Trying our luck (really trying actually)
I hope all my faithful readers have had a profitable 2 weeks. I apologies for not having posted a blog last week but I was in a state of self reflection <as it were>, you will understand if you continue reading.... :)
So on Sunday the 24th we (my dad, my son and I decided that we didn't want to take the trek to Truman Lake (our home away from home in the summer), so we decided to head to lake a little closer to home. I have been fishing Smithville lake for as long as I have Truman lake (read my previous blog) and tend to refer to Smithville as "Little Truman", I have caught many many fish from Smithville lake, everything from catfish to drum to crappie. So knowing the spawn was on I really wanted to hit this lake to test out my new found knowledge and understanding.
I have to stop here and thank my FB groups for all of the great knowledge I have gathered just from reading the posts everyday, I have learned more about crappie and catfishing in the last year than I have in my entire life combined, you guys are awesome and always willing to share your knowledge (as long as we don't ask where exactly you caught that fish :)) I would like to especially thank 4 guys that have really changed my game on the water Dan Huff, Jeff Faulkenberry, Cody Vannattan and Nate Daniels. All the guys on our groups are incredibly helpful and a fount of useful info but these 4 guys go out of their way to assist and provide tips whenever others get stuck. Thank you guys keep doin' what you're doing it is truly appreciated.
Now back to the story...
My father has never been a big fan of Smithville lake, he doesn't dislike it but in his words; "I've just never caught much out there is all". Challenge accepted. I tend to look at a lake and pick out bridges right off as I have found they produce really well. I am sure there are a lot of very good reasons for this but I won't go into that part. I also happen to know that there are a ton of MDOC (Missouri Dept. of Conservation) placed fish attractors and beds throughout Smithville. So we pulled out of the dock around 7am and headed directly to the bridge. This turned out to be a very good idea. I was fishing with minnow tipped jigs and I noticed many fish running about 10ft. down so I cast my jig out, count to 8 or 9 and begin reeling .... bam the bite was on. After the 5th fish we pulled in, in about 15 minutes, my dad said "ok guys I'm a believer" and we continued this way for a good portion of the morning. Many of the fish we caught were to small to keep but we ended up cleaning 17 fish even though we probably reeled in about 3 times that many.
But my catch isn't really what this weeks blog is about.
Today I want to talk about the laws and appropriate behavior on the lake.
As we were fishing a boat began to bear down on us and for a few minutes we all 3 believed they were going to ram right into us, just at the right time the boat turned sharply and as it approached us we could see that the 2 men were wearing MDOC uniforms. They asked us how the fishing was going and who was catching the most fish etc. and to be honest they were very friendly. They asked to see our Fishing licenses and I showed them my lic. using the MDOC app (This app has your legal fishing lic. and it is very convenient. It is strange that they called it "MO Hunting" but it makes it very easy to buy your license and have a copy at all times). Unfortunately they could not find my son's lic. on the app or in their system. My son had bought his lic. on the way and had a text from his bank to show that he had paid for it so the officer told him to make sure he contacted the MDOC office on Monday and clear it up. They then took a look in the live well and measured a few fish (we don't keep anything under 10in. anyway so we were good). Then they told us something that blew our minds. The officer then asked if we had all caught them and just tossed them in the live well to which we responded to the affirmative. He then told us that we Must either keep our catch separate from the other fisherman on the boats catches or have a way to specifically identify our catches against one of the other guys on the boat.
At first I thought he was teasing us, then I thought that is the most ridiculous thing I had ever heard until he explained the reason. See apparently once you have caught your limit you're not supposed to help the rest of the guys on the boat catch theirs. I had never ever heard that but I suppose that makes sense. He gave us some great tips on how to follow this law by clipping left or right fins with each person having a designated fin to be clipped. The 3rd guy then does not have to clip anything and knows those are his.
The officers went on their way and the three of us marveled at the many ways such a rule could be skirted without anyone being the wiser .... but I digress. We are not interested in poaching or lying about our catches so we took the rule to heart and I clipped left for my son, right for my dad and no clipping for mine.
The point I want to make is:
1. Not all of the MDOC Officers are or feel a need to be arsholes about their job and actually most that I have met are extremely cool and understanding. They are more interested in protecting our resources than catching bad guys but when the 2 duties cross you bet you will be cited for it.
2. Know the rules, if they had been so incline they could have written us a ticket and it would have been our own fault. It is our job as fisherman to understand what the rules are.
I have to stop here and thank my FB groups for all of the great knowledge I have gathered just from reading the posts everyday, I have learned more about crappie and catfishing in the last year than I have in my entire life combined, you guys are awesome and always willing to share your knowledge (as long as we don't ask where exactly you caught that fish :)) I would like to especially thank 4 guys that have really changed my game on the water Dan Huff, Jeff Faulkenberry, Cody Vannattan and Nate Daniels. All the guys on our groups are incredibly helpful and a fount of useful info but these 4 guys go out of their way to assist and provide tips whenever others get stuck. Thank you guys keep doin' what you're doing it is truly appreciated.
Now back to the story...
My father has never been a big fan of Smithville lake, he doesn't dislike it but in his words; "I've just never caught much out there is all". Challenge accepted. I tend to look at a lake and pick out bridges right off as I have found they produce really well. I am sure there are a lot of very good reasons for this but I won't go into that part. I also happen to know that there are a ton of MDOC (Missouri Dept. of Conservation) placed fish attractors and beds throughout Smithville. So we pulled out of the dock around 7am and headed directly to the bridge. This turned out to be a very good idea. I was fishing with minnow tipped jigs and I noticed many fish running about 10ft. down so I cast my jig out, count to 8 or 9 and begin reeling .... bam the bite was on. After the 5th fish we pulled in, in about 15 minutes, my dad said "ok guys I'm a believer" and we continued this way for a good portion of the morning. Many of the fish we caught were to small to keep but we ended up cleaning 17 fish even though we probably reeled in about 3 times that many.
But my catch isn't really what this weeks blog is about.
Today I want to talk about the laws and appropriate behavior on the lake.
As we were fishing a boat began to bear down on us and for a few minutes we all 3 believed they were going to ram right into us, just at the right time the boat turned sharply and as it approached us we could see that the 2 men were wearing MDOC uniforms. They asked us how the fishing was going and who was catching the most fish etc. and to be honest they were very friendly. They asked to see our Fishing licenses and I showed them my lic. using the MDOC app (This app has your legal fishing lic. and it is very convenient. It is strange that they called it "MO Hunting" but it makes it very easy to buy your license and have a copy at all times). Unfortunately they could not find my son's lic. on the app or in their system. My son had bought his lic. on the way and had a text from his bank to show that he had paid for it so the officer told him to make sure he contacted the MDOC office on Monday and clear it up. They then took a look in the live well and measured a few fish (we don't keep anything under 10in. anyway so we were good). Then they told us something that blew our minds. The officer then asked if we had all caught them and just tossed them in the live well to which we responded to the affirmative. He then told us that we Must either keep our catch separate from the other fisherman on the boats catches or have a way to specifically identify our catches against one of the other guys on the boat.
At first I thought he was teasing us, then I thought that is the most ridiculous thing I had ever heard until he explained the reason. See apparently once you have caught your limit you're not supposed to help the rest of the guys on the boat catch theirs. I had never ever heard that but I suppose that makes sense. He gave us some great tips on how to follow this law by clipping left or right fins with each person having a designated fin to be clipped. The 3rd guy then does not have to clip anything and knows those are his.
The officers went on their way and the three of us marveled at the many ways such a rule could be skirted without anyone being the wiser .... but I digress. We are not interested in poaching or lying about our catches so we took the rule to heart and I clipped left for my son, right for my dad and no clipping for mine.
The point I want to make is:
1. Not all of the MDOC Officers are or feel a need to be arsholes about their job and actually most that I have met are extremely cool and understanding. They are more interested in protecting our resources than catching bad guys but when the 2 duties cross you bet you will be cited for it.
2. Know the rules, if they had been so incline they could have written us a ticket and it would have been our own fault. It is our job as fisherman to understand what the rules are.
We had completed our fishing for the day and had a proud mess of 17 Crappie over the 10in mark so we decided to take the boat over to the main marina and clean our fish. This was an amazingly BAD idea for 2 reasons. #1 we used far more gas driving over there than we need to. and the 2nd reason leads me to my final story and one of the most important lessons I have ever learned on the water.
We pulled into the dock and I asked the young lady at the marina where the nearest bathroom was. She pointed up a hill and I knew there was no way I was going to make that. I stepped out to where the boats were slipped, found a secluded spot, looked around to make sure no one was watching and relieved myself off of the pier. My son was already at the fish cleaning station and we began cleaning the fish to complete our day.
We pulled into the dock and I asked the young lady at the marina where the nearest bathroom was. She pointed up a hill and I knew there was no way I was going to make that. I stepped out to where the boats were slipped, found a secluded spot, looked around to make sure no one was watching and relieved myself off of the pier. My son was already at the fish cleaning station and we began cleaning the fish to complete our day.
My father was in his seat and ready to depart, I was in the drivers seat with the motor running and my son was reaching down to pull the final rope so we could leave when..... yes... you already know don't you?..... up walks a SGT from Missouri Water Patrol. He has his ticket book out and was ready to write a ticket... it was a done deal.... so he says to us "I understand that one of you guy had relieved yourselves off of one of the piers down here and I am just wondering which one of you guys had done that?" I instantly knew there was no trying to avoid the inevitable so I simple stated that it was me and that I could not make it up the hill so it was either off the pier of in my pants. He kinda smiled but he said "Listen I came down here to write you a ticket and I probably should but since you were honest about it I will let you go with a warning" and he took my information. He then explained that if anyone had seen us (other than the person who had reported it) we could be looking at indecent exposure or if it had been a child that we could be charged with sexual misconduct or the like and asked that we be careful to find a bathroom the next time we are out in the open like this. You can bet I will.
On the way back to our dock I found myself getting more and more upset but with each wave of fury I felt, it continued to occur to me that this was actually my fault. He was doing his job, the job "we pay him to do" and if my daughter had been with me, and we had seen that, I would not be happy about it. So to all of you that have ever been on the water and seen a guy peeing off of his boat or the bank or whatever, I just want to say, for me, I apologize.
We will be returning to Smithville very soon and look forward to all it has to offer but if you choose to head out there please, please make sure you have all your stuff together and have a way to relieve yourself discreetly. It's our job, it our responsibility to know the laws and respect one another while on the water.
Thank you for reading, cast a big net and keep tight lines.
Until next week.
On the way back to our dock I found myself getting more and more upset but with each wave of fury I felt, it continued to occur to me that this was actually my fault. He was doing his job, the job "we pay him to do" and if my daughter had been with me, and we had seen that, I would not be happy about it. So to all of you that have ever been on the water and seen a guy peeing off of his boat or the bank or whatever, I just want to say, for me, I apologize.
We will be returning to Smithville very soon and look forward to all it has to offer but if you choose to head out there please, please make sure you have all your stuff together and have a way to relieve yourself discreetly. It's our job, it our responsibility to know the laws and respect one another while on the water.
Thank you for reading, cast a big net and keep tight lines.
Until next week.
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