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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | all the talk of being ticketed for position fishing you would think most of us have had a ticket.
in 15 years of fishing in Oneida and Vilas Counties as a resident who spends a lot of time on the water i have never been either ticketed or even approached while fishing this way on the water.
that said, i've had my boat and license checked at least once per season while out on the water or on the ice. |
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Posts: 8825
| Never been ticketed. Now, we're talking about a grand total of maybe 20 days over the last several years, so it's not much to go on. I have made it a point to talk to wardens whenever I've seen them, and ask about the position fishing rule as it relates to sucker fishing. They've all said basically the same thing. "You know when you're trolling. So do we. You know when you're trying to keep your suckers vertical and simply working around a hump or a bar. So do we. The only people who ever get in any trouble are the ones blatently trying to circumvent the law."
I'm betting that anyone who got a ticket deserved it. |
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Posts: 1660
Location: central Wisconsin | Never been an issue here. |
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Posts: 4343
Location: Smith Creek | I know a few wardens in Iron and Price and before trolling was hunky dory in Price they didn't give tickets to guys who were casting while dragging meat. Warnings, but no tickets. If guys were sitting on their hands while dragging meat they got tickets. So I was told. |
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | yah, sitting at the console with the power-pedal in your hands is a no-no ... lol |
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Posts: 2687
Location: Hayward, WI | No problems pulling suckers on non trolling lakes for me but I've only been running suckers the last couple years. Not a lot of days spent doing it but haven't been talked to about it yet. |
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Posts: 16632
Location: The desert | A warning.
Edit: I didn't answer in the poll.
Edited by Pointerpride102 3/7/2013 4:07 PM
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Posts: 1168
| So two people voted "yes" but didn't bother to share how that conversation with a warden went. Hmmmmm..... (edited to add: Now it's bumped up to three)
Warnings are not tickets. Even written warnings are not tickets. Those don't count as citations.
If you were ticketed and truthfully voted "yes," fess up. The conversation with the warden had to include some type of explanation of why you were cited.
I've asked a couple of wardens about this and those two admitted it was a huge gray area but left at their discretion. The two guys I spoke to about it both said that it is pretty easy to cite people for this at their discretion but that it's pretty clear when someone is legitimately dragging a sucker without the intent to troll and when someone is just dragging them along in a way that fits the definition of trolling.
I suppose you could have a gung ho warden who would be itching to bust people on this but my feeling is that it's pretty rare but you could get asked about it. Gotta be careful not to escalate the conversation and earn yourself a ticket for being a tool.
Edited by ulbian 3/7/2013 3:44 PM
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | ulbian - 3/7/2013 3:42 PM
So two people voted "yes" but didn't bother to share how that conversation with a warden went. Hmmmmm..... (edited to add: Now it's bumped up to three)
Warnings are not tickets. Even written warnings are not tickets. Those don't count as citations.
If you were ticketed and truthfully voted "yes," fess up. The conversation with the warden had to include some type of explanation of why you were cited.
I've asked a couple of wardens about this and those two admitted it was a huge gray area but left at their discretion. The two guys I spoke to about it both said that it is pretty easy to cite people for this at their discretion but that it's pretty clear when someone is legitimately dragging a sucker without the intent to troll and when someone is just dragging them along in a way that fits the definition of trolling.
I suppose you could have a gung ho warden who would be itching to bust people on this but my feeling is that it's pretty rare but you could get asked about it. Gotta be careful not to escalate the conversation and earn yourself a ticket for being a tool.
anyone ticketed for trolling suckers was trolling suckers that's why ... and would be willing to break any fish and game laws or pad a poll and be the "guests" they are hiding in anonymity.
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Posts: 32924
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | It's more likely you will be suckered for ticketing trolls. Hardly any wardens up here anymore, the DNR is near busted. Hope the economy picks up so revenue picks up and enforcement can pick up. |
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Posts: 639
Location: Hudson, WI | Never been ticketed. I think everyone who casts and drags meat at the same time could potentially be guilty of trolling if the warden really wanted to, but as long as it's not blatant chances are you are okay.
What's crazy is that I have never been stopped by a warden on Bone, Deer, Apple or any of the Hayward Lakes. Ever.
Then you go to the Croix and between Washington County, Pierce, St. Croix, Coast Guard, MN and WI DNR, you can count on getting stopped every time. |
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Posts: 86
| Ticketed, no. "Harrased", yes.
I had a guy try to "tell" (tell is a euphemism) me that if my trolling motor was down, and I used it at all...I was trolling. (Note: this is before the law was "clearly" re written last year.) Last year the law states that if you are casting and retrieving a lure and, at he same time, you are dragging a bait (sucker)...you are trolling.
While I whole hardheartedly believe I was not breaking any rules at the time, continuing to have a sucker in the water was not worth any grief. I go fishing to relax...not to argue with guys on shore if I am position fishing or trolling. So, I simply don't do it in Vilas county or where trolling is prohibited.
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | by "a guy" or by a DNR officer? |
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Posts: 86
| jonnysled - 3/7/2013 5:23 PM
by "a guy" or by a DNR officer?
By some average Joe...not a DNR Officer. |
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Location: Sawyer County, WI | Never stopped, but I don't fish suckers all that often.
In the past 7 years on the water in Sawyer county, I've seen three DNR wardens from a distance. I was checked once by the sheriff (boat registration, PFD, fishing license, etc.) on opening day in 2010. Nice guy - told me what the hot bite was on that morning.
I agree with what sworrall said - enforcement needs to be ramped up. Many people out there overbagging in the spring and getting away with it. I've used the DNR tip line but nothing came of it. |
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Location: 31 | I haven't used live bait for almost 20 years… and not that I have an objection to people who choose to use it, I'm just kind of an artificial lure purist. I find it hard to believe that 20% honestly received tickets…harassed, warned, or confused maybe, but that seems off. With that said, I still fail to see any difference between these two typical fall scenarios; one 2 man crew trolling 6 artificial lures, while another other 2 man crew is parked on one of the premier spots casting with 4 suckers soaking. Here's a quote from Jim Saric; “I can tell you that the position fishing rule has kept me from fishing suckers in Vilas and Oneida counties for the last 15 years. In fact Steve and I will not hold a fall school in the St. Germain area because of the confusion with the position fishing rule. I think the new proposal clarifies this.” Not that anyone died and left him in charge, but at least you know you're not alone if you also have; “confusion with the position fishing rule”. |
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | one of the key pieces that is being argued for the proposed change is to take the cloud away from this rule ... i argue there is no confusion. if you "troll" a sucker, you are "trolling a sucker". having not done it in 20 years you may not be as tuned to what is a very easy and straightforward way to cast and legally have a sucker out. my past 15 years it has been zero problem and the same for the predominate number of musky fishermen who don't try to get away with breaking the rule as intended.
those who claim to have been ticketed here (20%) won't even give their name, the lake, the agent who ticketed them or explanation provided by the warden.
jim has a big voice and apparently he's using it in the hopes that motor trolling is legalized. i don't know what his position is on number of lines, maybe you could ask him or bring us back a quote on that.
anyone saying they would avoid fishing vilas or oneida county lakes in the fall because of this rule is missing the boat ... it's not hard to do. just go ask a warden (as some have stated above) and you and i would imagine jim too would feel quite comfortable fishing meat in the fall.
i personally have to run sucker rods near the back of my boat or the sucker will swim forward and get tangled in the trolling motor. fall fishing in combination has to be done either on a wind-aided drift or very slowly on calmer water.
Edited by jonnysled 3/7/2013 6:52 PM
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Posts: 271
Location: Oregon, WI | Would jigging while using trolling motor to move slowly be considered trolling because you never actually retrieve the bait? |
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Posts: 273
| Legalize trolling and nobody gets tickets for confusing/outdated rules whether fishing in Vilas or any of the states 72 counties. The sun will come up tomorrow. |
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | you ever get a ticket doing it the way it's intended peaches? or do the guides you hire make you cast all the time?
Edited by jonnysled 3/7/2013 8:12 PM
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Posts: 8825
| Peaches - 3/7/2013 8:06 PM
Legalize trolling and nobody gets tickets for confusing/outdated rules whether fishing in Vilas or any of the states 72 counties. The sun will come up tomorrow.
Change the law, so nobody gets ticked for breaking it? |
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Posts: 20248
Location: oswego, il | I have only used suckers twice up north. untill the law changes I wont. I was stopped by a warden and checked once and asked him basically to define trolling a sucker. he told me if you have a sucker in the water and your trolling motor is on for any reason or length of time your trolling and he would give me a ticket. |
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Posts: 273
| Believe it or not Jon there are muskie and other game fish in counties outside of Vilas. Wardens do check in these counties and do not turn a blind eye to people breaking the rules. No tickets for me. Myself and many others would just like to see WI get out of the stone age. |
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Posts: 273
| Addict the people that enforce the are the people want to change the law. I just happen to agree with them. |
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Posts: 8825
| Peaches - 3/7/2013 8:36 PM
Addict the people that enforce the are the people want to change the law. I just happen to agree with them.
Of course they do, Peaches. Having that law makes their job more difficult. They have to write citations and take tags and explain to anglers (who are offten angry jerkoffs) why they got a ticket. And then they have to go sit in court. It's time and paperwork and aggravation they do NOT need or want. |
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| I fished with Greg Bohn (guide) who many years ago was guiding two undercover DNR officers and was row trolling when he hooked a fish. As one of the men/officers brought the fish in he repositioned the boat with his trolling motor to avoid runing aground. He still had one line out and never thought twice about it. At the end of the day he was paid and tipped well. Several days later he was ticketed for motor trolling and after several thousands of dollars in legal fees beat the case. It was sad to see such a great and honest fisherman dragged though the B.S. and because of it he quit guiding in Wisconsin. I quess it doesn't matter what you think because if they're gunning for you you don't stand a chance. |
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Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Attend the CC meeting in April. Vote for or against the proposed changes.
We'll see how it shakes out.
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Posts: 273
| Plan on it Steve. Might even be worth a trip to the Vilas meeting to watch the amish mafia try and rock the vote. |
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Posts: 8825
| Peaches - 3/7/2013 9:30 PM
Plan on it Steve. Might even be worth a trip to the Vilas meeting to watch the amish mafia try and rock the vote.
I'd think you'd be pretty surprised to see who is making the decisons up in Vilas these days. |
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Posts: 16632
Location: The desert | Peaches - 3/7/2013 7:26 PM
Believe it or not Jon there are muskie and other game fish in counties outside of Vilas. Wardens do check in these counties and do not turn a blind eye to people breaking the rules. No tickets for me. Myself and many others would just like to see WI get out of the stone age.
By Stone Age, you mean the last time the Bears won the Super Bowl?  |
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