First experience with co's

[Kinger]

I was checked tonight as I arrived at the Marys to try out the new centerpin.

[Sandbag]

Never ceases to amaze me that people identify someone with a uniform taking a coffee break with a Tim Horton's. These people, whether it be police, MNR, ambulance or fire fighters etc. work in the community and take coffee breaks just like the people that see them there. Imagine if people didn't see them out there, where would they be.

 

Being visible in the community is what they are supposed to do. I suppose they could all take their breaks at the police station out of the public eye. Then you could be rest assured that people would complain because they were in the police station and took them too long to get to someone's call.

 

I too am glad you saw the MNR out and about. I would think if I saw one in a Tim Horton's, I would offer to buy him/her their coffee and thank them for being out and about instead of in an office somewhere.

 

IMHO

 

Cheers

 

Craig

[The JAY]

Had one episode on a fly in lake years ago, but that is a story in itself... He could hear the plane comming for 10 minutes...

[Fishnwire]

I had one show up at my camp last summer. It's in the middle of no where. He spent a whole afternoon getting in there, and there are only two camps to check. It's funny that some of you folks are indicating you rarely see them in more populated areas where there are many anglers/licences to check. Maybe if they spent less time quading into the back bush and more time on the piers they'd have a more effective presence. Maybe I'm just saying that because I don't much like having my privacy interrupted by a guy in a uniform. I suppose they often find some of the biggest violations in remote areas, so maybe it's worth their while. The thing is that I was actually guilty of an infraction and he let me off with a warning. Not that I minded, but you'd think after all the time and effort he spent getting in there, he wouldn't pass up an opportunity to hand out paper.

-

Obviously, I have no complaints with the CO that visited me that day. However, when I was younger my friends and I had a couple of run-ins with a certain CO who seemed to have the attitude that if you’re in the bush, you MUST be doing something illegal. He was unpleasant to deal with, to say the least.

[Guest Johnny Bass]

Scugog is one of those lakes where the CO's and OPP check for licenses frequently(at least out on the lake).

 

There are only a few lakes that I know where I have encountered CO's on a frequent basis.And that is ok. You cant expect them to be on all the lakes. But some lakes where I have seen numerous poachers? RICE LAKE? Should definitely have more of a CO presence.

 

They should honestly broadcast on the news, in their own foreign languages, warning people that poaching is wrong. Maybe then they may get the picture.

 

As far as CO's? Never met a CO that wasn't courteous(at least none that I can recall). Lets hope I didn't jinx myself.lol

Edited May 2, 2010 by Johnny Bass

[fish_fishburn]

I have had no problems with any co's that I have met on the water. I have been checked on the water once in the last 20 yrs or so. It seems like they are hooking up with the O.P.P. marine unit more often on the Ottawa River in the last few years. I have heard the the O.P.P. are checking fishing lic on a regular basis here. That is something they never did here until the last couple of years. Would definitely rather be checked by a C.O. here, cause the cop that runs the river here is a real dick, thinks everyone is a criminal. They dont check me cause they can't catch me, I'm way to fast, and there always busy with the 12 and 14 ft tinnies. I always have my safety gear and paper work in order so I figure they should only have to check you once a season and stop harassing you when your out on the water. They should have a sticker or something to put on your winshield to show them you are in compliance and have been checked already. Lots of people here are stopped every time they go out on the water(small boats) seems like a waste of time on both parts?

[skeeter]

a sticker for your boat would be a big mistake !!!!

a poacher gets checked just as he is starting his day and they give him a sticker...

now he's free to do what ever he wants the rest of the season.

not a good idea.

checking once a year?

after checking as many boats as they do, they will remember every boat??

maybe if you have given them a reason to remember you.-lol

as for "the hassle", whats it take maybe 2 minutes at the most for them to do there job?

that is of course that you are legal!

I for 1 do not have a problem being checked, reguardless of how many times they check me, and have never had

a problem.

 

Dann

[fish_fishburn]

Skeeter do you get checked every time you go out in your car or truck?Seems like the same difference to me. I don't mind being checked by a co when I'm fishing, but being hassled by the cops everytime you go out, to me thats harassment.The last time I was checked by the cops while fishing was a 15 to 20 minute ordeal

[skeeter]

Here's a CO story for you:

 

A guy that i fish with was out fishing with some friends one day.

they ended up running out of gas.

while sitting there trying to figure out what to do next, a CO pulls up to check them.

once he finished checking them, guess what he gave them??????

the CO gave them enough gas to get back to where they launched.

say what you will about the CO's but their day and their was saved by that CO.

they had not seen any other boat out that day, so that was pure luck.

 

now because of that incedent, when ever we go out fishing he is real anal about the gas.

i know cause he made me row my boat all the way back to a marina to get gas....

 

filtered try again please happens

[Jonny]

the CO gave them enough gas to get back to where they launched.

 

I'd expect that from anyone I met out on the water. Up in these parts anyway.

[fish_fishburn]

Exactly Jocco. I have towed the O.P.P. boat home before cause he broke down.

[DanD]

Not my first experience with a CO; but a lasting one.

 

I However, when I was younger my friends and I had a couple of run-ins with a certain CO who seemed to have the attitude that if you’re in the bush, you MUST be doing something illegal. He was unpleasant to deal with, to say the least.

 

That kind of sounds like the Barney Fife, four foot nothing tall, butt wipe; we had a run-in with, up in Matachewan.

This CO shows up at our cottage with a trainee in tow; likely due to some jealous people at the camp, calling the tips line? It wasn’t our fault that they were too hung over to get up in the mornings and that’s what I told them when they asked for our secret to finding the fish?

But that’s a different story; about people minding their own business and not making assumptions about other people.

This CO literally ransacks our cottage, after not finding a freezer full of fillets; like he thought he was going too.

Tipping the couch on its side, flipping the beds mattresses; he even sent the trainee under the cottage, on his belly to have a look around?

After not finding any over limit fish; because there was none to find; he went back to the fridge where we had our mornings catch, (that we showed him) cleaned and in a ziploc bag; waiting for us to hopefully add to it for that night’s supper.

He then asked who cleaned the fish and I told him it was me; at which point he starts writing me up for improperly packaged “no skin left on”.

When I confronted him saying that’s our supper; that it’s not being transported any further then the stove; he said the only way he would believe that was if the pan was on the stove and the burner turned on. I also told him I could show him the remnants of the fish because they would still be in the cleaning hut; not interested was what I got from him. Ok I guess legally, I was in the wrong but we were having them that night; plus most people can tell the difference between a pike and pickerel fillet; a CO sure should be able to? There was only three or four fish in the bag; all of which were in season.

As he’s handing me the ticket he says with a big assed smile on his face; you are more then with-in your rights to challenge this in court. Knowing; dam well that I’m not going to drive 9 hours back up to whatever courtroom in the Matachewan area; too fight a seventy some odd dollar charge.

This “Conservation officer” was on a power trip from the minute he walked through the door of the cottage (unannounced). The only time he removed his hand from the butt of his pistol was to write me up; if you would see the group of people that were with me (6) you would understand that was totally uncalled for.

I also had my son with me, he was only 10 or 12 then and he was scared; asking me what we did wrong; why is this guy doing this? All I could say to him was; it’s because he can and he wasn’t leaving until he had laid some form of charge.

We told the camp owner about our visitors and when he saw the name of the officer on the ticket; he said we all know him very well up here; he also said “to tell you the truth; I’m surprised that he (the CO) hasn’t been found in the bush, buried in a shallow grave”.

Yea I know not all CO’s are like what this guy is/was; but it does leave a permanent image of what they can be like (and do), if they have a mind too.

 

Just so no one jumps all over what the camp owner said to me; it was meant along the same lines, as what somebody pissed off would say at the spur of the moment.

 

Dan.

[Jonny]

There's another one like that, "power-tripping" down on Manitoulin Island.

[lew]

DanD, your story sounds almost exactly like what happened to us in Quebec a few years back. There were 8 of us camped in the bush about 50 miles east of Temiskiming.

 

Two of the guys went out in the morning and caught 3 pickeral which they cleaned (and removed the skin)and put them in the ice box for the fish fry we had planned for that evening. We all went out later in the day in the 4 boats and when we returned to camp at sunset there were 2 CO's waiting for us on the dock, both with their hands on their guns and ordered us out of the boats. One began searching the boats while the other "kept us covered" with his hand never leaving the gun.

 

When they finished with the boats, they had us all line up by the trucks while one of them systematically tore our camp apart, tent by tent, even dumping everything out of our duffle bags, while they other one still kept his hand on the gun.

 

Eventually they made their way to the kitchen tent where they found the 6 fillets in the ice box. When he saw that the skin had been removed he went ballistic. We explained that we were planning a fish fry but he basically accused us of raping the Quebec lakes. The guy who cleaned the fish apologised for removing the skin and explained that we had no intention of leaving camp with them but the CO's wouldn't listen.

 

He originally said he was gonna fine each of us $250 and call in 4 tow trucks to confiscate out trucks & boats but eventually only fined the one who cleaned the fish.

 

We knew our friend had broken the rule about removing the skin, but didn't think 3 small pickeral between 8 men exactly constituted raping the lake and all agreed these guys were on nothing more than a power trip.

 

Out of 50 odd years of fishing I think that is the only bad experience I've ever had with a CO.

[Jonny]

Out of 50 odd years of fishing I think that is the only bad experience I've ever had with a CO.

 

That one's good enough to last a lifetime.

 

No probable cause, guilty until proven innocent.

 

I only met Quebec CO's once, in the days before they had sidearms. My brother-in-law and I were up near Sept-Iles, fly-fishing a speckled trout river from the shore at a rapids, so we didn't even hear them coming. They were not friendly but not aggressive either - just checked our out-of-province licenses and our catch, and then left.

Edited May 3, 2010 by Jocko

[solopaddler]

I like to help pay the COs salaries on both sides of the border

 

The only "seasons" on Billy's fish are salt and pepper.