Pickering Poachers

[mute]

What a catch today. 4 out of 6 punk adults poaching the pickering creek. Not only were they hammering them with power bait, but they were keeping them on stringers as well. So after i walked back to my car, flew up the road to get service. I sadly only got the answering machine of the local officer. So i filed the report to the SE PFBC office. After about an hour of fishing upstream from them and calling it a day one of the board members(cant remember who, sorry) started a conversation with me and said there are some poachers down stream getting busted. So all in all the day wasnt a great success, only had 2 fish but also 4 real big catches. 🙂

 

[JustFish]

Last year at Pickering there were foreigners using throwing nets. Yes like the ones you would use in a coastal river to catch bunker for stripers. Also, a new one this year is the spanish graffitti on the old walking bridge that has probably been there longer than I have been alive(the bridge that is).

 

[pete41]

Maybe it said good luck???
Don't know pickering but would like to see someone use a mullet thrownet in a trout stream.Would take skill,legal or not.

 

[Fredrick]

A friend of mine kicked some spanish speaking felows off of the bridge by Little Lehigh flyshop and then called it in to the wco and got the answering machine . Well he left a message and they called him back and the wco said that Rod from the fly shop had already called it in and Rod told the wco that he kicked the poachers off the stream. What a pusss he never said anything to them . The only thing that I don't like about fly fishing is that 3/4 of us will probally blow over with a stiff breeze . And 3/4 of us will walk away when we see poachers without even reporting it to the wco . And only about 1/16 of us will acually approach them and tell them to take a hike. :-(

 

[pete41]

I think you are right ,Fredrick.
Over and over I see be a ``wuss'' on here.
Let them push you around,be polite,etc.??

~~TAKE BACK YOUR STREAMS~~
Oops,sorry guys,didn't mean to holler.lol

 

[MattBoyer]

Fredrick wrote:
A friend of mine kicked some spanish speaking felows off of the bridge by Little Lehigh flyshop and then called it in to the wco and got the answering machine . Well he left a message and they called him back and the wco said that Rod from the fly shop had already called it in and Rod told the wco that he kicked the poachers off the stream. What a pusss he never said anything to them . The only thing that I don't like about fly fishing is that 3/4 of us will probally blow over with a stiff breeze . And 3/4 of us will walk away when we see poachers without even reporting it to the wco . And only about 1/16 of us will acually approach them and tell them to take a hike. :-(

Fred good, 15/16ths of us bad. There ya have it folks! :lol:

 

[skiltonian]

Bob got them, I was there too.
I only fished drys and got 14, one was at 20", not bad for using a 6' 2" 2 wt bamboo rod. got a few nice browns as well.
I also got into an arguement with three guys that felt because they fished the stream in the past, they had the right to try to fish the ped bridge while its was being fished by myself on one side and another guy on the other. I made the point that it was not ethical and if they just said hello and asked to fish next to the other guy, instead of walking in and start casting, it probably would have been a pleasnt experience fishing with them. No respect. they did wind up leaving. I thought it was funny that their best arguement was I've been fishing here for years and tried to argue the mechanics of fishing next to people. I said I understand all that, but you're missing the point that what your doing it rude and the other guys it just here to relax and not have to deal with this. I guess i should keep my outh shut, but how will people learn if you don't. Of course, every other hole on the stream was open (being I just came from upstream)

 

[tabasco_joe]

Fredrick wrote:
A friend of mine kicked some spanish speaking felows off of the bridge by Little Lehigh flyshop and then called it in to the wco and got the answering machine . Well he left a message and they called him back and the wco said that Rod from the fly shop had already called it in and Rod told the wco that he kicked the poachers off the stream. What a pusss he never said anything to them . The only thing that I don't like about fly fishing is that 3/4 of us will probally blow over with a stiff breeze . And 3/4 of us will walk away when we see poachers without even reporting it to the wco . And only about 1/16 of us will acually approach them and tell them to take a hike. :-(

I've often wondered if the Allentown police would respond in a situation like that. I agree we need to be more active in reporting flagrant violations. I don't necessarily agree that personally confronting the violators is a good idea. Maybe in some instances. But not if it escalates into a confrontation.

 

[mute]

I always seem to miss you there Skiltonion.

 

[JustFish]

My favorite is the guy who see's you catching fish and is willing to stand across stream on top of a fifteen foot bank and cast down into the hole you are fishing. Yes I am the guy who says something b/c how the heck are you going to land a fish from all the way up there. My one friend that I fish with says I hate to see you in another thirty years. However,when I am looking at a guy twice my age doing something that dumb I have to say something b/c if he reels the fish all the way up there what is he going to do with it? Throw it fifteen feet down a bank? That's a dead fish!

In the winter I will fish this stream at least three days a week and even more in the spring. I guess I have seen a lot since I am there a lot.

Here is a good story for you guys that fish it a lot. I parked near the old walking bridge and was taking off my gear after fishing. This girl pulls up and tells me she was at Brandywine hospital visiting someone. She then tells me she is from West Philly and is about to run out of gas and did I know where the nearest church was. I am thinking Brandywine hosp. is nowhere near here and a church? She then tells me "I need to get up on some of that sacrament money! I am not a bum though, I have never done this before." Now being the good person I am I am thinking maybe I'll give her some gas money so she can get home. Then she just kept repeating herself and her teeth looked like they were rotting out of her head and she looked like she was going through withdrawl. She just kept saying "I need to get up on some of that sacrament money! She finally got the hint that I didn't know where a church was and I wasn't going to give her any money and she left. Definitely the weirdest thing that has happened to me at Pickering.

 

[2bonthewater]

no-Law dog Frederick at it again.........

common sense goes a long way when dealing jerk-offs who don't obey the law.........

it's good to be tough......up until some scumbag pulls a gun out and blows your head off............

I have always made it point to give the POACHERS flack.....and good flack at that......but not everybody who fly fishes is capable of taking care of business if a physical battle ensues.......then what....some piddly fly guy opens his mouth to a few city folks who could care less........the flyguy yells louder.......soon enough the fly guy is spitting out teeth and wondering what planet he is on........

listen folks..........don't feel threatened by anyone on this website to take it to another level if you are not comfortable enough to do so.......it does not make you a wimp if you do absoulutely nothing......everybody is different........and everyone has different skills when it comes to protecting yourself in any altercation......

most of the guys poaching have no respect for the law whatsoever, even if the WCO shows up or a local cop shows up.....they are not going to respect them either, so, if the scumbag is willing to yell at a law enforcement person and get in the face of a law enforcement person, what the hell do you think they are going to do to you???

be smart and know your limits.............the thought that everyone should do something to create a conflict is nuts and calling those folks who do nothing a wimp is not needed.........

just my thoughts

ps.
JustFish-- have to a good crackhead story every now and then

pss...........maybe there are few folks on here like me.......I have alot more to worry about then a guy fishing worms in a fly fish area.....I have a pretty wife and two adorable children to worry about....is it worth dying or getting messed up by some scumbag to protect that water??? Say you do get messed up.......now you are going to miss work.........so, miss work.....no money...how do you take care of your family with no money.........seriously....what if you take a gooser rock to the skull and you never wake up............yeah, really sounds worth it to take on a scumbag..............

 

[Dances_With_Brookies]

I haven't fished Pickering in a long time, but it sounds a lot like what I encounter on the DHALO of Falling Spring, Manada, C&R on Green Spring. I'll share one experience with you which I'm sure you will aprreciate as you perform the calculus in deciding whether to confront someone when you are by yourself...Back in May 1996, I hiked into the North River Gorge to fish the Delayed Harvest area (Augusta County, VA). I was alone and the fishing was fantastic. The river had been recently stocked. There I was, on my day off living life. Well, I started to tire after six hours of fishing and decided to start the hike back out. About a mile into it, I came up on a path that leads down to the water. Coming up it was a guy with a spinning rod. I asked him how he was doing-noting that he had just a split-shot and a bare hook on the end. He said he was "doing real good." I said "hey, its artificials only" you can't use bait as I then also spotted two worm containers in his pockets. In about thirty seconds after I said this, another guy much taller than me appeared and got right in my face and asked me "what I was gonna do..." In the interim, I spied two teenagers walking along the bank of the river below where we were standing with three stringers that had at least 20+ fish on them. The man went on to threaten me saying that he would kill me and leave me there for the animals if I opened my mouth again. I said no problem and started to walk away. When I got out of sight of them, I ran to my truck and found a pay phone a mile up the road. I called the VDGIF and the State Police and reported the incident. A WCO and two troopers arrived at the scene and I quickly directed them to where they needed to be. The good news was that the two adults and teens were apprehended. The bad was that I had to miss two days of work to attend the hearings. The worst was that a year later, I fished the Jackson River tailwater and encountered them again. I did not say anything to them, but watched as they would catch a fish and then wrap them up in a wet towel that was in the trunk of their car. I reported them again and subsequently we went to court again. Suffice to say it got ugly, and for this reason and others, I moved back to PA.

 

[2bonthewater]

Love the Jackson River..............fun to fish with midges........

dances-- good job on the poachers..........is that the area with the big house across the creek from the parking spot......I fished the special regs area a few times.........GW national forest........with a mini-campground right there..........almost had it out with a retard of a Conservation Officer.......fat, unkept and out of shape........a real jerk-off until he found out what I did for a living.......then he was all nice and sweet.......I like the little tribs to the jackson.........I am pretty sure I caught wild browns and rainbows.......think a brookie or two also.........it is like going back in time in that area..........the Bullpasture is another nice stream to fish.......caught a honker tiger trout there........very beautiful area

 

[Dances_With_Brookies]

2bonthewater...I was fishing the Jackson River right below Gathright Dam. There is a real narrow road that parrallels the tailrace there. You can park right along the river and drop down whereever you like. In that section, you used to be able to walk across the backs of the trout when something was rising to get to the other side. Since the lower landowners cited their KIng of England land grants deeding the river bottom to them and all of the resources above, the State terminated there fingerling stocking program as after a controversial court ruling, the public has been barred access to most of the river within the first three miles. There is limited access such as right at the dam and for about 1500 meters down, and then things get hairy-particularly at access points #1,2,3. Johnson Springs access is open if you go downriver-just watch the CFS if wading. The bright spot is that after the State termed the stocking, the wild rainbows thrived and are fat like footballs. Now, if you fish the Hidden Valley Area on the Jackson-where I think you are, that is the other regulated stretch and is an awesome fishery in its own right. You are on the money with the tribs there. Anything that holds water in that area has fish. Bullpasture-been there and done that though the fishable water open to the public is only about 5.5 miles and it gets pounded by the bait crowd. When you are back in the area, check out the Dry River in Rockingham County anywhere along Rt. 33 once you enter the GW Forest. If you like big rivers with wild brookies up to 14"-its the place for you. If you want to nkow more about the area, PM me and I will fill you in as I know VA quite well.

 

[mute]

3 more finedtoday, cheers!

 

[2bonthewater]

is that WCO Bonney or the new guy in delaware county citing the criminals.........maybe a deputy.........Bonney is a huge guy......wouldn't want to mess with him........

 

[Stevie-B]

Mute,

Have you been deputized by the WCO? 🙂

 

[Maurice]

skiltonian wrote:
Bob got them, I was there too.
I only fished drys and got 14, one was at 20", not bad for using a 6' 2" 2 wt bamboo rod. got a few nice browns as well.
I also got into an arguement with three guys that felt because they fished the stream in the past, they had the right to try to fish the ped bridge while its was being fished by myself on one side and another guy on the other. I made the point that it was not ethical and if they just said hello and asked to fish next to the other guy, instead of walking in and start casting, it probably would have been a pleasnt experience fishing with them. No respect. they did wind up leaving. I thought it was funny that their best arguement was I've been fishing here for years and tried to argue the mechanics of fishing next to people. I said I understand all that, but you're missing the point that what your doing it rude and the other guys it just here to relax and not have to deal with this. I guess i should keep my outh shut, but how will people learn if you don't. Of course, every other hole on the stream was open (being I just came from upstream)

Skilt,

I think it is fair to say something but I also think that ignorance is bliss. Telling people who are rude they are rude usually won't result in a change in their behavior. To them you are just mean.

There is a difference between ignorance toward ettiquite for a newbie and apothy for a veteran fisherman. It is always appropriate to share with anyone who makes your experience dissappointing that they contributed toward your dissappointment. Sometimes you will get an apology, sometimes from the apothetic you get an earfull demonstrating how poorly they were brought up. And sometimes a knuckle sandwich.


Mean people suck

Maurice

 

[Giventoflyfish]

I know a few got nailed last Friday.

I had a "discussion" with someoneat Pickering a few weeks back as well. Really POed me.

I almost got into a "discussion" the other day on an in-season creek because I saw some kid taking a ton of fish out. I don't know the limit rules because I never take any fish out, so I couldn't win that "discussion". I'll have to read up on those limit rules for the future.

 

[JustFish]

Since Pickering is a DHALO you can't keep any until June 15th. Three combined species between June 15th and labor day is the last day you can keep any.

http://www.fish.state.pa.us/fishpub/summary/delayedartificial.html

It's annoying that there are A$$holes that have to poach and ruin it for the guy that just loves to fish!