St. Louis brooders??!!!

[chrisohm]

My son and I went out to them grungy ponds looking for some bass action. My son tried his luck catching dragonflies and frogs. he wasn't having any luck and my efforts were just scaring away everything. The bass were not loving me at all but the bluegill are everywhere! So, in pond 1 there looked to be 2 big fat brood trout. They were just cruising along the top and looked like they were feeding off small insects. I threw worms, spinners and powerbait at them in their line of sight. Sadly we came home with no brood trout. I did manage to release quite a few bluegill, saw some huge gills, released a decent size trout and scared away the brooders. If you feel lucky hit up pond 1, either way your kids may have fun with the gills and catch some random trout in there as well. Happy 4th and try not to get blown up this weekend!! :dance::dance:

 

[troutdude]

Are you sure that those cruisers weren't carp?

 

[chrisohm]

They were not carp, I was close enough to tell. Either way it is no longer a place I will fish. Went out there again and just watched a couple people go over their limit in fish. Poaching or not, that place needs real help and I will not waste my time calling the hotline or turning them in. Most of the people doing so can't even speak a lick of English so how can we expect them to read the regs?

 

[Modest_Man]

Run it by me again with how turning in a poacher is a waste of time?

 

[chrisohm]

Lets see....when every time you go to a fishing location with your son he also witnesses the same bad habits you do. There always seems to be a poacher or some other "person" ignoring the regs at these ponds it becomes a waste of time. How else do I have to put it? How often have you fished there and witnessed someone going over their limit? With this site being an ODFW birthed location you would think it would have a more stringent patrolling schedule other than an old site manager and a rent a cop who tells you when the place is going to close over a loudspeaker. If you could walk in my shoes, see what I have seen and have your spot run over by someone else who you witnessed first hand, not once but many times over fish their limit within 5 feet of where you were fishing, would you waste your time and turn in a poacher? All I see from these ponds is abuse by those who don't care or have respect. I would gladly do it anywhere else that was not a creation of ODFW. This is their "dog", not mine. As I said I will not fish there anymore, so if you feel so inclined, you can be the hall monitor and waste your time calling the hotline. Me, on the other hand, I would rather find a better place to fish. That is why it is a waste of time. Argue all you want, walls don't have ears and I am done with this location.

 

[Modest_Man]

If you chose to do nothing than you can't be unhappy when nothing happens...all I'm saying. I've not seen any illegal activity when there; but if I had I would have called the poaching hotline. How are OSP supposed to know that poaching is happening unless someone gets off their ass and calls? Teach your son the right thing to do, and turn in lousy poachers. What sort of message is sent to your son when you just avert your eyes and do nothing?

Ok, off my soapbox. Your logic is quite opposite of mine.

 

[ChezJfrey]

If you chose to do nothing than you can't be unhappy when nothing happens...all I'm saying.

I would agree with this part...

It's a simple phone call and really not much time wasted. And really, if someone shows up and tickets the individual, then it's actually not a waste of time, even if another 100 folks are lined up behind the poacher doing the same thing; the one you called about got cited.

Now, if a phone call was made for every single offense noted, and OSP shows up to cite each one, then eventually word might get around that poaching at that location is not worth the consequences. And that can only happen if OSP is notified. As it stands now, they obviously aren't worried because, well, the authorities must not be aware and it may well be because nobody is telling them.

 

[chrisohm]

If you chose to do nothing than you can't be unhappy when nothing happens...all I'm saying. I've not seen any illegal activity when there; but if I had I would have called the poaching hotline. How are OSP supposed to know that poaching is happening unless someone gets off their ass and calls? Teach your son the right thing to do, and turn in lousy poachers. What sort of message is sent to your son when you just avert your eyes and do nothing?

Ok, off my soapbox. Your logic is quite opposite of mine.

I have talked to my son about this. He tells people what their limit is no matter where we go. He has a good grasp of the regs for being only 5. I do my part to teach good fishing ethics to him eveytime we go out. Most of our fishing is also C&R. We have found other prolific fishing locations and I am done with these ponds.

 

[chrisohm]

I would agree with this part...

It's a simple phone call and really not much time wasted. And really, if someone shows up and tickets the individual, then it's actually not a waste of time, even if another 100 folks are lined up behind the poacher doing the same thing; the one you called about got cited.

Now, if a phone call was made for every single offense noted, and OSP shows up to cite each one, then eventually word might get around that poaching at that location is not worth the consequences. And that can only happen if OSP is notified. As it stands now, they obviously aren't worried because, well, the authorities must not be aware and it may well be because nobody is telling them.

You have a valid point but I would rather have my line in the water somewhere else than be on the phone. Setting a good example is one thing but to be a hall monitor takes the fun out of fishing. There are better places to fish that I have found and they are within 10 minutes of where we live. Less people, less drama, no hotline calls, more time in the water and better experiences. If I saw a poacher in one of my favored spots I would have that on speed dial! I hardly see anyone fish these locations so it is not an issue.