EP Checking Fish at the Canal

[Sweetwater]

Thursday morning, the Environmental Police were cruising the canal and measuring fish. My buddy had a 34-35" bass and the EP wanted to measure it, so he had to carry the fish up the rocks (at low tide) and fell face first in the rock weed just so the guy could measure an obviously legal fish.

I've seen people keep shorts and that has to stop, but any reasonably trained eye could tell that the fish was legal.

[BigFish]

Another one complaining about the EP's doing their job! Maybe the EP does not fish and can't site measure the fish from 20 feet up on the path....maybe he is not blessed with 20/10 vision? These thoughts ever enter your mind? Be glad they are there.....its those folks keeping shorts they are looking for.......stop talking out both sides of your mouth!

With Love,
BigFish

[Sweetwater]

Wow! I'm feeling the love Big Fish! Of course, you are 100% correct, the EP was only doing his job and I'm all for enforcement of fishing regs. I guess I was just seeing the mental image of my friend crashing head first into the rocks as he hurried his fish up to the path while the fishing was still hot. Consider me properly rebuked.

[BigFish]

I know its irritating SW....but whats the guy to do? Climb down there himself? They must have a criteria or set method....obviously he felt it needed to be measured? I was climbing around down there myself yesterday and I know how slippery it can be...nevermind tricky!

[Mike P]

Originally Posted by BigFish

I know its irritating SW....but whats the guy to do? Climb down there himself? They must have a criteria or set method....obviously he felt it needed to be measured? I was climbing around down there myself yesterday and I know how slippery it can be...nevermind tricky!

They probably don't want to be accused of selective enforcement. Their guidelines probably tell them to measure every fish.

Those guys are wearing uniform shoes with leather soles, probably. They can't climb down the rocks in them without breaking their necks.

[GonnaCatchABig1]

at first i just thought of licenses as a way to suck more money out of people. but if they actually enforce the license rules.. can you imagine how many of these knuckle heads could be eliminated? get caught with a short there goes yer license. get caught with out a license.. world of pain.


if the enforce it i will love it. if not.. just another way to sap money.

[kenyee]

Sweetwater: some people were seen filleting fish at Bell Road on Friday (it's illegal to filet fish until you get home in MA). While I was there today, the EP and a few of us told a fellow fisherman that 2 was the limit (he hooked a 3rd keeper and was wondering). It's not always easy to eyeball a fish...

[7milebridge]

The only problem with the EP checking fish from that far away is that down here in newport the majority of the bums keeping the shorties are fileting them as soon as they are caught. The other day I was fishing in newport a guy showed me 2 bass one maybe 30" and the other 25" at best. He was so loaded, but owell he told me they were 30lbers, and he filet'd them up. The EP comes by, and checks my buddy, and I. He never even asked those guys to crack open their coolers.

[thortum]

Originally Posted by 7milebridge

The only........................ majority of the bums keeping the shorties are fileting them as soon as they are caught. The other day I was fishing in newport a guy showed me 2 bass one maybe 30" and the other 25" at best. He was so loaded, but owell he told me they were 30lbers, and he filet'd them up. The EP comes by, and checks my buddy, and I. He never even asked those guys to crack open their coolers.

I'm sure that you suggested that they check the other guys cooler after they were finish with you. Right???!!! No? You didn't??!!

[hulkyj61]

The Maine guys were out in force today as well. I had a fish measured as I brought it out of the water. The guy acted like I had no idea what I was doing or didnt know the laws because he was telling me what is and isnt legal, it must be the tourists or whatever.

[buckman]

My 16 year old can st a short fish from 100' and I'm sure you guys can do the same. Now, if you measured 100 fish a day could you tell 35" from 28". Sometimes these guys are trying to make a statement that they are out there. sometimes they are on a power trip.

[Swimmer]

I should probably mind my own business on this one, but what the hey...............EPO's should have the appropriate gear on or with them to do thier job. That includes the equipment needed for climbing down the rocks to measure a fish. I can see it now, the guffaws I'd get, that come from the next person I stop for an motor vehicle offense when I yell to him on the loud speaker, "hey bud bring your license and registration back to me, so I don't have to walk to your car. I don't think so. They are provided with all the necessary gear/equipment to do thier job. I think they would garner everyones respect more than they have if they got into the trenches so to speak. That being said I think its great they were there checking on caught fish. I'd like to them at night and weekends more.

[thortum]

Originally Posted by buckman

My 16 year old can st a short fish from 100' and I'm sure you guys can do the same. Now, if you measured 100 fish a day could you tell 35" from 28". Sometimes these guys are trying to make a statement that they are out there. sometimes they are on a power trip.

I'm glad that you taught you son so well.
I don't consider having my fish measured, "a power trip". And even it was, I don't care. I want to see these guys doing "their job"!!

[buckman]

You're right I like to see them out there too. I didn't teach my son, he aquired the knowledge by catching and releasing many fish. And I said sometimes there on a power trip. I have been checked many times, and I am always happy to oblige.I think he had to know that fish was legal or he's a slow learner.

[SAUERKRAUT]

My brother approached an Asiatic appearing person who just caught a 20" bass and put it in his cooler. Brother told him the fish was a short, and needed to be released. The response: no understand English. Brother pulled out his cell phone and started dialing an environmental police number he carries. Within seconds, that fish was out of the cooler and back in the water.

[jkswimmer]

On thursday night there was a State Cop driving the canal on patrol because he heard that people's rods were being ripped off while they were fishning. He did stop and talk for awhile. The more people around, the law more enforcement that is needed.

[tinyboatbigfish]

jk you are right i saw the state cop too he was driving the whole canal making sure the guys that where out the did not have to worry they are pulling in a fish while the guy in back of you is taking you gear good for them we need to see more of them out there

[Island Girl]

This is kinda off topic seeing as i'm from RI and don't fish the canal but the epo's around here are pretty good about checking measurements if they are around or are not too busy checking on calls about drunks on state property or other calls.

I have a little bit more inside info at my job and I was very suprised to find out that most of them don't fish themselves

I have seen about ten or more guys have their catches measured and all most all of them where short it really is a shame that people don't care and we wonder why their are so many conservational issues

[Tagger]

Good ... I hope word gets out EP are after poachers..

[hyefisherman2]

Originally Posted by Tagger

Good ... I hope word gets out EP are after poachers..

yup! i think its great that the EP were around