Why don't people read the regs!!!!

[briangeorge]

Yesterday I put my new boat in to Pigeon for testing. Did a few runs and all was good. Coming back to load and We noticed a guy with his family just out from the Provincial Park launch with 4 lines in the water. Pulled up beside Him and read to Him from the Regs that fishing did not open till May 15th. He said He didn't know but they had just got their fishing licenses and thought all was good. He also mentioned that He had fished all day on Friday without knowing. Now do you think He knows that it is a tag only Walleye Lake. Who knows with some of these clowns.

Pulled into Jackfish Lake today and 2 guys fishing off the dock there as well. Never bothered telling them that it was closed till May 15th as well.
READ THE FISHING REGULATIONS PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[WayneChristie]

call them in. gas money in your pocket and maybe they will learn to read the regs before they go out.

[Adwittoutdoors]

X2. An example must be made with these type of people. :snapoutofit: A system where the regs have to be read first and then a licence can be issued. No excuse then.

[WayneChristie]

someone called me in just before the season opener, Im tagging so I am allowed to start earlier with my fish research license, but I was glad someone cared enough about the fishery to make the call.

[jwelds191]

Yesterday I put my new boat in to Pigeon for testing. Did a few runs and all was good. Coming back to load and We noticed a guy with his family just out from the Provincial Park launch with 4 lines in the water. Pulled up beside Him and read to Him from the Regs that fishing did not open till May 15th. He said He didn't know but they had just got their fishing licenses and thought all was good. He also mentioned that He had fished all day on Friday without knowing. Now do you think He knows that it is a tag only Walleye Lake. Who knows with some of these clowns.

Pulled into Jackfish Lake today and 2 guys fishing off the dock there as well. Never bothered telling them that it was closed till May 15th as well.
READ THE FISHING REGULATIONS PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kind of arrogant to pull up beside them and read them the regs, no? If someone did that to me I'd tell them to pound sand, it's my responsibility to know the regs so if I don't, it's my problem and fault.

Like someone said, call it in, gas/beer money in pocket.
Let the powers that be enforce the regs.

[DiabeticKripple]

Kind of arrogant to pull up beside them and read them the regs, no? If someone did that to me I'd tell them to pound sand, it's my responsibility to know the regs so if I don't, it's my problem and fault.

Like someone said, call it in, gas/beer money in pocket.
Let the powers that be enforce the regs.

what wrong with telling someone the place is closed for fishing?

if i told someone it was closed and they told me to pound sand, you bet im calling F&W

[jwelds191]

I had a mental picture of someone speeding upto them, snapping open a "2015 Alberta Fishing Regulations" booklet, crossing one leg over the over on his raised casting seat, and reading the regs in a judge-like voice. Lol.

Thanks for looking out for our fisheries though. Hopefully they stopped immediately.

[CK Angler]

Kind of arrogant to pull up beside them and read them the regs, no? If someone did that to me I'd tell them to pound sand, it's my responsibility to know the regs so if I don't, it's my problem and fault.

Like someone said, call it in, gas/beer money in pocket.
Let the powers that be enforce the regs.

Not really arrogant at all... He saved them from being fined.

When I first moved to ft mac 2007 I was fishing in the Clearwater river thinking it opened same day as the lakes. Someone came and told me it wasn't open till June 1st, I had no idea. Thanked him, packed my gear up and left. No trouble.

What do you think he woulda done if I had I told him to pound sand and kept fishing? More then likely called me in.

[schmedlap]

Many places that sell licenses do not at least even offer a copy of the regs with the sale. I have even been told (once at a CT store buying a license - I had to find one elsewhere) that they do not have any copies! Maybe it is not de rigeur in the electronic age (?), but I think it should be mandatory for the seller to deliver the hard copy regulation booklet to every license purchaser. That won't help with illiterates or plain morons, but it might alert a few people to the fact that buying a license doesn't mean open season on everything everywhere all the time (?). It might even lead a few to bookmark access to the regs on their phones, etc. (?).

[briangeorge]

Thanks for all the feed back gentlemen.
JWelds I thought what I did was the right thing to do. He had his wife and 2 children with him. I had small talk with him first and then read to him what the regs say. I saved him from possibly getting a huge fine. He and family immediately left the lake. Mission accomplished and he was quite grateful for the information. And yes if blows me away that people can go get a license and not be handed the regulations. Should be mandatory.

[VanIsleGuy]

Lots of people fishing at Wabamun this weekend. Hope fish and wildlife caught some of them on their patrols. There is even a sign when you drive in saying fishing is closed.

[NEWB]

Lots of people fishing at Wabamun this weekend. Hope fish and wildlife caught some of them on their patrols. There is even a sign when you drive in saying fishing is closed.

You sure they were fishing and not testing out their boat? :)

[VanIsleGuy]

You sure they were fishing and not testing out their boat? :)
I would consider standing on the dock/power plant outflow tossing a hook into the water with a fishing rod, fishing. No boats involved haha

[NEWB]

I would consider standing on the dock/power plant outflow tossing a hook into the water with a fishing rod, fishing. No boats involved haha

hahaha. Touche.

[VanIsleGuy]

hahaha. Touche.
Some guys in a boat sure hid their rods fast when i was boating past them. [emoji2]

[Tdog_2005]

Seen two incidents in the last few weeks - first one driving home on highway 2 by blackfalds the blindman river someone is fishing . 2nd one was driving over the bridge in Ponoka and some one is fishing the battle river. Reading the regulations is pretty simple, i should of reported them but i just went on with my day, i think i will have to put the number on speed dial

[DiabeticKripple]

Seen two incidents in the last few weeks - first one driving home on highway 2 by blackfalds the blindman river someone is fishing . 2nd one was driving over the bridge in Ponoka and some one is fishing the battle river. Reading the regulations is pretty simple, i should of reported them but i just went on with my day, i think i will have to put the number on speed dial

i listed it in my contacts, but i have never called it.

[EZM]

someone called me in just before the season opener, Im tagging so I am allowed to start earlier with my fish research license, but I was glad someone cared enough about the fishery to make the call.

Lol - that's great actually.

If I was in your shoes - I think I would be quite happy to have a LEO check me out - just knowing they are out there helping to try and catch poachers would make my day.

I agree .....

That reminds me to turn you in next season ...... and get it on video from the bushes.:)

[fish99]

I have seen most weekends someone fishing the closed section at pigeon lake when you drive your boat in there direction they reel up and head off , they know the regs and fish there anyway. they are stealing the resources from all of us.

[wildman]

this topic is enraging.
the lakes are closed for SPAWNING.
if you can't respect that you deserve to receive every available fine.
ignorance is not a valid excuse.
read the regs and follow the laws.
i for one am calling in every act of poaching i see.
the fish cops need to buckle down. double the fines. they're always complaining about no funding. let the dirty poachers pay.

[abhunter8]

I was on South Buck Lake last Saturday putting some break in hours on a new boat and saw a boat with 3 guys fishing. I wanted to go up and talk to them but my friend didn't want the confrontation so I pulled out my phone, looked up the report a poacher number and called it in.

[58thecat]

A friendly reminder is all that is required, if they turn stupid on you then call it in. You can't fix stupid so we need to work with it....:sHa_sarcasticlol:

[German]

The way i see it, is that in this day and age there is no excuse for not knowing when fishing is open or closed. If a person really cares about the fishing in Alberta, he/she would read the regs for the waterbody they are going to fish in.

[Bushrat]

Some people don't think a few fish over the limit will hurt anything, fishing out of season...so what! If they get caught most still think it's only a $25 fine.....they probably haven't read the regulations in 25 years and think the regulations are stupid anyway. They simply don't see it as any sort of serious offence and they think it's their right to go fishing and keep every fish they can catch otherwise what's the point, why would they go fishing if they can't keep any fish, it's the stupidest thing they ever heard! Seriously, there are thousands and thousands of people out there fishing that see it that way and fish accordingly.

[Winch101]

The Government makes the LAWS and they are wrong .....they are
The enemy . My grandfather my father , the whole familly thought that .
Mostly uneducated immigrants .
This train wreck in the Govt will spawn a whole populace of Laws are bad .
You have to be a total retard not to know there are regs. I would venture
More than half the anglers in this province are law breakers.
Don't look for innocence , criminal acts plain and simple .

And as long as slaps on the wrist are dolled out , nothing will change .

[coors04]

Kind of arrogant to pull up beside them and read them the regs, no? If someone did that to me I'd tell them to pound sand, it's my responsibility to know the regs so if I don't, it's my problem and fault.

Like someone said, call it in, gas/beer money in pocket.
Let the powers that be enforce the regs.


Not arrogant at all. Sometimes people make honest mistake but I find more commonly they know fishing is closed and don't care. I have helped people out before they get fishing on a river and start exploring up a creek that's closed our something. We should be trying to to walk the line between helping and or reporting people.

[lannie]

I have given casting lessons on the Crowsnest river when it has been closed. Anybody driving by would think we are fishing but there is no hook on the end of the leader. Learning how to cast on the lawn etc. just is not the same. Could there be a small chance that others have witnessed something similar? Assumptions are dangerous.

[jwelds191]

I have given casting lessons on the Crowsnest river when it has been closed. Anybody driving by would think we are fishing but there is no hook on the end of the leader. Learning how to cast on the lawn etc. just is not the same. Could there be a small chance that others have witnessed something similar? Assumptions are dangerous.

Lots of people on here love the idea of sticking a guy to the cross. Assumptions are very dangerous, and there's a reason F&W have jobs... They should be the ones enforcing our laws... Not the rest of us. Plain and simple. But everyone loves to say they caught a poacher, right?

[thegaddiman]

I think they should put 2 signature lines on fishing licenses. The first one you sign once you receive/print your license. The second line you sign saying you read and fully understand the regulations. You cannot fish unless both lines are signed with BOLD CAPITALIZED letters stating that! If one or both lines are not signed, automatic fine. It's as simple as that.

[last minute]

no need to read the regs there are plenty of people out there telling others whats right and wrong .:)

Its cheaper to buy fish from the store just me thinking out loud :)

[fretman57]

I have given casting lessons on the Crowsnest river when it has been closed. Anybody driving by would think we are fishing but there is no hook on the end of the leader. Learning how to cast on the lawn etc. just is not the same. Could there be a small chance that others have witnessed something similar? Assumptions are dangerous.

So what does it hurt for F&W to check it out then? I think the casting lesson is a very small percentage of this!
Call every one of these incidents in please or we have no right to complain when none of us will be able to hunt or fish anymore!

[thunderbird]

The Government makes the LAWS and they are wrong .....they are
The enemy . My grandfather my father , the whole familly thought that .
Mostly uneducated immigrants .
This train wreck in the Govt will spawn a whole populace of Laws are bad .
You have to be a total retard not to know there are regs. I would venture
More than half the anglers in this province are law breakers.
Don't look for innocence , criminal acts plain and simple .

And as long as slaps on the wrist are dolled out , nothing will change .

Are you native or immigrant ?? do u think when you father and grandfather came here, were uneducated?? this is stereotyping reflect negative way of thinking.

[The Spruce]

Funny story locally a few years ago. Some guys were fishing off a peer on a lake by town, the paper came out doing a write up on all the fun stuff to do around town. Interviewed the fisherman, took a bunch of pictures and published....I guess none of them knew that the lake was closed:scared:
End of story, all fishermen involved were fined for fishing in a closed season, and for any fish they had kept. Paper issued an apology in next issue, was quite funny.

Spruce

[thunderbird]

Yesterday I put my new boat in to Pigeon for testing. Did a few runs and all was good. Coming back to load and We noticed a guy with his family just out from the Provincial Park launch with 4 lines in the water. Pulled up beside Him and read to Him from the Regs that fishing did not open till May 15th. He said He didn't know but they had just got their fishing licenses and thought all was good. He also mentioned that He had fished all day on Friday without knowing. Now do you think He knows that it is a tag only Walleye Lake. Who knows with some of these clowns.

Pulled into Jackfish Lake today and 2 guys fishing off the dock there as well. Never bothered telling them that it was closed till May 15th as well.
READ THE FISHING REGULATIONS PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Brian, thank you for what you did with these guys, this is a healthy attitude, keep doing this, some people do not have internet access like all of us so their access to information is very limited. Additionally, there are no enough officers to cover all the wild life areas, so we need to show care with polite approach.

after reading the comments I really felt bad about how people think about fellow anglers with unintentional errors, I think: (my words are general not directed to any specific person)

we should not judge people, as I can see some play the role of error free person as if he has not done any mistakes unintentionally ever! (can we talk about driving mistakes tickets that were unintentional and intentional too that you get Mr error free).

how about people who used lures with lead inside in provincial parks,this is unintentional too,in this case, would we like a fellow who advises us or a fellow who wants us to be fined??

if the person you are advising had good intentions he would react positively, and if he is poaching,so he should have known the rules. he will continue what he is doing and eventually will get caught, hopefully. so this way you helped a fellow to know more and in the same time stopped a unlawful act that could have continued for days before it is caught as Brain said this man was fishing this way for two days.

Just be nice person to others and what goes around comes around.

[CK Angler]

The person who packs up every time they are challenged by a fisherman who thinks they are doing them a favor is not going to start following the rules until there is some penalty behind it.

.

Not true. As I posted earlier, years ago I was fishing where I wasn't allowed to be. Was told by some random the river wasn't open. Thanked him, left. Haven't fished there illegally since.

[Adwittoutdoors]

Yes poachers are ruining it for everyone I agree. I've witnessed one guy fishing with 3 rods for sturgeon and no he is not part of the tagging program. To boot he handles the fish very roughly. His response ...... I don't care. I wish / can't wait till the fish cops catch this turd. Karma is a coming buddy , Karma is a coming !!! Sorry for the rant. :angry3:

[WhitefishLady]

Yes poachers are ruining it for everyone I agree. I've witnessed one guy fishing with 3 rods for sturgeon and no he is not part of the tagging program. To boot he handles the fish very roughly. His response ...... I don't care. I wish / can't wait till the fish cops catch this turd. Karma is a coming buddy , Karma is a coming !!! Sorry for the rant. :angry3:

That's awful! Did you report this guy?

[jwelds191]

So how many times have you poached then and been challenged? And why not just read the regs instead to help save our resources?

What that kind hearted citizen taught you was that there were kind hearted citizens out there, so now you suggest that everybody should play this role first.
I bet a fine would have been more of a lesson to check the regulations carefully for next time, just sayin. :-)

There's just too much of it going on, and it's impacting ESRD's ability to open up lakes for limited harvest. For example, a lot of the southern lakes esrd want to open up for limited walleye harvest, but due to the extensive poaching cannot. CVR was on that list for this year and was dropped because of the poaching occurring last year.

If you saw poaching and didn't report it, then sorry, but you're aiding and abetting. If you saw someone get murdered or break into a store, would you choose to educate instead of calling the cops?

Poaching and murder are two very, very different things. And not reporting it isn't aiding and abetting either. What laws are you reading? Fishing out of season, or harvesting a fish illegally, are provincial offences. Each example you made above we're criminal offences... You have all the answers but the contexts sure seem... fishy.

[CK Angler]

So how many times have you poached then and been challenged? And why not just read the regs instead to help save our resources?

What that kind hearted citizen taught you was that there were kind hearted citizens out there, so now you suggest that everybody should play this role first.
I bet a fine would have been more of a lesson to check the regulations carefully for next time, just sayin. :-)

There's just too much of it going on, and it's impacting ESRD's ability to open up lakes for limited harvest. For example, a lot of the southern lakes esrd want to open up for limited walleye harvest, but due to the extensive poaching cannot. CVR was on that list for this year and was dropped because of the poaching occurring last year.

If you saw poaching and didn't report it, then sorry, but you're aiding and abetting. If you saw someone get murdered or break into a store, would you choose to educate instead of calling the cops?


Here's the thing, if I see someone fishing in a closed body of water, I'm calling them out, letting them know it's illegal. If they tell me to pound sand, I'm calling them in.

If I see someone poaching fish, keeping them out of season or out of a lake that has a zero limit, I'm calling that in, hands down. No questions asked.

One of the best way to protect our resources is to educate others. Don't even get me started on poor fish handling...

Alberta regs can be confusing to a newb, their a novel compared to other provinces. I had just moved here from MB when I was fishing in a closed river. The lakes had opened, so I thought it was "opening day", I was wrong, 100% at fault, but i was very happy that day to be warned and not fined.

[Finn]

Poaching and murder are two very, very different things. And not reporting it isn't aiding and abetting either. What laws are you reading? Fishing out of season, or harvesting a fish illegally, are provincial offences. Each example you made above we're criminal offences... You have all the answers but the contexts sure seem... fishy.

X2. CK Angler I have too agree with your approach. Alberta regs can be confusing and educating one another will go a lot further.

[EZM]

For example, I've fished in other locations, and I get fishing regulations with the license at the destination, or look beforehand online. Sure they're complicated and confusing, particularly if you're away from home, but isn't it's just taking the time to learn about it?



100% agree ..... it YOUR responsibility as a fisherman to learn, understand and follow the regulations for the jurisdiction you are fishing from.

I had no problem with picking up the phone a few years back when I didn't understand something in the BC non-tidal fishing regulations and needed clarification .... a quick call to the ESRD guys was easy.

It was also MY RESPONSIBILITY to do so.

There is no excuse for breaking the law as far as I'm concerned.

[CK Angler]

In my case, it was misunderstanding, and not thoroughly readings the regs. I'm up in Fort Mac, was fishing the Athabasca a week before knowing it was year round, the lakes opened so I spent a weekend on gregoire and made the mistake of assuming the clear water opened same day as the lakes. This was 7 years ago, new to the province and still in my early twenties. Just an honest mistake, still my fault, no argument there.

All I'm getting at is not everyone is always a bad guy with "poaching" on the mind. People make mistakes. I try educate, not punish. Feel the situation out.


It's the "pound sand" attitude that will get me to call ya in real quick, that and illegally keeping fish.

[CK Angler]

EZM, I called F&W a week ago to find out if I can fish the mouth of a river that is closed if the main river is open, zone NB4

They never called me back, i called twice... read up and down the regs and it did not clarify, had to came on here to get my answer.

[Macdrizzle]

To add to this, we were fishing in travers last weekend, lots of boats around the outside of the buoys at the spillway. On the rocky shore in the middle (which is a no fishing zone) were 3 people fishing and catching walleye. Must have been over 20 boats spread around the legal border of the buoys all facing the 3 guys fishing in a no fishing zone on shore, and not a single one cared (presumably). There is simply no reception in that area at all. I was going to call in RAP about this, but by the time I packed up and got on the road where there was reception, it had completely slipped my mind. Unfortunately sometimes it's just the shear inconvenience.

[huntsfurfish]

In my case, it was misunderstanding, and not thoroughly readings the regs. I'm up in Fort Mac, was fishing the Athabasca a week before knowing it was year round, the lakes opened so I spent a weekend on gregoire and made the mistake of assuming the clear water opened same day as the lakes. This was 7 years ago, new to the province and still in my early twenties. Just an honest mistake, still my fault, no argument there.

All I'm getting at is not everyone is always a bad guy with "poaching" on the mind. People make mistakes. I try educate, not punish. Feel the situation out.
This

It's the "pound sand" attitude that will get me to call ya in real quick, that and illegally keeping fish.
And this



Well said!

[jwelds191]

From RAP website, first sentence on the first page"

"Poaching is a serious crime with severe penalties. If convicted, poachers may be fined up to $100,000 and/or be sentenced to six months in jail."

Seems pretty clear to me.

http://www.reportapoacher.com/

Crystal clear, I agree.

Now, try and find a sentence handed down even close to that in Alberta?

Murder, armed robbery... You have guys spending serious time in jail.

Let's make our comparisons a little more relevant, please. My only point.

[jwelds191]

In my case, it was misunderstanding, and not thoroughly readings the regs. I'm up in Fort Mac, was fishing the Athabasca a week before knowing it was year round, the lakes opened so I spent a weekend on gregoire and made the mistake of assuming the clear water opened same day as the lakes. This was 7 years ago, new to the province and still in my early twenties. Just an honest mistake, still my fault, no argument there.

All I'm getting at is not everyone is always a bad guy with "poaching" on the mind. People make mistakes. I try educate, not punish. Feel the situation out.


It's the "pound sand" attitude that will get me to call ya in real quick, that and illegally keeping fish.

Calling it in is what you should do in the first place if we care so much about our precious resources. Which I do.

Not many learn a real lesson by getting off easy.

Slap a ticket or "upto 6 months in jail", (lol btw), people will start respecting the regs. real fast. It's their duty to know them anyways.

I rest my case.

[jwelds191]

100k fines and 5 months jail good enough for you?

http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/alberta-couple-fined-100k-over-poaching-convictions-1.1028124

http://o.canada.com/technology/environment/two-alberta-elk-deer-and-moose-poachers-fined-100000-hummer-forfeited

http://alberta.ca/release.cfm?xID=35506ACC11AC6-FD5C-5933-04EF27B9339302CC

http://www.predatormastersforums.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1304534

Yes it is a crime, yes it is serious and yes significant fines and jail time are dished out for it in Alberta.

I still don't see anything about fishing.

You did read the articles you posted, right?

[EZM]

EZM, I called F&W a week ago to find out if I can fish the mouth of a river that is closed if the main river is open, zone NB4

They never called me back, i called twice... read up and down the regs and it did not clarify, had to came on here to get my answer.

I'm certainly not going to call you out or even try and suggest you are a poacher. It's clear you made a mistake, it's clear, based on what you said, you made reasonable attempts to get clarification from the ESRD folks (with no success) but I would offer that given the fact you still, were not sure if it was legal, you still decided to fish there? That's an issue for me.

I would not have.

I would have moved to an area I was certain was open. If you didn't know for sure, why take the risk. It seems to me you did, in fact, with intent, take the risk that you might be breaking the law and knowingly risk of loosing your fishing privileges, disturbing a protected area, potentially damaging a fragile spawning area, or being charged and convicted with a crime.

Either way ..... I'm not ready to hang you or call you out .... but I'd say given these circumstances it actually seems worse to me now ..... knowing that you, with intent, took a risk knowing the area may be closed for the reasons mentioned above.

[CK Angler]

I'm certainly not going to call you out or even try and suggest you are a poacher. It's clear you made a mistake, it's clear, based on what you said, you made reasonable attempts to get clarification from the ESRD folks (with no success) but I would offer that given the fact you still, were not sure if it was legal, you still decided to fish there? That's an issue for me.

I would not have.

I would have moved to an area I was certain was open. If you didn't know for sure, why take the risk. It seems to me you did, in fact, with intent, take the risk that you might be breaking the law and knowingly risk of loosing your fishing privileges, disturbing a protected area, potentially damaging a fragile spawning area, or being charged and convicted with a crime.

Either way ..... I'm not ready to hang you or call you out .... but I'd say given these circumstances it actually seems worse to me now ..... knowing that you, with intent, took a risk knowing the area may be closed for the reasons mentioned above.

I respect your opinion, you give educated answers, the river I was fishing is the Athabsca and its year round, the creek is closed until June 1st, fishing near the mouth but keeping my line out in the Athabasca, pulling against the current away from the mouth is not illegal, what so ever, so there is nothing to even consider as poaching. My line is never entering the closed body of water, period.

[huntingaddict]

Answer
To give our egos a boost. Stop whining and stand proud. In the meantime I'm off to the lake.
Tight lines