FIRST TIME I HAVE EVER!!

[ResQ]

No biggie cameron, wardon would have just warned you anyways since your young. Now you know.

Im going to have to disagree with you on that one. Thats like giving the green light to poaching because of age. They dont care. It is EVERY hunter/anglers responsability to know and keep a copy of the rules BEFORE they enter the field. Regardless of age. I can see a warning if he was 10 and not accompanied by a parent or adult, but not being an adult.

Like I said, not tryin to piss in anyones cheerios, but just headin out and taking game before knowing the seasons or regs is a slap in the sports face. I take it serious and that is why Washington law is how it is. Now he knows, but he also needs to read and understand the regs. If he has a question, there are numbers and avenues to get them answered.

[Matt]

Oh brother.......

[Marc Martyn]

"I didn't know" doesn't wash with any law enforcement officer or a judge, period. Why? Because it is a very lame excuse and they hear it all the time. When a person is given a license, be it a drivers license, contractors license or a medical license, when you are given that license, you are agreeing that you have read the laws and understand them. The bottom line is that you are responsible for knowing the regulations and abiding by them.

I carry a copy of the regulations in my truck. When I go to a new lake, I check the regs on it before I fish. I also each year check the regs on the lakes and rivers that I am very familiar with, because the regulations can change. "Honest officer, I didn't know that this year they changed the catch limit from 5 fish to 2 fish". His reply would be, "Here's your ticket, next time read the regulations BEFORE you start fishing!"

[Gonefishing]

Not to hi-jack your thread Cameron... BUT,, Gonefishing,,, so what are you saying? Did a person steal your catch or something??

What I was saying on mine is. Some young girl was on the dock when I caught my solo that day and just walked off with it saying "I cook you for dinner." I never said she could have it, and honestly really never notice she was on the dock until she did that. The fish fell off the hook and landed on the dock while I was grabbing my pliers.

I was going to put the poor thing back in like all the other fish I catch out of that lake.

Oh well.

[Gonefishing]

No biggie cameron, wardon would have just warned you anyways since your young. Now you know.

Im going to have to disagree with you on that one. Thats like giving the green light to poaching because of age. They dont care. It is EVERY hunter/anglers responsability to know and keep a copy of the rules BEFORE they enter the field. Regardless of age. I can see a warning if he was 10 and not accompanied by a parent or adult, but not being an adult.

Like I said, not tryin to piss in anyones cheerios, but just headin out and taking game before knowing the seasons or regs is a slap in the sports face. I take it serious and that is why Washington law is how it is. Now he knows, but he also needs to read and understand the regs. If he has a question, there are numbers and avenues to get them answered.

Can be a little hard when the hard copy of the 2011 - 2012 guide book isn't or wasn't available until today in most stores. I have my pdf versions' but still.

[natetreat]

"I didn't know" doesn't wash with any law enforcement officer or a judge, period. Why? Because it is a very lame excuse and they hear it all the time. When a person is given a license, be it a drivers license, contractors license or a medical license, when you are given that license, you are agreeing that you have read the laws and understand them. The bottom line is that you are responsible for knowing the regulations and abiding by them.

I carry a copy of the regulations in my truck. When I go to a new lake, I check the regs on it before I fish. I also each year check the regs on the lakes and rivers that I am very familiar with, because the regulations can change. "Honest officer, I didn't know that this year they changed the catch limit from 5 fish to 2 fish". His reply would be, "Here's your ticket, next time read the regulations BEFORE you start fishing!"

I agree completely. The reason why all of us are responding so strongly is because it's a problem. It's just something that you need to take very seriously. Like the recent report from Lake Nawahtzel. Caught ten fish, released five, all on power eggs. Blatant ignorance and callous disregard for the law. We're not saying it just because you could potentially get caught, but because it's breaking the law, and that in itself is a bad thing to do, and something that gives fishermen statewide a bad rep to law makers, law enforcement and reflect poorly on the sport as a whole. If we don't like the regs, then we have our chance to have our say at the meetings when they make the regs, based on evidence and science, to maintain our fisheries for everyone.

[kzoo]

Give the guy a break. He's obviously new to fishing and didn't have any resources, but us. Now he knows, I'll bet he'll never do it again.

Good job man! Lesson learned. Get out there and keep on fishing!

[Dave]

We live and learn and I'm sure there was no intent to commit a crime by our WALakes member based on his response to everyone's reaction! I agree that simply not knowing the law is a good excuse so do your best before fishing again to read and understand the regs and if you have a question, just ask and as you can see, there is no shortage of folks here who know the laws well and would be happy to help you out. Lesson learned I'm sure.

['OL GREY DOG]

where you at 2day CAM ??

[Uncle Wes]

Okay kid, I think you have been beat up enough. I will probably have an open boat seat sometime in June and will take you out under the following conditions. If you are a minor I want a letter of approval from your parents.Bring your own lunch, and do listen to me when I'm teaching you this new method. Leave your gear at home we'll use mine. Don't worry I have a pen and paper when it comes to me giving you some trout. My brother will more than likely be joining us. I'll give you a shout sometime in the near future. Word of warning I'm a grouchy, cantankerous old man. But I do know what I'm doing on the water. Still interested?

[coretron22]

I will probably have an open boat seat sometime in June and will take you out...

Wow! cantankerous or not, that's a really kind offer from an expert fisherman, and a great result from this thread. You'll likely learn a lifetime's worth of fishing knowledge if you take Uncle Wes up on his offer...you gotta do it Cameron!

[returnofthefish]

Hey Camron, dont take what everyone is saying the wrong way. They are just trying to educated you on what you did. I have seen grown men post reports about catching more then thier limit or releasing trout caught on bait. Guys on here will let them know what they did was wrong too. Get a copy and read the regs if you can. Try Cabelas the next time you go there. Take up on the offer from Uncle Wes if you can. You will be limiting out more often. Plus he can show you how to catch and release a trout.

[ResQ]

Totally no intent to beat anyone up. I learned my lesson when I was 15 and had to appear in court because I was fishing 50 yards in the wrong direction with a barbed hook. The warden almost took my gear. I was only 15 and it was my first time fishing a river that was 1/4 mile from my house. Still had to pay 300$.

My buddy just busted 3 guys crabbing off a pier a few days ago. They had a cooler FULL of 3 inch red rock crabs and explained to my buddy that crabbing just opened. WELL. It doesnt open until July first. This is why we take it serious. Allow an inch and some awsome dude will take a mile, so WDFW tightened everything down.

That said, great job on catching your limit Camron and dont let this discourage you. If anything I hope you take pride in knowing the regs for the season/lakes you go to before you go out, so when you see someone in the wrong you can correct them. Go fishing with Uncle Wes and any other experienced fisherman and learn what you can!

[moto]

where you at 2day CAM ??

probley scared away lmfao[laugh] [img]undefined[/img]

[Stacie Kelsey]

I think it's important to relay the importance of following the rules in the regulation book. I do not believe that just because he is young or new to fishing (I thought he had mentioned before he'd been fishing for quite some time) that an Officer would have necessarily let him off.

The bottom line is (and this is not directed at Cameron) you must know the rules prior to going out to the body of water you choose to fish.

If there are any questions about what the rules mean, you can call the main office, your local fish and wildlife office or you can always contact me here on the forum, by email or call my cell. I have all that info posted on a few different threads.

[Amx]

The regulations are there for a reason, even if we don't agree with the regulation, or the reason.

[tnj8222]

Only in washington lol

[natetreat]

Totally no intent to beat anyone up. I learned my lesson when I was 15 and had to appear in court because I was fishing 50 yards in the wrong direction with a barbed hook. The warden almost took my gear. I was only 15 and it was my first time fishing a river that was 1/4 mile from my house. Still had to pay 300$.

My buddy just busted 3 guys crabbing off a pier a few days ago. They had a cooler FULL of 3 inch red rock crabs and explained to my buddy that crabbing just opened. WELL. It doesnt open until July first. This is why we take it serious. Allow an inch and some awsome dude will take a mile, so WDFW tightened everything down.

That said, great job on catching your limit Camron and dont let this discourage you. If anything I hope you take pride in knowing the regs for the season/lakes you go to before you go out, so when you see someone in the wrong you can correct them. Go fishing with Uncle Wes and any other experienced fisherman and learn what you can!

Totally Camron, don't let us scare you off from fishing! We're not being mean out of spite or even being mean.

[Stacie Kelsey]

Only in washington lol

Actually I have yet to find anyone from any state that is happy with their state hunting/fishing regs.

[tnj8222]

Only in washington lol

Actually I have yet to find anyone from any state that is happy with their state hunting/fishing regs.

north carolina was pretty good to us. No lawyet in the back pocket either lol