Leaderboard

Yesterday, July 1, I was fishing right under the falls at Lundbreck when a bait rig got plunked in from the tourist viewing deck on the canyon rim above. I was obviously pissed that this idiot had the nerve to; 1. Cast his line directly into the water I was fishing 2. Did the above using bait in waters where bait is restricted, C&R only 3. Continue to do so after I gave the “are you ****ing kidding me” death stare with accompanying hand/arm gestures My first thought was to go up there and snap his rod and maybe his neck etc. but being a law abiding citizen I decided calling RAP and reporting the unlawful use of bait was the appropriate remedy to the whole unfortunate scene. No cell service at water level so I’d have to go up to the rim either way. But before I could do that, the poacher hooked into a large (22-26”) bull trout and began attempting to haul it from the pool up to the canyon rim where he was positioned. This is probably 50 feet. I immediately started yelling at him to stop. Which he didn’t. I got my net out and yelled at him to steer his line towards the net (fish was already dangling in the air at this point) hoping that some reason might prevail and that it could be safely landed and released. He refused that too. After a minute or two of yelling with no response from the poacher I got the phone out and started recording video. Once his bobber was at the end of his rod he started trying to walk backwards to pull the fish up, no longer able to reel any further. It was obviously a struggle and in the video you can see the fish go higher into the air and then lowering back down several times. Another minute or two of his stupidity passed before his line finally snapped from the friction of dragging it over the guard rail and the fish fell 20-30+ feet, hitting rock at the edge of pool and splashing back into water, probably no longer alive or certainly dying shortly thereafter. I ran up to the canyon rim, recording again, and confronted this ***hole who, incidentally, was now trying to rig up another bare/snell hook when I tore into him about what he’d just done. As I walked away dialing RAP I could hear him asking me if I got any pictures, he actually thought I was taking photos for him to keep as souvenirs. A CO was dispatched and I got in my vehicle and followed the poacher, who was on foot, and watched where he went. The CO found him, charged him to failure to release a fish in least harmful way, and is organizing evidence to hopefully lay an additional charge for the use of bait. Keep an eye out for this guy and if you see him doing anything questionable call it in. PW for videos is protect our waters (no spaces). If any issues with the video links let me know

omg... he is a retard.

Good job, be sure to get the "file number" to collect your reward. How can they put the face to the video, so to speak, you don't actually see anyone reeling in the fish?

Two unwritten backcountry traffic courtesy rules. The big heavies always have the right of way going in or out and if two vehicles are about the same the vehicle going uphill or has a sharp drop off to the passenger side of the vehicle has the right of way

Simms. Depends where you’re fishing. For example, I think that no matter what you have, wading the bow is like walking on ice.

I have one set of felts for the bow (and for while in a boat) and one sticky rubber with studs to fish mtn streams (disinfect in a mild bleach sol & dry between streams) but Quat is probably a bit better as the bleach can eat through stitching, etc..

Quats are good thing to soak your boots in You are probably asking yourself, what is a Quat? “Quats” is the nickname used for quaternary ammonium compounds. Their disinfectant properties have been recognized for nearly 100 years. Quats have a common molecular structure. (Think of a basic car with interchangeable fenders.) Changing the basic molecule changes the characteristics of the compound and gives quats the ability to be used in a wide variety of household, institutional, and industrial products. These products range from disinfectants, sanitizers, and cleaners to wood preservatives, fabric softeners and personal care products. Quat-based disinfectants and sanitizers are used in medical facilities, food service operations, water treatment, and many industrial applications. They are also used to control algae in ponds and other aquatic environments.

I have 2 sets of felt soled boots. I revolve them so each set gets 24 hrs drying time. The biggest concern is mud where the the disease flourishes, I hose and clean my equipment.