09-11-2013, 08:10 PM
[#0000FF]I think I can truthfully say that I am more of an ally than a foe to DWR. So I try to be sympathetic to the plight of their thinly-stretched field folks. Lots of territory to "manage" with a finite number of hours in a day and distance they can effectively cover. But I do also have to be a wee bit upset with the complete lack of supervision on some waters and followup on regulations for specific species.
You have been checked 3 times in 10 years...for a license? I fish a lot of "popular" ponds...many trips a year...and I have only been approached by any kind of enforcement folks ONCE. And that was a Ranger on Utah Lake...first admiring my float tube setup and then asking as an afterthought if I had a PFD. I did, and he blasted off to nail someone who had just violated the 150' proximity rule...while the ranger was very visible. Morons of all ilks.
There are days on many lakes when I suspect there are more than a few "happy harvesters" who are not only keeping grundles of fish but are likely fishing without benefit of a license. At least they tend to pack up and boogie whenever a marked vehicle drives into the area. Maintaining a frequent presence would likely preserve more fish for those of us who abide by the regulations and buy licenses. I have heard it said that many of these folks prefer to play "CO roulette"...fishing as often as they can without a license with a less than one in six chance they will be caught.
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You have been checked 3 times in 10 years...for a license? I fish a lot of "popular" ponds...many trips a year...and I have only been approached by any kind of enforcement folks ONCE. And that was a Ranger on Utah Lake...first admiring my float tube setup and then asking as an afterthought if I had a PFD. I did, and he blasted off to nail someone who had just violated the 150' proximity rule...while the ranger was very visible. Morons of all ilks.
There are days on many lakes when I suspect there are more than a few "happy harvesters" who are not only keeping grundles of fish but are likely fishing without benefit of a license. At least they tend to pack up and boogie whenever a marked vehicle drives into the area. Maintaining a frequent presence would likely preserve more fish for those of us who abide by the regulations and buy licenses. I have heard it said that many of these folks prefer to play "CO roulette"...fishing as often as they can without a license with a less than one in six chance they will be caught.
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