B
Bean
Alright, so this is not the first situation where some dude has come up to me while fishing and talked my ear off about all the fish they're catching (and keeping?). My question is, how do you guys point out when some one is breaking the regulations? Had a guy come up to me and talk about fishing silvers in an area where it is absolutely closed. I said that I thought it was closed to fishing silvers here but conveniently, the guy didn't hear me. I live in a small community (very small) so it doubles the anxiety in confronting someone about regulation violations. Do you guys have any smooth ways to point out that someone is violating regulation?
I would simply congratulate them and mention in a polite and casual way that (you) thought the regs had mentioned the area in question as being closed or otherwise limited.
"You might want to double check, because I know that the Troopers are up here all the time...". This is a good closer, not only giving them some thought about a citation, but also suggesting that the cops are around the area a lot. Not a bad hint whether you are a man or a woman fishing alone.
RainOrSnow, I am not trying to sound condescending here, but if a stranger disagrees with you it is most often best to just smile, shrug and turn away. I find that it helps to say "stupid f-ck" in a low voice once they can't hear you or see your lips. From professional experience I would very much recommend not showing your phone or inviting a stranger to accompany you to your vehicle. Human nature being what it is, our outer appearance can be an extremely deceptive opposite to danger and turmoil within. If I had been off-duty and came across Ted Bundy's Volkswagen broken down on the road, I have no doubt that I would have stopped to help him, kindly leaning deep inside of the car to hook up the under-seat jumper cables.
A very sad reflection on humanity, but there is just no way to gauge if your cell phone or your body could end up being tossed into the river.
Eamon