# Busted at Alum



## Erie Addict (Apr 12, 2004)

Was fishing a cove last night on the main pool last night. Was quietly working a shoreline with the trolling motor and noticed 5 individuals bank fishing for crappie. saw them throw crappie that were around 4-5 inches in thier bucket. Thought about calling the ranger. They packed up thier gear and started to leave and left all of thier trash in a big pile. One of the individuals gave the pile a big kick as they left. I can't stand littering! I call the park office and get the dispatcher, Tell her the story and she says that an officer is on the way. The officer calls me on my cell and asks for a description of the individuals. I give him a description of the group and asks me if i can clean up the trash and meet me at the ramp to see th\e trash and take my statement. I meet him at the ramp and it turns out they had 12 illegal fish and 2 legal fish. None of them had fishing liscene's either + a littering ticket. So they all got numerous tickets. He siad that he wished more people would call in when they see things like this, so that the Park officers could write more tickets and justify more patrolmen. The officer seemed genuinly sincere. If you see something like this going on at Alum please call, 740- 272-1459. This is the main number to the park dispatcher. Put it in your cell phone for future refrence.


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## BottomBouncer (Jan 20, 2005)

That's AWESOME.......big thumbs up on that one 

BTW.....do you have the number to the office....you should post it...I'm sure a lot of guys would call.


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## freyedknot (Apr 10, 2004)

great job. glad they got their just dues.


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## bassin mickey (Apr 22, 2004)

*EA: Great job* The rangers actually got out of their cars. I think that is an accomplishment. Thanks to you !!!


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## crawdiddy (Apr 10, 2006)

good deal especially for the littering(had they not littered doesn't seem like you would have called and they wouldn't have gotten busted). I had a ranger check my license twice at alum last year (he didn't bother the 2nd time since he remembered me) and once at delaware (yet again the same ranger!). Haven't had it checked this year but mostly I've been fishing where one would never see a ranger/warden. If you fish the bank at alum near a parking lot ranger presence is actually fairly high at least it was last year.


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## Fishingislife (May 20, 2004)

Thanks for the number, it is now in my cell.......


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## starcraft (Jun 3, 2005)

Needs to happen more often. I have seen folks take a ton of undersize crappie at alum, hoover in recent years. Crappie less then 6inchs  Very soon might be a good idea to put the 9inch regulation at hoover. Tip of the hat for reporting the law breakers.


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## dakotaman (Oct 19, 2005)

Great Job!! Thanks for doing your part. It's good to see the quick response of the park officers. I know I was really happy to be checked for a license by a game warden at deer creek this year. It's great to see our license dollars at work!


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## Pancho (May 3, 2005)

Thank You Erie Addict For Your Noble Action In Calling The Rangers
On Those Guys....they Learn A Lesson The Hard Way........


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## LEADOFFMAN (Aug 9, 2004)

Great job!!! It's a same that you had to do it, but it needs to be more often. Thanks for caring and taking the time out of your fishing to help keep the parks clean.


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

Great job Erie Addict. I commend you for making the call. It is easy for us all to bitch after it happens but often times we don't do anything about it.

By the way, I can't remember the last time I have caught a 4-5 inch crappie (not that all of mine are monsters but small ones are typically 8-9") but if I did the last thing I would want to do is clean that little piece of paper.


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## sevenx (Apr 21, 2005)

Thanks for calling them in. I fished a spot last weekend and it was full of beer cans and worm containers. I wish I could have reported it but did not see who left it. Great job and thanks from all of us who respect our outdoor environment. S ps. I carried there trash out for them and I will keep my eye on the spot for future offenders


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## NewbreedFishing (Apr 15, 2004)

Awesome, thanks for sticking around and giving these guys something to think about in the future!


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## Smallmouth Crazy (Apr 4, 2006)

Good job on the call...sort of a surprise that they got there that quick..left unchecked there are hords of people who will keep those tiny crappie...me and a friend caught 20-25 of them a couple weeks ago at Alum...biggest one might have gone 8"...never entered our mind to even think of keeping any of them...its been my experience that keeping to many of the slabs will put a dent in the population as well...seen more than a few people keep stringer upon loaded down stringer of nice crappie out of Deer Creek in the early to mid 80s...put a hurtin on the fishing down there for a while...nice to hear with some tougher regs they are bouncing back down there.


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## crawdiddy (Apr 10, 2006)

I am not a fisheries biologist but it seems that if they put a limit on the # of keeper crappie one could keep it would up the # of fish ohio crappie. I'd rather someone keep 12 illegal dinks than 50 keepers. Then again I'm no biologist and it may shift the balance of the ecosystem unfavorably.


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## Lewzer (Apr 5, 2004)

I also say great job!


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## harry1 (Apr 17, 2004)

thanks for doing what neede done. is that the same number to call for all lakes or just alum?


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## leckig (May 11, 2005)

very good! It is good to know that there are responsible people around!


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## Snyd (May 5, 2004)

Great job - I see bank fishermen all the time keeping every little crappie they catch. Now I am not saying all bank fishermen keep small crappie but I do see quiet a few that keep them and it seem like the rangers always target the boat ramps. Maybe bank fishermen will think twice now that the word is out.


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## BIGDAWG (Apr 17, 2004)

Thanks Erie!! Both of these subjects "P" me off...Keeping illegal fish and freakin' littering....Thank you for taking time out of your day of fishing for ALL of us.......BD


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## stilesp (Apr 8, 2004)

Was walking the dog across the dam sunday before last and saw about 4 or 5 guys fishing off the top of dam on the bridge part of the spillway. They were letting there lines down about 40-50ft to the water and casting and not paying attention to snagging people walking behind them. This kind of ticked me off as I really didn't think it was OK to fish from there but I didn't see any signs so I shrugged it off. On my way back by I noticed that 2 of them were hauling fish up and both of them threw them in the bucket....wouldn't you know 4-5 inch crappie.....park dispatch wasn't there so I called the delaware county sherriff and they said they sent someone out there. don't know if anything came of it as I had to go home to look up the sheriffs #.


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## capt-hook (Apr 27, 2004)

Great job on those poachers and trash dumpers.
Wish there were more like you that are active.

As far as Hoover is concerned the number I have is 
the park ranger--- 614-648-6019


Capt. Hook


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## Shortdrift (Apr 5, 2004)

bassin mickey said:


> *EA: Great job* The rangers actually got out of their cars. I think that is an accomplishment. Thanks to you !!!


A really nice thing to post after the ranger did his job. We need more of your type comments on this site to portray a real positive image of our membership.


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## ShakeDown (Apr 5, 2004)

Agreed, but that post was a year ago. The statute of limitations on calling him out has long expired


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## River Bass Man (Sep 13, 2007)

Can anyone post a list of numbers people can print and put in there tackle box? If this many people say something maybe we can make a difference.


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## misfit (Apr 5, 2004)

> Agreed, but that post was a year ago.The statute of limitations on calling him out has long expired


maybe it took a year to read the thread


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## seapro (Sep 25, 2007)

Nice job !!! 
Another question I have and have even asked a person from ODNR is what would it take to get fish limits and sizes for all lakes. Seems to me we would improve fishing everywhere. I see people pulling dinks and keeping them all the time and often wonder how good our lakes would be if we stopped that practice. The ODNR guys response was that most lakes population of fish allowed this. I do not concur! I would like everyone else's opinion. Sorry to post this here but don't know where else to post this. My opinion is that wherever there are limits those lakes, are by far better fishing locations.


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## misfit (Apr 5, 2004)

seapro,fish management is much more complicated than merely setting limits.and all lakes/species need individual consideration.what about streams?or do you just want them to manage lakes?
could there be a few things done to improve certain fisheries?yes.
would setting statewide limits on all fish be the answer?no.
what would you suggest in terms of size/creel limits for all species on all waters?
the people trusted with making decisions such as that,are lots smarter and better equipped than you or i to do so.overall they do a pretty good job.limits are in place for various species on waters where deemed necessary,and doing as you suggest would not necessarily be a good thing in some instances.


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## seapro (Sep 25, 2007)

Misfit - I'm not arguing that these guys do a good job. I'm just curious why some lakes have limits and how they got them and what correlation that has to the quality of fish in them. It just seems to me that for quality fish you must go where those limits are in place. Just my experience and was wondering what other folks thought.


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## misfit (Apr 5, 2004)

i didn't take you as arguing the job they're doing.just pointing out that fish management is not as simple as just placing limits,and limits don't necessarily gaurantee more and bigger fish of all species.all lakes have their ups/downs for various reasons,many of which cannot be "fixed" by limits.
might i ask exactly which species you refer to,and what lakes you use to base your findings on when comparing quality?


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## seapro (Sep 25, 2007)

I fish mostly local - Clearfork, Knox , Charles Mill, Pleasant Hill but also venture to Alum and Erie. 
Knox has 18" limit on bass - has good population of larger bass.
CF-CM-PH has a 12" limit - has a good population of fish in that size? Would those fish be bigger if only for a size limit?

My real point being though - how many times have you seen people pulling dinks out (heck I've seen them catching what the ODNR was putting in - Hybrids for example). What would our fish population be like if we did not allow that. Like I say not being argumentative at all, just wondering if my logic is correct. I understand there are alot of variables but just wondering what those are. Hoping someone from ODNR could help.


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## misfit (Apr 5, 2004)

i do understand what you're getting at,but in a way you're comparing apples to oranges.every lake is unique in it's way,which i think is a much larger factor than actual management to increase size limits would be.knox by nature,is very well suited to bass,due to it's size and makeup.kinda like a natural bass factory.the others are totally different,but in general most do have some good size fish.agreed they have maybe a higher ratio of smaller to larger fish,but again,that is probably due as much to other variables as to size limits.i really don't think harvest has near the negative effect as some people think on these bigger lakes.people do keep bass,but i doubt in numbers large enough to impact quality by any measurable amount.all this is not to say i'm against anything that may improve our fisheries(not just bass,but many species)but only my perception of the way things are.for more technical and professional insight,contacting the dnr might help find some better answers.


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## seapro (Sep 25, 2007)

I appreciate your input, that is what I was looking for, makes good sense. My problem is that I keep asking those people who are usually pullng the dinks and I don't like their response, which is that there isn't any limits and they have a right. Even though all they could possibly do with their catch is make soup.


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## crittergitter (Jun 9, 2005)

seapro said:


> I appreciate your input, that is what I was looking for, makes good sense. My problem is that I keep asking those people who are usually pullng the dinks and I don't like their response, which is that there isn't any limits and they have a right. Even though all they could possibly do with their catch is make soup.


Again, as Rick stated fisheries management is extremely complex. It is not just as simple as make a size limit and we will all catch bigger fish. The ODNR has many various objectives in it's management practices. They can't please all of the people all of the time. A particular lake might not be capable of producing large fish so a size limit would not be advantageous. You ever fish in a pond for bluegill and find the largest in there is 4". This is due to "over-population." Thus if there was a size limit, then the problem would never be fixed!

Also, some people want to go out to a place to fish that is close/convenient and such and they want to catch any fish. Their goal is to catch any kind of fish big or small to eat. Should they not get that opportunity? Should we make every single lake and river a "trophy fishery"? 

CG


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## seapro (Sep 25, 2007)

I'm not trying to make all lakes "trophy fisheries" (well in all honesty - I would love that) and I do respect that alot of people fish for the food aspect. Was just wondering if the size of that plate might be better with limits intitiated. You two have made very good points and I do understand there is far more to this then I originally contemplated. I personally don't keep ANY fish I catch, and may be a little biased, it is something I'm working on though and hopefully I haven't come across as venting. I have had a bad day at work though.


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## Muskarp (Feb 5, 2007)

I have to agree somewhat with Seapro. Our inland lakes should have a bag limit on crappie. And the forty perch limit is probably too high. This is why I feel this way. About five years ago I took some vacation to come back to Ohio to do a little ice fishing with some family. It was a pretty slow day. A couple saugeyes, a couple cats and some dink gills. Finally a bobber with a minnow suspended ten feet down over twenty foot of water went under. It was a nice twelve inch crappie. I dropped the vex down the hole and it looked like a weed bed to ten feet. It was a massive school of crappie. I bored a second hole and we proceeded to catch 12-16" crappie for the next hour or so. I wasn't sure what the limit was, but I thought it was thirty per person. As it was in Wisconsin where I was working for the USFWS. So we called it quits, with plenty more fish on the vex and a good hour and half of light left. Now I feel bad enough about keeping that many fish. But could you imagine what we could have done to the population that day if we would have known Ohio doesn't have a limit on crappie. A limit would not be the magic wand to making a trophy population, just a guard against idiots like me overharvesting the population in one sitting. Just my two cents.


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## peple of the perch (Sep 13, 2004)

Great job I am glad to hear that.


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## Snyd (May 5, 2004)

Muskarp - I believe the perch limit is now back to 30!


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## fishslim (Apr 28, 2005)

I do keep crappie i do not keep small crappie unless injured usually 10" size up. But i also agree some lakes not all lakes need monitored better as to size and catch limit. But guys as stayed catch limit is not the answer for all lakes in my opinion if that is the case you will have a couple year class of large crappies that will be wittled away to nothing only to end up with over population of runts. See it happen in small resivoirs and upgrounds stunted fish to big to be eaten by most predators but not worth keeping because of size and weight puny skinny things. Crappies like gills produce in large numbers and in most cases flourish. Many of cental Ohio lakes are VERY FERTILE LAKES having typically yearly good spawns. Granted there will be some years that are not and the lakes do cycle in size some years. Perfect example Delaware last few years loaded with 8-9" fish where are all the large fish? Major flood 2-3 years ago destroyed the amouint of quality fish in the lake,as they were all flushed thru dam and into river. Which by the way is still full of dandy crappies. Only took couple years and without any major floods next couple years on Delaware will be awesome. Conditions do far more damage to quality of fish yearly then that of amount taken by anglers who are following the laws of lake namely size kept. I agree though and am glad they were busted for undersize fish as well as littering. 2 weeks ago i was fishing Alum at dark by Cheshire bridge watching some Asian guys in a boat keeping everything they caught went in and was loading boat as they were coming in,asked them how the bite was showed me a live well stuffed with fish mainly all undersized. Told them they were keeping illegal fish they acted like they had no clue about a size limit. Told them i had park rangers number and if they did not go thru the fish and dump the small ones i was was reporting them. They did not hesitate and pitched most of what they caught back. My buddy was on ramp with me and we stayed there till they were done. Thanked them for putting them back and said have a nice night. Saw them there last week and they waved at us and yelled acrossed water 9" or bigger with a thumbs up. So like was said in other replys just take the time to let ones know or if they are jerks report them. Well enough said by me i am sure not all will agree but as mention i think the ODNR GUYS HAVE A BETTER IDEA ON WHAT IS NEEDED AND DO A GOOD JOB AT IT! Gotta go get ready for a crappie slamming weekend!!


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## Muskarp (Feb 5, 2007)

Snyd said:


> Muskarp - I believe the perch limit is now back to 30!


That's for Erie. We were talking inland lakes. Either way there both too high. A twenty fish per person limit would be more than adequate. Don't you think?


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