Whats up with the Guides???

[Sitkaspruce]

This week I read the latest Outdoor Edge Mag form the BCWF and it mentions a couple of guides from Port Renfrew that got charged and plead guilty to fisheries violations and were fined.

Now on the posts here there is a few more that have been charged and possibly more coming as DFO cracks down on illegal fishing methods and practices.

Last weekend, DFO was out and about here in McNeill and they targeted the Sunds guide boats and were tied up to a few for quite a bit of time.

So what is going on??

Is it that bad out there that the one's who are on the water the most are having to resort to illegal activities to put fish in the boat?

Is there that much pressure to produce that they can only catch fish with illegal equipment?

I thought that guides would be the champion of conservation as it is their lively hood and for most, their main income.

I know a few bad apples ruin it for most and I know that there is just as much, if not more, illegal activities with plain old sporties, but the guides are in the papers and magazines that are seen around the world and represent BC with the world class fishing that we have.

I am not against guides, was one at one time and know quite a few really good ones who make a living catching fish, just looking for what other peoples thought are about it and the crack down on guides.

Cheers

SS

 

[richmake]

This is a pretty loaded topic but i'll bite.
The truth is that more recreational boaters are charged with infractions over guides but when a guide gets pinched...it makes the headlines.
I for one have know of a quality guide in our area who was pinched with barbed hooks a few years back, I also heard he was pinched a second time but I don't know the outcome of either offence nor do I care.
It's pretty funny to go on about guides fishing illegally when I bet most are still operating without Transport Canada certification or proper insurance and that's a fact.
In the end, it's about ethics and I for one don't think any of it is worth the risk.


www.coastwidesportsfishing.com

http://ca.video.yahoo.com/watch/4726988?fr=yvmtf

 

[phnapa]

I think there are alot of both guides and sportsfishers that need more than a slap on the wrist for their infractions !!!!!!

If the sportsfishing community wants see fishfarms clean up yhere programme (as in other threads) we should be making sure ours is a model fishery, shoudnt be throwing stones from a glass house!

 

[Fish Assassin]

I have seen guides do many of things at the few lodges that I have worked at. Like allowing the guest to load the guides limit and take it home at the end of the trip just for a tip. Guides at some lodges that promote catch and release and the harvesting of bleeders cutting the line on lots of fish each day as the fish were not big enough for their guest and it was not worth their wild to remove the hooks from the bleeder. Telling their guest that its not a problem and that the fish will live if the hook is left in the gills.Guess the worry is about $ then what the inpact will be down the road. I wonder some times how and why some of the so called guides/fish masters get away with it. But it also looks bad the next time you have a guest on board that asks you why you won't do it for them when the guide fishing next to you did it for them last year.

I inquired at a island lodge a couple of years ago why a boat with 2 guests had 7 halibut on the board that in which they were haveing their pictures taken with. I was told it was ship to a processor every two days and that it would then be shipped not effecting their guest limits.

I am glad to see some of these people getting busted.

 

[SerengetiGuide]

This summer I ran into a few groups that wanted to C&R for bigger ones, but if there was any fish that were hooked deep they went in the box...i explained that to them before hand...and in some cases they ended up having to keep 18-20lbs instead of 28's they were releasing...but there is no way i'd let the fish die...what a waste...that is one thing that really "grinds my gears" is seeing fish floating on top knowing someone let em go and they won't survive.

But I'm sure that more rec anglers fish illegally than guides per capita...its just like richmake said, the guides make the headlines when they get caught.

www.serengetifishingcharters.com

http://www.youtube.com/user/canucksfanatic44

 

[profisher]

I have no patience for guides that cheat..either barbed up, allowing customers to take their limit, fishing closed areas..etc etc. By fishing illegally they do give all of us in the industry a black eye. If they don't care that their actions can adversely effect someone else's reputation and livelihood by association then take the privilege away for..... 2 years first offense and a lifetime on the second.

 

[Island Fish Lifter]

The time of "bending the rules" has had its day. We all need to work as a team now and shoot straight. I, and Im sure Im not the only one here, have had my fair share of bending the rules in the past.
I think most of us guides are trophy hunters, and are highly competitive. Its really tough when the highliners are coming in with hogs on a regular basis knowing full well theyre fully barbed, meanwhile, youve been using barbless hooks and losing 90% of the fish you have on, and maybe bringing home a couple fish...
I speak strictly from experience here and am not excusing anyone, Im just trying to make you "gorbies" aware of the facts. Try comparing this to your jobs.

Fill the dam tub!

 

[Karma-Kazi]

I also agree, 90% too high, i would say maybe 10-15% more then when using barbed hooks. also maybe a longer more flexable rod might make a differance, and also i find the depth you are fishing makes a huge differance, i had 3 pin poppers at 110 ft that all managed to get away today due to slack line for just that 1-2 seconds.

-Steve

 

[profisher]

While it is frustrating to see some guys loosing so few fish over an entire season you know they must be barbed up...they will all get caught in time. All my customers are told that barbless hooks are the law while giving them their single action reel lesson. No one ever suggests I cheat and run barbs. Loosing fish is apart of fishing...I think loosing a big fish at the boat only increases the likelihood that they will return to try again. For many people once they have landed that trophy salmon...its been there done that...time to move on to the next species.