Northwest Fishing Reports

I have noticed this also. Even at the year round lakes beofre fishing season kicked off. I have been seeing GW's everywhere. The weird thing is I have never been stopped by one though. I have seen averyone else at areas approached by them, but I have never been talked to weird I think.

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Well where are you fishing?
The wardens REALLY patrol the trout lakes this time of year. The lakes are just full of people who are breaking a WDFW law in some way/shape/form or another. This WDFW makes a lot of money issuing tickets this time of year at trout lakes, so thats why they are there.


I like seeing them come through. Rarely am I on the shore, but I love to see the people who don't have licenses pick up and take off, and I don't mind getting checked...

Well at least im not the only one. And that does make a lot of sense too Sam. I never thought of it like that, but they could search me 2 times every time I went fishing and I would still be out there. LOL

Worse things can happen! This is a good thing, not a bad thing. I'll take a minute or two every trip and show my license to a GW if that is the small price I have to pay for keeping poachers and non-conformists away from our water. I don't have anything to hide. The next time you are stopped just shake the guy's hand and tell him "thank you" for a job well done.

Yea plus they are nice to talk to and can usually give you a report on the other lakes they checked and tell you if they are producing better...
Their good unless your hiding something, but none of us should...

I've never been checked and I fish atleast a couple times a week. But I like the idea of the game wardens being around and i would'nt mind if i got carded everytime out. I follow the regs but i see alot of anglers out there who dont and alot who just dont know the regs.

I know its a good thing and of course worse things could happen than being checked by a game warden =d>

I haven't been checked in almost 30+ years, but I've got nothing to hide and I see people all the time that need to be. I'd be happy to show my "credentials" if requested. Who knows, maybe I'll get a chance to do so this weekend at Banks Lake.

I personally think that its about time the wardens show up!! Yah know there are alot of boneheads out there. I know of one guy out on Tanwax that doesn't even fish with a license. He feels he is above it. Then has the balls to fish with two or three rods. Like someone stated before. If I need to pull out my license. Then so be it. Some day though that bone head will get caught. Get fined and his gear confiscated. And also maybe some of the guys launching boats at the state launches without the tags will start to get busted too. And the jet skiers and the boaters that rip past you full bore. Start targeting them too!! Thanks for letting me rant!! Todd

It sounds like the warden needs to stop over at Tanawax this weekend beacause it sounds like that lake really has some problems. But if worst comes to worst you can always put those guys under citizens arrest.

gpc wrote:It sounds like the warden needs to stop over at Tanawax this weekend beacause it sounds like that lake really has some problems. But if worst comes to worst you can always put those guys under citizens arrest.

Better yet, use your camera, or cell phone, and get the registration number off the boat. Poaching is poaching, and it hurts all of us, if you see it, report it!

I was at bonney lake about a month ago right after they stocked it. There were two men taking there boat out at the launch with a large stringer of fish someone asked how many they said twelve(you do math 2 guys- limit is 5 a piece) whats worse is me and my son went home had dinner and came back a few hours later and the same two gentlemen were back out on the lake. No wonder these lakes get fished out so quick!!!!!!

A lot of poachers succeed because we allow them to. How many of the readers have a cell phone? How many of these readers that do, have the game department or the WSP programmed into the memory of the phone? When called, they may not get there soon, however the call will go into the phone records and if enough calls come in on certain areas, they will concentrate on those areas. On the coast you probably have many more wardens per county than we do on the east side. The officers I have spoken with want people to help report poachers.
I view fishing as a privilege, not a right. We have earned that privilege by working hard at our jobs, paying our taxes, educating our children, serving in our military and trying to protect our environment. Those that don't contribute to society in a contructive way, well they view it as a right. These waters are our waters and we should make an effort to protect them. Help a warden out, give them a call.

Poacher Hotline: (800) 477-6224

When you see violations happening you can also call the state patrol. They have the field agents cell phone numbers and often are able to direct an agent quicker than the poaching hot line. I was checked a few weeks ago on a selective gear lake and found the agent to be very helpful and curteous. He was busy warning/citing the power bait crowd that seemed to have ignored the selective gear rules.

Hey! In my opinion, the more Game Wardens on the lakes and rivers the better. To many people fishing w/o licenses or in violation of the rules (unattended poles, more than one pole, snagging, etc.).
I personally never had a problem with being checked and never had an attitude issue with any of them. It's simple...treat them as you would want to be treated!

last year was the fist year that i have ever been checked and i was very happy they were there checking people. we need these people out there enforcing the rules to ensure our fisheries stay productive.

Good call Marc Martyn; I added the poacher hotline to my cell phone. I've yet to see a game warden in the central Washington area (although I've only lived here for eight months). The last four times I've been in Westport I've seen wardens, which is great; I'm always there during clam tides and festivals though.

As far as being proactive with regard to poachers and violators, I see it this way, If I observe the violation and do nothing to address it, I'm as guilty as the violator. I don't carry a cell phone, but I have a camera on my boat at all times and another in my tow vehicle. I have pen & paper in both as well and I don't hesitate to use them.

We can't expect enforcement to be everywhere all the time. They need our eyes and ears to help them out, as sportsmen we have a duty to do just that.

MOFO wrote:Hey! In my opinion, the more Game Wardens on the lakes and rivers the better. To many people fishing w/o licenses or in violation of the rules (unattended poles, more than one pole, snagging, etc.).
I personally never had a problem with being checked and never had an attitude issue with any of them. It's simple...treat them as you would want to be treated!

I was at Cottage lake this evening and there was a WDFW truck there. Obviously a GW was watching us all fish. When I was leaving, he had some guy's stuff that was fishing off of the small dock to the east of the main dock and the guy was in Hand Cuffs! I was kind of surprised, but I guess that makes sense. You could run off if you wanted to otherwise.

I'm with you, I welcome them checking on us. It keeps the people who take more than they should or use two fishing poles, or even fish without a license. The fewer of them that are at the lakes the better for us law abiding people.