Richardscott999
Well-Known Member
Yeah you don’t need to tell me l am idiot I already feel like one. Like all on this board I was needed my fishing fix. Went out of TP Saturday early afternoon to miss the rush and it was quick at the ramp. Set up to troll just west of EC10. Just get going and along comes Mr CO. I waved him hello as I am puttering along with my rod in hand. He pulls up and tells me to pull in my line as I am in the sanctuary. I said no i’m not look at the map on stomps which I show him on my iPad. He says I am and he should know so I accept that. While he is writing me up I look up the regs which are also on my IPad. Says East side of the bay is closed and that’s it no further description, silly me I thought I was well on the west side. He explains west side of sanctuary is from St Williams ligthhouse down to Little Rice Bay Point. With my old eyes from EC10 I could not see the lighthouse or identify Little Rice Bay.
My father fished the bay (Brownie was his handle and he was one old time fisherman) and taught me his ways. Been on this water for most of my 60 years. I was wrongly of the impression that the sanctuary west side was the water tower to the north to millionaires to the south, this I told to CO. I am not trying to say I am in the right, clearly I was not but three extenuating circumstances. 1) the sanctuary borders are not defined anywhere in the regs or even on the internet that I could find and I looked after I got back. 2) normally the sanctuary borders are marked with posts which they are not probably another Covid problem. 3) the identifiers of the west side borders are difficult to impossible to line up visually (CO gave me a map that clearly shows the boundaries ,the ministry should consider posting this somewhere)
I try and live my life as an honest person, I don’t break the law, I don’t take fish over limit or out of season. I love the bass fishing and would not knowingly disturb the spawn. Frustrated and embarrassed over the whole thing. CO said he did not think I was poaching but had no choice but to issue the $300 fine. Pretty expensive education and the price for being dumb. May take my day in court over this as this issue is costing me sleep.
Rick
My father fished the bay (Brownie was his handle and he was one old time fisherman) and taught me his ways. Been on this water for most of my 60 years. I was wrongly of the impression that the sanctuary west side was the water tower to the north to millionaires to the south, this I told to CO. I am not trying to say I am in the right, clearly I was not but three extenuating circumstances. 1) the sanctuary borders are not defined anywhere in the regs or even on the internet that I could find and I looked after I got back. 2) normally the sanctuary borders are marked with posts which they are not probably another Covid problem. 3) the identifiers of the west side borders are difficult to impossible to line up visually (CO gave me a map that clearly shows the boundaries ,the ministry should consider posting this somewhere)
I try and live my life as an honest person, I don’t break the law, I don’t take fish over limit or out of season. I love the bass fishing and would not knowingly disturb the spawn. Frustrated and embarrassed over the whole thing. CO said he did not think I was poaching but had no choice but to issue the $300 fine. Pretty expensive education and the price for being dumb. May take my day in court over this as this issue is costing me sleep.
Rick
