# Stockerfest 2010



## Shupac (Apr 17, 2005)

Went out this morning about 6-9. 7 fish on wet skunks, muddlers, pheasant tail wets. 

A couple guys were fishing at the dam and kept at it for quite a while, even though several people warned them. Wish those extra DNR patrols had been out.

Water is LOW!


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## Steve (Jan 15, 2000)

Shupac said:


> Went out this morning about 6-9. 7 fish on wet skunks, muddlers, pheasant tail wets.
> 
> A couple guys were fishing at the dam and kept at it for quite a while, even though several people warned them. Wish those extra DNR patrols had been out.
> 
> Water is LOW!


Call the RAP line next time.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## wintrrun (Jun 11, 2008)

From what you have reported the conditions are normal and guy's are up to there usual antics.
The DNR has it all wrong with the way they promote these events. If i were in charge there would be a beer tent and a live band.


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## RyGuy525 (Mar 17, 2005)

i called the RAP line last weekend on some guys snagging they were extremly helpful and they showed up and took care of business. I was very impressed.


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## Shupac (Apr 17, 2005)

Steve said:


> Call the RAP line next time.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


would have...left the phone at home though. Not again.


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## Silver Panner (Apr 15, 2009)

Shupac said:


> would have...left the phone at home though. Not again.


I had to call twice last year. Once for some guy and his kid fishing at the damn and another for some kids that were basically walking up to the fish snaging them. Those kids (and whoever the parents are that allow them to do this) pissed me off something fierce! I was thinking about snaging one of them.


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## Toga (Nov 11, 2009)

I have called the RAP hotline more than a dozen times over the last 5 years and not ONE time did anyone show up. Called while at stocker fest last year about 4 guys using spinners at the dam after they refused my offering of some free flys so they can comply with the flys only rule.......no show and the guys were still there 2 hours after I called when I came back upstream. My most recent call was on October 3rd at 3Pm while combat fishing for kings at tippy dam. Dozen guys snagging....................no one showed up........well more snaggers joined the already dozen or so I called again. Once again no shows. Now I realize the DNR proably got more than a dozen calls that day and every day during that time of year and are under staffed hardcore but multiple calls over the years but the no shows every time make me hesitant to care anymore. I do always seem to get my license checked and my car checked for a sticker every time I go fish stocker fest though


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## Fishing 24/7 (Feb 4, 2010)

Where do you find the RAP number?


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## John Q. Public (Jul 18, 2009)

http://www.google.com/#hl=en&source=hp&q=rap+hotline+michigan


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## flinch (Aug 10, 2003)

Fishing 24/7 said:


> Where do you find the RAP number?


It's usually on the back of your license in large print.


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## jayzbird (May 19, 2005)

Shupac said:


> Went out this morning about 6-9. 7 fish on wet skunks, muddlers, pheasant tail wets.
> 
> A couple guys were fishing at the dam and kept at it for quite a while, even though several people warned them. Wish those extra DNR patrols had been out.
> 
> Water is LOW!


My friend and I hit the water after work at about 6:30, caught 6 or 7 before the night was over around 8. Orange wooly buggers seem to do the best for us. There were also people fishing the dam when we walked up, so we warned them about the 100 ft. downstream rule, all to no avail of course. Had a great time!! Couldn't ask for a better opener weather wise.


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## The Downstream Drift (Feb 27, 2010)

The DNRe does take into account all calls that are made to the RAP line. The problem is that the funding is so low right now that they are spread very thin throughout each county. They are limited in numbers of CO's out there and the few CO's that are actually out are on restrictions as to how many miles they can cover in a given week. It is a sad state of affairs when those of us that care enough to do the right thing can't get anything fixed when we call because the local CO might be over his time limit for the week.
Keep calling and doing the right thing. The more of us there are that do the right thing the better our fisheries will be.


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## diztortion (Sep 6, 2009)

It seems if their funding is low, they'd be jumping all the opportunity to write tickets and make money. Do the fines from tickets go back into the DNR or does it go to district courts?


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## Steve (Jan 15, 2000)

Nice picture of the fish. You almost making me think I'm making the wrong decision going up north this weekend instead of playing with the fish. Looks like they have some nice bows in there this year which are fun to play with.


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## jayzbird (May 19, 2005)

Steve said:


> Nice picture of the fish. You almost making me think I'm making the wrong decision going up north this weekend instead of playing with the fish. Looks like they have some nice bows in there this year which are fun to play with.


Quite few of em in there that big or bigger. Too bad they are real beat up and ugly, but still alot more fun than ridin the couch. Check out her head, man on man she's a ugly girl!


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## still_hunter (Oct 19, 2004)

See a poacher report em! No one shows... Take the same phone to make the call & make a video. Follow em to there car. Get a license plate number and make another call to the local authorities! Same as being caught for shoplifting and getting caught on camera! Sick and tired of the people in our woods & waters not playing by the rules! :rant: Sorry about the rant but I'm heading out there tomorrow morning and if I see it I'm not stopping at one phone call to the RAP line. It will be to the locals, State Police, Military, NASA...:lol: Not to mention there is a DNR station at the entrance show your video to him!
To all you kids that play by the rules GOOD LUCK! 
To the rest of you look out! Others are watching you! :tdo12:


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## Queequeg (Aug 10, 2007)

_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Queequeg (Aug 10, 2007)

Last year I saw we the dam armed to the teeth. He did check my license. There wasn't anyone else at the dam. I'm sure word spread quick and they all fled down stream.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## The Downstream Drift (Feb 27, 2010)

The money from tickets written by the DNRe mostly goes back to them. There are court costs associated with each ticket though. I don't remember the exact verbage of the law that was enacted in a year or so ago but it stated that DNR funds had to stay within that organization. I don't know if that law was affected by the recent merge with the DEQ.
I don't know how true it is but I have heard rumors that sometimes CO's will not write tickets to individuals breaking the game laws because they know the tickets will not be paid. This may or not be true but it is rumor I've heard recently.
I have never been down to Stockerfest but I wonder who it is that is generally breaking the laws down there. I'll try to be very PC here... On the Clinton we find that most of the violators are of the non-english speaking variety. Of course not all of them are but it seems that is the majority. When you tell them what the law actually is they don't understand what you are saying anyways.
Is it the same issue at Stockerfest as well?


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## Silver Panner (Apr 15, 2009)

They understand what your saying. 

Last year the guy I saw fishing the damn was one of the locals that comes down the river in a canoe with his kids. Either he puts in above the damn or he lives up there. When he saw me pop out of the woods he was very quick to throw his rod into the bottom of the canoe.


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## Toga (Nov 11, 2009)

The Downstream Drift said:


> I heard a rumor the other day that the group that plants these fish might be looking for a new location for them in upcoming years. In this rumor I also heard that the Michigan Fly Fishers are the ones that fund this stocking. Can anyone hear confirm that? I am not associated with that group and do not know the truth in that rumor.


 
I have not heard rumor of them looking for a new location (that would be a PITA to get done with the DNR) but I can vouch that the michigan fly fishing association does fund the plant. They have been funding the plant for 50 or so years from what I understand. They had a few of their members out checking things out on Saturday............I didn't see any of the promised DNR patrolls nor did they even have anyone manning the booth as they have for weekend traffic in the past. They lost out on a few hundred bucks or more in revenue due to this. I did manage to catch a few of those nice brooders they dropped in using a couple of off the wall flys I tie up just for stocker fest and get a half dozen or so kids to remove the bait and lures they were using and replace them with flies..............I give out a few dozen or so the couple times I go to help out kids that don't know better or worse are with parents that dont or cannot read the sign in the parking lot ne_eye: Hopefully others do the same.


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## The Downstream Drift (Feb 27, 2010)

Like I said, it was rumor I heard. Its one of those "a guy told a friend of mine" things. I was just wondering if anyone has heard any truth to the rumor.


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## Steve (Jan 15, 2000)

I anxiously await Ralf's report from today. Have yet to go out there myself.


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## Shoeman (Aug 26, 2000)

Maybe it was the cold snap, but we couldn't find any of the larger pods of fish in the usual haunts.

Even your spot (Steve), one of the more consistant areas for holding them only sported a few. Mostly the ones gasping for air cruising the edges. Couldn't find any that normally school-up. 

On a nice note, you can drive back to the camp this year. We covered quite a bit of water at the top, but never made it as far as the dam. Maybe the lower water kept them up high in that oxygenated water in the area closed to fishing instead of dropping down to the scout camp????

Ended up in the lower parking lot, where we ran into Ramjet (nice to finally meet you and the offer stands!!!  )

Worked our way toward the gazebo and found pretty much the same. No real pockets of fish. Just the over-sized cruisers that appeared to be in rough shape.

It could be that the majority were tight to the cover and didn't position themselves in the streambed, like in years past. The lighting and wind made it difficult to see, but still...

I don't remember the total numbers planted, but thought it was around 3000. Maybe the same person that counts our deer herd counted these...LOL I couldn't have missed THAT many :help:


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## BIG "D" (Sep 14, 2005)

Like I said, seems like their really scattered, except at the dam. Tuseday night there were at least 100-150 stacked up there and some made it above the dam. i walked up on a guy pretending like he wasn't fishing there. He got out of the water and tryed to bs a little bit. Then he gets in above the dam. I told him that you couldn't fish that and he did stop while I was there.


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## troutchops (Apr 15, 2005)

I've been going to proud lake since I was in high school, hate to say it, but it's been over 20 years now. This is one of the tamer years I've seen. I've been out there quite a bit, I've seen no real jackasses yet. The two CO's have been out, I watched one get out of his truck, put on hip boots, and walk through the swamp to check people. 

I took my old man out on wed, we caught some nice looking browns and some beat to hell rainbows (just like every year). I don't know the reason, but the rainbows never seem to hold up well- missing eyes, skin, tails, etc.... 

As for numbers of fish, it has been a good year. For what it is, I've had a fun time out there.


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## BIG "D" (Sep 14, 2005)

That the best looking brown I've seen this year. All of the ones I caught were beyond beat up. No tails, fins , 1/2 of a mouth gone. Not to photogenic.


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## Frogfish101 (Apr 5, 2007)

I used to fish stockerfest, but I haven't the last few years. Catching beat up hatchery fish doesn't suit me anymore...


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## Steve (Jan 15, 2000)

_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Steve (Jan 15, 2000)

Nice pictures, thanks for sharing.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## sheikyerbouti11 (Aug 17, 2005)

still_hunter said:


> See a poacher report em! No one shows... Take the same phone to make the call & make a video. Follow em to there car. Get a license plate number and make another call to the local authorities! Same as being caught for shoplifting and getting caught on camera! Sick and tired of the people in our woods & waters not playing by the rules! :rant: Sorry about the rant but I'm heading out there tomorrow morning and if I see it I'm not stopping at one phone call to the RAP line. It will be to the locals, State Police, Military, NASA...:lol: Not to mention there is a DNR station at the entrance show your video to him!
> To all you kids that play by the rules GOOD LUCK!
> To the rest of you look out! Others are watching you! :tdo12:


 

People take this stuff too seriously! i went out the other day and was reported for snagging fish. I dont keep fish ever and i have no reason to snag them and i was not snagging fish or even coming close. i was kept at the parking lot for close to a hour till the CO showed up then was questioned and had all of my stuff searched for over a hour, in the cold. For what? Nothing. didnt get a ticket cus i was doing nothing wrong. i was late for my class and almost froze to death because people are outrageous. i understand people are doing bad things are out there but make sure u report the right people. idk if they were jealous that i was catching fish and they werent or it was someone with different motives. but im just sayin they might wanna change it to the RAT hotline.


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## Whitewater (Apr 21, 2007)

sheikyerbouti11 said:


> People take this stuff too seriously! i went out the other day and was reported for snagging fish. I dont keep fish ever and i have no reason to snag them and i was not snagging fish or even coming close. i was kept at the parking lot for close to a hour till the CO showed up then was questioned and had all of my stuff searched for over a hour, in the cold. For what? Nothing. didnt get a ticket cus i was doing nothing wrong. i was late for my class and almost froze to death because people are outrageous. i understand people are doing bad things are out there but make sure u report the right people. idk if they were jealous that i was catching fish and they werent or it was someone with different motives. but im just sayin they might wanna change it to the RAT hotline.


Amen to that. Couldn't agree with you more. You rip a streamer through a pool you can't see and guess what....? YOU MAY END UP CATCHING A SNAG! 

That's bs if they did that to you. 

This whole talk about the dam fishing is another useless argument. Like I said in my previous post. You have a guy decked out in his fly gear, fishing a nymph through pool at the dam and catching and releasing a fish, and he's gonna get hammered when I've seen countless people ripping spoons through the pool and a big old cooler next to them. Those are the people you need to hassle. 

How many people do you see walking down those trails with spinning gear and can of worms late in the evening? Police the right violators.


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## streamertosser (May 20, 2008)

sheikyerbouti11 said:


> People take this stuff too seriously! i went out the other day and was reported for snagging fish. I dont keep fish ever and i have no reason to snag them and i was not snagging fish or even coming close. i was kept at the parking lot for close to a hour till the CO showed up then was questioned and had all of my stuff searched for over a hour, in the cold. For what? Nothing. didnt get a ticket cus i was doing nothing wrong. i was late for my class and almost froze to death because people are outrageous. i understand people are doing bad things are out there but make sure u report the right people. idk if they were jealous that i was catching fish and they werent or it was someone with different motives. but im just sayin they might wanna change it to the RAT hotline.


Out of curiosity, who held you there? park employees? they, if anyone would have been the only ones who I may have respected enough to stay there while waiting for a CO, anyone else I wouldve handed a business card to (if that) and told them to have the CO contact me, other than that an "average joe" has no legal means to hold you on the spot, even if you were snagging fish it's a still a C/I or a Misdemenor offense that would not fall under the grounds of a "citizen arrest" or "citizen detention" I would've told them where to go. But that's just me, I am really curious as to who held you there and I'm very surprised that the CO didn't express concern over some people holding you there if they weren't even state park employees. that's my .02

-Zach


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## sheikyerbouti11 (Aug 17, 2005)

streamertosser said:


> Out of curiosity, who held you there? park employees? they, if anyone would have been the only ones who I may have respected enough to stay there while waiting for a CO, anyone else I wouldve handed a business card to (if that) and told them to have the CO contact me, other than that an "average joe" has no legal means to hold you on the spot, even if you were snagging fish it's a still a C/I or a Misdemenor offense that would not fall under the grounds of a "citizen arrest" or "citizen detention" I would've told them where to go. But that's just me, I am really curious as to who held you there and I'm very surprised that the CO didn't express concern over some people holding you there if they weren't even state park employees. that's my .02
> 
> -Zach


It was other DNR employees, they were in a DNR truck and stuff. they parked their truck directly behind me. i guess they werent COs so they can only write tickets for fishing without a liscenes or something so they held me there till the CO showed up.


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## streamertosser (May 20, 2008)

sheikyerbouti11 said:


> It was other DNR employees, they were in a DNR truck and stuff. they parked their truck directly behind me. i guess they werent COs so they can only write tickets for fishing without a liscenes or something so they held me there till the CO showed up.


 
gotcha, I probably would've hung around as well, since there was nothing to hide.


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## MichiganMan65 (Apr 12, 2010)

What the rest of you gentleman don't hear is that while Sheikyerbouti11 may not have been snagging....He had two buddies with him that WERE snagging. I saw his buddies snag numerious fish all over the stream. It was like something from the Betsie or Tippy. Also what you didn't hear is that one of his buddies didn't even have a license ! The DNR saw one of his buddies walk up to a cpl of people...stand no more than 4 feet from them and whip the pole into the water and rip a fish out of the water ! Now people......it helps when you hear the whole story.:yikes:


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## Steve (Jan 15, 2000)

Ok, time to close this stockerfest thread and start a new one.


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