With good reports from a number of different anglers this morning was able to hook up with Rodney and Nina for a quickly put together barfishing trip to MLB.
We left Island 22 for MLB at around 3:15 and found the bar unoccupied and water conditions perfect.
2 good Doctors and the green haired one were quickly in the river with our confident level high after so many successsful trips this year. We had suffered only a couple of blanked days as the Maple Leaf emblems on the side of the Leaf Craft were a sign of good fishing for all that came aboard, Canuck fans included.
A couple hours in the trip DK stopped by for a welcome visit on his way with Mike for an afternoon and evening sturgeon trip.
Would be a lovely night for his trip with a full moon that would light up the ends of their sturgeon poles for them I am sure. I thought I wish I had the time to spend the night out myself.
Soon after Dk left the trip turned sour.
I spotted a boat coming up river and I could see the 2 occupants were sizing up the area to set a drift net, that of course is illegal.
After about 10 minutes after they arrived they came close to shore above us and the net was set.
I said to Rodney "get the top rod and I will get the middle" as more net was being thrown over board as they came in close enough to hook us if we did not.
I got the middle rod in as quick as I could and then moved to the bottom rod and had no time to reel so I just walked quickly up the bar pulling the line out of the oncoming net way.
The only good part was as part way through the drift they hooked bottom or a snag and got no fish that we could see.
This seemed to discourage them and they left for another area to fish and I guess upset some other anglers out for a pleasant day of fishing.
I filed a report to DFO and spent the rest of the trip pacing the bar thinking what I was going to write to the FOC officials which I will do right after posting this.
Tonight I felt embarrased being a Canadian, being part of a country with a Government that allows these illegal acts to go on day after day, threatening our valuable salmon resourse.
It has of course given me more resolve in our major protest against FOC in the weeks ahead.
I hope you will join us when the time comes.
O and we got no fish today, I wonder why.
Author
Topic: Fishing Trip Dampened By Driftnetting on July 30th (Read 4125 times)