Poachers

[Troutfitter]

Please use the DEP Hotline when you see poachers at 1-800-842-4357. Do not confront poachers directly as you run the risk of being hurt.

Call the DEP every time you see an infraction as even if they can't get to the site in time to catch the poacher..... the calls will move state resources to keep a better watch on an area and they will be on the lookout for the vehicles and persons you describe.

When the Farmington River Angler's Association had a meeting with the DEP law enforcement division we discovered that very few calls are actually made to the TIPS line. The DEP assigns officers to watch an area based on these calls. Please store the number in your cell phone and help secure our trout.

[arborbug]

Thank you for stressing the point on poaching, we all need to follow the proper channels and take the appropriate course of action. We must all work togather to preserve and conserve, what we have come to enjoy! for fly fishermen and sprin fishermen alike.

[bobbbn]

In the TMA I know it is all catch and release........is any kind of fishing allowed or just fly fishing?

[lar42]

bobbbn,

Go check out the Angler Guide for CT. It will tell you all the rules on when, where and how you can fish in CT. :wink: :D

http://dep.state.ct.us/burnatr/fishing/fishinfo/angler.htm

[Ray]

In fishing the TMA unfortunatly anything goes, the only requirement other then catch and release is a barbless hook. Bait is even allowed as long as a barbless hook is used.

[neweyesofold]

the number is in my phone just in case. ill make sure to give it to my fellow fisherman :twisted:

[phishhead]

I agree that we should follow proper channels but, everything is not black and white. If I see a couple of kids, or a father and young son/daughter, or someone that is obviously not a "poacher" I will kindly make mention of the regulations, then wish them a good day.

[SloNDeep]

Some of these poachers are real winners.

If you approach them they'll tell you they didnt know it was illegal. On Sunday I came across two of them on the Hous and instead of saying anything to them I just looked right at them while calling my buddy on my cell phone ( I didnt know the TIP number ). They packed up and left, looking incredibly guilty. :shock: On the way out they asked me if was OK to fish there :? Of course I was a kind soul and simply explained the rules to them. :roll:

[phishhead]

Exactly, if we make the "legal" fisherman a ware of the rules, and the "illegal"" ones a little leary then we have done our job with out confritation. The later I have no problem calling the TIP line on!!

[kamloop]

Yahoo first post!!

It's a huge problem on the Housy.They like to travel down some of the rocky,washed out roads to get to the river in Cornwall.Brookies,Bows,Browns,Bass.....everything goes into their 5 gallon pails.I've heard some horror stories.

[FishHawk]

The trouble I have with Ct. is there is a lot of poaching that goes on. I've fished the state for over 20 years . I'm a non resident and it is sad that there is very little enforcement that takes place. This is especially true in the TMA area that I fish. I've heard all kinds of excuses and I'm sure you have too. Kind of makes me not want to fish the state anymore because of these yahoos. FishHawk

[TUPootatuck]

Ray, et al, the TMA regs vary depending on the DEP Class. The Class 1 Areas in particular, such as Deep Brook/Pootatuck DO NOT allow any kind of bait or any barbed hooks or multiple hooks. You can use lures, but they must be single, barbless hooks. This all is extremely important in lowering fish mortality so we may all enjoy the resource for years to come. Our TU chapter puts up CPR (consider Proper Release) signs that define how to carefully release a fish. Remember that any kind of swallowed hook should just be cut at the leader so the hook may dissolve without major trauma. Thanks to everyone that take care to protect our fish and educate other anglers on the water. It is also very rewarding to take part in conservation efforts so please take a few hours some day to volunteer on one of the many projects held by local TU chapters and other groups.

[The Fisherman]

Sadly, I've learned that you can lead a horse to water, but you can't teach him proper C&R techniques if he's indifferent or hostile. :cry:

[The Patriot]

Just a reminder of an otherwise obvious point.

Poaching not only includes taking fish in a catch and release area, but TAKING IN EXCESS OF ONE'S LIMIT in an open area. OR, fishing with an illegal method, such us using bait or treble hooks where prohibited.

The reason I mention this, when the limit on the Farmington first was lowered from 5 to 2 fish per day, I was fishing a spot between Black Bridge and Upcountry, and there was a man there with his four year old son. He had a rod on a stick with bait, and was casting bait on another rod which he held. His son was playing the in the mud, running around, doing anything and everything BUT fishing.

I see this guy land a fish. "Nice fish" says I "good for you". Then he puts the fish in a plastic bag, which he has secreted under the under cut bank. There were obviously other fish in the bag. More than one, and in fact, more than three, even allowing for him to take two fish for him and two for his son (who again, clearly wasn't fishing.)

I too was catching fish, on a Hendrickson comparadun. The guy gets another. Puts it in the bag. At that point I said, politely, "You know, they changed the limit this year.... it's two fish per day per angler now, not five." He said "Oh yeah? I didn't know that." But his reaction belied his words. And he just kept fishing. I saw him get one more fish, and put it in his bag, at which point he skulked off guiltily with his bag of fish and his "partner". I would guess he had about eight fish in that bag, twice what he should have had, even being generous and allowing him two for his kid.

Anyway.... that's my poacher story. I didn't have a cell phone at that time, or I might have called it in, since I did not believe that he didn't know what he was doing, and even after I told him, he still kept fishing, and still kept two more fish that he could have released.

I still say they should extend the TMA, open up catch and release fishing year round, and restrict the use of bait in at least parts of the river. That's how they manage the blue ribbon waters in the Catskills.

[The Fisherman]

This isn't poaching, but it should be a ticketable offense: C&R with no regard to the fish's well being.

I witnessed some truly atrocious fish handling at the Salmon Friday. This one guy had a nice fat brookie out of water for over 90 seconds (I timed him after watching him botch a previous release). When I told him (politley) he had to get the fish back in the water ASAP, cut the line instead of wrestling it out, use barbless single hooks, etc., he muttered something and acted as if he couldn't care less.

And there were a lot more like him there, too.

[ANeary]

I fished Church pool last Saturday with a friend of mine, when we were driving home discussing our day of fishing he told me there were 2 guys fishing that had a 5 gallon pail and he saw at least one fish in the bucket when he walked by. They left shortly after he walked by. I told him he should have told me I had the DEP number in my cell and I would have called it in. I couldn't believe that guys would be keeping fish with so many people around in the most popular hole in the TMA. The sad part is most people fishing illegally do not truly need to keep the fish (my opinion), I think they actually enjoy breaking the law , maybe a feeling of superiority.

[iantoll]

I've seen anglers kill salmon parr on the farmington. Is that legal? non-legal but ethical? Or neither?

[The Fisherman]

All juvenile Atlantic Salmon must be returned to the water, avoidable injury, etc.

[Jon]

Alas, if we had absolute "regard for the fish's wellbeing", we'd be guilty if we ever picked up a rod again. There are bad fish handlers aplenty, but enough good ones to (politely) educate the rest.

I'd like to see more done to police the poaching/ill-educated handling of wild fish. Stocked trout attract the majority of anglers and so provide a certain protection of our wild ones. I'm glad it's this way around.


K

[Troutski2]

I'm not sure if this qualifies as poaching, but in my opinion, it's the same thing. A couple of weeks ago I was fly fishing at the boneyard along with some other folks, and some bait fisherman. I had overheard one of them say that's about the 50th fish caught-hmmmm. Well, a couple of hours later ther were 4-5 floaters -dead fish coming down including some real nice like 20" fish. A friend went up the next day, I had alerted him to what I saw, and reported back at least a dozen fish were dead, littering the bottom before the "slow water." I think Conn. is the only state in the country where you can legally fish in a NO Kill or as we here in Ct. call it a TMA, with LIVE bait. Single hook artificials barbless is the only way to go. I have never seen such a slaughter of prime fish with flies/lures, debarbed. It's very rare to see even 1 dead fish in a fly fishing area due to the actuall hookin. It's time for a change.

[The Fisherman]

To be fair, I have witnessed many a fly angler using 8 or 9x on the Farmington play trout for far too long a time. While not going belly-up right away, one had to wonder if those stressed fish ever made it. In fact, the DEP fisheries biologists feel that fly anglers kill far more trout than bait anglers (skewed somewhat because there are more fly anglers) on the TMA.

In any case, the bait reg is not going to be changed any time soon.

I would speak to any angler I see on the river abusing fish like that. I would also not hesitate to call in the infraction to the TIP line.

[Troutski2]

Yes I know....I personally will not go below 7X-I see the gents in greenwoods play the fish far too long and I too wonder how many don't make it. Better to break them off with the tiny flies than stress them too much, hence the 7X. What I witnessed was pure gluttony. Having grown up from being an excellent bait fisher in my 20's, fished vermont for 6 years while at school and saw hardly any other fisherman, bait or fly to fly fishing only since my late 20's, I know the damage you could inflict on a population in a given area. i used to leave a pool after 4-5 fish-sometimes that only took 15 minutes. I just had to air this out....

[The Fisherman]

No worries. I'm an old bait guy myself. ;-)

I'm also a 7xer. I fished sz 26 Needhami spinners on 7x Monday, and caught as many trout as anyone else in Greenwoods while I was there. OK, so it was only one fish, but it was that kind of day...

[WhipFish]

Some of these poachers are real winners.
On Sunday I came across two of them on the Hous and instead of saying anything to them I just looked right at them while calling my buddy on my cell phone ( I didnt know the TIP number ). They packed up and left, looking incredibly guilty.

I'll be damned...I was fishing up on the Housy Sunday as well. As my buddy and I were taking a break for lunch at Corner Pool in the picnic area, these two yahoo's walk right by us carrying spinning gear. I asked them if they knew that this area was FFing only and they asked me where it said that. I told them there were signs on every third tree. They kept walking down towards the river and we followed them a few minutes later. Never did see them try to fish.

I find that when it comes to regulations, a lot of those breaking them just play dumb. "Oh, I didn't know." Yeah right. There are signs everywhere. If I had caught them in the act, I would have called but it's not illegal to walk around with spinning rods.

[Catch 22]

, I would have called but it's not illegal to walk around with spinning rods.

I'm not sure that's the case. They were in a FF Only area with spin gear, presumably with hooks on the end of their line. Is it legal to walk around in an archery hunting only area with a loaded gun? I'm guessing not. I guess we need an opinion from DEP enforcement personnel, but I would make the call anyway, and let them figure it out.

[pvansch1]

When in doubt, report it. The volume of calls only helps in keeping the DEP informed of what's going on. Also helps keep their jobs.

[Adam Taylor]

A lot of times people do play dumb. but in some cases they truly don't know. Recent example I have is last week on WTMA when I ran into a father and son combo fishing with Zebco's, bobbers and worms. Nothing wrong with the technique except it did not belong there. After a very friendly conversation about fishing, techniques, etc. I mentioned to them that single hook, baitless was the regulation. The father turned ashen white....no big deal, we pinched the barbs down on a couple of small lures they had in their box and they proceeded to have a blast pulling out sunfish from the river.

[spike]

If you do call the TIP line when you see a violation, what are the chances DEP responding in time to nab someone? What if I see something at 7 or 8 p.m. on a Saturday or Sunday night - or any night for that matter?
While I realize you should call, you need to call, how effective is the system?

[bassrag]

I was checking out the small river in Rockwell Park in Bristol before an appointment.I observed a gent fishing the larger pools.As I watched he caught a small trout and as I watched he ripped the hook from the fishes mouth while holding it with a towel.He then dropped it into a plastic bag he was carrying on his belt.I will tell you if this trout was 6 inches he was 2 feet .The gent had 6 or 7 of the same size fish in his bag. I called the DEP and asked if this brook was C&R and was told it was and was also a WTMA.I gave a description of the fisherman?? and the plate from his truck.I waited around for 15 or 20 minutes but had to leave to get to my appt.No DEP.
About 35 minutes later After my appt. I stopped back and he was still there.I debated whether to call again but thought about how stretched the DEP is and decided to say something.As I was starting to go down the bank a DEP officer arrived and I showed him the gent .He went down the bank as I left.
The DEP may not always be johnny on the spot but they do try to do the job.
Kudo to the DEP.

[The Fisherman]

Way to go, Ron! You get the flyaddict gold star of the day.

[ANeary]

Interesting notes about overplaying fish. I fished greenwoods last week and there was someone in the pool that evidently hooked a very large fish. I didn't see the fish but the time it seemed it took him to land the fish was incredible(5 more likely 10 minutes). I could tell he was fighting the fish because of the continued sound of his drag, he would reel it in and and it would make a run, it seemed to happen like 10 or 15 or more times. I can't imagine how big this fish was. I had landed a fish in the 16 - 18 inch range and it took me 1-2 minutes at most to land it. Etierh his fish was amonster or he liked teh sound of his drag.

[Rich Strolis]

Or it was foul hooked. When a fish is foul hooked it can take a while to get in, the best thing to do in that case is cut the tippet, or point the rod straight.

[The Fisherman]

Agreed, foul hooked fish feel like twice the size.

Given the location, though, my blind guess would be micro tippet.

[TROUTI]

FYI I dont know what type of co operation you would get from the local Police but they can enforce all state statutes within their jurisdiction. That includes violations of statutes pertaining to fishing/ hunting regs. In most cases the offense is a misdemeanor and a summons would /can be issued to the offender.
Even if a custodial arrest were to take place the local police can and should be able to process the offender.