Fish And Wildlife

[thefisherking]

Looks like I'm going to go 3 years in a row without getting my license checked in Alberta. I think its a shame considering we have world class fishing here at our doorstep. I see empty worm and minnow containers just about every time I'm on the bow. And dealing with RAP can be a pain in the ass at times. Tough to catch these guys if no ones really enforcing the regs. What do you guys think?

[jksnijders]

 

 

I didn't get checked once either. Numerous times in all years previous, and as you say about bait containers, found many as well down south. I did see a group of inbred-hick looking jerkoffs get nailed at Bullshead for using bait and keeping everything, however, which brought a smile to my face..

[reevesr1]

I have fished for over 40 yrs, in many places. I have never been checked for my license once. Anywhere. Ever.

 

 

[birchy]

Was checked twice in my first year.. haven't been checked in 2 years since.

[troutlover]

i was checked this year and seen them checking mostly in high traffic areas.

[SilverDoctor]

Checked twice this year, four times last. They are out there. The way I look at it though, with budgets cuts we need to watch our waters.

 

[bigalcal]

I fished the Oldman Gap area 40 days this year and I wasn't checked. I contributed to "Stream watch" and I figured I would see some one due to extra patrolling but it didn't happen. I did see someone spying with binoculars on the cliff just below the Gap one day tho'.

I'm not really concerned as I know how thinly they are spread out in AB. Of course with my luck I would be approached when in my haste to match the hatch I forgot to debarb!!

I never saw any flagrant disregard to regs except perhaps some families at the campground who wanted some family fun and just don't know any better. I think we all did the same on family camping trips when we were young.

 

[dekkard2019]

...I was checked out 4 times this year. 3 out in K-country and once at 22X. I was surprised that the fish cop at 22X had only caught 4 people breaking regs all summer...it is good to see the guys out there

checking. They just made sure my barbs were pinched and that I had my license.

 

[Taco]

I must have an honest face or sumthin', I've had my fishing licenses checked a total of maybe 3 times that I can remember in my life, that's in 3 provinces, 2 territories and a half dozen or so states and I've fished a bunch in the last 40 yrs

[beedhead]

Was checked 2 or 3 times this year in K country....1 to 3 times years prior in K country....And many many times at Bullshead....But I must say when ya get away from the paved roads, you see less CO'S....You see a few CO's in The Gap area, but never seem to do any walking to check people....I have been checked once in the Gap in the past 15ish years....I have never been checked on the Crow or lower Old man....Once at Castle....Got checked at Battle Creek few years ago....A couple times at Spruce Coulee....A few times at Michelle Res....One time at Lee's Lake...But again-Ya get away from the Paved roads and.....

 

Cheers...Jeff..

[Flytyer]

I've never been checked even all the foreign countries that I've fished in as well.......come to think of it I've yet to see a CO of any kind anywhere.

[bloom]

So, if you were a CO, think about who you would check. Would you walk down the cliff to check the guy decked out in $500 worth of Simms clothing, walking and wading tossing flies, or would you just keep patrolling the highly accessable spots for people sitting on the bank with a rod propped up on a forked stick?

 

Just because you're not being checked, doesn't mean it's not happening...most of us just aren't the right "clientelle".

 

I've been check a few times at Bullshead, but I feel it's more about optics as the CO's are checking everybody else and they better check the fly fisherman too!

[Teck71]

Checked 4 times on the bow this year, once on Fallen timber, once on Oldman. before this year never.

 

But your right. you move away from the road you won't see one. also thinking about it every time I got check there was a spin caster near.

 

Teck

[Taco]

exactly Bloom, best bang for the CO buck is the high profile high risk areas. I don't exactly fish high day use areas, I usually see far more bears than I do COs

[dryfly]

We were checked twice this year ... once on a lake and once on a stream.

 

Just because you don't get asked doesn't mean you are not being watched!! The day I took theses pictures, the Stream Watch F&W officer watched many people without their knowledge. Some were confronted and a few were not. They had no clues someone had been watching them! I'd bet that the majority of all anglers on the upper OM this summer were watched at one time or another if they fished more than 2 or 3 days there. If you fished 40 days ... you were indeed watched.

 

 

This guy (MrBotangles is that you?) was watched for at least 15 minutes. He caught a nice bull, chatted with his buddy and released it. There was no advantage of chasing the guy down.

[beedhead]

Thanx Clive....Thats good stuff...

 

Cheers...Jeff..

[Taco]

yeah and I know more bears see me than I see of them

 

funny, I had a campground attendant bitching about Jeff "sneakin" around and watchin' people through binocs. He didn't seem to think it was quite kosher somehow.

[PAV]

I have not been checked in Alberta in 3 years of fishing which would be close to 150 times out. But I have been checked twice on the Elk river out of 4 trips. I guess that extra $20.00 tax may be used for good after all.

[bigalcal]

Dryfly,

That wasn't me (Although he looks like me, the CO that is). That's the guy I saw above the "Falls" at the Gap.(Right?) It makes total sense to watch from afar.

[rhuseby]

Most fish and wildlife and conservation officers use a basic rule of thumb. You don't have to check flyfishers. Stop and think, how many fly types have you seen committing violations? Sad but true, the vast majority of violators are using spin gear. Lots of times I've seen and talked to officers who had checked several miles of river by walking and using binoculars, and only the violators have been talked to. And when somebody in the bottom of the Sheep River canyon gets hit for using bait, they know they aren't safe anywhere.

[duanec]

in 25 years fishing in our province, i have been checked 3 times in total. in 15 years of fishing here & there in bc, once.

that does not mean the one day i forget to pinch them down or forget to renew before heading out in april or checking the regs on new waters i won't get my ass nailed to the truck door, because i've seen it happen to others first hand.

just don't need that grief mucking up a perfectly good day, ever.

[osprey]

Checked twice in FCP this year. I've been checked lots of places over the years. The farthest off the beaten track was Leman lake by a woman National Parks Warden on horseback.

[thefisherking]

Looks like I might be getting checked a little more often than I first thought. Good to know that they are watching.

[gustuphson]

I must have an honest face or sumthin', I've had my fishing licenses checked a total of maybe 3 times that I can remember in my life, that's in 3 provinces, 2 territories and a half dozen or so states and I've fished a bunch in the last 40 yrs

 

 

I'm going to have to go with sumthin'... if you were chucking worms at the Racehorse Campground I bet atleast a couple CO's would rather look the other way

[Taco]

Angus? Is that you man?