how many people fish your lake illegal?

[Rattlinrogue]

I don't know for a fact that people are breaking the rules,but I think a lot of people are keeping slot fish(18-22 inches).The reason I say this is because as soon as they opened our lake to night fishing the amount of big fish caught has gone down.I used to catch at least one double digit bass every year,and you could count on catching a 4-5 pounder just about every time you went fishing(4-5 lb bass is a slot fish and must be released).I have nothing against night fishing.I do it myself a lot,but we have some outlaws down here that will keep anything.

[RODBENDER]

i don't need a law to tell me to wear a PFD  ,,  I SWIM LIKE A ROCK FLOATS !!!

[Matt Fly]

Just wanted to know. At the lakes I fish I can see alot of people that I know are not fishing with a licence and are keeping undersized fish or keeping them not in season.

I would say that 7/10 people fish my lakes illegally. Im sorry but alot of maryland anglers arround here think disobeying the law is cool *sigh*

How do you know for sure they don't have a license?    7 out of 10 without license is pretty serious poaching.   If you didn't ask, how do you come to that conclusion?

Matt.

[Bass Smacker]

I don't know about where he's at but in CA you have to where it abuve your waist and its always a odd

coler so they stand out.  

[Crabcakes]

As several guys have pointed out the situation in Maryland is pretty bad. The Chesapeake  Bay is so large it draws alot of the time and resources of DNR fish and wildlife etc. Most lakes in Maryland never see any sort of license enforcement. There are no rules requiring licenses to be posted on your clothing and we have some cheap licenses here so they make little money on license fees. I see poaching every single day when i go fishing. I've sent letters and such but i think they're stretched too thin. And, admittedly without any facts to back me up other than seeing quite a few stringers and bags full of 8 inch bass, I would guess that Other's estimate that 7/10 people fish illegally is true- at least at many of the lakes closest to us.

[KenDammit28]

PFD = Personal Flotation Device a.k.a a life jacket

[goldenmonkey]

Im a maryland fisherman and I havent noticed too many illegal activities going on. I dont know how you could possibly tell if someone is fishing without a liscense.

but we have had some trouble with people cutting fight nets. no reason for that ***.

[chs773]

some people in north carolina will keep undersized cats idk y but they do.  But im sure there is other illegal fishing keeping goin on to

[Other.]

Just wanted to know. At the lakes I fish I can see alot of people that I know are not fishing with a licence and are keeping undersized fish or keeping them not in season.

I would say that 7/10 people fish my lakes illegally. Im sorry but alot of maryland anglers arround here think disobeying the law is cool *sigh*

How do you know for sure they don't have a license?    7 out of 10 without license is pretty serious poaching.   If you didn't ask, how do you come to that conclusion?

Matt.

I know by heart they dont have a license. There is a lake a few miles from my house called "Lake Frank" and there are so many people that fish that lake that dont know a word of english and it looks like they are also illegal in are contry. And scince they fish on the paths when I walk back from fishing you can see more then 15 crappie (Marylands max fish reg) And there all small (though there is no min size on them) Also you would be surprised on how many people have additude about the license and think they dont need one. so STOP the flame please.

[Matt Fly]

Since your heart tells you they are illegally fishing, don't speak english, and are probably illegally in this country without asking, maybe your heart will tell you to stop at the main gate that lets them in every morning to check their license.

Parks open from sun up till sun down and gates closed at night.

Whos flaming who?

[tipptruck1]

well up here in wisconsin we have a problem with the asians. I have heard storys of boats being full of to small walleyes. There is aslo a limit up here of 5 i belive. So when the warden sees a boat with two guys and  bunch of fish he pulls them over. Then they give the I don't speak english sentence. Well the warden takes away there fish and fines them. Iam not saying that just asians are doing this iam sure theres some other races doing this including white people. But do to people taking fish that are so small up here for so long we can't catch a good sized walleye. But in the last few years they put in a slot limit. 15-20 or 21 inches you can keep 5 per angler. Then 20 or 21-28 you can keep one per angler. I really think this is going to help the walleye population. But I will always stick to bass.

[Other.]

Since your heart tells you they are illegally fishing, don't speak english, and are probably illegally in this country without asking, maybe your heart will tell you to stop at the main gate that lets them in every morning to check their license.

Parks open from sun up till sun down and gates closed at night.

Whos flaming who?

What do you mean cheek there license? No one cheeks it0.o

[KYbass1276]

I have to go with capt cali on this one if I know for sure there doing something illegal then I will make the call.   But I can say this much for ky atleast the area I'm in the game warden are really good about trying to catch anyone breaking the law.  

[Matt Fly]

Other,

Lake Frank opens the gate in the morning, they have park rangers.

Report them.  

     http://www.mc-mncppc.org/parks/facilities/regional_parks/rockcreek/index.shtm

Park police number, Park managers numbers all listed on their web site.

Hookem

Matt

[Bass Smacker]

If you think thats these people are fishing illigle call the #'s. If its in a park with a wardon I'm sure he will be right on top of it. If not drop a dime on his azz.

but when you call do it on the low low :. No need to get your azz kicked.... other wise your just as guilty as they are

[Shad_Master]

This past memorial day, I had some "honey-do's" that had to be done and didn't get a chance to get over to the lake until later in the afternoon.  I didn't take my boat, 'cause I figured the lake would be crowded -- to my surprise, the crowd was on the bank.  It looked like a Coke commercial as bank fisher's lined the entire lake, only three empty trailers in the parking lot - but no room to fish anyway.  So I left and went to another fishing spot.  Later that week I did go back over and talked to some of the other bank fishers that frequent this lake.  The story was that the DNR showed up about 11:00 and worked all the way around from three different starting points and were writing tickets right and left.  One guy reportedly got a ticket for $1,700 for no license and a bucket full of illegal fish.  This hasn't slowed the number of people that I see stringing 10" bass on a lake where the keeper limit is 21", but things were sure a lot different on the 4th of July.

[Siebert Outdoors]

Gee they must pick on me.  I've been checked in 3 states.  TX, MO, and MI.  I guess I'm just one of those lucky people that always gets checked.  Good thing I dont break the regulations.

Some of the places I fish I see the same.  One of the good things is the ownership has changed hands and he has cleaned house.  I dont see near the problems or issues as I did.  Alot less boat traffic too.

[craigaria]

At the lake I mainly fish, we have a different problem. The lake is supposed to be private. This doesn't stop some people from sneaking in to fish it. I have caught a few people sneaking in at night and tried to run them off. We have been working with the landowners to lock all of the gates. I don't mind people fishing the lake the same as me, but I am worried about the ones that rape the lake by keeping everything they catch, legal or not... It is allways nice to keep the pressure off of the fish too...

[Bass Smacker]

At the lake I mainly fish, we have a different problem. The lake is supposed to be private. This doesn't stop some people from sneaking in to fish it. I have caught a few people sneaking in at night and tried to run them off. We have been working with the landowners to lock all of the gates. I don't mind people fishing the lake the same as me, but I am worried about the ones that rape the lake by keeping everything they catch, legal or not... It is allways nice to keep the pressure off of the fish too...

 

BIG singhns that read bewere of the man eating bears/mounten lion otta do it

or warning this aria is infested with water mocusons

[Other.]

At the lake I mainly fish, we have a different problem. The lake is supposed to be private. This doesn't stop some people from sneaking in to fish it. I have caught a few people sneaking in at night and tried to run them off. We have been working with the landowners to lock all of the gates. I don't mind people fishing the lake the same as me, but I am worried about the ones that rape the lake by keeping everything they catch, legal or not... It is allways nice to keep the pressure off of the fish too...

 

BIG singhns that read bewere of the man eating bears/mounten lion otta do it

or warning this aria is infested with water mocusons

Hey LBH cheek this out! He spells just like me  : WOOT! You and I shall teach these old foogys how to spell like todays children!

[joes]

I've never seen a DNR officer in the 16 years I've been fishing in Maryland

You must not be fishing Loch Raven. I see them just about every time I go. In July I was approached and asked if I had a license and if I had any fish aboard but he did not check if I had either one.

[MALTESE FALCON]

HERE IN MICHIGAN, I THINK THE BIGGEST PROBLEM IS PEOPLE LOOK IN THE FISHING RULES AND SEE THE LIMITS PER SPECIES AND DON'T SEE THE PHRASE "IN ANY COMBINATION".

THEY THINK THEY CAN KEEP 5 PIKE, 5 LARGEMOUTH, 5 WALLEYE. SO WHEN THEY GET CHECKED BY DNR THEY HAVE A PROBLEM.

WE ALSO HAVE THE PEOPLE WHO THINK LAWS ARE FOR ANYBODY BUT THEM. MY DAD WORKED WITH A GUY THAT LOST HIS FISHING RIGHTS BECAUSE OF TOO MANY VIOLATIONS. HE STILL FISHED AND WENT OVER LIMIT UNTIL HE WENT TO JAIL.

[Rebbasser]

4th of July, about 7AM.  Flyrod and I were fishing our favorite electrics only lake when I see a guy in a kayak paddling towards us.  There are usually several yackers fishing along with us, so I figued this guy wanted to share info.  Much to my surprise it turned out to be a game warden.  We always catch and release-take a photo if it is big enough-so we didn't have anything in the livewell, but I was glad to know the TP&W guys were out.