walleye snaggers

Got a call from my fishing buddy yesterday afternoon. His brother was spotting walleyes the night before at Tenney Locks and there were three guys snagging walleyes. They broke off on a big one, went home and came back with a net, and continued snagging. While all this was going on five more guys came up and starting fishing right in front of the fish refuge sign. He tried to contact the DNR but forgot their hotline number; 1-800-TIP-WDNR. If you come across a bunch of jokers like this call the tip line and get it stopped. His brother did call the 911 Center and they eventually sent down a city cop, who said he couldn't ticket them, but would talk to them. He did and they left. If the officer was familiar with the fish and game laws he could have written them up, but I'm more surprised he didn't hold them until a warden could get notified (fishing out of season, fishing in a refuge closed to all fishing, probably over limits, probably some undersized fish, etc). I went down there last night around 10:30pm and no one was around. Did spot some dandy walleyes though. Wish the water was clearer, sure there's a lot more I couldn't see. There's some muskies cruising around there also. Rick

The police is not allowed to write up for game laws. I'm not sure why. I know a village cop (he was a trout angler as well) and he wanted to know the code for trout fishing out of season as he has caught a few folks fishing before the season opened. The WDNR warden would not let him do it. I don't know why. Maybe we should put a resolution in the Conservation Congress allowing law enforcement to be able to. I'll bet that would p1ss off a few wardens, I would think?

My brother is a Dane County deputy. Police CAN issue citations, they are authorized to enforce all the codes of state statutory law. Problem is, most of them have no idea what fish and game regulations are unless they hunt and/or fish.

If anyone reads this post (thanks RK) and has the chance, take a stop at Tenney after dark and just see if this is going on. Call 1-800-tip-wdnr if it's happening. I'm pissed.

meddle

As Meddle stated, yes, any sworn officer can write a ticket for fish and game violations. Part of the reason they usually don't is because of unfamiliarity with complex state (and Federal) laws. The other part of the equation is any revenue generated for the violation would go to the states coffers, and not the issuing agency. Now throw in the issuing agency may have to have their officer go to court, causing an even further loss of possible income and service to that agencies “customers”. One exception to this was when the original Sheriff’s MATE team was around. Sgt. Dave Branley would write fish and game violations without hesitation, but he also worked for the DNR on his own time as a Warden Special, and knew the laws and how to enforce them.

I believe however the officer could have held the violators until a warden could have been reached. At the very least the officer could have gotten the identity of the violators and forwarded the information to the wardens. I know I wouldn’t have confronted them myself (eight to one aren’t good odds), but I would have gotten all the information I could (vehicle license number for example).

As it turned out that night, all eight violators had everything fall into place for them, and were able to leave without getting nailed. And that's a shame...

Gosh, I had this very talk with "Raymond" as he doesn't like to be called. I didn't know why the village officer was refused the code to write tickets back in the 90s when I knew him. I just know he was not able to as the WDNR would not allow him to.

I do agree that those guys got off too easily. I would love to have a warden on their case to do justice. I think it not good to harass spawning fish.

I also told another Cap City member what I had heard and he (a retired cop) will keep an eye on it as well.

Thanks RK for the heads up (Raymond too!, but don't tell him I typed that:D)

rk diver, tell you buddy to do what everyone should do, keep the dnr hotline number entered into his cell phone after that reporting these losers should be a snap, they need to get busted, lose there fishing rights for a couple years.

I paid and printed my wis license online,the tip line number is on my license,is it on everybody elses who might of got there license at a bait shop or gander.

What a bunch of knuckle heads. And the sad truth is there so many of them. Was down at Vilas Saturday morning to check out the Muskies at the Dam.
Saw a couple of them make the leap saw alot more that didnt. Anyways
this family shows up and ready for a day of fishing (it's still raining) Now just like Tenney there's No Fishing signs all over the place and if for some reason you dont see the first 10 the DNR made some up like big bobbers so your sure to see those on your first cast. Right? Wrong. I was just about to speed dial the DNR and thought why should the whole family suffer just because the Dad's an Idiot. Once my uncontolble head scratching and head shacking stopped I pulled the knuckle head aside and very slowly explained the reason why the DNR post both Tenney and Vilas area's this time of year
and just how costly it could be if you think there kidding. Thank God he took it well. Now just as Dad is pulling the gang together to break the news I noticed knuckle head #2 along with his two young sons has arrived. To his credit he was going to obey the signs but he's got this bigg ol Buck tail rigged up on his pole. So once again "Mr. Sportsman of the Year" nominee rather than the Warden has hopefuly educated another possible Real Fisherman like the rest of us.

FOG,

Man you did the right thing and was good for all involved--that took some courage.