Seems several places on Folly Beach are being hit these days by folks who don’t care about limits. Saw several filleted small bass on the west end the other day and yesterday at 12th east, black dudes in a white van who fish that spot at high tide often… well 1 dude walked a bucket full of small bass to the van and put them away (which makes me think they do know, just don’t care)while I watched the older one with a soft cast on his foot, reel in another one.
What to do
So I walk down there and act all nice and ask them if it’s a slot fish. He said “no, that’s a spottail”, so I tell him what a “slot fish” is and those fish have to be 15" to keep and you can only keep 3 per person.
The old dude just turned his back and walked away, the other guy kept sayin he was from Georgia and didn’t even know what kind of fish that was. (Think he had a temporary out of state stamp?)
Probably should have called OGT but thought on a Saturday, hunting and all, nothing would come of it, just not enough officers. I think I’ll go talk to the old dude again when I’m not pissed off and tell him again and let him know next time I’m calling the law.
Since I always have one of my kids with me, I never bother to “intervene” directly with the people if they don’t seem to be the sort that will want my $.02, and it’s usually not hard to figure that out. Sometimes they ask me, or genuinely seem to be at a loss as to what to do with the fish. In other words, if they clearly are the sort that will take my comments well, then I help them out. This is by far the most common situation, anyhow.
In your situation, where it’s a small group of folks stashing things in the van, they aren’t the sort I’d approach. I would have just called Operation Game Thief and let the warden figure it out.
This isn’t to be an a$$hole about it either. If you ever fish, you know there are laws to follow. If you choose not to check the law, you’re willfully putting yourself at risk. If you’re willfully breaking the law, you deserve whatever consequence you get. If you are innocent, then you won’t mind the Game Warden checking you.
I’ve never once been checked by the Game Warden when I minded, because I don’t break the laws. I’m glad to have them out there, and I’m glad when I get checked, because it’s one of the most effective uses of my tax dollars that I’ve seen.
… The Cross of Christ is the anvil upon which the hammer of evil wore itself out.
Yeah, sometimes all it takes is for someone to know they’ve been seen and if they are smart they’ll move on quickly. We had a situation on lake Murray a couple of years ago. Two guys would hunt ducks illegally near homes in a wooded area. They’d have a girl or young lady drop them off and ride off in the boat. They’d hide, shoot a couple of ducks, then have her pick them up and most likely move on to another spot. Hard for the game warden to catch them unless someone could get the boat number. I talked to the girl, nicely, and asked her if the guys knew what they were doing was illegal. She headed straight to them and they immediately left our area. Duck season wasn’t even in at the time!!
Okay, this topic has come up several times here. As for me…I don’t give two stinkin’ rat turds what some guys are doin’ on some stretch of surf, in the Atlantic Ocean!
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They are stealing from all of us. They want to steal from the Teeter, Publix or Wal-Mart, THEN it isn’t any of my business. Maybe you wouldn’t mind these fellas helping themselves to your rods if you leave them in the back of your truck?
Sorry Dparker, but that beach is my (our) back yard and I feel strongly about how and why the regulations are in place. The reds from last year are just under legal limit and feeding heavily, these guys treat it like a whiting bite… no sir, not in my yard.
What dey bitin own? Sounds like a white guy trying to hard. LOLZ . Cut shrimp on Carolina rigs is the only way these guys fish, but you know that already
It’s OK if you are scared of the big black man, I understand. I grew up around black people my whole life, I’m not.
Pretty funny, more and more, someone points out complete lack of ettiquite (sp)of others and some folks will make them the bad guy.
Lets all just turn a blind eye cause we’re scared.
Edit: just noticed D’s signature line… irony or hypocrisy?
As for me…I don’t give two stinkin’ rat turds what some guys are doin’ on some stretch of surf, in the Atlantic Ocean!
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Sorry for the double post but… I just thought of something else.
Dparker doesn’t care… unless it’s a skinny paddleboarder, who is breaking no laws, just enjoying some ocean time, comes within 20 yards of his beloved cut bait on the bottom… then he leaps into action, calling people in and tuning them up as to what is right and what is wrong… not to mention talk of chucking lead weights at people on boards… but don’t go try to talk to the black man, he might beat you up… LOLZ
I asked what would you do, you told me, mind your own business, you don’t give a rat’s ass, plus a lecture I didn’t ask you for. You are however entitled to your opinion and to air it on this public forum.
Those fish survived a spawn and a harsh winter consisting of 2 ice storms only to be raped out of the resource. It will take 14 months and a lot of luck to replace each and every one of those fish, which will now never contribute to the population. Why have game laws at all, hey?
I stated the perps were black guys in a white van, I also stated one guy has a soft cast on his foot… ya think maybe that would help an LEO who happens to read this know exactly who to look for at said specific spot? Just maybe?
I remember the false bravado of throwing pyramid sinkers and gotcha plugs at people in that topic… that won’t get you a busted lip or a closed up left eye but simply talking to someone about fish regulations will? Okeey Dokeey.
You are right though, I’ll not change concerning my love, consideration and concern for our state’s natural resources.
As far as the question goes we have:
2: call OGT right of the bat, no benefit of the doubt
2: including me: sometimes all it takes is for someone to know what they were doing was illegal
1: I don’t give a rat’s ass what people do concerning game laws, mind your own business.
In reflection, I’m glad I did what I did, the way I did it. I would feel guilty throwing them under the bus if they just moved here or something. I stated my peace, now I won’t.
Mugil- “In reflection, I’m glad I did what I did, the way I did it. I would feel guilty throwing them under the bus if they just moved here or something. I stated my peace, now I won’t.”
Please continue to state your peace. As someone who studies the populations of fisheries and genuinely cares about the future of fishing, it is crucial to draw attention to and discourage unlawful catch. If people who care (like you obviously do) aren’t willing to do something about it, then who will? And you’re right, some don’t need to be penalized they just need to be made aware of the restrictions and why they are necessary. Don’t let those who hassle you on these forums keep you from shedding light on important issues.
Not much positive change has ever come from people “minding there own friggin business” with regards to protecting fisheries.
Mugil- “In reflection, I’m glad I did what I did, the way I did it. I would feel guilty throwing them under the bus if they just moved here or something. I stated my peace, now I won’t.”
Please continue to state your peace. As someone who studies the populations of fisheries and genuinely cares about the future of fishing, it is crucial to draw attention to and discourage unlawful catch. If people who care (like you obviously do) aren’t willing to do something about it, then who will? And you’re right, some don’t need to be penalized they just need to be made aware of the restrictions and why they are necessary. Don’t let those who hassle you on these forums keep you from shedding light on important issues.
Not much positive change has ever come from people “minding there own friggin business” with regards to protecting fisheries.
As for me? If somebody comes down to the beach near me, I usually keep my back towards them, because I really don’t care
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This, considering my sleepy little hometown has become a metropolitan cluster#%&*, I have the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, however, if you are breaking law by raping our resource, whether you ignore me and keep your back to me, I have the courage to change the things I can.
Well that ended rather peacefully. Dpark I’m a bit surprised to hear that from you buddy. Whiting are FAR more plentiful than redfish (and better eating IMO), big difference in keeping a bucket of 50 whiting and 50 rat reds.
I agree, confrontation with someone breaking the law is never a good idea. Sadly, it’s not always easy to tell who is doing it knowingly, and it’s not really fair to call a warden on somebody if they are simply clueless. It’s not illegal to be stupid. Of course, if you are fishing to put food on the table for your/a family in need, I didn’t see nothin’.
If you are however a seasoned fisherman and keeping rat reds with no regard for conservation, well…you’re worse than the paddleboarders.
I think Dpark just published the correct method to approach these folks. I don’t think Mugil walked down there with the intention to be an a-hole, but the interaction you just described is probably the most proper way to do it. “Discretion” is the key word here. Wasn’t trying to call anyone out here, I just figured with how often you’re fishin that you might be stickler for the rules.
For the record, I paid a good bit of earned money for my “fancy” degree, and it’s pretty much gotten me nowhere if it makes you feel any better.
Drunk at 10:30am or did you imagine that scenario sober?
Like I said I’m glad I did it the way I did. Wasn’t afraid of getting my ass kicked over it because I was humble and respectful in the way I spoke to these poor poor folks (insert liberal pacifist sniffle here).
I wasn’t a dick and neither were they, which is why they got a pass.
Curse words would have gotten them a straight call to a warden who patrols locally, who may or may not be available immediately, then OGT.
Swinging on me would have gotten them a quick visit from FBPD and the 20 or so short red’s would have been the least worry of those poor poor folks just trying to feed their hopeless and helpless families (another liberal pacifist sniffle here).
All that being said, I find it ironic the biggest pimp of surf fishing on this website/forum turns his back on and ignores other fishermen on the beach.
That is rich.
You invited them.
You told them what, where, when and how, but lack the common courtesy to say hello… that is more hilarious than your “puffed up chest” fantasy.
BTW, I got bored catching fish on bottom rigs with cut shrimp in about 1971. Not saying it isn’t a great pastime and a great way to spend time, just sayin, it aint rock surgery.
Mugs you’re kind of just trolling a bit at this point, I think everyone’s on the same page here. Dpark’s well respected on this site and has pretty much showed me everything I know in regard to fishing Folly, which is a whole different ballgame than fishin my native VA Beach. You did good, it’s acknowledged, now on to the next topic until this comes up again in two weeks.
. Cut shrimp on Carolina rigs is the only way these guys fish, but you know that already
