Early Fishing

[jigginjim]

It seems people either don't know or don't care. Targeting fish of which the season is closed is illegal. There is no reason for casting large baits, (spooons, bass worms, or crankbaits) trying to catch bass, pike or walleye. I'll ask people not to use these baits, but if I get any greif. I call T.I.P with the guy stand next to me.

[bassNspear]

Jim, have you seen people or something?

Just wondering where this is coming from is all?

[Grant]

4 guys at Montisippi Park, catching smallies on suckers yesterday... had no cell signal or I'd have called TIP right then... Grr.

*blankety blanking blank* slobs left a bunch of bottles and cans there too.... right on the landing slab.

[Huntin&Fishin]

I agree, but i have had excelent luck with the small x-rap for crappies

[rockman]

Grant, you can give a call to the Wright County Sheriff dispatch to get ahold of the local CO, or a Wright County deputy.Especially with the littering, call Wright County, since Montisippi is a county park.

[jigginjim]

I saw 4 people over the weekend, using skirted spoons, 3/8 spinner baits, and 6-8 inch worm. I did call the TIP line I have stored in my cell.

If the CO feels your intentionally targeting fish for which the season is closed. You may what to stay with smaller lures and baits. Trophy Crappies on 3/8's spinnerbaits may be hard to prove.

[Grant]

I know- it just ticks me off. part that sucks is every time I go there my cell cant get a signal at that landing... quarter mile in any drection is fine, but just not at that spot... think it's a dead zone.

I ended up picking up the slob's trash, since no one else was going to before it ended up in the river.

[REDGammi1]

seee the spinners and stuff are ridicoulus but i prefer to us 2 inch original floaters for crappies.... yeah for the most part i catch crappies on this one lake but i do occasionally catch a walleye or norhtern.... not on purpose though.... and as for the slobs... hopefully they learn cuz 20 years down the road, i dont see these river systems getting anybetter when it comes to the garbage issue.....

[fishgutz77]

I see guys at that location all the time catching smallies out of season and when confronted they usually say that they are after cats. My next question is why are you using 6# test line then? that's when they know that they ain't foolin anybody.

Keep calling Mitch maybe he'll finally start righting some tickets.

The problem is it's a huge wintering hole for the area smallies and lots of people know it. 5 years ago I did take some smallies their for the sportsshow tank in the winter by special permit. We took 5 from 16-19 inches and I have not been back except to fish cats with cut bait. I did see a guy from big lake land a 21 pounder their 2 years ago.

[Grant]

21#?? too bad I can't claim that title!

Fishgutz- drop me a line if you want to go soak bait there sometime. gpbakken at gmail dawt com

[federline]

The Deer Lake channel to the Crow River, where the fish weir used to be, is also a spot I am seeing some "inappropriate" baits being thrown - big minnow stickbaits and big spinnerbaits. People got the spring bug so bad, they are not thinking right. Maybe a CO visit will knock some sense into them.

[Shack]

Ya, that area is great for an occasional big cat. I have seen an 18-19 pounder taken about 6 years ago in the fall. Have been back many times since, with low luck for even a 10 plus.

As for these guys down at Monti fishing with suckers, I have heard about them as well. They where there a couple weeks back when a friend of mine was fishing for cats right before dusk. He went out, talked with them and they said they where using pike/sucker minnows for large crappies. This was after he had seen them pulling smallie after smallie. They seem to be a little brash about their tactics. They will get it soon though.

[badfish]

I think I saw the same guys too at montisippi, I was gonna try soaking a crawler to see if I could get any catfish or carp action like 2 weekends ago, and they were in the spot I was gonna fish. So I went up river and watched em pull in smallie after smallie what looked to be on minnows. Couldn't really say they were doing anything wrong cuz i never talked to them but it looked like they were intentionally fishing for smallies.

[Grant]

I think this group of guys are out near every weekend from the sounds of it.

They will eventually get what's coming to them... but it can't happen soon enough.

[g_anoka]

I am guessing this park is behind the hospital? Spent some time there working on the latest addition. There is a problem there, alot of people fishing smallmouth out of season. I did see the CO down there one day, but since most of the people posting here appear to be locals, I think it is time to pressure your local CO, and set up something and catch these people.

[Stick in Mud]

This kind of thing is waaaay too common all over the river. The problem with the river is that one can catch just about any species on just about any lure, so it's difficult for a CO to prove in a court of law that someone was intentionally fishing for a different species. And it sounds like these guys know the law; they are just purposely breaking it. Sounds like it would be a tough sell in court. Still, somebody should teach them a lesson.

[jigginjim]

Many of us know which baits are used to target different species of fish. Maybe if some the judges knew more about fishing, the judge could have a beter opinion if these guys are fishing illegally.

I'll offer any law court judge that has these type of case, free fishing trip, to increase thier knowledge. What Honest spring fishermen would use for baits for different species.

[Shack]

I think most times a visit or two from a C.O. scares people like this and I guess makes them move to other area's. I will also say, if a ticket is issued, most time in a court of law it is very hard to reverse. A C.O. out in the field I am sure has all his ducks in a row before a ticket is issued. It is just getting those ducks in a row, that is the key.

Jigginjim,

That is a very fine offer. I hope some of them read this and take you up on your offer

[rockman]

Whoa, hold on just a sec! If it is the park behind the hospital,that is Ellison Park,which is owned by the city of Monticello.Montisippi is the county park just down stream from the nuclear plant.Get a hold of the CO is the way to go, but the Wright County Sheriff Dept.is the contract law enforcement agency for the city of Monticello.Calling 911 to report a violation will get a response.No guarantees the county will handle it, but at the very least the dispatcher can get a hold of the local CO.

[hartner62]

I'm not sure if I would be calling 911 but you can call #TIP and they should send someone out. I'm thinking they have been getting alot of calls lately because I've been checked twice lately fishing for carp and cats. They said it's hard to prove someone is intentionally trying to catch an out of season fish unless they see them catch one after another and keep throwing the same bait.

[rockman]

And why are you not sure you would call 911? You do understand that calling TIP will notify the DNR, but you will not get immediate response.Sometimes it can take up to several days for the local CO to get the message from a TIP call.I am not at all trying to discourage a call to the TIP line.But folks need to know that sheriff's deputies have the authority as sworn peace officers, to write citations for game and fish violations, just as CO's do.If someone calls 911, be sure to tell the dispatcher it is not an emergency,then give the details of the complaint.The dispatcher can then determine the next course of action-like get a hold of the CO, or send a local squad/deputy to check out your complaint.You may get told to call TIP anyway.Taxes paid to the county pay for the 911 system.It's yours and mine to call, and use, if needed.If someone already has a direct dial number to the CO, call that before calling TIP, or 911, and leave a message for the CO.Don't just assume the DNR/local CO always know what is going on in a particular location.How do I know about calling 911? Because I was a reserve deputy for three years,so I do know how the 911 system works.

[fishgutz77]

Grant, I'll drop you and e mail and then when the water warms up and the season is open we'll go down and chase a few smallies around.

[fishgutz77]

I think Mitch, the local CO lives in the St. Michael,Albertville area and is very quick to respond if you can get a hold of him on the number the Wright County has listed for him.

I've called him on after hours shooters and he's been really good about responding fast.

[rockman]

Thanks, fishgutz.That is exactly my point- that if the phone number for the local CO is not on hand when someone sees a violation, Wright County dispatch has that number to get a hold of the CO.

[Grant]

g_anoka- it was Montisippi- up by the plant. Ellison would be harder to get away with things, much more visibility. I'll say, if you saw guys poaching at Ellison they had to have a decent pair of stones to pull that off with all the visibility.

[jigginjim]

I wish we could get some the local CO's to check this site. We could help put them on the hot TIP areas. May just do a drive by.-

[glenn57]

i agree with all of you. i live in cold spring and this past sunday i drove over the bridge in town and seen a CO with binoculars keeping an eye on people fishing the sauk river for that same reasons discussed previosly because its an issue there also.

[jigginjim]

The binos that some CO have are the greats. You could see a guy blink at a 1/4 mile.

[rockman]

You got that right, considering that most, if not all CO's, are using Swarovski binocs.Spendy, but awesome quality.

[Bobber]

This is a great topic for discussion. I have never witnessed people fishing out of season, but I would call TIP in a heartbeat.

The idea of using large baits concerns me though. I've had great luck catching crappies on rapalas that I also use for bass. I use a lightweight rod for crappie though, that would make a good defense.