I reported a poacher and I have mixed feelings.

[-JR-]

You also saved there lives . Fish in Wabamun are not healthy to eat.

I wonder what is going to happen on the free fishing weekend .
Many people will think all the fish are free in the Lakes in Alberta $300 fine for every fish .
Thats what we got for being 1/8 of inch under at cold lake ice fishing
It was right on when we caught it , but two hrs later and frozen out came the ticket book.

[kevinhits]

Originally Posted by -JR-

You also saved there lives . Fish in Wabamun are not healthy to eat.

I wonder what is going to happen on the free fishing weekend .
Many people will think all the fish are free in the Lakes in Alberta $300 fine for every fish .
Thats what we got for being 1/8 of inch under at cold lake ice fishing
It was right on when we caught it , but two hrs later and frozen out came the ticket book.

I was thinking the same thing when I received an email about free fishing this weekend...They probably think they can keep everything they catch.

[Iceman80]

Once people get hit in their pocket book and have to deal with fines and suspensions, make them think twice!!! Back you 100% for calling that in. Our fisheries are pressured a ton in a lot of areas in this province as is, this kind of crap needs to stop and people need to wake up! grrrrrrr

[DiabeticKripple]

I caught a guy and his daughter bait fishing on the bow in Calgary once. It seemed like he was very new to fishing and it was like his daughter asked him one day to go so he bought her a rod and took her out. While not reading the regs is no excuse, I made a bit of a plan.

I walked over and mentioned they can’t use bait in that portion of the river. I then asked if he had a license and read the regs. He said no to both and he didn’t know about the bait and he quickly packed up and left. I believed him.

If he had decided to call me an a-hole or blow me off I was going to call him in. But it seemed like he genuinely didn’t know better (although he should’ve) and he was educated.

[EZM]

Originally Posted by the local angler

the only thing i would suggest to you is if you go back to the same lake or anywhere for that matter just watch your back just in case. one of my buddies friend did something similar at travers and the 3 or 4 guys he reported ran over and beat the snot out of him. it was reported to the police and was on the news but i am not sure what the outcome was in that case.

How would they know it was him who reported them? They can never be sure. Even in the case where the F&W came, how do the poacher know someone reported them and it wasn't a random check?

I really wouldn't worry about that.

[the local angler]

Originally Posted by EZM

How would they know it was him who reported them? They can never be sure. Even in the case where the F&W came, how do the poacher know someone reported them and it wasn't a random check?

I really wouldn't worry about that.

he was trying to take a pic with his cell phone and was not exactly discrete about it and they saw him take their pic. sloppiness on his part.

[Who Da Fisherman]

Originally Posted by DiabeticKripple

I caught a guy and his daughter bait fishing on the bow in Calgary once. It seemed like he was very new to fishing and it was like his daughter asked him one day to go so he bought her a rod and took her out. While not reading the regs is no excuse, I made a bit of a plan.

I walked over and mentioned they can’t use bait in that portion of the river. I then asked if he had a license and read the regs. He said no to both and he didn’t know about the bait and he quickly packed up and left. I believed him.

If he had decided to call me an a-hole or blow me off I was going to call him in. But it seemed like he genuinely didn’t know better (although he should’ve) and he was educated.

Nice, honest approach, really like this.
As for the educated part, I will now think he knew better.
I did once years back, went home for x-mas and dad wanted to go fishing for2-3 hours and off we went. We only had 3 lines in but still not the point. Sure enough f&w should up and we had 2 choices, too many lines or without a license. Well dad before I could say anything took the line ticket. Funny thing is he has coffee with this guy every couple of weeks.
We knew better, he knew we did, take your lumps and learn from your mistakes.
WDF

[Pikeonafly]

First of all,

Good job on reporting the alleged poaching. We need people out there to keep an eye out for active poaching and/or illegal method of fishing and hunting. Don’t feel guilty about it as poachers either don’t care or ignorant about the law.

I had a recent chat with the RAP worker where he told me that people do not report out of concerns of retaliation or they don’t care to because its none of their business. People also report but choose to remain anonymous which is okay but they will miss out on the reward that is given.

Second of all,

Please, please invest in a gopro or similar gadget when taking photos/videos or be discrete about it. You do not want to confront or allow them to see you recording or taking photos of them. Be discrete and protect yourself. Ask the fish officer how far out they are and START preparing to leave if you’re the only one out there. If there is more people around, don’t worry about them trying to narrow you down. Just don’t make it obvious.

———

At 6 walleye alleged poached and maybe some other odd charges, they’re looking at $800+ fine. You receive roughly about 50% or so in reward. This is just speculation on my half though as I did receive around that much for reporting a pike poacher a few week back.

Just to make you feel better, i reported a family w/ children for having 1 undersize fish. If they bothered to even attempt to measure it, I would of left them alone. However these people just went out and grabbed a box acting like they won a free prize. Needlessly to say, they packed up and left right after the fish officer hit them with a fine.

Another fella decided to use 2 lines in open water right next to me while my gopro was running. Got a visit from fish officer and ticket too.

Yet another fella decided to fake “release” a fish and even had the rulebook with him. Well he got hit with a fine as well.

Anyways, stay safe and try to change your fishing routine and location so people can’t just stalk a location waiting for you to come if they think its you who reported.

[Isopod]

You did the right thing. Leave it up to the Wildlife Officer to decide whether leniency is deserved or not.

[HuyFishin]

Hey everyone I made this video last night. I'm not exactly scared of getting retaliation. This video is unlisted so only people with this link can watch it.
If I was to make this video public do you think its appropriate. You hardly see the poachers since I want to protect there privacy.

https://youtu.be/nD30bdn1aiA

I will make this video public depending on everyones thoughts.

[SNAPFisher]

Hey Huy, you are clearly a good person. Great job on how you approached the video. Now that I've seen it, I actually do not feel bad for the other party at all. This is how it starts. What if no one reported them? Kids learn from parents. I think you made a big difference by doing this. Also your video should be used by RAP as a good news story, my opinion. A great example of how to approach it. Good on you for hanging around to meet the officer. Enjoy your reward, you deserve it.

[HuyFishin]

Thank you, I will make it will make it public if everyone thinks so. My biggest fear is for the poachers to think I personally attacked them

[briangeorge]

Old 06-20-2020, 07:38 AM
briangeorge briangeorge is online now
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 103
Default Wabamum yesterday
I never fished Wabamum last year but was there many times before. We were out yesterday and fished the regular spots (4-5) that are in my GPS. Although the fishing was good we did not bring in any walleye of any size. They were all consistently very small. Just wondering if anyone else has noticed this as well. Or maybe my marked spots have been abandoned by the big ones.
It is nice to see that walleye are spawning and surviveing for sure.

This is my post from June 20th. It makes sense now and my theory about excess poaching is probably correct. Once again great job on getting that reported.

[WayneChristie]

Originally Posted by Pikeonafly

First of all,

Good job on reporting the alleged poaching. We need people out there to keep an eye out for active poaching and/or illegal method of fishing and hunting. Don’t feel guilty about it as poachers either don’t care or ignorant about the law.

I had a recent chat with the RAP worker where he told me that people do not report out of concerns of retaliation or they don’t care to because its none of their business. People also report but choose to remain anonymous which is okay but they will miss out on the reward that is given.

Second of all,

Please, please invest in a gopro or similar gadget when taking photos/videos or be discrete about it. You do not want to confront or allow them to see you recording or taking photos of them. Be discrete and protect yourself. Ask the fish officer how far out they are and START preparing to leave if you’re the only one out there. If there is more people around, don’t worry about them trying to narrow you down. Just don’t make it obvious.

———

At 6 walleye alleged poached and maybe some other odd charges, they’re looking at $800+ fine. You receive roughly about 50% or so in reward. This is just speculation on my half though as I did receive around that much for reporting a pike poacher a few week back.

Just to make you feel better, i reported a family w/ children for having 1 undersize fish. If they bothered to even attempt to measure it, I would of left them alone. However these people just went out and grabbed a box acting like they won a free prize. Needlessly to say, they packed up and left right after the fish officer hit them with a fine.

Another fella decided to use 2 lines in open water right next to me while my gopro was running. Got a visit from fish officer and ticket too.

Yet another fella decided to fake “release” a fish and even had the rulebook with him. Well he got hit with a fine as well.

Anyways, stay safe and try to change your fishing routine and location so people can’t just stalk a location waiting for you to come if they think its you who reported.

nothing alleged at all unless they have Jesus Christ waiting at home to reanimate the fish and return them to the lake. kept fish with zero retention are poached, no two ways about it. ignorance or not. Huy did the right thing now the family knows they did wrong.

[WayneChristie]

Originally Posted by HuyFishin

Hey everyone I made this video last night. I'm not exactly scared of getting retaliation. This video is unlisted so only people with this link can watch it.
If I was to make this video public do you think its appropriate. You hardly see the poachers since I want to protect there privacy.

https://youtu.be/nD30bdn1aiA

I will make this video public depending on everyones thoughts.

you can make it public, I doubt I would with my name all over it though. they could have some friends you wouldnt like to meet. lots of dark alleys

[Pikeonafly]

Originally Posted by WayneChristie

nothing alleged at all unless they have Jesus Christ waiting at home to reanimate the fish and return them to the lake. kept fish with zero retention are poached, no two ways about it. ignorance or not. Huy did the right thing now the family knows they did wrong.

I would agree Huy did the right thing however leave it to the court to decide whether they innocent or not. We do not have the right to make such claims.

Its proper to say alleged because they are innocent until proven guilty in the court of law. Until they are convicted by the court, you are to say alleged otherwise you may run the risk of being sued for defamation.

This is how the media cover their ass. If they went all out and the family was found to be not guilty, the media would be sued. Sure this is the internet where your words may mean nothing but once u start talking on social media, you need to watching what you say.

[ghostguy6]

Originally Posted by DiabeticKripple

I caught a guy and his daughter bait fishing on the bow in Calgary once. It seemed like he was very new to fishing and it was like his daughter asked him one day to go so he bought her a rod and took her out. While not reading the regs is no excuse, I made a bit of a plan.

I walked over and mentioned they can’t use bait in that portion of the river. I then asked if he had a license and read the regs. He said no to both and he didn’t know about the bait and he quickly packed up and left. I believed him.

If he had decided to call me an a-hole or blow me off I was going to call him in. But it seemed like he genuinely didn’t know better (although he should’ve) and he was educated.

This is the same approach I try to take. There have been many times were I have mentioned something and I generally think they did not even know you needed a license or there even were fishing regs. Usually I see this with single parents taking their kids fishing for the first time. There have even been times where I have taken a few "kids under my wing" so to speak. Mother did not have a license but her two kids wanted to fish. Once she found out she needed a license she stopped fishing and just watched while I showed her kids how to cast. Next weekend they were back and mom had a license.
If they look like experienced fishermen however I will call it in every time and leave it for F&W.

[bezzola]

That whole free fishing crap needs to stop to buy a license and help our outdoors.

[HuyFishin]

I've decided to make the video public at lunch. I will make a note on the video they are innocent until proven guilty.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by HuyFishin

Thank you, I will make it will make it public if everyone thinks so. My biggest fear is for the poachers to think I personally attacked them

no...no...and another hard no.....you did your part and the law did thiers...no need to drag this on etc it might come back to bite you in the arse….just saying.

stick to fishin vids etc no need to turn this into HuyPro TIPS hunting down the bad guys....might loose a few nice viewers and invite a few not so nice....

[pikeman06]

And they get all protective and offended when some dumbie comes on the forum with a question that is clearly written in the regulations...ignorance to the law is no excuse. Buddy showed me a picture of a stringer of bull trout his brother caught the other day and said you are allowed 5. People can't read? Too much effort to flip the pages of the regulations? I have zero patience for people who act dumb to get attention on here.

[Bigwoodsman]

Originally Posted by HuyFishin

I've decided to make the video public at lunch. I will make a note on the video they are innocent until proven guilty.

Thats not a very good idea. Stop and think about it before you do this.

You reported a poacher. You did the right thing.

Likely not the first time they have poached fish(IMHO).

BW

[Pikeonafly]

Originally Posted by HuyFishin

I've decided to make the video public at lunch. I will make a note on the video they are innocent until proven guilty.

Please don’t.


You’re inviting attention from people who don’t take kindly of what you do. You’re asking for trouble. I would never recommend anyone post a video of any kind of alleged poaching or hunting on their youtube channel or social media.

Send to f&w and call it a day. The clicks/points are not worth having someone confront you for reporting them.

[Dean2]

You did right but there is zero upside to posting the video publicly. I would definitely not recommend that. As far as alledged goes, these are ticket offenses. You are quilty on issue of the ticket unless you opt to go to court to contest. 98% just get paid, no contest.

[HuyFishin]

I feel like i have an angel and a devil on each shoulder right now. If it was to go public I understand it may anger many. Including poachers themselves. I'm putting myself in a position like i'm Chris hansens to catch a predator. Which will cause for some people to dislike the video and unsubscribe. Which i'm not worried about.

I'm also not worried about dark alley's or being attacked. The only thing i'm mainly concerned about is hurting the accused feelings. Thats why I cut out anything i could that would relate to race/ethnicity. I didnt show the faces of the accused because I'm not trying to smother the face of the accused all over the internet.

On the bright side poachers may fear me if they see me around these local lakes.

In the end nobody knows who they are and no harm no foul. i've got many pm's at the same time. Thats why I decided to make it public.

I apologise in advance to anyone that may see me differently. I guess my emotions I get when I run into a poacher angers me enough to try to convince myself to put it online.

[walleyechaser]

Originally Posted by HuyFishin

I feel like i have an angel and a devil on each shoulder right now. If it was to go public I understand it may anger many. Including poachers themselves. I'm putting myself in a position like i'm Chris hansens to catch a predator. Which will cause for some people to dislike the video and unsubscribe. Which i'm not worried about.

I'm also not worried about dark alley's or being attacked. The only thing i'm mainly concerned about is hurting the accused feelings. Thats why I cut out anything i could that would relate to race/ethnicity. I didnt show the faces of the accused because I'm not trying to smother the face of the accused all over the internet.

On the bright side poachers may fear me if they see me around these local lakes.

In the end nobody knows who they are and no harm no foul. i've got many pm's at the same time. Thats why I decided to make it public.

I apologise in advance to anyone that may see me differently. I guess my emotions I get when I run into a poacher angers me enough to try to convince myself to put it online.

You have nothing to prove. Move on. Posting the video is good for no one

[walking buffalo]

Originally Posted by HuyFishin

I've decided to make the video public at lunch. I will make a note on the video they are innocent until proven guilty.

You don't need to qualify their innocence or guilt.

If you know that they were charged, then just say that they were charged.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by HuyFishin

I feel like i have an angel and a devil on each shoulder right now. If it was to go public I understand it may anger many. Including poachers themselves. I'm putting myself in a position like i'm Chris hansens to catch a predator. Which will cause for some people to dislike the video and unsubscribe. Which i'm not worried about.

I'm also not worried about dark alley's or being attacked. The only thing i'm mainly concerned about is hurting the accused feelings. Thats why I cut out anything i could that would relate to race/ethnicity. I didnt show the faces of the accused because I'm not trying to smother the face of the accused all over the internet.

On the bright side poachers may fear me if they see me around these local lakes.

In the end nobody knows who they are and no harm no foul. i've got many pm's at the same time. Thats why I decided to make it public.

I apologise in advance to anyone that may see me differently. I guess my emotions I get when I run into a poacher angers me enough to try to convince myself to put it online.

a poacher who does this for a living will not fear you just know who you are so why invite this type to your door step.....ya don't need the grief....but life is full of hard lessons...good luck.

[Talking moose]

You ratted out my brother in-law.
I watched that video from that time you left from your house.
I have your house number and street.
Chat later.

[Talking moose]

And I’m kidding of course. I have no brother in-law.