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[searun17]

Decided to take a mental health day off work today and take advantage of the gorgeous weather and do a little fishing,headed out to one of the smaller flows in hopes of some coho action on the fly.As i walk into the run i want to fish i see there are only two fisherman there and one guy is playing a chum,about this time two CO,S show up and start talking to the guy and his buddy ,you know the usuall barb check and license check,as it turns out the guy that was playing the chum was fishing with a barbed hook,after talking to the guy for 15 min the CO uses his discretion and only issues him a written warning,OK now its my turn the officer checks my hook,OK,asks for my license ,no problem,but after looking my license over for what seemed like forever he asks me why i have no springs entered on my license ,well because i don't retain white springs and more importantly i have not caught any clean enough to keep even if i wanted to,i don't know but this seems like a dumb question to ask somebody that has committed no offense and even if i had bonked and not recorded springs as if I'm going to tell him,yes officer i have killed 10 this year that i haven't recorded on my license,then the guy looks at my disassembled sage drift rod sitting on the ground and asks me if i have fished with it today,i reply no i just got here a few Min's before you,i don't know maybe there is a point to these questions but they seem to be a little out of line to me,or maybe the guy was just making small talk,but regardless it was still good to see them out on the flow just the same.

[DionJL]

I got checked sturgeon fishing (tidal portion of Fraser) this summer and got questioned on some very weird things. They asked where I bought my gear, what I do for a living as well as some other off topic questions that did not seem like just 'small talk'. After they were through I was left with an uneasy feeling, things just didn't seem right. In hindsight I should have asked for the names of the officers but I did not. Next time I'll definitely ask some questions of my own.

[troutbreath]

If you look guilty, or familiar as in past infractions or have a hard time answering questions or part of your body is trembling like the lip or eyelid they will hone in on you. It's called bloodhounding similar to wifehounding.

[dennisK]

If you look guilty, or familiar as in past infractions or have a hard time answering questions or part of your body is trembling like the lip or eyelid they will hone in on you. It's called bloodhounding similar to wifehounding.

"no speaka da englisha"

[younggun]

i have never been checked by a C.O. Never seen one on the river. I could honestly care less, I fish legally cus its more sporting, not because i'm afraid that the C.O. is gonna come get me. Its good to hear that they're out and all, but just not where i fish

[Nicole]

I think the conversation was being extended to see if any tell tale signs of a coverup of information was apparent.

It might have seemed weird, but if there were 20 wild dead coho in the bushes, you'd have been sweating by then - and they have techniques to pick up on it.

These guys are no different than police officers, would you give back attitude to a cop? I'm sure they see their fair bit of crap out there...

Most importantly, did you get any fish?


Nicole

[coryandtrevor]

If you look guilty, or familiar as in past infractions or have a hard time answering questions or part of your body is trembling like the lip or eyelid they will hone in on you. It's called bloodhounding similar to wifehounding.

Yup I third that. They always ask strange questions to try and make you twitch. Its just some guys aren't as good as others in their tactics. They figure if you are guilty of something , you will crack.....

One CO kept asking my group again and again how our implied ' dolly varden lunch' tasted ?? 

[Fish Assassin]

My experiences with the CO has been the obligatory "can I see your licence and your hook please?" Guess I have an innocent face.

[searun17]

I think the conversation was being extended to see if any tell tale signs of a coverup of information was apparent.

It might have seemed weird, but if there were 20 wild dead coho in the bushes, you'd have been sweating by then - and they have techniques to pick up on it.

These guys are no different than police officers, would you give back attitude to a cop? I'm sure they see their fair bit of crap out there...

Most importantly, did you get any fish?


Nicole

the conversation i had with them was an amicable and polite conversation,without any real attitude by either party,i just find this type of questioning a little odd.

No i didnt get into any fish but they were there,the water was really clear and low and the fish were quite spooked.

[Sterling C]

In Alberta the idle chat with the COs goes a little something like this:

"So hows the fishing been today?"

"Any bulls?"

"Any keepers?" 

[adriaticum]

They are just testing you and observiing your reactions.
That's what police do, and these guys are probably trained to do as well.
Just be genuine and honest and you'll be ok.
If you get defensive they will know you are guilty of something.

[BooBooBear]

I don't see any reason why you would not be friendly to the CO's.  They are trying to perform a difficult task and have a very large area to cover.  Giving them attitude is just a reason for them to want to search you bag for that hidden compartment with all of the Halloween candy you stole from the kids...  From my limited experience (only twice) - it sometimes is more proative to greet them - get out your license and ask if they want to see your setup.  Then get on with the rest of the day fishing.

[Fish Assassin]

Give them attitude and you will receive attitude back.

[tooler91]

I agree.
I was checked by a CO last week while fishing the upper portion of the river. He stood back on teh bank and watched my Dad and I fishing for a while before he came down and talked to us. He asked how I was doing, had I kept any and if he could see my hook and license. He did ask me why I had not recorded any springs on my license yet this year and I told him it was due to a lack of hooking into the right ones. We went into a 10 minute conversation about this years run, or the lack there of. He was very nice and polite.
When he went over to check my Dad, they got into a 15 minute conversation about him being from California and how beautiful the Chilliwack river was, etc, etc. When the CO asked him why he had not recorded any springs on his license, my Dad's response was, "I release them all to ensure there are more back next year." The CO shook his hand, thanked him and then left.
Attitude will get you nowhere. These guys have a tough job to do and you need to cooperate so they can get on with their jobs and find the people that are causing all the problems.

[dennisK]

I agree.
I was checked by a CO last week while fishing the upper portion of the river. He stood back on teh bank and watched my Dad and I fishing for a while before he came down and talked to us. He asked how I was doing, had I kept any and if he could see my hook and license. He did ask me why I had not recorded any springs on my license yet this year and I told him it was due to a lack of hooking into the right ones. We went into a 10 minute conversation about this years run, or the lack there of. He was very nice and polite.
When he went over to check my Dad, they got into a 15 minute conversation about him being from California and how beautiful the Chilliwack river was, etc, etc. When the CO asked him why he had not recorded any springs on his license, my Dad's response was, "I release them all to ensure there are more back next year." The CO shook his hand, thanked him and then left.
Attitude will get you nowhere. These guys have a tough job to do and you need to cooperate so they can get on with their jobs and find the people that are causing all the problems.

So this CO spent 25 mins talking to you both and another perhaps 15 mins observing you, conservatively. That is 40 mins for a job he could have done in 5 mins. For the remaining 35 mins  or 90% of his encounter with you the CO could have been on his job actually trying to find poachers or invalid licenses.

No wonder you never see them on the river if they waste so much time with only 2 people. At that rate he may check perhaps 10 or 12 fisherman in a day instead of potentially over a 100.

Well he'd be a great greeter at women's shoe store or a tourism guide, but as far as the concept of enforcement and job efficiency goes he gets an epic fail.