Challenging DFO Ticket- anyone done it?

onefish said:
Some fish cops use common sense, some go by the letter of the law. If the person you are checking has his license, is fishing in an open area and has not contravened any retention laws then he has done 99% of what you would expect a law abiding fisherman to do. If he or she has clearly attempted to debarb the hook and there is a little bump still, it is obvious the angler is not a blatant law breaker. The common sense thing to do is bring it to the attention of the angler that there is still a bump and warn him to squish it down harder next time or file it down. You got unlucky and ran in to a power hungry, letter of the law, a hole. If I was the judge you would get off but I would say it is 50/50 on that front. Good luck on your day in court, let us know how it goes.
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I got exactly this type of a caution from a CO up in the Okanagan about 5 years ago. They did the sleeve test on my lure, it snagged a bit even though the barb was crimped. I showed them a few more of my lures and they could see all of them had been pinched off. Got a caution about the one that snagged, they mentioned it was obvious I had done the work to follow the regs.

Since then, I found the pliers-wrench tool from Knipex. This is the best tool I've ever used for pinching off barbed hooks. Now there's always a pair on the boat, another in my fixing box, and one more set at home for when I'm tying tackle there. I'll never fail a sleeve test again.
 
sly_karma said:
I got exactly this type of a caution from a CO up in the Okanagan about 5 years ago. They did the sleeve test on my lure, it snagged a bit even though the barb was crimped. I showed them a few more of my lures and they could see all of them had been pinched off. Got a caution about the one that snagged, they mentioned it was obvious I had done the work to follow the regs.

Since then, I found the pliers-wrench tool from Knipex. This is the best tool I've ever used for pinching off barbed hooks. Now there's always a pair on the boat, another in my fixing box, and one more set at home for when I'm tying tackle there. I'll never fail a sleeve test again.
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What size are you using?
 
Anytime a Regulator/Enforcer is given ridiculous nit-picky authority on something like this these types of things will happen.

This could be handled so much better by education, first time warnings, and printed information. (with photographs) making this a teachable moment .

Everyone needs to be educated to understand why barbless hooks are important .I am sure the technology is available to build a data base of people who are "warned."

The DFO could have a YouTube channel teaching how to pinch barbs.

They could also supply the GPS data on the various fishing areas to the electronic chart companies and the people who print the paper charts.

In addition, It has been proven time and time again that some people in authority will treat different people differently for the same "offense" based on their personal biases.

I expect that writing tickets for a DFO Officer is a measurable performance matrix and it is getting near month end.

I spent my whole career arguing over technicalities (no I was not a lawyer) and dealing with Regulators and the Feds.

I just gave up and bought bags of barbless hooks. It is a slow process changing stuff over, but I am retired and am getting to the point (no pun intended) where I enjoy the peace and quiet of changing over hooks.
 
I have contested DFO charges. I had a charter operation in Renfrew years ago and DFO actually chartered us, I guess trying for some sort of sting operation. They charged my guide with numerous BS charges and the prosecutor was asking for $10.000 in fines and the cost of the charter. The judge found him not guilty of all but one and levied a one dollar fine.
So the Crown was out 1200.00 for the charter but they did get a dollar back.
 
All lures used to fish for salmon in BC, either in the salt, or fresh water, need to be barbless. Why then, are all, or nearly all, the hooks you buy at any gear shop, barbed?
 
onefish said:
All lures used to fish for salmon in BC, either in the salt, or fresh water, need to be barbless. Why then, are all, or nearly all, the hooks you buy at any gear shop, barbed?
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Because people prefer to have the bump left over from pinching them. Some of the barbless versions are also thinner in general. I also don't think we're the only market for salmon lures, and in some places barbs are legal. These are all the reasons I was given when I asked this same question years ago. People didn't like my stupid question.
 
onefish said:
All lures used to fish for salmon in BC, either in the salt, or fresh water, need to be barbless. Why then, are all, or nearly all, the hooks you buy at any gear shop, barbed?
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And those same lures are also good at picking up ling close to the reefs. I'd rather troll close to the reefs with barbless hooks but some people might troll targeting ling.
 
onefish said:
Some fish cops use common sense, some go by the letter of the law. If the person you are checking has his license, is fishing in an open area and has not contravened any retention laws then he has done 99% of what you would expect a law abiding fisherman to do. If he or she has clearly attempted to debarb the hook and there is a little bump still, it is obvious the angler is not a blatant law breaker. The common sense thing to do is bring it to the attention of the angler that there is still a bump and warn him to squish it down harder next time or file it down. You got unlucky and ran in to a power hungry, letter of the law, a hole. If I was the judge you would get off but I would say it is 50/50 on that front. Good luck on your day in court, let us know how it goes.
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I'd use a different word to describe the female dfo ..starts with a "C"
 
Oceanmaster said:
I have contested DFO charges. I had a charter operation in Renfrew years ago and DFO actually chartered us, I guess trying for some sort of sting operation. They charged my guide with numerous BS charges and the prosecutor was asking for $10.000 in fines and the cost of the charter. The judge found him not guilty of all but one and levied a one dollar fine.
So the Crown was out 1200.00 for the charter but they did get a dollar back.
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Bet this is done all the time,(dfo charter stings)
I went up to qcl and when I got home my boxes of fish got mixed up with another fellow, he came to my house and we exchanged boxes..he happened to be an undercover dfo on the trip...heck of a nice guy actually and we talked for what seemed like all afternoon..forgot his name, from the Comox Valley..he did mention no charges were laid on that trip.
 
So to be clear, did she take the hook as evidence? If not, can’t see it going to court.
 
SpringFever2359 said:
Bet this is done all the time,(dfo charter stings)
I went up to qcl and when I got home my boxes of fish got mixed up with another fellow, he came to my house and we exchanged boxes..he happened to be an undercover dfo on the trip...heck of a nice guy actually and we talked for what seemed like all afternoon..forgot his name, from the Comox Valley..he did mention no charges were laid on that trip.
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Sounds like a pretty good perk. Did he get an unlimited per diem at the bar so he could stay in deep cover?
 
SpringFever2359 said:
Bet this is done all the time,(dfo charter stings)
I went up to qcl and when I got home my boxes of fish got mixed up with another fellow, he came to my house and we exchanged boxes..he happened to be an undercover dfo on the trip...heck of a nice guy actually and we talked for what seemed like all afternoon..forgot his name, from the Comox Valley..he did mention no charges were laid on that trip.
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So he failed
 
SpringFever2359 said:
Bet this is done all the time,(dfo charter stings)
I went up to qcl and when I got home my boxes of fish got mixed up with another fellow, he came to my house and we exchanged boxes..he happened to be an undercover dfo on the trip...heck of a nice guy actually and we talked for what seemed like all afternoon..forgot his name, from the Comox Valley..he did mention no charges were laid on that trip.
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I am glad he was a nice guy. I have been to QCL and I can't see them putting at risk a multi-million dollar business with a carefully crafted five star fishing reputation on the line.

Does anyone remember hearing about successful sting operations netting a bunch of bad guys?

The fact that the DFO was/might be still (?) doing this type of undercover operation is mindboggling.

Perhaps Spring Fever, by some one in a million statistical fluke (pun intended), had his fish mixed up with the only DFO undercover Sting Operation ever attempted.is hilarious.

It might be an interesting to learn if someone, or some organization, took the time and decided to learn more from the DFO on this "Investigative Practice" through Freedom of Information Requests on a National Basis.

Being the twisted and beaten down cynic that I have become, I have to wonder if these investigations created overtime costs during the duration of these Investigations and if they have continued?

Have deep have the DFO gone undercover?

Have Officers spent a week at Martha and Bert's Salmon Camp ?

Bert Says

"We added a third 15' Whaler to our fleet this year and we have all new wall tents this year!"

New News from Margaret !!

The scenic walk to Our Gravity Feed Toilets and showers now has twinkle lights illuminating your path."

Or did their Undercover Operations only investigate "High Value Targets?" i.e QCI, Plummers, etc.

In other words did the DFO only go after the "Big Fish."
 
Aces said:
So he failed
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Might have been some small warnings given out ? Who knows?
He just said no charges were laid.

There was an annual derby going that trip, rich guys from all over North America, way to much $$ for me to join in on that.
My son and I (he was a guide at the time and took that trip off), fished together. Good times
 
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