Make them pay
 

I wonder if they would actually fine the people who fish the Canal from boats if we took a picture of the boat showing the Registration numbers and location they were fishing?

It is such a chronic problem, if they really wanted to issue fines, the coasties would patrol the area more often. Unfortunately, I think I'll have to stick with my typical deterrent, a 2oz crippled herring.

Maybe if they started to REALLY inconvenience these "poachers" by dragging their boats to the docks while they do their thing.
If you knew that you were going to lose at least a half hour on top of a fine, you might think twice about it.

Just do what I do.
Cast over their line and steal their lure.
If they can beat my 65# samuri they can keep my cheap diamond jig.

From what i've seen it seems to depend on the mood. Somedays they just yell at them over the pa and then other times they chase and board them. Honestly I don't think they care. I watched a boat fish under the sag one day, even getting with in feet of the impoundment and casting at it. If they were terrorist looking to place a bomb on the bridge they would have gotten away with it. Boats troll for hours by the dolphins and no one comes out the marina to do anything. I have a ton of pictures of boats fishing the canal, I even have pictures of the tug boat and barge guys fishing and trolling the canal

They never bother me at the herring run in my kayak
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The crews on the Corps of Engineers patrol boats have no authority to issue tickets. Plus, all of their patrol craft are based in the west end. It takes them a good half hour to get to the east end, and the vast majority of boats are fishing inside the Canal at that end. The boats see them coming once they get by the Sagamore Bridge, and haul ass. The best they can do under any circumstances is record numbers and pass the info off to the CG.

It's the Coast Guard's job. And they can't be everywhere all the time. Sometimes they board and issue tickets, sometimes they just tell boats to move. They're also charged with EEZ enforcement, SAR and drug interdiction. And boating safety checks in the summer.

I watched a 20'er fish just East of the Sag walking with the wife last year for over an hour. We walked one way, came back the other way, he was still there. We dawldled in the Sag bridge lot relaxing then left, and he was still there. Fished with no interference, and no luck.

I have seen the canal boats move people along, and the same boats come back 15 minutes later. The canal patrol comes back, moves them and does nothing else. Need to have one of the scofflaws sucked under a barge for something to be done.

and at night, they are all tucked into their warm beds...;)

Respond to Illegal Canal Boat Fishing
 

I would welcome this site, or someone beside me (I'm way too hot headed), to formulate or propose an on site response to boat fishing in the Canal. The Law makes this place a domain of the shore based fisherman and this privilege should be protected, even enforced by us.

Do not allow a canal boat fisherman to proceed unconfronted, or else you will see this occur more and more. We don't have many places where we limited shore based anglers can avoid being trespassed by an aggressive boat fisherman.

Incidentally, I own three boats. I prefer to be a beach fisherman if I can avoid: 1)being or feeling crowded; 2)having my casting window run over by a boater; and 3) seals.

Johnny I wish I had seen this earlier! I think I can help you with your problem? You are venting your feelings in a negative way.......the solution is add 2 oz. to the Crippled Herring as 2 oz. just ain't gonna git' er' done!!!:rotf2: I prefer a 4 oz. Hopkins myself......it gives you the distance required to deliver the message and when it hits the hull its loud enough so the idiots on board hear the message!:uhuh: I hope this helps!

That's all that they have the legal authority to do. They are all civilian employees of the US Army Corps of Engineers, and none of them--including the ones riding around in trucks wearing uniforms--have any law enforcement powers.

Sounds like it's time to make some citizens arrests?


Or maybe just pepper the cheats with heavy metal. ;-))
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

I wonder if laws could be enforced by us through the use of pictures?

I wonder if boaters took pictures of shore fishermen who trespass across private property, park illegally as well as keep untold amounts of under-size fish...would they arrest them?

Probably not. No one cares about fishing, not even the DMF. It's a sad state of affairs. IMO this is an unfixable problem in this state. No one will do what it takes.
FWIW: I have phoned the authorities about comm bass and charter guys taking undersized scup buy the boatload. I get an answering machine, leave a message and no one ever shows up to nab these guys. (I waited). Like I said, no one gives a %$%$%$%$.

I have come to believe that fishery laws are like speeding laws, their intent is to have a general rather than absolute effect. A certain level of non-compliance is expected and factored in as the law is designed.
I'm not saying it is right or fair, but only that it is what I see happening.