Alternative Activities On The Lake

[roadwarriorsvt]

Saw a jet ski on the lake for the first time. These guys were fishing off it, idles by me, then continued on. Seemed to be riding in a responsible manner. No big deal.

Then around 3:30ish, as I'm returning to the boat ramp, these guys were laying net all the way across the lake! I had to stop while they pulled it to one side and I was able to idle under the net. I took their pic and informed them these nets are illegal to use in the lake and suggested they remove them. The netting was fairly large holes. Maybe a channel cat could get tangled up in it. I'm guessing they waited for me to round the corner, then who knows.

[fisher dude]

what the hell! are these guys that desperate what area was this and what kind of people were these idiots! did they have a boat or did they swim it across? unreal kind of funny i would of stopped and made them feel stupid ask them questions like are u guys serious! your sh-tn me right! why dont you post the pic i think everybody would get a kick out of it someone laying a net across the river crazy!

[roadwarriorsvt]

They were either Chinese or Vietnamese. I was on the opposite of the lake, so hard to tell. THey were right around the corner from the boat ramp at the old cement foundations. Pic is coming.

[roadwarriorsvt]

Here are the culprits. Anyone recognize them?

[Stan Wright]

Is that a long gillnet, or two throw nets? Doesn't look big enough to be thrownet to me. Could be a small bait throw net. Still illegal. and right by the parking lot too.

Can we report it to Aquitic Resources? I'm on the mainland and don't have any of my email addresses for AQR or DLNR.

[fisher dude]

looks like there fresh off the boat there just waiving at you. and there right there by the ramp on a holiday. i seen other asians hooking twenty to thirty tucs in a small aluminum boat and dragging them behind there boat and they knew they were busted as soon as they seen me they split! those guys are holding up a long net in the middle of the day and waiving to you lol! they just need to be informed there are laws in this river not like were ever they came from hopefully they dont give (NO UNDERSTAND ENGLISH!) LOL!

[roadwarriorsvt]

Stan,
It can be reported. DLNR would be the appropriate agency, but without these guys being identified or a license plate, there aren't any workable leads. I agree with FisherDude, I think its a lack of knowledge of the lake laws. It was not a throw net, but a very wide net that they had stretched all the way across the channel! There was one guy on the Kam Hwy side holding the other end. They have been given a warning. If I see them doing this again, they will be cited.

[Stan Wright]

I remember years ago we use to call the police... Some of the officers were fishermen and were very interested in citing game thieves.... especially salt water.

The police dept. got very tired of us calling and got all over DLNR for not doing their job.

In the '70s the HFFA club got so tired of no enforcement they started writing illegal activity reports. The reports would be collected from club members each meeting and taken to DLNR. Needless to say the head guys at DLNR got very tired of recieving over 100 violation reports a month ( and didn't even like it when we told them we were going to contact the news media) and got the enforcement side stured up.

[Ahnkochee]

I worked for DLNR for 14 years, they are for the most part lazy, dishonest, and hate to be bothered.
Those that are honest and hard working do not get ahead. Politics in DLNR is so messed up I'm glad I'm out of there.

[roadwarriorsvt]

I've gotten the impresion that they are quite understaffed to be an effective enforcement agency. How accurate is that?

[skunked]

I spoke to conservation officer Tomas today at the "island" and he said the same thing, that they are undermanned and stretched thin. He expressed some frustration with the known poachers and how they are able to beat the system, so to speak. Seems like a pretty hard job even though he gets to be outdoors a lot. Nice guy. Quite a contrast to the guy back in when I was 13 who confiscated my prized rod and reel with no explanation of how I could get them back.

[Stan Wright]

I agree... those guys are way understaffed. Perhaps we can get them a copy of the lake map and start calling in when we see violations.
(the regular shore fishermen, at their regular spots) We know who they are and where they fish.

Give DLNR some extra eyes around the lake. I don't expect them to come every time we call, but it will give them an idea of where to look when they do have time to get to Wahiawa.

And if they are in the area... we can direct them right to the trouble spots.

[roadwarriorsvt]

Quite a contrast to the guy back in when I was 13 who confiscated my prized rod and reel with no explanation of how I could get them back.

Remember every DLNR officer is his own personality. Just like every other company, there are those those strive to achieve, to work hard, and do the best they can, and then there are those who are merely collecting a paycheck. Unfortunately, they all represent the DLNR. I try not to judge an entire organization based on one member.