinion. What if you break the law doing something minor and he see's it, you think he will look the other way now?


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## bigbuckbob (Jan 26, 2009)

If I break the law I deserve to suffer the consequences, however he was not in his own back yard. Fish or no fish RIVER IS CLOSED!!!!


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## Splitshot (Nov 30, 2000)

I agree with Bob. You can rationalize that it is not that big a deal, but it is still breaking the law. If you get busted, don't cry. Pay the fine and shut up. In the end it is up to each person individually how far someone has to go before you drop a dime on him.

If you see a guy ice fishing with two tip ups and is using his jigging rod, I wouldn't say anything, but he is still breaking the law. Hunt 1 minute after shooting hours and it's illegal. Call RAP? Not me, but snag steel head or brown trout and I see you I'll walk a mile to get to a phone. 

There are people out there that are stealing from all of us and the DNR doesn't have the personal to cover everything. I don't know where your line is, but when someone crosses it, call RAP. Please don't come on here and cry about what someone is doing that you find terrible and not turn him in.

Fishing at this particular spot outside the seasons has been going on forever and now because one person spoke out perhaps it will stop. Here's hoping.


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## Boardman Brookies (Dec 20, 2007)

Splitshot said:


> Please don't come on here and cry about what someone is doing that you find terrible and not turn him in.


Did he not say in his first post he was going to call this in????


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## Splitshot (Nov 30, 2000)

Boardman Brookies said:


> Did he not say in his first post he was going to call this in????


If you read the entire thread, you would see that the coment you quoted was not meant for Bigbuckbob but for the other people who post that they saw someone doing something they thought was egregious but did not call RAP.


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## jiggineyes (Feb 19, 2005)

So the guy lives on the river and is an avid fisherman! He respects the river he fishes and it is very important to him! A guy shows up who doesnt even live there who probably trespassed to get to the river and starts fishing the river. He cant fish it and you guys expect him to just look the other way!!!!??? Not


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## Whit1 (Apr 27, 2001)

jiggineyes said:


> So the guy lives on the river and is an avid fisherman! He respects the river he fishes and it is very important to him! A guy shows up who doesnt even live there who probably trespassed to get to the river and starts fishing the river. He cant fish it and you guys expect him to just look the other way!!!!??? Not


 
No none is saying that he should "just look the other way." They are merely offering other, perhaps with fewer possible consequences to his property, suggestions to take care of the poaching/tresspassing.


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## Halffasthog (Feb 20, 2008)

Thanks, Bob. I don't see a better way of handling it. It's not like his hook was one size too big, or the net wasn't exactly regulation size. He was fishing out of season. Would any of the people disagreeing with you call RAP if their neighbor was hunting deer out of season? Frankly, I don't see the difference, especially since he was made aware of the situation he was in on the previous day.


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## Vicious Fishous (Sep 12, 2006)

Large antlered male deer Robert,
Well you definately did the right thing, and make sure you keep that license plate# around for a while(forever). If anything where to happen to your cabin(hopefully not)then you already have prime suspects. Let's just hope that the violators are only dumb enough to fish out of season, and let bygones be bygones.
PETE


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## Michigander1 (Apr 5, 2006)

Well i hope everyone here kinda learns a lesson on to handle things like this.Unless your an CO just keep your pie hole shut.If you feel you need to report then do so.Dont put yourself in a spot where someone or some nut may do something bad.You never know who your dealing with or what they may do,Be safe Mich


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## tommy-n (Jan 9, 2004)

There's always more than one way to look at something,. As I sit here and read all the posts I can't help but wonder, how many guys take a longer break at work than whats allowed, speed all the way home, go over their freinds and drink a few beers then drive home. The list could go on and on, you know what they say people in glass houses should not throw stones. If you break any laws at all your really know better than the guy fishing out of season, yet pass judgement on to him. Seems in todays society alot of people bend or break rules that fit their needs, but are quick to point the finger at someone else for doing something different. You can tell me it's not the same thing, why because he may have stole a fish from me or you? you may have drove the price of a product up because you take long breaks or kill someone driving because you were going 10 over the speed limit. Know one is perfect, we all make mistakes. I just get tired of the people that break some rules but are quick to point their finger at someone else for doing something different

Just my two cents and not directed at any one person in particular, just another point of veiw


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## Johnny 2581 (Jan 15, 2009)

I think it was the right thing to do if he wasn't in his own backyard. Otherwise if it was a neighbor in his own yard eh, it wouldn't matter to me its not like it's the last steelie to ever swim thru that spot. But the hell with argueing over a silly topic like this. Just look at it this way the Little be open in a little while and you can have a hell of a time fishing it. That's the way i look at it.


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## TreeDizzle (Oct 19, 2005)

Lets be honest, we cannot compare speeding to fishing the Little Manistee River that is closed for over 1/4 of the year. Millions of people speed everyday, hopefully thats not the case with fishing the river out of season. Well done buckbob, if you didn't say something, who else would have. If nobody says anything, the problem will continue to happen.


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## tommy-n (Jan 9, 2004)

:lol:thats why I rest my case

apparently you speed but don't fish rivers out of season:lol:

breaking the law is breaking the law


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## TreeDizzle (Oct 19, 2005)

Thats quite a case you have there. I agree somewhat. So I shouldn't try to stop a murder from happening, because I speed and break the law. Gotcha...I'll just call the police after it happens.


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## kwcharne (Jan 8, 2008)

tommy-n said:


> There's always more than one way to look at something,. As I sit here and read all the posts I can't help but wonder, how many guys take a longer break at work than whats allowed, speed all the way home, go over their freinds and drink a few beers then drive home. The list could go on and on, you know what they say people in glass houses should not throw stones. If you break any laws at all your really know better than the guy fishing out of season, yet pass judgement on to him. Seems in todays society alot of people bend or break rules that fit their needs, but are quick to point the finger at someone else for doing something different. You can tell me it's not the same thing, why because he may have stole a fish from me or you? you may have drove the price of a product up because you take long breaks or kill someone driving because you were going 10 over the speed limit. Know one is perfect, we all make mistakes. I just get tired of the people that break some rules but are quick to point their finger at someone else for doing something different
> 
> Just my two cents and not directed at any one person in particular, just another point of veiw




Well Said!!!


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## METTLEFISH (Jan 31, 2009)

if no answer or available C.O. call the Sherriff, they do have authority too, "mysterious" damage!.... also known as motive.... KEEP ON POACHIN POACHERS!.....


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## michhutr (Jan 16, 2009)

Thanks for the permission to break game laws because everyone else speeds. I feel so much better now knowing I can keep that foul hooked fish or extra goose. I'll just drive the speed limit home to balance out my crimes.:lol:


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## METTLEFISH (Jan 31, 2009)

What I meant was REPORT ALL POACHERS.... poach em. Don't back down to those idiots. Get in their face & call to report them, follow them til D.N.R. of Sherriff gets there. If they want to damage your stuff.... well that is what insurance is for. There is too much pressure on those resources now even with people following the laws.


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## William H Bonney (Jan 14, 2003)

Pissing off locals on a desolete stretch of river.......:16suspect

_You sur gota purdy mouth... yer gonna do sum prayin fer me boy...._


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## tommy-n (Jan 9, 2004)

:lol::yikes::lol:

heeehawww gideeee on up


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## wartfroggy (Jan 25, 2007)

William H Bonney said:


> Pissing off locals on a desolete stretch of river.......:16suspect
> 
> _You sur gota purdy mouth... yer gonna do sum prayin fer me boy...._


...and I always hear banjo music in the background when I am up that way


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## REG (Oct 25, 2002)

Bigbuckbob, I do agree that what you were trying to do (get them off the river) was right, but as Riverman pointed out, it can become the proverbial road to He!!. Keep in mind that though there are laws, sometimes we can skate on thin ice if we try to reinforce and/or enforce them. Moreover, as others have stated, you don't know who you might be dealing with. Sometimes, telling them a story, such as "you know, I saw some guys out fishing here yesterday get busted and had their equipment confinscated" or something on the order can achieve the same end. If they chose to ignore you and continue, you just don't know what other boundries they have when it comes to lawful behavior.


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## Clinch (Nov 30, 2008)

If he is a known local, he probably knows the c.o.'s and they arent gonna do a damn thing about it. I personnaly would have just asked him how the fishin was and went on about MY OWN BUISNESS.


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## dasuper (Sep 23, 2007)

Since you all seem so afraid of the local bad guys why own properyy here. Just sellout and run for town. Most people in this area don't care for violatores either so don't lump us all together.


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## WhiteyNorris (Dec 29, 2008)

Its unfortunate that some feel that property ownership on or near bodies of water excludes them from local laws.
Its even more unfortunate that these same individuals feel they need to resort to extreme measures (bodily harm, destruction of property, etc.) because a fellow sportsman called them out for violating. 
Action like that makes these guys no better than gang members who feel they have the right to create their own rules in their "neighborhood" or convicts who enforce their personal rules in prison with violence.
And we wonder why the tree huggers and animal lovers look at us so negatively...we can't even get our fellow sportsmen to obey laws, protect our natural resources, or show compassion/respect toward our brothers and sisters in the outdoors.
It's a shame. Fishing for trout, steelhead, and salmon on our prized streams is such a riot...and its even more fun getting friends hooked up for the first time...and then dirty little secrets like this come to the surface. I'm embarrassed to think that I have to wade the same waters with some of these guys.


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