#910713 - 10/22/14 07:09 PM
Will this crap ever end???
|
Three Time Spawner
Registered: 01/31/05
Posts: 1879
Loc: Yakutat
|
While patrolling the Tahuya River last week, Officer Summit focused his attention on the upper portion of the river where the water has been very low, creating optimal conditions for “snagging” – an illegal and unsporting harvest method that involves tearing into the flesh of a passing fish with a large hook on the end of a weighted line. Heading into the area on foot, Officer Summit checked a trail camera installed in the area and saw that three subjects had headed up river earlier, but had not yet returned. Officer Summit positioned himself strategically and waited. About a half an hour later the three subjects returned from the portion of river that is closed to salmon fishing carrying fishing poles rigged with gear for salmon fishing. They claimed they were catching and releasing fish, but with clear water conditions and very nice salmon in the upper reaches, Officer Summit thought this scenario was highly unlikely. He instructed one subject to open his backpack for inspection. The subject became very nervous and attempted to conceal the contents multiple times, unzipping the same compartment repeatedly. Officer Summit persisted, and the subject finally opened the pack to reveal three one-gallon freezer bags full of fresh salmon roe. Officer Summit instructed the three subjects to return to the river and retrieve the salmon carcasses from which the eggs had been removed. The subjects were able to collect 16 of the 20 Coho salmon carcasses that they had discarded in the woods and log jams. While the subjects claimed they were avid steelhead anglers and were only using the roe for bait, Officer Summit knew better. All three of the subjects are well-known by Fish and Wildlife Officers in the area, and have been cited multiple times for numerous fish and wildlife violations. In this instance, the subjects were cited for Criminal Trespassing 2nd Degree, Failing to submit catch for inspection, Possession of salmon eggs w/o carcass, 1st degree over limit salmon, harvesting salmon in a closed area, snagging salmon, and wasting salmon. Their fishing gear was also seized for forfeiture.
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#910716 - 10/22/14 07:26 PM
Re: Will this crap ever end???
[Re: GBL]
|
King of the Beach
Registered: 12/11/02
Posts: 5206
Loc: Carkeek Park
|
Unfortunately, it won't stop. In fact it seems to get worse every year. Salmon season brings out the worst in scumbags.
_________________________
Go Dawgs! Founding Member - 2023 Pink Plague Opposition Party #coholivesmatter
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#910725 - 10/22/14 07:50 PM
Re: Will this crap ever end???
[Re: ]
|
Spawner
Registered: 02/06/03
Posts: 783
|
Saw that fishery go from quiet solitude to the snagging cluster funk of outta towners, the walakes crowd and navy crowd, now you have to really pull some tricks just to get to the river
_________________________
Fish gills are like diesel engines, don't run them out of fuel!
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#910730 - 10/22/14 08:09 PM
Re: Will this crap ever end???
[Re: On The Swing]
|
Reverend Tarpones
Registered: 10/09/02
Posts: 8587
Loc: West Duvall
|
Had a cabin on the Tahuya for many years. Not too sorry the river took out the cabin and I sold the land. Back in the 60s the river was stuffed with wild coho . . .
_________________________
No huevos no pollo.
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#910779 - 10/23/14 12:31 AM
Re: Will this crap ever end???
[Re: GBL]
|
Juvenile at Sea
Registered: 09/05/14
Posts: 196
Loc: Stanwood WA
|
Same with the Snohomish Dave, now it is full of foreigners snagging at will and no one stops them. Spent my life on that system and now it is a sess pool of losers and tweakers. Used to spend days on the Sky and Snoho and see almost no one but a few locals enjoying a beautiful river and never had to lock my car doors, now you leave them unlocked so they don't bust out the glass! Sooner or later, the good guys need to revolt and crush these losers and take back their right to fish and hang out without someone stealing everything they own when trying to fish for a day! Damn sad state of affairs indeed! 58 years enjoying this sport and glad I had an opportunity to enjoy what I did and when I did too!
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#910793 - 10/23/14 10:38 AM
Re: Will this crap ever end???
[Re: Jerry Garcia]
|
Juvenile at Sea
Registered: 01/19/05
Posts: 138
Loc: Kenmore
|
This is the problem with fishing eggs. They only keep hens so they can replenish their egg supply. As a former egg fisherman I know the burden of having enough bait. One day I realized I was killing hundreds if not thousands of potential salmon every year by keeping only hens and decided to find a way to catch fish that didn't require eggs.
Started fishing spoons, spinners, and jigs. I might catch a few less fish but I know I am not damaging the runs even if I accidentally floss a fish once in a while.
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#910841 - 10/23/14 05:37 PM
Re: Will this crap ever end???
[Re: REV. JER]
|
Three Time Spawner
Registered: 06/03/06
Posts: 1533
Loc: Tacoma
|
The field agent in that area is a real go-getter. He can be a bit agressive at first, but he is definitely willing to work to get poachers. First time I ever met him he jumped out of the bushes to count my check some clams I had dug. I had been one over and had taken a trip back to actually put back. He stated he was watching from above and was wondering if I had gone back for a second limit. A quick glance at my bucket and he was done with me. We chatted a bit and he stated he was going to start hiking in on the Tahuya to get some of these guys. Next time I saw him he was back at the clamming beach nailing over limit clammers. If you are legal, he is polite but firm, if you are doing something illegal he appears to be all over it.
Great to see a guy that actually takes the effort to get snaggers and poachers. Most of the agents I have ran into don't seem to want to get out of their truck. I wish they would transfer him to the Skok or Nisqually.
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#910901 - 10/24/14 12:16 AM
Re: Will this crap ever end???
[Re: REV. JER]
|
Shooting Instructor for hire
Registered: 10/26/10
Posts: 7260
Loc: Snohomish, WA
|
We need him on the Sky & Snoho to curtail the Russians & Tweakers. Greater Population Density = Greater Opportunities for Revenue.
_________________________
“If the military were fighting for our freedom, they would be storming Capitol Hill”. – FleaFlickr02
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#910996 - 10/24/14 10:44 PM
Re: Will this crap ever end???
[Re: NickD90]
|
Repeat Spawner
Registered: 10/31/02
Posts: 1341
Loc: Monroe,WA.
|
Reverend Tarpones and I had been cutthroat fishing in the salt on Hood Canal and stopped to check out an easily reached spot on the Quilcene for a looksee. There were several people including fathers with kids snagging. We yelled at them that it was illegal, but they ignored us. We then went back to the Marina to see if the Tribal LE officer could do anything whom we had seen earlier. He was tied up with another illegal fishing situation, but told us that the local WDFW officer there had written so many tickets the day before , was tied down to his computer doing the paperwork on tickets he wrote the day before.
Maybe I have just been fortunate, but I have been checked for my license, life jacktets, etc. by LE officers in several states and provinces and they have always been professional. A couple I have personally known were adept at asking questions that if you answered wrong could get you a citation. One being a time when three of us were Pacific Cod fishing in Port Madison many years ago, cruised up and said,Hi Guys, hows the commercial cod fishing, based on our commercial stickers on the boat for bottomfish jigging.
We gave him a blank stare and in unison, said, it's closed. Another time I was fishing rockfish in Rich Passage when I heard a cheerful voice say, is that your crab pot marker, referring to the yellow dish soap bottle near my boat. My back had been turned away from the approaching enforcement boat and replied, recognizing the voice, no (same officer), that's my rockfish marker. He said, "Oh Hi, and went on his way with another LE officer and their boat.
I have a great deal of respect for LE fish and game officers, they have a tough job done it very professionally in my experiences.
I am sure some folks may have different experiences, that is mine.
Edited by Sebastes (10/24/14 10:51 PM)
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#911530 - 10/29/14 06:38 PM
Re: Will this crap ever end???
[Re: Sebastes]
|
Spawner
Registered: 03/01/11
Posts: 993
Loc: Tacoma
|
It's sad. The Indians have also been guilty of killing fish strictly for the eggs and leaving the rest on the bank. It's not just Russians and other minorities which are a real part of the problem but the locals can be just as bad. They feel they have a right and as with all groups they are just cutting off their nose to spite their face. Law enforcement is overwhelmed. I thought the WSP was going to start getting involved in enforcing the F&W laws although I saw on the news the other night that they are short handed and looking for more recruits.
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#911606 - 10/30/14 02:22 PM
Re: Will this crap ever end???
[Re: GBL]
|
Parr
Registered: 12/11/10
Posts: 51
|
Been a real problem for years. I remember finding a 40 foot gill net strung across the Pilchuck during Coho season years ago, it was a local that lived on the river. We did get the net (22 Coho in it) out and when he came out of the woods and threatened us we took the risk and charged him, held him down, went into his own house and called the cops. He got fined and lost his license for 5 years,,,,like he cared about that! Point is, there are just so many losers out there doing [Bleeeeep!] stuff, it is hard to stop them and they know it. Way to go! I wish more people would get involved with these scumbags!
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#911841 - 11/01/14 08:19 PM
Re: Will this crap ever end???
[Re: goodtimesfishing]
|
Returning Adult
Registered: 06/08/05
Posts: 341
Loc: Renton, WA
|
They need to publish the names and addresses of these snaggers. Then we need a few guys to go burn their houses (singlewides) down and shoot 'em when they run out. Word spreads quick....
_________________________
Drive fast, take chances.
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
3 registered (FishCatcher, wolverine, 1 invisible),
1446
Guests and
2
Spiders online. |
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
11498 Members
16 Forums
63779 Topics
645378 Posts
Max Online: 3001 @ 01/28/20 02:48 PM
|
|
|