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Author:
MSM07
Date:
May 23, 2010
Subject:
Crystal Lake DEP
Message:
Hey I was just wondering if there was anyone else that is completely fed up with the DEP at crystal lake? I have gone there about a dozen times in the last 2 years and every time these guys make up some reason to check me for everything! This last time 2 days ago I was in a canoe with my friend and they went out of their way to ask me for a fishing license, life jackets and papers for the canoe. THERE WAS NO MOTOR ON THE BOAT! They assumed because I was a 19 year old kid that I didn't know that you dont need to have a canoe registered if you dont have a motor on it. I told him this and he finally left me alone. But everytime I go these guys go out of their way to harass me. Anyone else having this problem?
Author:
DV
Date:
May 24, 2010
Message:
I go out of my way to dress like an idiot now when I go fish at popular DEP spots like the Salmon and most lakes. Flannel shirts/fishing shirts, waders, fishing related hat, slew of rods etc. I used to checked all the time cause I look like what a cop would refer to as a"trouble maker" with gauges in my ears, tattoos and being 22 etc. I obey all the laws, I don't litter and I pick up other Aholes trash, I don't keep fish, I don't use herring, I don't use more than 2 poles at a time... I can go on and on. I hate getting bothered by the DEP, most of the time I go to a "nice" spot I like to be by myself and enjoy being out side (not worrying about big brother keeping an eye on me). Last week at one of my CTR spots another angler informed me that he called the DEP on a guy fishing down to my left for using alewife. I knew for a fact that he was using cut perch but he did have 3 poles going( I assumed his wife was fishing which she was not). The DEP went and checked him out then asked the rest of us if we had licenses. He barely looked at mine and my brothers saying that we looked "like serious fisherman". I told him that yea the guy was using 3rods but I assumed his wife had a license and that he was catching the perch on sandworms and chunking em. DEP guy didn't know the 7" creel size limit on white perch and ending up making some calls in his truck and coming back to give the guy a $155 for fishing 3 poles. It's stuff like this that bothers me, because the DEP has been back to my spot twice since then handing out 1 non licensed ticket/abuse ticket$155 and ticketing a unregistered vehicles. Being in basically 200yards from my house I tend to drink beer at this spot and enjoy myself, I don't wanna end up with a DUI for being 1 drink over becasue some idiot had to call the DEP because he couldn't tell the difference between a perch and a BLUEBACK herring. I know many places along the CTR were foreign fisherman catch herring to use and I see tons of boats trolling for alewife. NOW why the hell is the DEP doing nothing about that? something that is highly against the law and impacts fishing. If the DEP ever asked me if I had papers for my unregistered non motored canoe I would literally laugh in their face. Because sadly it appears up knowledgeable anglers know more than they do, maybe I could request a weekly check in the mail! MSM maybe let me know when you go to Crystal lake again, haven't brought my canoe there yet but used to catch great numbers of LM from the shore(illegally because of the ton of posted signs on everyinch of shoreline).
Author:
PECo
Date:
May 24, 2010
Subject:
On the other hand. . .
Message:
I've only had my fishing license checked once in three years, although I've spoken with DEP guys on several occasions. I actually appreciate seeing them out there. Yes, they're understaffed. And, yes, their monitoring practices don't seem very coordinated. But they're a lot better than nothing. I found myself wishing the DEP had checked Nod Brook WPA after dusk a couple of nights ago, as I cleaned up the trash left by what I think were some carpers. Nod Brook is supposed to close at dusk. While I'm not opposed to night fishing in any way, I am opposed to fishermen who leave their trash all over the place and throw their empty beer cans into the pond. I guess I'm saying that I wouldn't mind more monitoring, not less.
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