Had a talk with Mr. Police Officer, while fishing today!

Fishing Warm water Forum
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Well the heat wave left Minnesota a couple of days ago, left town in style, with rain clouds topping out at 60,000 feet (11 miles) altitude, and winds over 50 mph, and 2 inches of badly needed rain. Now with the Canadian Cold Front passing through, gets down in the 50’s at night and up in the 80’s during the day (almost late August temperatures).

This morning, went fly fishing at “Lost Lake”, the lake they lost and when it was found and put back, they had built a road right through the middle of were it had been.

“Lost Lake” is a restricted lake, stocked so the kids can catch fish and keep them. Mostly good sized Sunfish and Crappies, stocked from other lakes that have winter kill.

Any how, was out on the fishing pier that the Lions Club build, really nice one, catching a releasing good size Crappies. Was testing some #12 Thunder Creek Minnows that I had tied up in most of the 15 patterns for that style of streamer. The Crappies seemed to like them all, with no set preferrence for any certain streamer pattern.

Next thing I know Mr. Police Office was there next to me, concerned I was fishing illegally. He thought that the lake could only be fished by kids. I showed him my fishing license and assured him that I was legal. Said only kids can keep the fish, but anyone with a fishing license can wet a line here.

I didn’t get a ticket, but I told him "In most states were I have fished, the local authorities rarely bother fly anglers, cause it is a waste of their time. Found out he had never seen a fly angler fishing a lake until now. Thought we only fish streams for trout and salmon. Terrible to live in a state that is mostly baitcasters and spincasters, and Walleye is King.

Think I will tie some Thunder Creek Streamers big enough for Mr. Tiger Muskie. Just have to remember to wear my Kevlar Waders with the Stainless Steel Mesh
Longjohn’s underneath. Never can be too careful when it comes to Mr. Tiger Muskie.

~ Parnelli
Chartered Member of “Friends of FAOL”!

Down in the meadow in a little bitty pool
Swam three little fishies and a mama fishie too
“Swim” said the mama fishie, “Swim if you can”
And they swam and they swam all over the dam

[This message has been edited by Steven H. McGarthwaite (edited 28 July 2005).]

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I’ve had the same response from people who’ve seen me throwing flies at the lakes here, “I thought you could only do that kind of fishing with trout!”
I’ll bet there’d be a lot more fly flingers out there if they realized there’s no limit to the type of fish that’ll take a fly.
Nice that your local law enforcement makes the effort. I doubt a cop would say anything to a fisherman here, unless someone called them.

Oh yeah, the heat left here in almost the same fashion on Tuesday. Temps are about the same for us and fishing’s on the agenda for Saturday!!! Gonna get after some o’ them bass.

There’s almost nothin’ wrong with the first lie, it’s the weight of all the others holdin’ it up that gets ya’! - Tim

[This message has been edited by MOturkE (edited 28 July 2005).]

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Happens to me ALL the time.

[url=http://www.native-waters.com:5b2b8]http://www.native-waters.com[/url:5b2b8]

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Moturk & Roger,
I hear ya!! We have limited trout fishing here in Ohio, & MANY people are stuck on the stigma that flyfishing is trout ONLY! Sort of like saying “blackened fish” can only be prepared & consumed in Looz-ee-ann!..HA!!!..There is not a fish swimming thatwon’t take a fly!
Mike

[This message has been edited by ohiotuber (edited 29 July 2005).]

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Steven,
We have a pond here where trout are stocked each year…supposedly for the benefit of children and the disabled. The rules have no effect on the behavior of some of the “fishers”. Fathers bring their children then do the fishing themselves while the kids play in the vicinity. If a policeman comes the fathers quickly transfer the rod to the kids. How in tarnation is the kid going to learn anything of value from fathers like that?

The “disabled” is another pile of bovine manure. There are scofflaws who, when confronted, point to the “disabled” tag hanging from their rear view mirror. Those things are so easily obtained that anyone who wants one need only ask his doctor or steal one from an unlocked car.

I saw a lady (??)who parked in a space reserved for the disabled…she ran…actually RAN through a shower into a store 60 yards away. Dang…she was doin about 10 knots when she passed me. I looked and there, hanging from her rear view mirror was a disabled tag. Dang, if I were only that disabled!

I don’t have one of those tags, nor do I want one! Another liberal and good idea gone to Hell in a hand basket…so many abusing it that it’s become a badge of dishonor IMNSHO.

Ol’ Bill
1932

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Here in Connecticut it’s not legal for anyone over the age of 15 to fish in a kid’s fishing area.
Part of my job at the trout hatchery this past spring was “policeing” the kid’s pond. It’s stocked every week and is very popular.
The majority of parents follow the rules but there was always someone.
Not wanting to accuse anyone unjustly I would stand there and watch for a while.
Inevitabillty there was always one father standing there casting and retriving like mad.
When I would confront this “angler” it was alway the same.“I’m just holding the rod while my kid is off doing suchandsuch.” Yea right.
I would explain the rules to this “angler” and tell him there are plenty of other options besides fishing the kids pond.
I’d ask him “Do you really want to teach your kid that it’s OK to not follow the rules?”
I would offer to walk this “angler” over to the river, show him where the stocking truck stops,and show him where to cast. Never had one taker.
Then I’d pick up the empty worm cups and other garbage before heading back to the fly fishing pond, people that I understand.

Never forget hearing while in my tube one day “Look at that a**h*le, he thinks there’s trout in here. HAHAHA”
Yea buddy I remember my first beer.

“Nick’s heart tightened as the trout moved. He felt all the old feeling” …Ernest Hemingway

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The US of A is definately doing some things right.

Ponds and lakes soley for kids. Wonderful.

Unheard of up here (Canada eh). At least unheard of by me…But I haven’t been a kid in a long time.

The abuse of same, and the handicapped stickers is to be expected. Lots of freeloaders, scofflaws up here too. Ain’t no cure.

Good fishin

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Fly fishing for trout only?

Heck, we’ve been fly fishing in the deep south since I was, well at least 40 years ago. Haven’t seen many rainbows in the ponds down here.

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Come down and try it in South Florida. There are actually quite a few bank flyfisherpeople down here but you’d never know it sometimes. I’ve had my license checked a decent number of times. Always pleasant exchanges and it’s nice talking to the FWC guys but I don’t see a lot of license checks of other people when I’m fishing. Then again Miami-Dade & Broward can get a little rough. Of course there is no license required if take the reel off of my fly rod and hang some bait from it!!

Still the most common question I get is “you can fly fish in saltwater?”

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tuber…in reference to “There is not a fish swimming that won’t take a fly!”…uh huh, the ones in my lake behind the house!!!

Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body. But rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and exclaiming, “Wow, what a ride!”

[This message has been edited by Flats Dude (edited 11 August 2005).]

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Yes I too have had the F&G boys and girls, stop to check my license actually got a warning from a newbie 2 yrs ago didn’t realize the that little card in my wallet means no license required to fish (disabled ID) but stopped by the office and he appologized,I told him it was not needed he wasn’t sure and I wasn’t going to challenge it. Very nice exchange got some neat info on a new place Nobody goes to.
The people with the placards in the window often are using/ABUSING the ones for their spouse or family member. I can walk and do NOT have one hate the abusers of them.
OOOHH btw the warden that wrote the warning is going fishing this weekend with me. He just got a new Sage 3 wt and wants to break it in on some gills. GREAT guy.

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Earlier this summer Wrangler and I were out and up came an officer. I was thrilled and thanked him for showing up, for after all these years I had only been checked once. Never in the summer. So he asked to see my license and lo and behold I didn’t have it on me. Looked everywhere. In my bag, where I usually keep it. In my wallet. All the pockets. Wrangler was stuffing a laugh so hard I thought he break his belt. Finally the officer took my driver’s license and got on his palmtop to double check. He came back with a little printed license for me. “I didn’t have to do this. Next time you’ll need to have it with you.” When we got home I found the license in the console of my pickup. That danged Wrangler has since made this one of his fishing “war” stories. JGW