I should have known better!

[wuchikubo]

The past weekend, I went over to check on a popular spot on the Dufferin creek in Ajax and low and behold I see 6 people by the river three people (3 were kind of on watch out) fishing north of the CNR and 401! Mind you one was a young child with his mother and just toying around, but the other two had appropriate fishing gear for steelies.

I calmly walk over without any fishing gear and point out the fact that "I believe this area isn't open yet for fishing, you have to be south of the CNR". I was brushed off and they continued to fish.

 

I was disgusted by their attitude and left to check on the area that was legally fishable. Three anglers with only one mentioning hooking into two suckers.

 

Sorry, for my rant, but now I know better and have added the MNR tip line to my cell phone should I ever come across more poachers!

 

BTW from the MNR website the number is 1-877-847-7667 should anyone else not know it.

They also suggest getting down as much info as possible, vehicle lic, description or photo, etc.

 

Poachers beware!!

 

Stan

[misfish]

Stan,call your local MNR and ask to talk to one of the local co. Get his CELL number. You have better odds.IMO

[wuchikubo]

Hey Misfish,

 

I just tried to call the MNR office in Aurora, I was left ringing the phone for customer service for 10 mins before I gave up. Called the MNR main line and was told to call the tips line.

 

Geez, they make it more tedious to look for someone to call to get help.

 

Can anyone PM me the CO's contact info for GTA / Ajax?

 

Thanks,

Stan

[tjsa]

If you happen to have a close personal relationship with a CO(s) somewhere, and can rely on them being on duty, do that. But, for everything else, use the TIPS line number. Get some pics if you can, hopefully date stamped, and anything else you can get within reason so that you are not personally in jeopardy from the perpetrators.

Remember, digital photos, if taken at full resolution, can reveal a lot of info you do not see immediately, until blown up or enhanced.

Unfortunately, with the MNR's budget nowadays, the TIPS line is the best we can do for reporting such incidents.

[fishindevil]

the CO's name for the GTA area is mitch finney he is around when i drove to port darlington 2 weeks ago he was writing a guy up for not having a licence,so he is around just never when you need him at that time...well lets hope he gets as many as he can....

[Photoz]

Mitch Finney is one of the best guys out there, but he must have at least 5000 square kilometers to patrol . . . . . pretty tough to be EVERY place there is illegal activity going on at the same time . . . . and these poachers KNOW this. Being a hero, and brazenly taking photographs of the illegal fishing could, in some instances, get your camera rammed up where the sun don't shine . . . . . why do you think C. O.'s are armed? Unfortunately a call to the 'tips' line, no matter how good the description, won't do much . . . . unless you have it expertly written up, with photos, and are prepared to spend a few days sitting around a courtroom (for about $9.75 a day, witness fee) it'a a bit of a waste of time. Sorry to rain on your parade, but . . . . . that's just the way it is!

[verno]

On a side note, last sunday I was driving my kid to lacrosse and I saw (I'm guessing Mitch) a CO in his pickup right in downtown Oshawa on Celina St. Seemed to be pulling into a driveway. Thought it was a bit odd, but good to see them out and about.