Spawners and snaggers

[fishmounter]

I'm so glad that "my" lake at the local nearby park is murky with it's usual algae bloom. It's pretty difficult to do any sight fishing for spawning bass, which I think is great. We get these guys that come in with a plastic worm on a big treble hook, snag a big female bass, then say that the fish tried to grab the worm. They end up keeping these fish that are full of eggs and take them home to eat. I've even seen guys trying to snag the big spawning carp that do their splashing and chasing each other right next to shore. If any California Dept. of F & W personnel want to contact me about this, it would be great! Just send me a PM or leave a message here and I'll contact you..

[Fourtogo]

Bucketeeres raping the waters bare

[DarkShadow]

Bucket Brigade in the house!

And don't worry about the DFW, they usually don't respond to the Cal Tip # on the back of your license.

[fishmounter]

I ended up calling the Riverside County Sheriff's office, and complained to them, then they told me they would contact the Riverside County Parks Dept. and in a callback told me that Park Rangers would spend some time this month and April at Fairmount Park as plainclothes fisherman to check for any illegal infractions and for fishing licenses. (they still carry their sidearm and badge and drive an unmarked car). They thanked me for being a concerned citizen and fisherman! He also said the county is putting a lot of money into that park for improvements. That is so awesome! Wow! I did not expect that!

[old pudd fisher]

That's cool Jeff I live about 3 miles from it but don't fish it to much because I always get skunked, but its a great place to practice my photography hobby. Remember this article in the newspaper that's me in the photo.50930 50931

[DarkShadow]

That's cool Jeff I live about 3 miles from it but don't fish it to much because I always get skunked, but its a great place to practice my photography hobby. Remember this article in the newspaper that's me in the photo.50930 50931


Waaiiiit....

Feral pigs?!

[bowler]

Waaiiiit....

Feral pigs?!

Yup there’s pigs in the water and out of the water there. 😂

[fishmounter]

Been fishing there for years and have never seen a wild pig at the park. Coyotes, ravens, skunks, opossums, raccoons, several kinds of hawks and owls, loose dogs, lots of water turtles, but never any pigs, except for the human kind.. I know they are in the Santa Ana River bottom and they sometimes go into neighborhoods, but I have not seen them.

[carpanglerdude]

Good for you reporting it!
This time of the year is awful at Seccombe, Ford, Fairmount-snaggers galore, all so proud of their ability to bed "fish."

Several years back, a family started yelling at me at Fairmount after I had the audacity to release a bed fish - they were really upset that I didn't give it to them.

[fishmounter]

They have the green fishing pier or bridge thing all closed off to people. There wasn't anyone there to ask what that was all about. Maybe they are going to paint it..

[jdogg661420]

reminds me of the guy who caught the 25lb largemouth but it was foul hooked on her head so it didnt count for the record then they went everyday to try to catch her again but she died. truthfully its not illegal to take a bed fish. though if they do snag it with a treble its illegal but gonna be hard to prove that they just werent trying to catch it. spawn fish tend to get foul hooked esp during season because sometimes they wont bite and will just swipe at baits ect. im pretty sure that law is mainly for people that would take those hooks like you see them using for alligators and using them in lakes ect. like if they just tied a treble hook on the line and no bait ect that is illegal if it is on a lure then thats the grey part. harder to prove intent. ps also people cant outfish a lake so its not as bad as you think. your camera is your friend if you really want to report people then catch them in the act on film. then call and find out who needs to see it. if its people with a license then they can lose out on license privilege. a lot is ignorance though and just telling people its illegal will stop them from doing it on the spot and in the future. but just tell them in a nice way and not a dick way.

[fishmounter]

Yeah, like I said, some put a white plastic worm on their big *** treble hooks to be safe. I've seen others just use a large bronze treble hook put out underhand in the nest, then they wait for the big female to swim over the hook, then they set the hook and bring in the 6 pound female bass full of eggs. Put her in the ice box and drive home to feed the family... It really makes me mad..

[sodapop]

Today I was at Pond Park in Murr, when leaving some guys showed up with buckets. It is catch and release only and no live bait fishing. I always wonder what the buckets are for.

[etucker1959]

reminds me of the guy who caught the 25lb largemouth but it was foul hooked on her head so it didnt count for the record then they went everyday to try to catch her again but she died. truthfully its not illegal to take a bed fish. though if they do snag it with a treble its illegal but gonna be hard to prove that they just werent trying to catch it. spawn fish tend to get foul hooked esp during season because sometimes they wont bite and will just swipe at baits ect. im pretty sure that law is mainly for people that would take those hooks like you see them using for alligators and using them in lakes ect. like if they just tied a treble hook on the line and no bait ect that is illegal if it is on a lure then thats the grey part. harder to prove intent. ps also people cant outfish a lake so its not as bad as you think. your camera is your friend if you really want to report people then catch them in the act on film. then call and find out who needs to see it. if its people with a license then they can lose out on license privilege. a lot is ignorance though and just telling people its illegal will stop them from doing it on the spot and in the future. but just tell them in a nice way and not a dick way.

The funny part about the people who were after Dottie, the #25 LMB they fouled hooked. They can still claim the record when she was caught before at a lesser weight, then the 25 pounds she topped out at.

[DarkShadow]

I always wonder what the buckets are for.

https://photos.smugmug.com/Pitt-Street-Bridge-Series/People-from-Pitt-Street-Bridge/i-MXdCVNg/0/0b3e527f/L/IMG_7449%20fishing%20man%20barefoot-L.jpg

[castle]

https://photos.smugmug.com/Pitt-Street-Bridge-Series/People-from-Pitt-Street-Bridge/i-MXdCVNg/0/0b3e527f/L/IMG_7449%20fishing%20man%20barefoot-L.jpg

Yea, better than a lawn chair!

[Marley]

I am not an avid bass fisherman but I totally understand the draw. What I do not understand is 1) why is bed fishing even allowed at all and 2) because of the vulnerability of spawning fish, why is the fishing season not totally closed during the spawn? A potential world-record bass would have to be a female ready to spawn so wouldn't you want those genetics in her fry?

[DarkShadow]

What I do not understand is 1) why is bed fishing even allowed at all and 2) because of the vulnerability of spawning fish, why is the fishing season not totally closed during the spawn?

With the, lack of resources available to our DFG, managing any type of 'closure' during the spawning season would be an unneeded headache.

When will the closures occur? Would they be statewide? Big Bear and Silverwood bass tend to spawn later than some of the lakes in lower elevations. Would they have to adjust to each lake? Do you close the entire lake for fishing? Or do you close the lake for bass fishing? Can't I say that I was using a jig to try to catch a striper and I had an inadvertent largemouth inhale my bait? What if the fish is not on a bed? How can you tell if a fish is on a bed? Who's gonna enforce all these regulations?

Now, the bare minimum can be done, much like they did at Castaic (don't know if they even do this anymore) where they would buoy off select coves, which would prevent any boat access (but what about shore anglers?) Perhaps that's an idea that can be expanded to other lakes, but that would require time and personnel (read: money,) something that our DFG may not be rolling in right now.

Plus, you can also say that the Spring is probably one of the seasons where the outdoor industry in SoCal gets a big boost of revenue from anglers who go out to seek these fish during this time. I don't know how many of them would take to having a closed season.

[old pudd fisher]

They have the green fishing pier or bridge thing all closed off to people. There wasn't anyone there to ask what that was all about. Maybe they are going to paint it..

Drove by today on the why home from my eye doctor visit and see that they are almost done working on the green bridge with lots of new wood replacement its looking good. Also they just started towing out hundreds big beach ball like things for some art project, the lake is just full of them and will be their for three weeks they say. 5105151052

[jdogg661420]

I am not an avid bass fisherman but I totally understand the draw. What I do not understand is 1) why is bed fishing even allowed at all and 2) because of the vulnerability of spawning fish, why is the fishing season not totally closed during the spawn? A potential world-record bass would have to be a female ready to spawn so wouldn't you want those genetics in her fry?

i dont know about what darkshadow is saying but i do know bass fishing is a multi billion dollar industry in america.. the thing is the largemouth bass arent threatened in any way in any water that i know of. in fact in cali at the lake i fish all the bass were planted very early when the dam was launched in the 70s and have been thriving since. even with new species being introduced striper and smallmouth. some say the fishing is dead compared to the early catch and release days i say catch and release has ruined fisheries and you can track it yourself the fish are all still there they are just all 100xs smarter then 40 years ago. the dinks have been caught tons esp on pressured lakes by the time they hit 20 inches good luck. buy all new lures the bass have never seen is the best bet but then you are always spending cash.. but it can pay off. its why they always make more and more lures now. and why it takes 10 reties or 10 diff lures to trigger a bite. oh and if you want to check the top 25 largemouth ever caught there is prob only a few if that, that were caught outside of the spawn.. now you know why its not illegal if they take away the spawn the full lot of sport fishermen for largemouth are going to be very pissed.

now on the main post: to me poaching is the worst offense to kill a animal and just leave it dead on the road for nothing. if someone kill it illegally to eat idk that to me is harder to condemn. a lot of people i see doing illegal things at my lake isnt because they are bad people its more of a ignorance thing. to me im not gonna call the cops and report them but i will mention that if they get caught they will be paying big fines for something petty. like keeping too small of fish ect. to me a lot of times they just dont know.. its like net fishing from the banks most the time you will see someone doing it they are foreigner and they can do it where they came from and dont know its illegal here. also when i approach them i do it friendly like i know them not in a negative manner talking **** ect. then you can at least get a feeling for who you are dealing with. if its someone shady then do what you gotta do. i would protect where i fish and its a big fishery.