# How would you guys handle this?



## niner93 (Mar 18, 2003)

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.


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## Happy Jack (Jan 21, 2003)

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.


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## Lunker (Aug 27, 2001)

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.


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## Brian S (Apr 5, 2002)

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 .


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## scottyhoover (Dec 24, 2002)

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.


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## ICEPAPPY (Dec 3, 2002)

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.


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## chuckinduck (May 28, 2003)

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~


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## ih772 (Jan 28, 2003)

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.


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## DuckDog (Feb 10, 2004)

*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!


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## niner93 (Mar 18, 2003)

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!!!


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## Lunker (Aug 27, 2001)

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.


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## catfishtom210 (Jan 8, 2003)

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


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## bluedevil (Feb 13, 2003)

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


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## polarbare21 (Feb 17, 2003)

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


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## Big Frank 25 (Feb 21, 2002)

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


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## steelslam (Apr 8, 2001)

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.


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## tommy-n (Jan 9, 2004)

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.


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## Huron River Dan (Apr 16, 2001)

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.


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## skulldugary (Apr 12, 2003)

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


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## FrankaB (Dec 8, 2001)

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.


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## jamieking989 (Feb 7, 2004)

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 )

[email protected]


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## Robert W. McCoy Jr (Jan 18, 2002)

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.


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## boehr (Jan 31, 2000)

> 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)


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## Bucktail Butch (Jan 5, 2003)

Well said, Ray.

And to you, Jamie.
Re. " 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?


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## SNAPPY (Feb 13, 2004)

> _Originally posted by jamieking989 _
> * Have you seen him waste fish?
> 
> Jamie King ( real name )
> ...



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


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## SALMONATOR (Jan 7, 2003)

> 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


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## Hunter333 (Jan 19, 2000)

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!


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## skulldugary (Apr 12, 2003)

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"


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## niner93 (Mar 18, 2003)

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"


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## chad 1 (Jan 23, 2001)

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

chad1


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