The need for some type of catch and release zone

[festerback]

Made my first trip to Beaver Bend and the LMF to trout fish this summer. Me and my buddy found a great spot to fly fish, and we were catching fish on nearly every cast. My mistake was moving out of the spot. There was a guy there with two small boys and they wern't catching anything. So being the softy that I am I offered the spot to him, only to watch him fish the spot dry. Me and my caught a few very nice fish and then this guy catches them, snaps their head, and throws them in a bucket. I was shocked and my buddy was mad. How can this be stopped? This guy made multiple trips to empty his bucket, only to return and re-fill it. The rest of the trip was ruined. Thoughts anyone?

[jonbo]

We've discussed it a bunch, here. There are clearly defined zones and bag limits in the Park and further downstream. The problem is enforcement, or lack thereof. Many of us who have fished at the LMF have witnessed egregious poaching. I haven't, personally, but probably just because I wasn't paying attention. I first noticed it become a big discussion topic after the 2015 flood that changed a lot of things at the river. I don't know if enforcement was allowed to slack off, then, if the issues of enforcement and damage are connected in some way, as in, the decision-makers decided to focus they're attentions elsewhere for the duration of basic repairs, or anything like that. For all I know it's gone on for years. I don go that far back, myself.  I'm sure if you asked the agencies they'd say they're just spread very thin. In any case it seems that some fisherman, I don't know if they're locals or come from elsewhere, seem to have discovered that they can get away with murder, and do.

[festerback]

Me and my buddy were discussing it again this morning at work. It was almost heart breaking to watch. Guy was bare footed, no shirt and had what looked like a zebco 33. We were there with over a thousand dollars spent between us in fly fishing gear. It was fun while it lasted though.

[festerback]

This was one of the nice one's we caught on our last trip

[paul01]

Some years ago, I saw a comment on the web stating that enforcement of fishing regulations at the LMF was lax because the view was that "illegal trout fishing" was something only Yankees cared about. I still do most of my trout fishing in New York's Catskill Mountains and recently, an old-timer told me that in the 1960's, fishermen used to follow around the stocking truck and drop a line as soon as the fish hit the water and proceed to fill up their creels to the hilt. Today, NY has catch & release waters and they have now been in place long enough (around 40 years I believe) that the regulations are widely adhered to without needing game wardens to frequently patrol the rivers to hand out citations. In addition, most of the fish that are caught in legal kill zones are released unharmed as well. It will take some time, but the catch & release mindset may yet set hold at Broken Bow, and the establishment of a catch & release zone might accelerate it. Meanwhile, strict enforcement of fishing regulations will be necessary to instill sufficient "training" in some individuals.

[bassman]

In MN we had a TIP phone # to call when we observed poaching or illegal fishing. Doesn't OK have something like that? A hotline right to enforcement like a 911 to cops? I MN if you didn't have 3 or 4 guys that looked the Hulk together you could make it a point to let the person know the call was being made. The guy with kids had his right to fish and if I'm fishing with a $2500 rod with a Hardy Perfect the guy with the Zebco 33 paid as much for his license as I did (actually more since I'm a senior lifetimer). This does not give either a right to do anything illegal. If it's a one hook barbless zone they have to obey it. If the that neck breaker exceeds his limit (and kids who have to able to use a fishing rod) then I would happily turn him in if I thought wardens could get there in time. I would keep track and if he exceeded his limit I would definitely say something to him at that point and make a warden call.

I haven't been there (LMF) yet but those things would have fired me up greatly not that many years ago. Just as a guess the guy with his kids left anything they didn't need anymore laying on the bank.

[jonbo]

I've gotten the idea they're not even responding to some of the calls they are getting. I think it's mostly a matter of too few agents for too much area and responsibility. It's hard to know what to do about it.

[golferjeff]

JOnbo is right, according to a few rangers I have spoken with. Too few of them, too large an area to cover, and too many calls by streamside civilian law-abiders. There are a few LEO's that try and enforce SOME regs at times, but barbed hooks, keeping a fish in the red zone, and bubbas keeping a few extra fish in blue zones aren't high on the priority list. The rangers and wardens weren't overly happy when their phone numbers were distributed a while back.

We do what we can.... at trout camp we witnessed one guy put a decent Brown Trout on a stringer and we explained that he could not do that with the regs in place. He kept the brown, but moved away from where our group was fishing. Who knows if he cared? Just try and do the right thing and try to help others when you can.

[pdbaehr]

I agree without a doubt. Coming from the SW and fishing the San Juan, Eagle, and other notorious tail waters, it is key for the health of a fishery. A catch and release area or quality water zone would do amazing things for the fishery, as well as the surrounding business. There are many fly fisherman in the Midwest that have limited options as far as trout fishing are concered. If they’re anything like me, they lose the rush very quickly of catching 6” stockers because the strong healthy fish have all been removed to end up on Hanks grill to feed his 9 children.

I was up there in November and my experience was very tainted due to watching the powerbait throwers ruin the fishery. If they had a constant reputation for big, hard fighting fish, you would see serious fly fisherman from all over the Midwest make a week trip out of it every year. The ecosystem and water temperature create one of the only places within 400 miles that can support a healthy fishery year-round. It’s odd to me that they would rather have the state spend the money on weekly stocks than cut that number in half and in a few years time completely eliminate it. With the savings from the stocking they could easily afford the salaries of two rangers to enforce the rules and security of the fishery. Doesn’t make any sense to me whatsoever. I dunno, maybe Hochatown doesn’t want or need the money.

[todd13]

Indeed. Two catch and release areas would be nice. Or one nice haven - everything from the bridge at the evening hole up to 500m below the spillway.  That would be enough to accomodate all and provide a safe haven for fish to breed. 

Not sure any regulations will ever get enforced. The simple economics would have to overcome the adage, "this is how we've done it for years."

I get the feeling the locals run the fishery and they like it the way it is. No need to make it better for Fly Fishers and change would be for Fly Fishers in their mind. I am just supposing.

[jonbo]

It seems like a few years ago there was quite a bit more effort being made. I believe this more recent apparent lackadaisicalness is a result of staff cuts.