Seriously?

[waterwolf]

Originally Posted by David Knapp

I'll second (or third or whatever) contacting TWRA. Having minimal experience on the Clinch, I cannot obviously guarantee that anything will be done, but I have reported overlimit issues to TWRA from a favorite striper/white bass/warm water spot further down the same river (including pictures of the car and license plates via email) and can say with much satisfaction that the people who were regular visitors (and violators) did not show up anymore... TWRA does have their problems, but given a good tip, they will usually take care of business...just my two cents...

Anyone who knows me, or reads much of my drivel here knows I despise TWRA for the most part.

However, their enforcement is pretty dang good, they are just stretched really thin. If given a solid lead they will follow up on it, trust me I know from experience. A few years ago some dipwad decided to throw my name around as running a deer poaching ring online, obviously I had no idea. Well one afternoon whilst relaxing I get a knock on the door, I get up to go see who it is and see 2 TWRA Officers, open the door to be asked if they could come in for a little chat. They searched my entire house, naturally found nothing, and left. Case closed, since I was 100% innocent and the victim of a scam.

My point is, they will do the leg work when given the chance and the time.

I have begged for years to add a river specific permit to our tailwaters, i.e. a CLinch Stamp, to fund a Clinch only GW. It has gone nowhere obviously, but I still believe it is a good idea.

Back to the subject, if you see someone breaking the law say something or pick up the phone. Coming to the internet to whine will never solve the problem.

[MadisonBoats]

Originally Posted by waterwolf

On this forum and most fly fishing forums fish size is exaggerated more times than not. I don't believe it comes from a desire to deceive more so a lack of experience measuring fish.

All too often a 12" fish is called 16", and 14" fish are called 18". I have seen folks with solid 13" fish which could appear as slot fish, but are just short.

I concur with this point. I see misjudged fish size all the time. Most of the situations are just lack of experience or not actually measuring the fish.

Originally Posted by waterwolf

Anyone who knows me, or reads much of my drivel here knows I despise TWRA for the most part.

However, their enforcement is pretty dang good, they are just stretched really thin. If given a solid lead they will follow up on it, trust me I know from experience. A few years ago some dipwad decided to throw my name around as running a deer poaching ring online, obviously I had no idea. Well one afternoon whilst relaxing I get a knock on the door, I get up to go see who it is and see 2 TWRA Officers, open the door to be asked if they could come in for a little chat. They searched my entire house, naturally found nothing, and left. Case closed, since I was 100% innocent and the victim of a scam.

My point is, they will do the leg work when given the chance and the time.

I have begged for years to add a river specific permit to our tailwaters, i.e. a CLinch Stamp, to fund a Clinch only GW. It has gone nowhere obviously, but I still believe it is a good idea.

Back to the subject, if you see someone breaking the law say something or pick up the phone. Coming to the internet to whine will never solve the problem.

Wow! That would have irked me at first! Glad you were able to cordially comply and help them move on to other things. Sounds like they may need to investigate the person who reported you...

[Grumpy]

I agree with the "report them if ya see them" part. One other thing to consider, let's say they write me a $200 ticket for not having a life jacket, if they don't show up for court, the judge will probably toss it, if they do show, they'll collect less than $20 for the fine with the rest going to court cost, in the meantime, the poachers probably know the court dates(go figure) & that's when they go fishing.
A warden on one stream i fish has told me if i see something really, really, really breaking the law to call him, otherwise, if he goes to court over a few fish over the limit, or one to big or small, it's another day he won't be patrolling
Heck, maybe ya'll will get lucky & have a few canoe/kayak rental places open up there, the poachers can take a backseat to that mayhem.

Grumpy

[Grannyknot]

Can't expect an agency with so many responsibilities, and streched so thin to be everywhere at once. Just like you can't expect the police to sit around your neighborhood making sure houses aren't getting broken into.

No need to confront anyone, just call the hotline.

[Grumpy]

Originally Posted by Grannyknot

Can't expect an agency with so many responsibilities, and streched so thin to be everywhere at once. Just like you can't expect the police to sit around your neighborhood making sure houses aren't getting broken into.

No need to confront anyone, just call the hotline.

That's the problem in a nutshell, TWRA needs to find a way to have more officers on the heavier used waters in the state, even then, they can't be everywhere.

Grumpy

[NDuncan]

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."

Same is true for poachers. If everytime you see someone breaking the regs, or it looks like they are breaking the regs, and you don't do anything, like ask, inform, or call, because you are either, too interested in your own fishing to stop what you are doing, or too passive - you are contributing to their poaching indirectly by enabling future bad behavior. At least calling doesn't require actual confrontation, and I don't think you need to approach someone with guns drawn and a lynch mob to make a difference.

[77punk]

i find it amazing that some of you have never been checked on the clinch. i ran into ranger smith a few weeks ago just above peach orchard. he checked my brother in law, and asked for mine. he never looked at it once he remembered me from our last encounter, when i was raising **** at him over all the dying brown trout on the weir dam last november. that was the second time in 12 months, third in two years. i have run into him twice @ PO, and once near the weir. i know he fishes the clinch for trout, because he told me the fishing doesn't get good until the shoals below PO an on down. he was leaving the same time as we were, and even helped me get my truck unstuck ('cause i parked like an idjit, i'll admit it) however i can agree that i do not see him often enough. i once heard there were only 2 or 3 rangers for all of anderson county. anyone know if this is true?

[Corbo]

Thanks Punk;

My bet is that TWRA guys don't work weekends; don't think they like the crowds.

[waterwolf]

Originally Posted by Corbo

Thanks Punk;

My bet is that TWRA guys don't work weekends; don't think they like the crowds.

Wrong, they work every weekend. Bash TWRA all you want, but when it comes to enforcement the issue isn't desire it is man power.

[MadisonBoats]

Originally Posted by Corbo

Thanks Punk;

My bet is that TWRA guys don't work weekends; don't think they like the crowds.

Originally Posted by waterwolf

Wrong, they work every weekend. Bash TWRA all you want, but when it comes to enforcement the issue isn't desire it is man power.

Corbo,
I have to agree with Waterwolf! The TWRA guys put in the hours and they are working almost every weekend. They have the dilemma of balancing patrol, enforcement, and responding to calls. I wish the state would increase their numbers and budget!