Bucket Fishermen

[CPBassFishing]

We all know who those are.......the ones who sit on the shore with a stringer for hours catching their dinner, and keep every single fish they catch regardless of size or species. What do you think of them? They make me pretty mad honestly and I try to make them catch less fish to protect the pond's ecosystem.

[MIbassin]

The size limit bothers me, but people have to eat!

[Brian6428]

I don't like them, if everybody did that there wouldn't be any fish there for them to catch and eat. Seems selfish to me. I think it is ok to take one or two if you want, but those guys go overboard.

[Shane J]

I just vomited at the thought.

[nascar2428]

They show up at our county's only catch and release pond. It's enforced on the honor system, When I'm there, it's an honor for me to inform them of the rules. As I make my way around the pond I make sure everybody understands the parks catch and release rules. It's only fair!!

[CPBassFishing]

I did something one time a bit mean in hindsite, but I felt it was justified. A foreign couple were at a pond I fish hauling bluegill into a bucket. They had 5 already and I felt that was enough, so I gave them a "tip." I bent the hook behind the barb 90 degrees and told them they would hook more. LOL

[JellyMan]

Only time I have ever eaten something I caught was out of salt water. And once I went cast netting for Tilapia.

 

In Orlando, you see this crap all over the place. I used to have a pond in my apartment complex that I used to fish almost every night. I was the only person there for the sport. 

[Jigfishn10]

They just stocked our waters with trout and those peeps I see are pretty ignorant, but the good news is, they're gone in a couple of weeks til October. Grin and bear it.

[Stork]

I can abide it until they ask me for my catch.

"Oh man, you're not gonna keep it?"

"Nope, it's called "catch and release" you may have heard about it."

[slonezp]

I did something one time a bit mean in hindsite, but I felt it was justified. A foreign couple were at a pond I fish hauling bluegill into a bucket. They had 5 already and I felt that was enough, so I gave them a "tip." I bent the hook behind the barb 90 degrees and told them they would hook more. LOL

If they weren't breaking any size or creel regulations, what you did was uncalled for and could have been dangerous. If they are not breaking rules, they have every right to keep their catch.

[TNBassin']

We have fish fries here and there, but we don't keep little dinks and we don't keep any big ones. A 1 or 2lber though? Those get rolled in corn meal. We are strict about not keeping them if we don't need to, but if the freezer gets a little low, then yeah we keep stocked up but aren't greedy about it. Do I think it's right to over fish or keep under sized fish, or bigger fish that should be put back so others can enjoy them? No and yes. I fish in a 30K+ acre lake that holds a ton of fish, so over fishing I don't think is a huge deal here, and TWRA does a pretty good job at monitoring the lake. What D Bag would over fish a little rinky dink pond though????

[tomustang]

They got a license too, long as they aren't doing anything illegal its fine by me.

There's times i'll help catch some fish so they don't keep the bass

[K_Mac]

I did something one time a bit mean in hindsite, but I felt it was justified. A foreign couple were at a pond I fish hauling bluegill into a bucket. They had 5 already and I felt that was enough, so I gave them a "tip." I bent the hook behind the barb 90 degrees and told them they would hook more. LOL

 

I don't know of any bluegill creel limits that are not more than 5. This "foreign couple" has every right to keep what they want within the limits of the law, and you have no right to mess with them. We are not justified messing with law abiding folks, and there is nothing funny about doing so. 

[TNBassin']

I wanna see someone try that stuff with me lol. Someone would be going swimming. I get it ok? No one wants anyone to ruin our hobby, but going one man army or being a ****** to someone YOU think is doing something wrong will come back to bite you. Or get you in a fight or worse. Report these people and be done with it. 

[flyfisher]

As long as they are within creel limits then I have no problem with people keeping fish. Contrary to popular belief, taking fish can be helpful to a lake and unless you are a fisheries biologist and studied the water you are fishing on for an extended period of time then you are not one to make that call.

There are lakes around here that they want people to keep fish because of an overabundance of smaller fish which stunts the overall growth. Also who cares if they are "foreign", remember unless you are a Native American then at one point someone in your family was foreign too.....

[CPBassFishing]

The pond was catch and release, therefore they were breaking rules. I can't report them, the game warden isn't going to care about people keeping fish. No need to get offended. I was mad because I have seen firsthand what keeping fish can do.

[flyfisher]

So why can't you report them if it is a catch and release pond?

[CPBassFishing]

So why can't you report them if it is a catch and release pond?

there is one game warden in my area, and he is busy with reports of roadkill deer.

[flyfisher]

Never hurts to report it......

[CPBassFishing]

Never hurts to report it......

So, let's say they get caught once and the warden makes them release their catch. They will almost definitely be there the next day, except the warden won't be there to see it.

[flyfisher]

Or maybe they don't realize how important it is and stop taking fish out if this pond and go to another one that allows it. There is also a pretty good possibility that it won't simply be a release the fish but rather a citation issued which will make them think twice.

[Fishing Rhino]

Why am I getting this image of Gomer Pyle running around yelling, "Citizen's arrest!  Citizen's arrest!"?

 

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=gomer+pyle+citizen%27s+arrest&view=detail&mid=7A0D6A5476F8C55D20437A0D6A5476F8C55D2043&first=0&FORM=NVPFVR

[CoBass]

So, let's say they get caught once and the warden makes them release their catch. They will almost definitely be there the next day, except the warden won't be there to see it.

Or maybe the warden writes them a ticket and they decide that keeping fish from that pond isn't worth it and move on to waters where it's legal to keep fish. Another thing you can do is call the local police dept. Just because they aren't wardens doesn't mean they can't write tickets for wildlife infractions. One of my local ponds is C&R, artificial only. If I see people using bait or keeping fish I politely remind them of the rules. If they don't stop, I call the local PD and they usually have a car there within 10 minutes. Most people don't enjoy encounters with the police and one run in is usually all it takes to get them to leave and stay gone.

[tomustang]

Call, report. If you give a good enough explanation of what's happening then they will continue to investigate and issue fines for repeat offenses

 

http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/enforcement/

[Trailer]

If they weren't breaking any size or creel regulations, what you did was uncalled for and could have been dangerous. If they are not breaking rules, they have every right to keep their catch.

X2. You might bite off more than you can chew with some fella one day.