Gilligan creek is close to SEDRO but is off the beaten trail. There is a muddy 4 wheel drive trail into the area. and the ironic thing is the only time I ever fished there I found part of a old gill net stuck to a stump just upstream from the plunking area. The first time I ever fished the skagit was Gilligan creek with a old friend that I flew with when I was in the navy.
He told me that much of the fishermen that fish there catch and bonk most everything they catch its a well known poaching place so I wouldnt go speculating about just what this guys lack of this or that was. His karma caught up and he got caught. I never sent back to fish that spot, I have a hard time keeping my mouth shut when it comes to poaching and I know some of the guys who fish there pack heat....DJ

SciGuy

My sentiments exactly.

...hang 'em high.... for all the people to see.

Ironhead,

Your words...

"...have you ever thought that he might not have any money to even buy beef for his family?"

"Seems like you guys are too darn uptight with Washington's stupid ass laws to even slightly consider an unfortunate human being's living situation."

"I am just trying to use this example to build a logic to correspond with fishing rights and neccessity. "

"I guess not too many people are interested in reasoning now a days. There living in "The Good Ole Day" with the hang em high and hang em all attitude that grampaw use to preach."

I appreciate your point that he may be too poor to put food on the table, even though I totally disagree with it.

I find, though, that your "good ole days" that don't allow "hang 'em high" are exactly the same "good ole days" that say "do what you gotta do, in spite of the law".

If you think they are stupid ass laws, I hope you still go out of your way to not violate them...or I sincerely hope you get busted, too.

Fish on...

Todd

This "if I catch it, I kill it" mentallity has led to this:

http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/regchng/feb1204d.htm

And if escapements don't improve it will lead to this:

http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/regchng/feb1204c.htm

Now this is an issue I would like to see addressed by the WSC. Maybe proposing a bait ban after Jan. 31 or a selective fishery starting Feb. 1 w/hatchery steelhead retention until CnR seasons start.

You guys crack me up. Some nucklehead gets caught poaching and what comes up? The homeless, tribal rights, and welfare!! lol You guys are a diverse group, and Im happy to be a part of it. IMO I think the fines arent stiff enough, this kind of crap happens all too often.

If you can't see the politics, social, and economic conflicts in this minor case, then you don't really have the ammo to fight for fishing or conservation equalities.

Todd, thanks for offering me the bait, but I won't bite this time. I have a small obligation right now and can not get too much involved with this kind of politic.

Peace and
Good Luck.

This is all very interesting and shows a great deal of concern from all sides. I never realized fishing as a kid that someone had been fighting for my right to do so. I never understood there were so much politics involved. I took for granted that fishing was my right. There are always different sides to things and I look at all. I still can't see the injustice of a man fishing and bringing it home to feed the family. Is this any worse than a man netting fish and throwing the males on the bank to die when someone could've had dinner? Believe me, I've already had the debates and have heard all about the LAW. I follow the rules and know mostly people that do the same. But, there are so many fish wasted with these laws and so many people hungry. There must be a middle ground. Reasonable people should be able to come to an agreement. There should be no fight as they are all our fish and we should all be protecting them, not fighting each other.

If the guy could put gas in his truck for the round trip, and bait for his hooks, he should be able to by that pot roast. My 2 cents.

Triple the fines....

How do you guys know if the turd even eats red meat?

IronHead,

To take your analogy just a touch further, suppose this guy broke into your house and robbed you to get money to buy a pot roast. Would you still be saying, well he must be poor and just needed money, so we shouldn't prosecute him.

Poaching is essentially stealing fish from other law abiding spotsman. If you are going to allow people to break laws based on their social situation, where do you draw the line.

The law is the law, you choose to break it, you better be prepared to pay the price.

Cowlitzfisherman,

Yep, gillnetting sucks. But didn't your mama ever tell you, "two wrongs, don't make a right".

Yep!!

She sure did!

But she also taught me to "fix" one of those wrongs when you run up against it

The old he might be hungry arguement. Ya gotta love that one.

Have yet to meet a hungry person that did not smoke or drink too much. How come you never see the hungry raiding someones garden?

I am sorry but I can think of about 1000 things that would yeild more calories for the energy used than Steelhead fishing with a rod and reel.

penalty for sport fishers harvesting wild steelhead should be.

1. life time loss of fishing and hunting privledges for life..

2. should be a felony with a minimum fine of 15,000 dollers per offence.

3. confiscation of all gear and vehicles used in the crime.

hell no it's not excessive we are spending millions to keep these fish from going extinct. a sport fisher taking a wild fish is like him breaking into your federally insured bank and talking all the money.. NO different!!1

CFM
And then???