Poachers

[bigbug]

Floated this Sat and reported 3 groups of poachers. The morning guy (glenmore) I called in got caught using bait was a repeated offender, the 2nd guy (southland) got fined for over limit on white fish. Funny thing was the 2nd guy I called in early got 5-6 trouts and quickly left but came back in the afternoon with a group of people. Have video footage/evidence. We need stiffer fines/bylaws. I am pretty tempted to just take videos and confiscate their gear and do a citizens arrest until the RAP gets there. Just wondering if this is possible?

[Dangus]

How big are you? Ha just something I'd consider

[flyfishfairwx]

Read up on that before you go grabbing gear etc.. I don't think that is an offence that you can do that with..the rules are fairly specific as to what type of offence and when you can. best to just get all the info and proof you can..

 

I work in the security field..

[bigbug]

Hahahaha, I wouldn't resort to violence. Most I would do is just video them and follow them to their car and stall till the RAP gets there

[professori]

Hahahaha, I wouldn't resort to violence. Most I would do is just video them and follow them to their car and stall till the RAP gets there

Maybe you wouldn't resort to violence but I doubt that the same could be assured about your targets. Leave close surveillance and confrontation to those trained and equiped for it.

[keet]

A friend and I came across a guy fishing with his dog a couple weeks ago. We exchanged greetings and asked how things were going today. The guy collected his gear and left pretty quickly afterwards. We began fishing a large back eddy and my buddy came across a bull trout on the bank with its head chewed off. Considering how fast he left the area we assumed it was him who caught the fish and could not remove his large treble hook in time and the trout died. Not sure if this would be considered poaching or not but how fast he left made us think that he knew what he did was wrong.

We came back to that hole to finish the day and this guy and his dog came back. The dog made a bee line straight for where the bull trout was. At that point I was pretty sure it was him. Without witnessing the act could we have called it in and being near the trunk road how fast would the response be?

[bigfry]

i was in the Hyde that floated past you guys big bug Saturday morning, we saw that guy at glenmore but didn't think anything of it. wish we knew and we would have waited or i would have said something.

[jtaylor]

I just don't understand why people can't check the regs!! especially the Bow. you can look at your phone and go, o-**** I guess I shouldn't use bait and poach fish.

[BurningChrome]

I just don't understand why people can't check the regs!! especially the Bow. you can look at your phone and go, o-**** I guess I shouldn't use bait and poach fish.

There are probably a number of people who don't even know that any fishing regs exist let alone where to find them online. Others simply don't care.

[Jayhad]

We need stiffer fines/bylaws.

Not going to stop chronic poachers, they don't care about the laws

[Dangus]

Was that the guy sitting on the northeast side of the river under glenmore? Saw him too when we launched and didn't think anything of it. Mfer

[bigbug]

yes that is the guy. Rap charged him with illegal use of bait and said hes a know repeated offender

[jpinkster]

I asked this on the FW Facebook page yesterday:

 

Jordan Pinkster

Yesterday at 2:59pm

Do fines scale for individuals who get caught poaching multiple times? I've heard a few unconfirmed stories about poachers who are not dissuaded at all by pay a few fines a year. At some point there should be a very serious penalty considered for repeat offenders.

If we don't currently have scaling fines/penalties for repeat offenders, we really should.

[BurningChrome]

If we don't currently have scaling fines/penalties for repeat offenders, we really should.

I know that they have options of seizing equipment and anything else used in the act ie. their bike or vehicle can be seized if they used it to get to the river. I don't think they use the seizure option often if at all though because there's probably a ton more paperwork involved and a judge will probably just give their stuff back to them.

[jpinkster]

I know that they have options of seizing equipment and anything else used in the act ie. their bike or vehicle can be seized if they used it to get to the river. I don't think they use the seizure option often if at all though because there's probably a ton more paperwork involved and a judge will probably just give their stuff back to them.

I have a buddy that used to be a CO in Sask. There was a group of American hunters that used to come across the border every year and poach ducks. They would get caught every once in awhile, but wouldn't pay their fines and just head back home (not sure how that didn't get picked up at the border). My buddy decided the best way to deal with these guys was by seizing their dogs and taking them back to the station. His tactic proved effective as the Americans turned up the next day and paid all of their fines.

[BowLurker]

I just don't understand why people can't check the regs!! especially the Bow. you can look at your phone and go, o-**** I guess I shouldn't use bait and poach fish.

Most people are Idiots.

 

-M.

[Wrighter]

Reviving an old thread here. Last night when I was fishing the bow, I was approached by two guys asking what the regulations were. I told them it was catch and release and their response was "well that sucks, we won't tell anyone if you keep anything". I told them I follow the rules and continued fishing. A while later they came back to me after seeing me catch a few fish and asked if I was keeping them. I said no, like I said it's catch and release. The guys followed that up by telling me I should be keeping them and that it's dumb that I'm releasing them. I couldn't believe it. Spent the next minute explaining to them why it's catch and release, plus many more reasons why I wouldn't keep one even if I could, and they still didn't get it. They said "well don't worry about us if we keep one". I just stopped talking to them and kept fishing. I had my eye on them for the full 3 hours and they never caught a fish. Is this something the CO's would be interested in? They clearly had admitted the intention to poach. They appeared to be amateurs and could have been using bait, not have licenses, ect.Is this something worth calling in based on "suspicious activity"?

[Dangus]

Why stress about it. Just call it in. Worst case scenario fng doesn't come and they poach a couple trout. Best case scenario they get busted, you end up with a few hundred bucks in your pocket and feel great that they got caught.

[Wrighter]

Yeah that's where my head is at now. It was my first time ever having an experience with a potential poacher so before yesterday I had never been faced with the situation. Since I didn't see any actual poaching I didn't act on it, but now I think it would have been best for the FnG to at least decide whether to check them out, show their presence and explain the regulations to them

[Dangus]

It's a real easy phone call. With the new regs so clear, these guys don't have an excuse. Can't even cite confusion anymore!

[SilverDoctor]

Must start paroling again. a few years back I made enough in rewards to buy an new Loop Opti Stream.

[DonAndersen]

Silver Doc.

 

I really like the crime pays concept.

They do the crime and we get paid.

Damn, life is good.

 

 

Don

[bowbonehead]

This might be a reason to break down and buy a cell phone and maybe upgrade from the silk line...... sorry I was daydreaming again

[keet]

For those who have never called RAP, like me, what is their response time after placing a call? I assume getting a licence plate # would help the officer if they leave the area.

[jpinkster]

For those who have never called RAP, like me, what is their response time after placing a call? I assume getting a licence plate # would help the officer if they leave the area.

Any and all details help. What they are wearing, what gear the had, make and model of a car.

 

The response times can really vary, especially in Calgary. I've had officers on the scene in 15 minutes and I've had the operator tell me that they can't get someone out there for a few hours.