Attention Poachers on the Smith River

Started by rjs123, November 02, 2010, 18:10:06 PM

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rjs123

New sign I saw today on the Smith River.

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Not sure who put it up.  Saw it downstream from the Bassett canoe launch today.


Woolly Bugger

ex - I'm not going to live with you through one more fishing season!
me -There's a season?

Pastor explains icons to my son: you know like the fish symbol on the back of cars.
My son: My dad has two fish on his car and they're both trout!

diaz dassie

This is kinda what a rock spider (South African Afrikaaner) would post. This one is pretty funny tho...Guests are not allowed to view images in posts, please Register or Login

As some know, Lions are kept on portions of large private lands back in bobbejaan land. This translation literally means, "Climb over my fucking fence again and you will shit yourself"

Get Bent

I like it! A little bold to say the least, but it is to the point! Unfortunately poachers are etched into our society just as crack cocaine and meth are. I don't see any of them going anywhere anytime soon. So maybe its time for some unorthodox techniques to deter poaching and littering. Although this is real similar to a littering sign on the highway showing the max fine(minus the marshall law attitude), then you see trash all over the road by the sign. So it may have no effect at all, and the fact it is a rouge sign posted by a vigilantly doesn't help either.

Then again if he or she is willing to pay a bounty, maybe someone could make some money :laugh:

Konichiwa Bitches!

Al

 Last week they caught a well know local up in spec reg section in act - He was approached by plain clothes officer whom he did not recognize and bragged about how many large browns he and his brother have cleaned out of the spec reg section over the past year. Hope he tells the same tale when he goes to court.

First I heard about the signs - think some of the locals on the other side have put up some $ for rewards if you report a poacher or litterer in the act and it results in a conviction.

5xTippett

A couple of minor little problems with the sign.  To begin with, the legislature sets the penalties for fish and game violations not some local.  Also, who are you supposed to call to report violations?  Who is going to pay the reward?  I am with Peewee on this one.  Let the wildlife department handle the river. 

rjs123

Thats good to hear Al!  I hope they throw the book at him.

Ive fished the river 100s of times over the last 2 years and Ive only seen a VDGIF officer once.  It was the week after I got here. He asked to see my license.

The signs may be a bit extreme but some people are pissed.  They see and hear from others about people like this guy that got caught in the special regs and nothing ever happens to stop them.

Hopefully when the new regs come in they will have more enforcement on the river.

rford

I believe that the poacher was first spotted by a person who along with others are watching for poachers and calling either VDGIF or the local sheriff's office.  The officer in plain clothing made the arrest.  One frustration that some have is that the fine for catching the fish is around $100 when the fine for littering is higher.  That may explain some of what is on the sign. 

I am aware of some people who will call VDGIF if they spot a poacher while fishing.  I have found calling frustrating because their officers can be over an hour away.

I have suggested in another place that having VDGIF officers check fishing licenses a day or 2 after stocking and simply making their presence known on the river might work as well as anything.  One thought in law enforcement is that presence of the police can be a more effective deterrent than arresting people.  I have fished the river on a regular basis for 9 years, and I have never been asked to show my license. 

rjs123

They stocked the stretch leading up to the dam today.  Went right to the dam with Darrin to see a lot of people hauling in fish. There was a group of 3 people,  2 men and a woman who had been there since early in the morning.  One of them said they followed the stocking truck out there.  It was the middle of the afternoon and they took 18 fish to the truck.  Who knows how many more they took to the truck earlier in the day.

Later I decided to fish a mile or so below the dam and walking into my spot. Who do I find seated in lawn chairs on the bank? The group of 3 catching more fish.  Damn, how many do people need!  They weren't young either, they were older than me by more than a few years.  Whats wrong with people?

It would be SO easy to catch these people if the VDGIF just went out after and during a stocking.  Why arent they doing that or rather, why dont they care?

22midge

Wish they would make the number available for the bounty.After 30 years of arrest and convictions I could supplement my retirement pretty good on this river.Now if we could get the wildlife officers and the judges to get some of the bounty money.
never let a day go by without telling your children how special they are----make a child smile today and gain a friend for life

Al

Quote from: rjs123 on November 03, 2010, 17:44:16 PM
They stocked the stretch leading up to the dam today.  Went right to the dam with Darrin to see a lot of people hauling in fish. There was a group of 3 people,  2 men and a woman who had been there since early in the morning.  One of them said they followed the stocking truck out there.  It was the middle of the afternoon and they took 18 fish to the truck.  Who knows how many more they took to the truck earlier in the day.

Later I decided to fish a mile or so below the dam and walking into my spot. Who do I find seated in lawn chairs on the bank? The group of 3 catching more fish.  Damn, how many do people need!  They weren't young either, they were older than me by more than a few years.  Whats wrong with people?

It would be SO easy to catch these people if the VDGIF just went out after and during a stocking.  Why aren't they doing that or rather, why dont they care?

And did you  just mumble, shake your head and drive on like most folks do, or did you call 911 or 1-800-237-5712 or 804-357-1258 to report what you saw?

I used to do the mumbling bit but no more. Every time I have called someone responds. Sure it may take awhile but they come. We also recently reached an understanding between local law enforcement where they will come if a GW is not readily available.  (That was what happened last week when the guy at the lower end of the Spec Reg got napped)

These guys are stealing from us all and they count on us to ignore them (it's not a real crime right?) - There is an element in the Bassett/Martinsville area who laugh at us and look at it as a game between them and the elites. The majority of the folks are law abiding but since the factories and mills went belly up there is an element that have been unemployed for so long and on every program the state and federal government can push on them that they are totally dependent and will never be gainfully employed again. They feel bitter that life has passed them by. They also feel entitled and no game law is going to stop them. They are not "subsistence fishing" - the fellow last week bragged about hundreds of trout in his freezer. It's just a game and most of these folks play it because they like to "get over on the man"  - I saw one at the big hole right off Rosemont Rd with a stringer of fish and asked if he was not afraid the GW would catch him. He said "No. The GW is to lazy to get out of his car".  That might have been true a few years ago but we have some young guys out there now and they come when we call them.

rjs123

I have the number in my phone Al but the phone doesnt work there.  No signal.  The truck and SUV these people had were a lot nicer than what Im driving so I dont know that they are that bad off.  I do agree with you though.

If these people are following the trucks I can only wonder what they have in the freezer if they arent selling the fish.

gamatt53

Just put those two #'s in my phone Al thanks and I will be keeping an eye out. I have met many really nice locals fishing that river who were following the regs or practicing C&R and I am glad they are starting to stand up to the poachers.

rford

I agree with Al on calling, and I gather that the result from the calls are changing.  I have called 911 and VDGIF in the past when their response was so slow that they could not catch anyone, but I carry a cell phone and call.  The blog contending that there is not service on the road to dam fits my experience. 

While I cannot say what the motive is, I have encountered in the Henry County area and other places the willingness to treat the regulations as a game to be beaten even before the factories shut down.  Some people see catching more than the limit as a game.  They are stealing from us.  The fee for the trout stamp is in part to cover costs of stocking trout.  When someone or ones take too many, they deprive other stamp holders of a chance to catch fish. 

Apparently, we are dealing with one other potential element.  VDGIF is reporting that it running low on revenue to support the department.  When they are short on revenue, they will reduce their people in enforcement. 

Woolly Bugger

What did Howell Raines call it? "The redneck mentality" to see how many 'limits' you could catch...

I've seen it on opening day, catch a limit, go off and have breakfast and come back for another limit...

Its not just on the Smith....
ex - I'm not going to live with you through one more fishing season!
me -There's a season?

Pastor explains icons to my son: you know like the fish symbol on the back of cars.
My son: My dad has two fish on his car and they're both trout!