Lessons Learned! $500.00 fine for using Two Poles OTW

We've had previuos, recent discussions on here about how it's DEFINITELY illegal to keep a rockfish if you had more than one rod fishing when you caught it.

Correct. Sorry if my wording was misleading.
I have changed the wording to reflect this fact.
I didn't think too much about how I phrased it because I don't fish with 2 rods. I still buy the 2nd rod stamp just in case I have one rod in the water and a fish rises that I want to make a quick cast to.

hard lesson to learn; I have had my share of dealings with DFG, some rightous and some bogus.... but now In my older years, I exercise caution versus chance...

Thanks for sharing your misfortune and reminding us of our responsibilities as anglers.

Tight lines!

The way I see it, from the information provided, is that you were actively fishing for halibut with 2 rods. This is legal.
You reeled up one rod which had a rockfish on it (by catch).
You can release the by catch and continue to fish two rods for halibut.
If you retain just one rockfish then you cannot fish with 2 rods, and said rockfish must have been caught while only fishing with one rod.
Someone correct me if I'm wrong.
Now if you admitted to the warden that you were actively fishing for rockfish with 2 rods you may have shot yourself in the foot on that one.
I would delete your post, go to court, and present the correct scenario which I reiterated for you.
Admit nothing, deny everything, blame everyone. Seems to be what works best nowadays.

 

That's exactly what I explained to the first guy who asked me what am I fishing for, I said I am fishing for Halibut, and then RF got hooked, and I got hooked with a ticket.

I already went to the court and $500 is $500. I was really thinking that they will give me a slack but then I just wasted a day and a $500 dollars.

Guys, I am not here to be humiliated or be condemned. I am here to share the experienced either I encountered an ass warden or good warden. My experienced is not an excuse to get a sympathy, it is a hefty lesson that I won't forget and I'll regret it so much. I won't let it to happen to anyone, period.

I hope this message will get to everybody. Thanks guys. I hope I am still part of you.

Love to see you guys otw.

Randy

IMO you did nothing wrong sans making an honest mastake. It's not like you were poaching the heck out of the place. By definition of the law your actions broke no rules.
If I'm fishing for halibut with 2 rods and hook a by-catch rockfish and release it, how am I breaking any laws?
How did you explain it to the judge?
Just trying to gleen as much information as possible to avoid any future hassles.
I would like to know the judges response to that.

Randy, shit happens man. Of course you are still part of the crew. No worries!

I second Glen's post.  DFG are not our friends. I appreciate the work they do against poachers and the folks that ruin the environment in illegal activities.   That being said, I have beaten them three times in court on bogus charges to basic entrapment that they claim they are authorized to engage in.  There is a mentallity amongst some agents to write 'em up rather than educate.  Luckily they are in the minority.  I am much more cautious now but it has come from experience. 

This year I tried my hand on rockpicking abs with 2 of my buddies.  All of us got the limit, tagged them but didn't not fill in the report card.  Warden was waiting and after interrogation, and severe scolding, we all came home with a warnings and Abs...Whew!

This year I tried my hand on rockpicking abs with 2 of my buddies.  All of us got the limit, tagged them but didn't not fill in the report card.  Warden was waiting and after interrogation, and severe scolding, we all came home with a warnings and Abs...Whew!

 Thats good to hear. Not all DFG wardens are assholes at all. The two that run the boat up by Pt Arena are the best and humorous guys Ive seen in the uniform.

I was thinking about the angle that Tote was going towards but then I thought, you knew what you were fishing for .. right?  So if you were actively fishing for rockfish with two rods you own the cite. No question. The discretion of the DFG wardens is theirs as they see fit. Im glad to hear that your attitude is not filled with hate or vengeance towards the wardens. They were doing the job they are supposed to do.

Many wardens have lost their lives trying to enforce the DFG rules in this state and others. They found a warden shot and killed( with a bow as I remember) in the 70's I think. In the hills of west marin.

Ive also been told BY a warden that they are supposed to follow the letter of the law now. The state needs money? Possibly. More than likely.

So is there anything else you can use two rods on besides WSB and Halibut. I take two rods but use only one. I'd hate to get in trouble because I have two rods with me.

I blame it on the Pro Angler.  I have one and can vouch that they are that easy to fish 2 rods out of.  Heck, I take my wife on the back of mine and we have 4 rods in the water trolling at times!!  (Fresh water trout, BTW)

So, don't beat yourself up, and thanks for the reminder.  I go through life figuring I'm always going to get caught even if it was unintentional. 

I wonder....  If one of those lines "broke off"  what would happen?  Might be a blade attached to the hull in such a manner that the line could be maneuvered to it and cut where the warden doesn't see it?  If the line came up without anything, even tackle on it, what might happen then?

" I wonder....  If one of those lines "broke off"  what would happen?  Might be a blade attached to the hull in such a manner that the line could be maneuvered to it and cut where the warden doesn't see it?  If the line came up without anything, even tackle on it, what might happen then?"

LOL what if you put two lines in the water with weights on it with no hooks. The warder pulls up asks what your fishing for. You say game warden's! You bring in your lines with a weight, with nothing on. Then you can see I got you.

" I wonder....  If one of those lines "broke off"  what would happen?  Might be a blade attached to the hull in such a manner that the line could be maneuvered to it and cut where the warden doesn't see it?  If the line came up without anything, even tackle on it, what might happen then?"

LOL what if you put two lines in the water with weights on it with no hooks. The warder pulls up asks what your fishing for. You say game warden's! You bring in your lines with a weight, with nothing on. Then you can see I got you.

A friend of mine thought it looked fun to surf fish, but had no interest in catching, so she just casted a weight out into the surf. Even after explaining to the warden, she still got a ticket for fishing with no license.

A friend of mine thought it looked fun to surf fish, but had no interest in catching, so she just casted a weight out into the surf. Even after explaining to the warden, she still got a ticket for fishing with no license.

That should have been an easy one to beat.

1.05. ANGLING. To take fish by hook and line with the line held in the hand, or with the line
attached to a pole or rod held in the hand or closely attended in such manner that the fish voluntarily takes the bait or lure in its mouth.

Maybe because I have no coordination, I envy you folks who man two rods at one time without getting them hung up.  If I were to drop two rods, it would just be a double birds nest somewhere along the line.