Venting My Frustration - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

BIGSWELL · 05-30-2002, 08:16 AM

Just last night, a good friend and fisherman was down at one of our local spots. Upon arrival, he immediately noticed large amounts af trash left by others fishing.

The pile of crap included line, cups, bait, latex gloves, and most disheartening was al arge amount of bass scales clearly from undersize fish.

My buddy then proceeded to spend the next 15 minutes cleaning up after the worthless slobs. Once the trash was cleaned up...fishing commenced. In a short time, another anonymous person arrived and began "fishing"

It only took a few minsfor this person to land a SMALL schoolie around 18 inches. This person proceeded to drop it in his bag and go on fishing....only after giving my bussy a nice thumbs-up!!!!! My buddy, being the do-gooder he is, had a word with the person.

The question was....."what are you doing with that fish?"
The answer he received was...."I dont know...I have to go" and ran up the rocks leaving more trash behind and taking the schoolie with him.

A call was placed to the Mass Environmental Police and the local Police as well to keep an eye out for such losers. Unfortuantely, this guy was not located. The local police have begun to take a closer look here and will be checking ALL cars, fisherman, etc. on a routine basis. This is a small town and they would love to nail people like this.

I now have all the important numbers programmed into my cell phone.......PLEASE DO THE SAME!!!

Years of conservation has allowed us to restore the dwindling stocks of bass and the laws are present to protect the species and ourselves. If you see anyone abusing this, please do the right thing.

My friend handled the situation quite well as I do not share the same temperment as he does. The situation would have become very hot if I was present.

Thanks for allowing me to vent!

Fisherwoman · 05-30-2002, 08:36 AM

BIGSWELL, Sorry to hear that piece of news, as long as people like that keep trashing places and taking short fish, we will continue to keep losing access, its a real shame. What an $SS Hole, I hope they eventually get the person.

Vent all you want the more people are aware, then maybe more people will get involved and do something!!!

IRL · 05-30-2002, 09:27 AM

I don't think I would have been able hold back my comments
I fish in lawrence alot at the dam and have had countless episodes with people there about keeping short fish or keeping to many... I saw a guy fishing with his family and trying to keep a fish for each member , even though he was the only one fishing
I made the call to the Env. police. Then waited whyle I fished next to him and threw in a few comments. then when the officer came I flaged him over told them both I was the one who called and walked away
people like that make me sick.

thewaterfordstriper · 05-30-2002, 09:37 AM

if anybody knows the environmental numbers from mass ri ny and ct to report people i will do the same and program them into my cell phone. it is shame that people do this and dep officials can't be everywhere. i think we should all give them a little help. it will benefit all of us in the long run.

Spare Spool · 05-30-2002, 09:47 AM

MA EPO - 1-800-632-8075 (6:00 AM - Midnight)

RI EPO - 1-401-222-3070 (24 hours)

BIGSWELL · 05-30-2002, 09:49 AM

Thanks to everyone on the board for backing me up on this. Its nice to see how many people share the same views about Stripers!!!

JohnR · 05-30-2002, 09:54 AM

One word of caution, it's OK to drop a dime when you see something like that but don't let it turn into a situation where you get on the bad end of a knife fight....

Just not worth it...

BIGSWELL · 05-30-2002, 09:59 AM

I wouldnt go there John...life is too valuable for that. One of the items left by these guys happened to be just that....a knife. It is now residing in its new home (my son's tackle box)

How these guys ever found this spot is amazing...it is virtually unpublished and not an easy place to find. I hope this situation gets resolved as now I will be seeing local and state officials on a regular basis when I fish there.

This type of stuff is uncommon in my neck of the woods, I usually dont see the lower end of the food chain until mid-season. I love my early season peace and quiet!!!

chris L · 05-30-2002, 10:22 AM

I hate seeing that kinda trashy stuff and keeping short bass is way out of hand . I see it all to often here in Ct . My girls and I usually go to the local sandbar to do some clean up each spring and again during the summer . My daughters call it the " garbage beach " and get upset when I tell them we are going there to hang out . " Not the garbage beach Daddy "

I try not to get to crazy with people on the beach I dont want to get injured . Ive seen to much of that on the beaches and bridges around here .

I hate when people bring a knife to a gun fight !

Brooksie · 05-30-2002, 10:45 AM

One of my local spots this stuff happens a lot, a group of Vietnamese, I think thats their nationality, are constantly trashing the place and take everything they catch, no matter what size. Last year we said something to them and they acted like they couldn't understand us. From then on they go to the other side of the river. People like that really piss me off. You go to fish and relax and half the fun is the scenery, but instead your looking at their trash. Haven't seen them this year yet, Thank God. I'm going to start bringing a wrist rocket with me and for every short they take, they will recieve a marble along with it.

schoolie monster · 05-30-2002, 11:03 AM

I saw a nice one on Monday. I was idling out of one of the rivers when I saw fish at the surface. Looked like it was still moving and I swung by to see if I might be able to revive it. It was a small schoolie. When I got up to it, I see a second fish, a bit bigger, right underneath it... it flicked its tail and down they both went. What the?

It took me a second to figure it out, but it was two fish on a f'n stringer. One was about 12", the one below was maybe 18" Someone had them on the stringer and it got loose or maybe they let it loose upon seeing some law enforcement.

I hung around for 5 minutes or so to see if they might come up again, so I could undo the damage, but no dice.

Bigswell, feel free to vent... you're not alone. Everytime I see some idiot drop a mcdonald's bag out his window or slip a duncan donuts cup under their car at a stop light (a weekly occurrance), I want to lay into them... I just don't get it.

BIGSWELL · 05-30-2002, 11:50 AM

Well board...I stopped by the local Environmental Police Station in Gloucester a few minutes ago and gave them the info. The officers were happy to have all the details on the situation and will be investigating further.

I was advised to call the 800# whenever we see this activity as they are dispatched directly via that number.

These slippery characters use the crevices in the rocks to hide their stash so as not to get caught easily. I made them fully aware of their MO, times, place, etc.

Hopefully they will get exactly what they deserve. Between the parking violations from the town, mutilating the fish, short fish, and littering...their night out should cost around $500.

Thanks again for everyones support

Jim O · 05-30-2002, 01:21 PM

If it's where I think it is that area to Lobblolly has always taken a beating . We use to fish off the wall in Folly Cove until the Globe and Herald published reports of all the blues and bass being taken one weekend about 8 years ago,a$$holes from boston and beyond trashed the place and turned the rocks into a bathroom so bad they could smell it in the restaraunt.The next time anyone tried to fish the wall ,it hit the fan gates locked and posted.
I've got no problem sharing a fishing hole with someone until $hit like that happens. I'm waiting for it to hit the fan in Cotuit soon. Between the parking and the trash Barnstable will probably start ticketing out of towners even after 5 pm, usually they leave you alone after 5 in the summer, lets hope nobody has pissed them off too badly yet. You try to talk to some of these guys and and most basically tell me to f--- off or just dump and run.
I have yet to get any local cop excited about busting a guy for fish violation ,except for Scott S in Rockport if someone was poaching lobsters,and the EPO's are streached to thin to cover all the coast. There are days that I think its a loosing battle and others its easier to pick it up and stuff in my bag.
There I feel better now.
JIm O

JohnR · 05-30-2002, 02:03 PM

Well Jim - uhh, nice vent. But you're right. Too many places have been run over by too many people and too many people don't give a ratt's bottom what happens to the area they are in.

Part of it is education, some people just simply don't know any better and others just think they could get away with it. If people started getting fined a few hundred per short fish or if someone EVER actually enforced littering, things might be a little better.

Schoolie, you should apply to become an Environmental Protection Officer. You could satisfy both the need for more effective policing of existing management policies and at the same time, satisfy your primal urge to kick the livin' ##$% out of everyone that offends you

Van · 05-30-2002, 02:10 PM

Since I fish from the boat mostly I wonder if the call to the EP would do any good. There are plenty of violaters out in the harbor and bays, especially since they know they can get away with it (NOT ENOUGH ENFORCEMENT TO GO AROUND) Coast gaurd won't respond to that call, will the EP?
Any thoughts?

JohnR · 05-30-2002, 02:20 PM

It's a lot easier grabbing a reg # and reporting that than a description of someone walking the beach. Say if the person were met at the local ramp and checked?

Van · 05-30-2002, 02:29 PM

Good Call, that may be the only way.

It aggravates me quite a bit also.

Late last season when the bass were chasing peanut bunker in boston harbor. I was fishing with my son and releasing lots of schoolies. A guy not far from me was "GAFFING" YES GAFFING the fish.

I could not believe it. I couldn't tell if he was also releasing them, that would be the topper!!!!

JohnR · 05-30-2002, 05:44 PM

Van - I once saw a guy get busted up at the north side of the Merrimack @ PI. It was embarrasing to him to be busted in front of his 12 year old kid but he shouldn't have been doing it in the first place...

schoolie monster · 05-31-2002, 03:26 PM

I actually would be interested in knowing what levels of involvement there are if you get my meaning. I mean, I'm not looking for a new career, but I know for weather, there are official "weather observers"...

Anything like that for the EPA... like some type of deputy. I know it sounds like I'm joking, but I'm dead serious.

I imagine they have a website... but maybe for another day 'cause I'm outta here.

Have a great weekend everyone and seriously, John is right on about this... without the authority, saying too much to these jerkies could lead you into an altercation and its not worth it. Never know what someone's packin' or what there mental state is... there's crazies all over the place.

I'm all for a comment along the lines of letting them know they are breakin' the law, but I'd stop short of pushing it. I know I can handle myself and I'm sure you all can too, but you just never know what someone might do.

Tight lines.

kayaman · 06-01-2002, 09:59 AM

Keep venting!!!! More people should be as upset. I used to live on Plum Island and would come upon these same selfish slobs all the time. I found it difficult to restrain myself and when I would try and contact the E.P. they were busy upriver(Lawrence area). I enjoy turning people, especially with kids, on to good spots. Lately I've been more cautious after beeing burned by idiots that can't clean up after themselves and don't bother to find out the regs, or don't care. I live on the south shore now and finding and getting access to good places is increasingly difficult. At times I can see why land owners try and keep people that are fishing from the waterfront, THE IGNORANT ---HOLES are more visible than those of us who care. By leaving their mess and waste we all look bad in the eyes of the non-fishing community. Best thing that can be done is to keep a cool head, try and inform the deviant if they seem aproachable, if not keep your distance and drop a dime

. Keep the faith and set good examples with good fishing habits. Tight lines to all..........

joeangler · 06-01-2002, 01:08 PM

what is the big deal with picking up your own trash when you leave ive seen people leave alot of thrash i dont hesitate to tell them to pick it up alot of tourist come here now i let them now what the deal is PICK UP WHEN YOU LEAVE !!!!!!

ragfly · 06-01-2002, 04:24 PM

The really sad thing is that it happens everywhere. I see it hunting, fishing, camping, hiking...........hell, just driving down the road, how many cigs I see get tossed out the window! What the hell are ash trays for? to keep our coins in? I could go on and on , but I will leave it at that. I pick up what I can and teach my son to respect nature and hopefully other people will too.

Jackie O · 06-01-2002, 08:08 PM

drop a dime its safer. I always say something like oh you must have dropped that or something to that effect. It works, usualy people are embarassed and pick up there crap. I always have taught my kids and there friends to pack a small kitchen trash bag anytime your out doors. Pick up all your own trash, and put it in the bag. Then look around- if you see a bunch of crap spend just 2 minutes picking it up. you may not get it all but in 2 minutes you can get a ton and it feels like only seconds.My kids always say something to the idea of why should we pick up after these holes and I explain how we loose our rites to fish and use the outdoors because these holes dont care. If we all pick up a little we get a lot in the end. Jackie O

Swimmer · 06-02-2002, 07:58 PM

Me thinks the fines should be the same for short stripers as it is for short lobsters. One more thing, municpal officers receive no training about marine fisheries laws. They wont enforce what they are not told to enforce, and they wont enforce when they have not received training in certain areas. It is up to all of you to call the local reps to state governmet and demand otherwise.

One must wait until evening to see how the day has been!