Officers seize 242 trout, arrest suspected poachers

[AJ's Dad]

Any chance Deportation could be part of the penalty, or would that be a little too harsh?
Maybe trip back to mother land on slow boat would teach lesson, yes?
Don't get me wrong, I have a few friends in the Russian community and have worked with some nice guys that were very hard workers. This kind of thing really urks me though. Seize the opportunity to come to a new country and take advantage of it's freedoms, then blow off the rules and do you you dang well please. Ya I know, lifelong american citizens poach to. I guess it's just one of those things that can bother a guy, even if it shouldn't.

I say fine em big. Not because of their nationality, but to teach a lesson to the whole poaching community.

[Marc Martyn]

I recently contacted the three TV stations in Spokane, requesting that more news coverage be given to this ever increasing problem. I got a reply email back from Jeff Hite, executive producer at KHQ saying "Thanks for writing and good story idea. I will pass along to our newsroom." It is my hope that they will contact WDFW and run a news segment further informing the general public. I'm urging everyone who reads this to contact there local media to give more coverage to this.

In doing some research on the web, these kind of poaching operations are happening all across the country and there are many ties to a black market in the sale of fish and wild game. With an ocean on our front door step and SEATAC, I'm sure these large quantities of fish are headed west.

There is a pattern to these poaching activities, both large and small. They do it at night. While I was leaving the Owyhee River in Oregon one evening, I noticed some people down by the river fishing. I slowed to a stop, rolled down my window and watched them for a few minutes. I could plainly see that they were using bait and retrieving and keeping some very large Browns. Their excited conversation echoed through the canyon. It was in Russian. Being out of cell phone range, when I got back to Boise I called the Oregon Fish & Wildlife. That's all I could do. The Owyhee River is a Blue Ribbon river with C & R rules for Brown Trout.

[G-Man]

It's happening all over the world, if any of you missed it, here is a prime example.

Chinese ship runs into protected reef in Philippines — while transporting 11 tons of illegal anteater meat
http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013 ... -meat?lite

Mark, I like your idea of contacting the local news. Nothing like a little media attention to help to help spread the word.

[returnofthefish]

I'm a fan of WDFW facebook page. They posted 3 busts of people taking smelt from SW WA rivers with pictures and details. I think the director got the original posters message.

[returnofthefish]

Its also how I found out about the Lenore trout being poached. Those losers had their Toyota Tundra seized.

[AJ's Dad]

Not all vehicles or other items seized related to game violations are kept by the game department. I believe that most ae returned to the violator. In this case I hope that truck is kept and sold to help with replacement costs of the lost fish.

[strider43]

All I can say is WOW! I too work with and have Russians/Ukranians as friends, but I must say most of the violators of fish rules I have seen the past few years are these people. Next come the hispanics that dont speak english who probably dont have licenses

[Bodofish]

All I can say is WOW! I too work with and have Russians/Ukranians as friends, but I must say most of the violators of fish rules I have seen the past few years are these people. Next come the hispanics that dont speak english who probably dont have licenses

I've got to agree. After participating in the lowland opener in EW and spending a couple long weekends over there. I had the pleasure of watching the WDFW Officer walk around the edge of the lake (s) writing tickets for various infractions to nearly every group fishing there. Absolutely unbelievable, and at an estimated $750 for fishing with out a license, it was like he was printing money!

[jd39]

All I can say is WOW! I too work with and have Russians/Ukranians as friends, but I must say most of the violators of fish rules I have seen the past few years are these people. Next come the hispanics that dont speak english who probably dont have licenses

I've got to agree. After participating in the lowland opener in EW and spending a couple long weekends over there. I had the pleasure of watching the WDFW Officer walk around the edge of the lake (s) writing tickets for various infractions to nearly every group fishing there. Absolutely unbelievable, and at an estimated $750 for fishing with out a license, it was like he was printing money!

Good! Fishing without a license is not an honest mistake if they didn't even buy one. If they bought one and just forgot it they can get the ticket knocked down a great deal by proving they purchased it before the date they were cited. Our regs are pretty complicated so I encourage WDFW officers to give honest mistakes a warning, I know I've made some. Blantant violations should be treated as such and the book thrown at poachers. They should never return the siezed assests of poachers either and they should rot in jail. It's frustrating they're getting off so easy, I'd treat their crimes the same as robbing a bank.

[TBear_fishin]

I realize that this is a tad late, but last September while I was fishing at Angle Lake, I chatted with this youngster on several occasions. He told me about the Russians/ Bosnians that go out and net what ever they can and bring their catch in the coolers they have in the boat. I'm telling you that if I observed this I'd be on the phone to local police to make a report and possible arrest. They do have the jurisdiction as well as the WDFG personnel. It is good to keep a notebook and reliable pen handy for such opportunities. As for getting the local media to cooperate with suggested stories, maybe someone on this forum could suggest how one would go about to make that happen.

[Marc Martyn]

As for getting the local media to cooperate with suggested stories, maybe someone on this forum could suggest how one would go about to make that happen.

Unfortunately, the TV news rooms are looking for live action to cover. Today, one station's big story in Spokane was a shredding drop off point at Sprague and Sullivan. BIG NEWS....people dropping off documents to be shredded. They had two reporters "on the scene" to report on how the shredding was proceeding. Seriously, they spent most of the 1/2 hr. broadcast talking about the free shredding station. This included live interviews with people in their cars waiting to drop off their papers.
Now on the other hand, if a fisherman who intervened in a poaching violation where the fisherman was seriously hurt or killed by the poacher, they would be all over it like flies on a cow patty.
To answer your question, I really don't know the best way to contact them other than send them an email. Perhaps on the coast the stations will take more of an interest. With a denser population over there and more salt and freshwater fisherman, they may find it news worthy.
On the dry side, I think the stations have figured that they can only send out one "investigative reporter" this month to cover the kids catching fish on the dock a West Medical Lake on opening day. That's all the budget allows.

[strider43]

As for getting the local media to cooperate with suggested stories, maybe someone on this forum could suggest how one would go about to make that happen.

Unfortunately, the TV news rooms are looking for live action to cover. Today, one station's big story in Spokane was a shredding drop off point at Sprague and Sullivan. BIG NEWS....people dropping off documents to be shredded. They had two reporters "on the scene" to report on how the shredding was proceeding. Seriously, they spent most of the 1/2 hr. broadcast talking about the free shredding station. This included live interviews with people in their cars waiting to drop off their papers.
Now on the other hand, if a fisherman who intervened in a poaching violation where the fisherman was seriously hurt or killed by the poacher, they would be all over it like flies on a cow patty.
To answer your question, I really don't know the best way to contact them other than send them an email. Perhaps on the coast the stations will take more of an interest. With a denser population over there and more salt and freshwater fisherman, they may find it news worthy.
On the dry side, I think the stations have figured that they can only send out one "investigative reporter" this month to cover the kids catching fish on the dock a West Medical Lake on opening day. That's all the budget allows.

I havent watched local news for years because of stories like the paper shredding; for the most part the stories are not news worthy. And important issue like the one in this forum are ignored by the mainstream as it does not involve using thier devices or speak to mom"s

[racfish]

Today in the Seattle Times Sporting section ,there was a small article on Canadians razor clamming illegally. The game dept issued citations and confiscated 151 razor clams. It happens in all areas of fishing and hunting. If they were to print every citation given out the paper would need a section on citations alone.Unfortunately the feds and the state are cutting back on spending drastically.Its unfortunae but its the sign of the times till our economy makes a large rebound.

[Amx]

Think about it.

Lets say the agent gets paid $100 a day regardless what he does.

He can sit in the office.

Or spend another $100 in gas to drive out to different lakes and rivers and give out tickets, which equals income.

So for $200 a day in expenses, ONE ticket would cover that, and any more tickets would be pure income for the dept. and state.

[Marc Martyn]

With the fishing general season opener next week, now would be a perfect time to run a feature story on the news.

[nickknows]

These *************s should be dealt with harshly these types of crimes are ignorant to say the least I say send them back to Russia with love after kicking their as# for being dumb bye the way I really liked that Boris reply lmao

[sickbayer]

These *************'s should be dealt with harshly these types of crimes are ignorant to say the least I say send them back to Russia with love after kicking their as# for being dumb bye the way I really liked that Boris reply lmao

Easy on the language tiger.

[AJ's Dad]

I contacted Dan Kleckner of KHQ in spokane, and mentioned that the members of this forum were thinking that coverage of this incicent as well as the whole paoching issue, was deserving of news coverage. When I asked if he thought his station would be interested in doing such a story, he said yes and asked me for contact info for whoever could help him gather information.
Thanks Marc Martin for giving me that info. I forwarded it to Dan. Now we can watch KHQ and see if they do a story.

Happy Fishing

[Mike Carey]

These *************'s should be dealt with harshly these types of crimes are ignorant to say the least I say send them back to Russia with love after kicking their as# for being dumb bye the way I really liked that Boris reply lmao

Easy on the language tiger.

yes, thank you.

[AJ's Dad]

Got an email back from Dan Kleckner at KHQ. He has passed on the contact info to one of their reporters and they plan to look in to it next week.