I've heard about the ramp fillet guys, especially in spring with out-of-staters and campers ... fish in the morning, keep a limit or whatever they catch, put the knife to 'em, go back in the afternoon. Multiple days, coolers, etc.

Bad deal. Then, to top it off, they toss the carcasses into the water by the ramp. They may disintegrate or be eaten by turtles and birds, but it doesn't look good. Have seen the same with carp tossed by bowfishermen. Doesn't help anglers' image with others.

Yep, I am just keeping my fingers crossed it will get better.

Part of it is anglers and guides need to keep the game wardens and Marine Police telephone numbers for their districts/areas on their phone and contact them when they see these things going on ... hunters should do the same for deer, ducks and critters, too.

Today's idea of "I don't want to get involved" and "they won't come do anything anyway" is too rampant, IMO, when there's a clear-cut case of a violation occurring.

I remember several years ago, some yankees were caught with close to 1000(?) bream. I think i'm right on that number. Anyways, I can see that as illegal...but if you're camping and catch 30 bream and are gonna eat 'em that afternoon...is it illegal to clean at the waters edge? I've done it while camping/trout fishing the elk...

You're right, Gman, about the Yankees and fish. They were more than a bit surprised when the badge came out.

Probably nothing illegal about cleaning them at water's edge. Discarding the scraps in plain sight in the water or grass is just a BS thing to do, though, especially with a garbage can there.

Its not only yankees. When I lived near west Point hoards of Ky fishermen did the same thing there. They often had problems with flat tires,super glued wipers and toothpiks in door locks.Those locals didn't like them one bit.

I met two men from Kentucky on Mitchell that said they have been coming down for years every spring. One of the guys lived here once before. Anyway they had a cooler full of bass. They said they would be here all week catching them. They fill their freezer with filets every year.

So did anyone contact the GW to have them checked out?

Clem, you may not remember me, but do you remember the time we sat on the dock with binos and radios with the warden and he busted those yankees filleting those fish at signal point on Guntersville? Thats one of my favorite stories! When we walked over there and they thought he was one of the guys and they were bragging about all the fish they had caught and cleaned, and they had all those 3 inch bream and 6 inch crappie and bass. I would love for you to fill the aldeer folks in on that one. It was an all time classic!!

I remember, fondly. That's the one mentioned earlier in this thread. How are y'all doing?!?




Here's the story:


I get a call at the fishwrapper from a pal about some nonresidents (Indiana, I believe) who were putting the wood to bluegills and shellcrackers at Guntersville in spring ... probably May, although I can't be sure.

My caller ain't happy about it and already has contacted the game warden. They've already been doing a little surveillance and watching these good ol' boys go fishing in the morning -- multiple people in multiple boats -- and bring in a shitpile of fish, fillet them, put them in the upright chest freezer (strapped into the back of their pickup truck!), eat lunch, and then go back in the afternoon for another round.

My pal said he checked one or two really good shellcracker bedding areas and it looked like a vacant moonscape. Y'all know how a good shellcracker bed can be, but it's possible to put a bigtime hurting on it. He was pissed and disappointed.

I get invited to watch the bust. Game warden walks up "undercover" in his greens and boots but with a plaid shirt over his regular shirt (and badge, and gun/belt). Exchanges the "How y'all doins?" and such, and after they start bragging about how well they're doing he asks to see licenses, fish and shows his badge.

No harsh words were spoken, but they looked like puppies being chastised for peeing on the carpet. Not a damn peep out of any of them as the GW is looking through the freezer, counting what he could count and getting his work done.

By this time, my pal and I have walked over. The violators -- nine of them, I believe -- don't know if we're also game wardens or who we are. We didn't say anything to them but talked with the GW. Walked around a little bit. I had my notepad and pen, making notes.

One of the violators walked up and sheepishly asked, "May I go to the bathroom?" Now, this is a group of men probably 55-years old or older, and older. I'm almost that age and God help me if I ever do anything that stupid, because I'd be embarrassed, too.

"Yes," I replied firmly, "but don't go anywhere else and come right back."

I had to walk away to hide my grin, I wanted to laugh so hard.

I think there was something like 256 or 276 counts of being over the limit. Maybe more. It was huge. Their freezer was chocked with bags of fillets. It pissed me off, too.

And I wish more guys were like my pal - vigilant, pissed, disappointed, and ready to contact the GWs to try to get something done. The GWs can't do it all or be everywhere, and can use hunters' and anglers' help when possible. They ain't always the bad guys ... but they want to catch the bad guys.

I knew clem would tell it better than I could. It was one of the funniest times I can remember. I still remember like it was yesterday, when they were bragging away as they cleaned 6 and 7 inch crapie and every other little thiing that bit their hooks that day.

Like stocking deer.

Fishing pressure is a beotch to the fish, but the populations aren't hurting I assure you.

It's interesting that after years of anglers complaining about gill netting on the river and how it affects game fish but nothing being done, now the DCNR has ruled it can restrict gill netting and will begin doing so immediately.

Guess it takes a big tournament championship here in 15 months or so to get something done. Maybe not. Looks funny, though.

Also interesting is that after years - and I mean, years - of anglers complaining about the daily creel limit for black bass (largemouth, smallmouth) being 10 a day and nothing being done, I'm told that a reduction to 5 per day will be considered in early 2013 for proposal by the CAB.

Two very long overdue changes that have been requested by anglers for years and rebuffed with differing reasons. Now, a championship tournament put on by an organization based in the state is coming here in 15 months and, "Voila!", we have changes.

Coincidence? Maybe. Darn sure doesn't look like it, though.

I don't see the big deal with the creel limit being 10.

The 10 to 5 creel limit would be great, I hope it happens.

I think doing away with hot weather bass tournaments would be better than that

Bass would be protected more by doing away with tourneys (including catch & release)than lowering the creel limit. I fish a couple of small tourneys each year & about 10% of the fish are belly up at or near the scales, more in hot weather. I also would rather eat a 1-3 lb bass than any other game fish out there but to each his own. I guess that's why real tourney fishers don't like me. You can't please everyone & that includes me so what ever they decide is best I'll live with & abide by.

What this guy said. I used to fisheye baseball country tournament at lay every year the last time I fished it I picked up 15-20 dead bass that were thrown back in right at the ramp at paradise point!!! Most of these were three to six pound bass!!!

those tournaments held during bedding/spawning times are the real killers. You take 100 fisherman on a lake and each one has caught 2-5 bass each off the bed then drove them 10-30 miles away to the weigh in, then dumped in the lake at the boat ramp. It can decimate a whole year class of bass. I think bed fishing should be outlawed.