Bigger Fines for Poaching Needed!

[JBD's Regina Marie]

http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/...eye/380454001/

It's great to have out of state tourists fishing, but these fines are cheaper than 1 night's hotel stay. ODNR needs more revenue, here is your option, raise the fines.

[scubasteve]

Charge them $500.00 per fish,seize their gear including their boat and truck.Drop them off at the Ohio State line and ban them from our beautiful Lake Erie for life.There is that tough enough.

[West Basin]

Where did the two pole limit come from? Easy.

Two arms / hands.

[MageeEast]

http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/...eye/380454001/

It's great to have out of state tourists fishing, but these fines are cheaper than 1 night's hotel stay. ODNR needs more revenue, here is your option, raise the fines.

The Department of Natural resources don't set the fines. Even if they could, with the current agenda they are pushing they'd probably lower or get rid of them to make sure the the Division of Wildlife sees limited revenue. And the DOW doesn't set the fines. Local judges get to rule on punishment. Yes there are maximums set by statute but if the judges aren't willing to punish accordingly, these guys will continue to steal and chalk the peanuts fines up to cost of doing business. The people who elect the local judges have the ability to change this by supporting and electing ones who see wildlife crimes in a more serious manner.

[pimplepounder]

I think the two pole limit is fair.
Yes we do also have a limit on how many fish we can keep, but increasing the number of rods beyond the two allowed also increases the likely-hood that a limit will be reached. May as well use a net.
Michigan also has a two pole limit. But in Ohio if you ice fish, you can have two poles and 6 tip ups, not sure why? In MI you can only have two poles or two tip-ups, or one of each.

The fines need to be raised and strictly enforced regarding these violations. To catch your limit it needs to still take some skill, and some luck. No factory fishing in Ohio water please.

[Jimbo-lie-ya]

How are we to know who is in favor of larger fines? I doubt that fishing fines are the furthest concern in the minds of our electorics. In my opinion.

[rick2752]

I'm all for increasing the fines, but I don't agree with forfeiture of equipment. There also needs to be a law to with a stiffer punishment for blatant disregard for the law. How would you feel if you lost your boat because you had 181 perch for 6 guys. The guys who are double dipping, sure hang em high, but there should be some grey area for a guy who makes a mistake.

[scubasteve]

I hope everyone knows I'm just kidding.Blatant poaching should be dealt with by imposing Fines and loss of fishing privileges for a number of years.A few perch over the limit should also result in some type of fine.If the law doesn't have any teeth our fishery will soon go to hell.

[Eyezcrazy]

Don't stop with being over limit...take their boat for running too many lines too!

[Mxclutch]

Don't stop with being over limit...take their boat for running too many lines too!

I abide by the 2 lines per person law. However I do not agree with it.... If you are going to limit the number of fish I can catch, why do you limit the number of poles I use to catch them? If I go out alone I have 2 poles and 2 lures to try and find the depth and the type of bait that the fish like that day. The people on the charter with 4 paying customers a deck hand and a captain can put 12 poles in the water spread tem out over 200' wide at various depths.

Just my rant..

and GO lol