Blatant Law Violations on TV

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robwas
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Blatant Law Violations on TV

Post by robwas »

Anyone here ever watch TV shows dedicated to fishing in the keys? I can't believe some of the blatant violations of the law I've seen a few times. Once I saw Roland Martin using Spanish Mackeral, a regulated species as chum by "chunking" pieces of caught fish to attract more. Last I looked that wasn't legal. Then on another show called "Girls Gone Fishing", off Key West they caught an undersized yellowtail snapper, the captain said immediately "we'll put that one on for bait and see if we can get a grouper". Again, is this legal? And lastly, as far as I was aware you're not allowed to pull Tarpon or Goliath groupers out of the water for photos because of the chance of injury but what did I see on a show filmed in 2008 with our ex president Bush on tv? Yep, he made sure they got the fish totally out of the water for a photo op and some tv video.

Are laws down there really "do as I say, not as I do"? I got a talking to from an FWC official last year because I filleted a bunch of grunts on the bridge which to me I thought was "land". Apparently not in their eyes, I didn't get a fine and I really wasn't breaking any laws because technically a non regulated fish you can do with as you please but I can't believe I got any kind of a hassle for this when there's real offenses happening right on national television.

I'm tempted to make a DVD from the tv shows that I have saved on my tivo and send it to Michelle Owen of the FWC just to see what her opinions would be on this. Anyone here have opinions?
Rob from NJ

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FriskyMullet
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Re: Blatant Law Violations on TV

Post by FriskyMullet »

I don't know about all of the things you cited but I do know that the Bush senior pic was with a gide and they had a kill tag on the rope. Technically you have to have it on the tarpon but that was close enough in my opinion tarpon are not in short supply.

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Re: Blatant Law Violations on TV

Post by robwas »

That thought crossed my mind, I've never purchased a kill tag for a tarpon myself, no desire to mount one but I have from shore pulled them on shore to remove a hook. That would I guess excuse the photo Bush took, it still doesn't explain pulling a huge goliath grouper in the boat for a photo however or the other things. I do think however if they had dehooked the tarpon in the water on that show with the x president it would have served as a really good message however to those that catch and release them, they could have measured it in the water and explained why they didn't boat the fish. Just my opinion, I too don't think they're rare by any means but at the same time the last thing I'd want to do is hurt a fish I'm releasing.

Thanks for the info on the tag though, I didn't notice that, I'll have to watch the clip again.
Rob from NJ

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fishnfool73
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Re: Blatant Law Violations on TV

Post by fishnfool73 »

You can buy cut Spainish mackeral for bait at some shops along with whole frozen ones rigged for trolling. Not sure of the legality but hope that and the legal size ytails for bait are legal because I do both.
Dreaming the dream that one day I can be as good as some of the boatless pros and catch some 12 inch mangrove snapper.

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MoJo
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Re: Blatant Law Violations on TV

Post by MoJo »

#1 YOU DIDNT MEASURE THOSE FISH
#2 YOUR ALLOWED TO USE REGULATED FISH FOR BAIT
#3 BUSH HAD A TARPON "TICKET"
#4 I HAD THE DAMN CAPSLOCK BUTTON PUSHED!!!!! SRY

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Re: Blatant Law Violations on TV

Post by robwas »

I stand corrected on the tarpon ticket deal, without a doubt. However, the swallowtail in question on the show was not 12". The girl asked how long they have to be, the guide said 12" but we'll put that on for bait and catch a bigger fish. I actually saw a show on tv called "E-Force" and one of the officers cited someone fishing on a canal for using a snapper for bait, said it was illegal. As far as the spanish mackeral go, they were of size for sure, however, I assumed since they're regulated cutting them up in any regard, even if for bait wouldn't be permissible. Who could say how big the fish was after it was cut and who could prove how many you used for bait. I guess the rules aren't as I thought they were, it's just with all the enforcement I like to know if I'm in the right rather than assume anything. Like I said, I got a hard time for having a bunch of grunt fillets in my cooler once after leaving the bridge. I could have easily been filleting them for bait (which I have done many times)

Also, the goliath grouper coming out of the water for a photo as far as I understand with the new rules was also a big no-no.

I'm not trying to start an argument here either, I just thought it might be of interest what I saw on tv.
Rob from NJ

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Re: Blatant Law Violations on TV

Post by fishnfool73 »

FWC more than most other law enforcement officers have a broad use of discretion. It is how they see the situation as to how they handle it.
Dreaming the dream that one day I can be as good as some of the boatless pros and catch some 12 inch mangrove snapper.

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Re: Blatant Law Violations on TV

Post by MoJo »

"""The girl asked how long they have to be, the guide said 12" but we'll put that on for bait and catch a bigger fish. I actually saw a show on tv called "E-Force" and one of the officers cited someone fishing on a canal for using a snapper for bait, said it was illegal."""

According to your quote nether the girl nor the guide said it was short...shrug

and im guessing the "officer" said it was illegal because that snapper was short.

Using regulated fish for bait IE snapper is not illegal, But i agree it should be....

BUT i do believe cutting the fish for bait may indeed be a no no...

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WhoDey
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Re: Blatant Law Violations on TV

Post by WhoDey »

I have watched the FL fishing report when they do the around the state deal, and when interviewing the Keys guide he said his favorite bait for grouper was "undersized yellow tail". I rewound a few times on my tivo just to make sure I was hearing him straight.
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Re: Blatant Law Violations on TV

Post by fishnfool73 »

I prefer a yellowtail in the 16 - 18 inch size range for black grouper.
Dreaming the dream that one day I can be as good as some of the boatless pros and catch some 12 inch mangrove snapper.

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Re: Blatant Law Violations on TV

Post by WhoDey »

I wouldn't believe you unless I had seen it for myself! My next tugas trip is going to be the breaking in party for my new grouper combo!
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james380
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Re: Blatant Law Violations on TV

Post by james380 »

Try catching an undersized yellowtail any where in south florida and watch how many people want it for Grouper bait. The laws are there for a reason, but more often then not even the best of us ignore them.

On the other hand Rob you sound like my type of guy(not in that way you jackarses). The fella I wouldn't mind fishing with because I know he's going to follow the rules.
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bolo
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Re: Blatant Law Violations on TV

Post by bolo »

Shut up James. Here is a few pictures for you to get uptight about.

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cybereagle
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Re: Blatant Law Violations on TV

Post by cybereagle »

OH sh*% tarpon out of the water. Hey nice fish. :dude:
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Re: Blatant Law Violations on TV

Post by bolo »

He ate my undersize yellowtail so I had to try to save the poor guy. Bad Tarpon Bad.
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Re: Blatant Law Violations on TV

Post by james380 »

lol those images have been forwarded to FWC. :tongue:
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Re: Blatant Law Violations on TV

Post by bolo »

james380 wrote:lol those images have been forwarded to FWC. :tongue:
Who Fish and Wild Cats? :D
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james380
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Re: Blatant Law Violations on TV

Post by james380 »

ya lost me on that one.
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robwas
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Re: Blatant Law Violations on TV

Post by robwas »

Wow, been awhile since I've checked this thread but I'm glad to see it's active AND that someone else caught them saying on TV that they like to use "undersized yellowtail" for bait. I without a doubt saw that and will try to make a video of it for everyone to see. I'm not all about the rules, however I have been given a hard time about simply filleting a bunch of grunts out on the bridge. There's so many gray areas, I guess most do use discretion much as I use discretion in what I keep. I don't keep every legal sized fish, it 's just a waste to deplete the fishery like that. I guess we just have to have faith in the FWC officials discretion. Thanks for the kind post too James, maybe I will see you fishing down there sometime soon :)

Rob
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Re: Blatant Law Violations on TV

Post by james380 »

Rob I look forward to fishing with ya one day.
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Re: Blatant Law Violations on TV

Post by robwas »

OK, for those following the thread here's a video from girls gone fishing. I just used my camera to video tape the tv screen, nothing fancy but you'll all get the idea, listen at the end.

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fusea ... D=45938525

And James, I'll post on the board once I"m down there, if you happen to be in the keys during that time perhaps we can meet up somewhere. I go with a good friend of mine and we camp in Long Key for the trip.

-Rob
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Re: Blatant Law Violations on TV

Post by james380 »

lol the look on the girls face who was asking the question was priceless.

So you're going way down there. I've only been fishing down that way twice. It's a nice haul of 3 or so hours, but ya keep me up to date.
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robwas
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Re: Blatant Law Violations on TV

Post by robwas »

Yeah, from where I live it's a 25 to 30 hour ride to the keys, so 3 hours is minimal in the scheme of things. We stay for at least 2 weeks usually so it's worth going for what I think is the best fishing to be found in this case. However, if I lived down there I'm sure I"d find a lot more local places to fish. Here in NJ I rarely travel over an hour to fish so I can relate to that being "all the way down there" for sure. But I will post something here if I can get on the net down there and let you know where I'm at and what's up.

And yeah, I think even the girls were shocked in that clip that it has to be 12" but yet he's talking about using it for bait.
Rob from NJ

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james380
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Re: Blatant Law Violations on TV

Post by james380 »

lol Yep after asking the legal size question and his saying yes but we're going to use it for bait. She was definatelty caught off guard.

lol I knew you were gonna say well i'm coming down from NJ. It's not just the driving it's the getting away from it all(family) for 24 hours.
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robwas
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Re: Blatant Law Violations on TV

Post by robwas »

Actually James, I know EXACTLY what you mean. For me during my work season it's hard for me to get a weekend even off, however if I have time driving 1000 miles with good company is pretty darn easy when you're staying for close to 3 weeks.

I see there's another channel 2 bridge cleanup going on while I'm down there, I'm sure I'll see a lot of the forum members down there and if my health is cooperating for the day I'd pitch in as well. It's funny, I saw some photos on the forum here of people I've walked past and seen fishing.
Rob from NJ

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Re: Blatant Law Violations on TV

Post by james380 »

robwas wrote:It's funny, I saw some photos on the forum here of people I've walked past and seen fishing.
That doesn't suprise me. Alot of these guys live down there on the weekends. Shlubs like me have to pick and choose on Keys trips. In my past life(before the wifey) road trips were a thing of beauty.
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