OOS bass fishing a joke(now with pic)

[bucketmouth]

I'm not taking sides or directing this comment at anyone in particular. For the record, I believe Matt when he says this particular dude admitted to "practising" for bass. It's just shameful IMO. I'd have snapped a pic of him too and jotted down his boat's call number to report him.

But is the general consensus that folks who own bass boats don't ever target species other than bass? It seems so easy for some to accuse without knowing all the facts. I've been on many a friends' bass boats in May for crappies and pike, and have had people scream at us about bass being out of season. Didn't matter if we were throwing a float and microtube for crappies or a bucktail Mepps for pike. Bass guys always seem to be painted with the same brush and it isn't always the case. Will you catch bass while fishing shallow areas in the spring? Sure - but you'll more likely catch your intended quarry whatever it may be. Calling people poachers for fishing in close to shore is ridiculous.

just my .02,
D.

[Relic]

Bucket, it was not the fishing close to shore that tipped you off or the fact that they were in a bass boat.

It was the fact that

a) they would openly admit their target

b] their bait selection, jigs, worms, tubes and frogs

c) their location

d) watching land bass after bass and take pictures

e) see a) and d)

Come on folks let, if looks, smells, and walks like a duck.... IT IS A DUCK

These are not allegations or speculation, the FACT is that there was a lot of guys in BASS BOATS, openly POACHING.

PATHETIC!!!!!

[RJ]

While I will 100% agree it's a bad deal you guys saw today....

99% of the argument you've got coming back is because you keep referring to BASS BOATS....

Like Bucket said....the boat means nothing....leave it out of the equation...the baits and admitting to it is enough......

The main reason why they are out there is because there is a big tournament this coming Saturday so they went out for their pre-fish....that's why I'm no fan of opening day tournaments.....it's no excuse....but that's why they are out there.."practicing"....

[BENLEGER]

I have to jump in on the subject, i live on the Ottawa River, i own a bass boat, and NO i am not a poacher. I'm tired of people that point the finger when you go out in a bassboat, when all you have in the boat is harnesses, a couple of crankbaits and dozens of worms to go out for walleye. I troll with the electric standing up in 3-8 feet of water in bays, but that doesnt mean im fishing for bass, yet people think so because i drive a bassboat. People that fish oos with a bassboat all gives us BB owners a bad name, and believe me it's frustating! i was out yesterday, NO rods in the boat to go over some of my spots to look at water temps and weed growth, people looked amazedto see 2 guys in a bassboat cruising the shallows not casting and taking notes hahahah i even confronted a guy in a canoe who thought he was allowed to fish bass and release them, i told him no, he then took out the bassboat line on me, "well what the hell are you doing here in a bassboat, i then proceeded to show him our rodless boat, and told him that bass opened next friday. A lot of people are just beeing ignorant about the law, those regulations are put in place for a reason, to preserve our fisheries, in 5-10 years or whatever when the the fish population or average size decreases they'll probably be the first to b*tch but will most likely still be fishing oos. To people fishing bass oos, please smarten up! and to people that think that everyone who owns a bassboat is fishing bass please do the same.
I'm heading to zone 10 (quebec) tomorrow night , and yes it opens on the 23rd there!

Peace
Ben

[Trophymuskie]

I'm on the water 100 days a years and it's easy to see if the bass boats are fishing for bass or not. As well as you're not supposed to be fishing the bass spots for pike when the season isn't open.

Just like the xxxxxxx I saw fishing in a new white Lund on Friday, the first time I trolled by them they seems to be standing there doing nothing. Well once I turned around for a second pass on that spot I saw the idiots parked in a weed bed with at least 5-6 rods out. Man those two must be great perch fisherman.

I'm sure some do but very few bass guys go out for anything else and the Ottawa certainly isn't the place to go for pike.

[ChrisS]

Hi, last weekend I fished with a friend in his bassboat on the St. Lawrence River. Our target species was pike. We were using bucktail jigs along the drop-offs between shallow and deep water, a tactic we have been using for years with good success. Caught a ton of pike, maybe 22 or 23 and approx. 5 oos smallies. The smallies typically spawn up on the flats and usually, after they're done spawning, move out deeper, and are sometimes caught by pike fishermen. Normally we move to another spot if catching oos bass but not under these circumstances. One boat of anglers drifted by and gave us the evil eye accompanied with a disgusted head-shake as though we were breaking the law. I just smiled at them, thanking God that I don't get stressed out by the perceived activities of others like some anglers do.

[joco]

LETS face it.

i would bet they all fish for bass...and have pike as (( alibi)).

I was fishing a couple time for pike myself.truly for pike..at the exact same place i fish for bass..wen there open..weed bed weed lin etc structures.(and almost caught no bass at all))

so if i do that i can guive some % to some bass boat thet they were fishing for pike to.....but some off them would be happy to get some bass.. .

yes they are fishing for bass.......

nothing can t be done.....mnr geos there and say what you fish for..they say bass.then they can do something..they ask and they asher pike..ok nothing you can do.


i use 80% off the same lures for pike and bass....so nobody could say i am fishing for bass..or pike..unles i am trolwong a 10 buldog or a 8 inch swinm whiz,, .

lets face they were mainly fishing for bass....and its sad.


the point have been made here in that tread.

lets start talking fishing now.... and see some reports.


joco

[Tip-up]

I saw the idiots parked in a weed bed with at least 5-6 rods out. Man those two must be great perch fisherman.

I usually have 5-6 rods on deck no matter what I am fishing for

[Scum Frog]

We have the same thread come up every year. There are poachers out there plain and simple. Some people just don't care.

Not an excuse, but I believe the MNR should review it's bass management plan.

[Jimmy_1]

Good on ya Matt,

I surely hope the MNR does do something. To tell you something as lame as ``practising``!

What if his wife caught him with another woman....would that just be ``practising`also?

I think it is our moral duty as sportsman to say something when we see blatant laws being broken.

Turning a blind eye, or saying nothing out of fear is exactly what these jackasses want.

As for the whole bass boat thing. While I do realize that not everytime your out you are fishing bass it goes without saying that birds of a feather flock together. Trust me I know!

I have tattoo`s and ride a Harley.....think I don`t get stereotyped?
You made a descision to buy that boat, you should know certain stigma`s will come with it. You did buy it to fish bass in, if you didn`t you`d have bought a multi-species fishing boat. Doesn`t mean your all poachers, but it is perception. Albeit alot of times unfair too.

Kinda like the guy who bought a corvette. He`s gonna speed. Otherwise why buy a fast car?

I applaud all of you who do not poach, but the sad reality is alot of guys with bass boats were out fishing bass out of season, taking pics etc....

They had no shame or nothing. This is the point people are making, don`t be naive here we all know when someone is fishing bass.....don`t give these guys the benefit of a doubt. That`s exactly what they want.

[beachburger]

I'm sure some do but very few bass guys go out for anything else and the Ottawa certainly isn't the place to go for pike.

Of course anyone on the Rideau in mid-May/early-June trolling a decent sized crankbait near a weededge using the 9.9HP kicker on a decked out Princecraft, Lund, Legend or Tracker is only fishing walleye or pike. After all, the Rideau certainly isn't the place to go for muskie.

EDIT: Hit Submit too soon..... I in no way condone all the OOS bassin' and applaud what Matt has done here. However the holier than thou from comments from those who target other species is a little rich. Add me to the list of those who would also like to see MNR try a catch and release bass season as is done in NY state.

[RJ]

While I agree 100% about the jackasses fishing bass early I do have to chuckle a bit about who are the harshest critics of it are...

What happened to?

"I fish for Muskies..all other fish are bait"

"My Muskie just ate your trophy bass"

[Tip-up]

I like the new avatar RJ

[muskymatt]

While I agree 100% about the jackasses fishing bass early I do have to chuckle a bit about who are the harshest critics of it are...

What happened to?

"I fish for Muskies..all other fish are bait"

"My Muskie just ate your trophy bass"

I think any way you look at it RJ the biggest message is OOS fishing of any species is wrong.

I have not seen Muskie guys fishing muskie OOS because I am not on the water at that time of year......muskie water I mean.

But I'd bet my paycheck it happens....and you can be sure not only would I confront them but I'd make sure they stopped.

I will fish other species in other bodies of water, but that's just my choice.


As for your quotes....any angler has little sayings about his/her species of choice. It is now getting off topic, which was OOS fishing.

If we stay constructive maybe something positive will come out of this, certainly no good will come from it taking the path of a pee pee match between board members.

Does it matter who has a more passionate opinion than others???

I would think the ones who don't speak up either don't care in the slightest or are the ones who are doing it.

[Kpin]

Always a smokin' topic. I have to agree with Don. A dude in a bass boat doesn't mean he's fishing bass necessarily. It's a boat frig, it floats, it works for fishing of any species.

Same applies to some bass lures. They can attract multiple species.

Now, that being said, I've witnessed OOS fishing, that was not accidental too many times to mention. I've actually fished with Matt 2 summers ago and witnessed some of these "elite sportsmen" targetting OOS bass and pretty damn proud of themselves too.

Bottom line is...it's the law. It's ok to point out to some perhaps unknowing newbie the reg(s) they are breaking and I'd think the average person with any moral fibre would change the unwitting practice immediately.

It's the knobs that KNOW they are breaking the regs and couldn't give a flaming flying squirrells butt about it.

We've just got to be carefull of wrongfully accusing an innocent angler because of his choice of boat, bait or location.

I will say this to all you OOS guys that knowingly fish in this manner. We honest anglers are VERY protective of our natural resources. This is why we not only follow the regs but also upon practices that will harm the very sport we love so much.