poaching and the striper cup

[majyaday]

Originally Posted by Skitterpop

If so lets hear it. Did you get caught poaching?

Mike

I have been advised to not say anything yet by my attorney just give me the benefit of the doubt

[clambelly]

Originally Posted by Slipknot

Here's an idea, how about if an "actual commercial fisherman" (who is one of the honest ones) or even a "weekend warrior" get an EPO on his boat so they can easily motor up to the fleet and start checking fo short scup etc. ? Cops get to ride in unmarked cars, why can't the EPO's?

I think the bottom line is, stiffer penalties are needed to discouraged unethical and illeagal fishing practices.

whos stopping you from doing that?


Majyaday...i doubt you are going to find many people will be giving you the benefit of the doubt.

[majyaday]

All as I can say at this point is that I live to fish stripers.I fish for them 5 days a week when there in wheather its comm or Im just having having fun catch and release when I have a couple of buddies on the boat and I am out trying to catch a big fish sometimes I catch upwards of 50 Bass a night and if I don t catch a big one I will come in without a fish in the boat.When everything is final I will explain my situation it was a bit of a miscue on my part but in know way am I a poacher and I do not want to be known as one.I hope you all have a safe fishing and everyone get an opertunity to catch a big fish.
Bill Major

[Slipknot]

clambelly
nobody is stopping me, but I am not an epo, not a comm fisherman either.
and I doubt any epo would want to go anywhere in my 11' garvey.
It's just a suggestion to something sandman brought up is all.

Bill, good luck trying to explain your situation, and welcome to S-B.com
most recs. don't take miscues like yours lightly, especially those of us who fish from shore.

[majyaday]

I understand its nice to meet you

[nightfighter]

Bill,
Don't know you, but am impressed at your standing up to face the music on this board with your first posts. You obviously know how to catch and find large. You're in a pickle and it's become a public one. Been there.... Is why I think it speaks volumns that you signed in, admitted a 'miscue' without trying to beat your own drum. So I will have no further comment until the process is complete.

[majyaday]

Thank You

[JohnR]

I can't give you the benefit of the doubt as I don't know you nor can I - at this time - villafy you without knowing more of what is going on (yet). As for "miscue", if you are such a live for stripers kind of guy that you state then you surely know what the rules are. I've made a handful of "miscues" in the past when young and dumb but not since learning the rules and becoming old and dumb.

But don't listen to an attorney on this, there are no good attorneys ('cept for those angling brethern here on S-B that are lawyahs).

[Swimmer]

I have to believe the epo had probable cause to cite the guy and summons him to court. But in Massachusetts nobody is ever guilty of anything. All the attorneys went to school together. They all go to the same monthly bar association meetings. They all want to be judges to get the $112,000.00 dollars a year. And none of them rock the boat. And all of them do whatever is necessary to get thier client off, because the LAW protects them in that endeavour.

[Skitterpop]

Bill,

Whatever happened or whatever you`ve done, as others have said, I`ll wait to see the outcome.

Some nice Stripers you`ve caught by the way.

Mike

[Got Stripers]

Personally having come from the freshwater bass fishing tournament scene and seeing what the pressure for success did to the Mass bodies of water, I'm not surprised. I didn't sign up and don't plan to support saltwater tournaments. Maybe I've mellowed with age, but I can't see promoting killing the resource for bragging rights.

I can't speak for what actually happened, but if officials inspected the boat and found 4 additional or even 2 additional bass, that's not a misque; it's poaching. It's only a misque if you can't add one striper and one striper = two stripers and the rest are released; even then it's poaching. I have no problem with people taking their legal limit, I love a good striper filet on the grille, but raping the resouce because you have no respect for the law warrants serious ramifications.

I am not privy to the facts, so I'm not casting judgement, but if the numbers are true; I say throw the book at him.

[Riptide]

If it was a miscue why lie to the EPO's and tell them you only had 2 fish. If it were a time related mistake you'd have said "I have 6".

How bout the miscue of not having the boat registered? You told the EPO's you "Just bought it" Funny I saw you in that same boat when you showed me the 56#er on Devils Bridge a while back.

Was it also a miscue bragging that you left the EPO's and moved to the back of the islands and continued fishing?

Word travels fast and you never know who your talking to.

[Redsoxticket]

MA EPO telephone number is 1-800-632-8075. If your a MA tax paying resident give the EPO a call for them to prosecute poachers to the full extent of the law.

[labrax]

If what is alleged to have happened - that you were caught before 07/12/06 with more then 2 bass in your cooler, then it seems pretty cut and dried that you were poaching and not having a 'miscue'. Not hard to count to two, and pretty easy to know when you have gone past it. You obviously are an accomplished angler, and know how to take huge bass, but that should not allow you to keep above the limit. If you are out 5 days a week and know how to catch them, then why would you feel it necessary to put some extra away in preparation for the opening of the season? I don't fish the tournament, and don't know how this ties into the tournament directly, but I am sure that this will put a dent in whatever reputation you had enjoyed.

Pete

[Skitterpop]

Originally Posted by Riptide

If it was a miscue why lie to the EPO's and tell them you only had 2 fish. If it were a time related mistake you'd have said "I have 6".

How bout the miscue of not having the boat registered? You told the EPO's you "Just bought it" Funny I saw you in that same boat when you showed me the 56#er on Devils Bridge a while back.

Was it also a miscue bragging that you left the EPO's and moved to the back of the islands and continued fishing?

Word travels fast and you never know who your talking to.

Goodbye Bill

Thanks Terry

[NIB]

Originally Posted by majyaday

All as I can say at this point is that I live to fish stripers.I fish for them 5 days a week when there in wheather its comm or Im just having having fun catch and release when I have a couple of buddies on the boat and I am out trying to catch a big fish sometimes I catch upwards of 50 Bass a night and if I don t catch a big one I will come in without a fish in the boat.When everything is final I will explain my situation it was a bit of a miscue on my part but in know way am I a poacher and I do not want to be known as one.I hope you all have a safe fishing and everyone get an opertunity to catch a big fish.
Bill Major

Sounds like u put urself in a unfortunate position.Contest or not, all we have is are integrity.It appears u are drivin by fishing an u seem to be pretty good at it.Ur the top gun right now the man to beat.It's a shame ur rep will be tarnished whether u straighten this out or not.
I hope it all works out for u an u can have peace of mind.
It's a good lesson for everyone one,
One oh sh!t whipes out ten attaboys.

[steve]

In our system of justice, EVERYONE is innocent until proven otherwise. Let's give Mr. Major his day in court before all of us hang him. By the way John R, there are alot of honest, great lawyers out there. Get in trouble sometime and see how quickly your opinion changes towards these professionals.

[stiff tip]

i,ll wait to see the propper justice,, bm your ass is on the line right now all around ...if u r innosent good for u . if not ,,your screwed.. lies n stories will hurt u ..b ready to defend your self

[BigFish]

I f you do not have integrity...you have nothing! Honesty and integrity are nothing you can get back once lost....folks will always look at you in that light.

[JohnR]

Originally Posted by steve

By the way John R, there are alot of honest, great lawyers out there. Get in trouble sometime and see how quickly your opinion changes towards these professionals.

Steve - don't misinterpret something that was tongue in cheek

[steve]

John R-- I guess I have to get used to your " sense of humor".

[JohnR]

Originally Posted by steve

John R-- I guess I have to get used to your " sense of humor".

Specifically, that was for the benefit of some of the lawyers we have on this site. So yeh, I guess you missed that. Unfortunately it happens often that when people type something out it is not well enough written or understood that the point is taken incorrectly. Sometimes this ends up in pi$$in contests as both sides get their backs up and dig in over a misunderstanding.

[numbskull]

Originally Posted by steve

In our system of justice, EVERYONE is innocent until proven otherwise. Let's give Mr. Major his day in court before all of us hang him. By the way John R, there are alot of honest, great lawyers out there. Get in trouble sometime and see how quickly your opinion changes towards these professionals.

Actually, in our justice system questions of innocence, right, and wrong take a back seat to the smooth working of the system itself (in all but the most serious crimes). This case is small potatoes as far as the judicial system is concerned, the court will not consider it worth much effort, and Mr Major's lawyer undoubtably knows that and will use it to Mr Major's advantage to obtain a small settlement (likely easily covered by the fish he has "miscued"), deferred charges, and likely no loss of his license (after all, your Honor, this poor man's livlihood is at stake....think of his family). At the end of the day, the lawyer's fees will prove the major punishment to Mr Major and Mr Major can go back to abusing the resource he, and the rest of us, "live for".

[steve]

John R-- now you sound like a lawyer- just tongue and in cheek.

[striprman]

Unregistered boat ? oke:

[Bronko]

Originally Posted by JohnR

I can't give you the benefit of the doubt as I don't know you nor can I - at this time - villafy you without knowing more of what is going on (yet). As for "miscue", if you are such a live for stripers kind of guy that you state then you surely know what the rules are. I've made a handful of "miscues" in the past when young and dumb but not since learning the rules and becoming old and dumb.

But don't listen to an attorney on this, there are no good attorneys ('cept for those angling brethern here on S-B that are lawyahs).

I took it as a joke JohnR...

But its nice to see Stevie VS looking out for us!

[vineyardblues]

First off I must say that I was one of them guys who traveled up and down the coast fishing derby's for cash $$ Cape Charles Va was drum fishing Chesapeake Bay was Blue fish etc etc etc

A quick true story about people who cheat!
We were at the solamon island check point for a 3 day bluefish derby.
Slow as hell and no big fish on the board. as I remember I think a 7lber was in first place with 1/2 hr left. A new boat pulls up and a guy with 2 young boys lug a huge cooler up and pulls out a blue that was a good 10 lbs easy.

They weight it up and it's 11 1/2 lbs,,,, WAY in front as a leader. Until
they grab it by the tail and tiny little ice cubes start falling out of it's mouth. They now take a small pointed item up the old arse to get a reading next the old knife comes out and they cut it open only to find tiny ,tiny ice cubes full to the brim. We had the camara going for the whole event ,the crowd went a little crazy the kids started crying dad was a big loser. And to think he would have won with out cheating

[NIB]

Thats funny cause someone says lawyer an jokes are what comes to my mind.Like the one...
Ahhh nevermind.

[Swimmer]

If your fishing on a boat where thier is a commercial license available the captain has 30 fish to choose from to weigh in for the Striper Cup Derby. Thats obscene. I mate on a boat this time of year and would have the same opportunity, but have decided not too, because it is simply not fair. It is unethical and immoral at best. At worst ..........Mr. Major isn't the only person in this situation. It simply isn't appropriate that a fisherman who doesn't possess a commercial license is a fifteen to one underdog even before he leaves his driveway or mooring. I'm sure this fellow is a good guy and he is innocent until someone says otherwise. With the thousand of commercial fishing licenses issued there is the potential for this tournament ending before it really has a chance to begin/mature.

[Sweetwater]

I say everyone is innocent until proven guilty -- at least in a court of law. Luckily posters here don't have any constraint to assume guilt first....human perogative.

Some people like their fish fried, some baked, some poached