Originally Posted by --Adam--
Went fishing at Sturgeon Lake for my first time on Father's Day Weekend. Started out as a good trip, pulled into the bighorn campsite late friday night at young's point. Right after we got the camper backed into place, we drove to the registration box and paid for our 2 night (little did we know there was a box even closer to us, but it was dark so we paid at the one down a few stalls). The next morning, we set out in the boat to catch me my first walleye, with only 1 bite that morning i never ended up catching one (shouldve been on the water earlier). So in the afternoon i decided i would like to try again. It was pretty windy and raining during this time, so my buddy decided he wouldnt fish, he will just steer the boat since we will be doing some moving around in the wind. As we come to the boat launch with me still not catching my first walleye, an officer approaches us after we pulled the boat out of the water, he asks for our fishing licences, i showed him mine, while my buddy didnt have his on him since at camp he decided he wasnt going to fish this time, so he tells the officer he wasnt fishing but he does have a fishing licence at camp, that he would take with him when he does plan on fishing this evening. The officer let us go but ran the plates on the truck due to my buddy not providing a fishing licence?..Later that evening we set out again, and the fishing was great!, caught a couple nice walleye and a bunch of smaller ones that were released back, and even a small pike. At camp later that night, around midnight, the battery went dead on the camper while we were having a late night meal, so i went to start the generator for 10min just to switch out a battery (i know, no generators past 11pm, ill take the blame for that, even though its just 10 mins.) Anyways, i just started the generator and walked into the camper to put on a coat (literally 2 mins of generator being running), and walk out to see 2 officers standing there, warning me about the generator, so i turned it off, no problem and changed out the battery quickly in the dark....now the officers ask for my buddys fishing licence again!, my buddy refused to show them since it is 12am and he is not fishing, and wasnt fishing in the first place when he wanted to see it. The more experienced officer told the other officer that my buddy was correct and he shouldnt have asked for it, now the officer asked for registration/insurance for my buddys truck and his ID, then left for about 30mins which we waited for him to come back, there were some minor complications with the paperwork (not my deal, since its my buddys truck, so im not complaining there). So they finally leave, and we went to bed. The next day we packed up camp and started to head home, barely getting out to the highway when the same officer calls my buddys cellphone!, and asks where we are..which he replied with "leaving the campsite". The officer said we need to pay before we leave and we will be charged now. My buddy told him we paid for both nights and told him where the money was.(the officer checked the closest box to us but not both boxes in the small campsite). So, the officers reply was "oh..you shouldnt have paid in that box." (Where is the line in the campsite saying who pays at which box???its all one campsite!!). He then continues to say "if your lying to me, i will charge both of you.", In return my buddy told him "before calling us criminals, check the box, the money is there..". He also told the officer that we didnt appreciate the way we were treated at this campsite, and that we felt as if we were being watched more because of our age and looks (mid 20's). We did not break 1 law regarding fishing or camping the entire weekend(besides the generator thing, my bad) and were still hounded and considered criminals. I had the same voicemail on my house phone when i got home, saying we should have paid and that we will be charged. I phoned back and ensured the money was put in and that i wasnt being charged, and i also said i didnt appreciate the experience i had with that particular officer.
All said and done, i did get to catch my first walleye!, but as for my first experience at sturgeon lake, not impressed with the experience we had with that officer.
What are your thoughts on this?
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