Spearfishing on the American; it has begun

[Tony Buzolich]

This is great if it can be enforced and monitored. I think it would be a good news article in the Sacramento Bee about how numerous fishermen are trying to protect fish in the parkway.

Hmmmm? Maybe I'll give them a call right now
Tony

[Fish Guru]

yes we are Mark..
Tony, unfortunately nothing can be done to keep them off of the Feather, but this is a start at least. Unfortunately for your home waters there may be even more of them since they can't do it here.
I was browsing the spearfishing forums and guys are all jazzed up about spearing the rivers, especially the American. It's funny how they were bummed that the big ones they saw while scouting pre season eluded them on the "opener", something that we were told wasn't the kind of fish these guys would be targeting.
If anyone has the time, word of this being against the law on the American should be posted on the spear fishing sites so they can be aware of the fact that it is illegal on the American. They already have pics of fish from the Howe stretch on one site and had a report of a 48" fish being killed as well. I'm trying to join onto this site to let them know, I'm sure my posts will be embraced with open arms.

[Dan Harrison]

IT IS ILLEGAL TO SPEARFISH ANYWHERE IN THE AMERICAN RIVER FROM HAZEL AVE TO DISCOVERY

I kind of suspected this but didn't want to open my mouth until I'd heard it directly from CA F&W.

Because the American River Parkway is under the auspices of PARK and Sacramento County Ordinance, their regulations governing firearms in the AR PKWY actually override the jurisdiction of the CDFW regulations which provision for spearfishing in freshwater.

Plain and simple, firearms of any kind are strictly prohibited in the American River Parkway and so it is indeed illegal to use or even possess a spear gun in any of the waters therein.

9.36.060 Firearms, Air Guns, and Other Weapons.
No person other than peace officers
in the discharge of their duties sh
all use, maintain, possess, fire, or
discharge any firearm, air gun, spring gun, bow and
arrow, slingshot, or any other weapon potentially
dangerous to wildlife or human safety, except in areas, at times, and under conditions designated by the
director for such use. A violation of the provisions
of this section is a misdemeanor. (SCC 576 § 15, 1983.)

I confirmed this with long time CDFW Game Warden, Allan Weingarten today.

SO Benny, next time, you'll need to educate Cal-Tip~;")

Thanks Steelie for doing some research and calls. Very good news indeed. I figure if (when) I see one I will be going past cal-tip and calling 911 and expressing my concern for weapon use in the parkway.

[Darian]

Are the photos of speared Stripers from the American River or another prohibited water??? If so, it seems to me that it's evidence of a violation and usable in court.... Of course, the problem of making the connections from the photo might be tough. Should be enough for CalTip, tho.

At any rate, posting information on spearos websites is probably better at this point.

[Fish Guru]

Are the photos of speared Stripers from the American River or another prohibited water??? If so, it seems to me that it's evidence of a violation and usable in court.... Of course, the problem of making the connections from the photo might be tough. Should be enough for CalTip, tho.

At any rate, posting information on spearos websites is probably better at this point.

One of the photos I saw was just upstream of the H street bridge, and was taken on 5-1. Can't seem to find the other one I saw earlier of the big fish. I doubt it's worth the trouble of going after them for those, but I honestly just want to join some sites to inform them that what they're doing is illegal and it would be best advised to spearfish elsewhere. Im still waiting for my new accounts to be approved so I can get this matter out there. They aren't gonna like it but its simply not allowed and they need to be informed. I imagine many will dispute what I say, so I will refer to this thread and possibly give out the American river parkway ranger phone number.
It can't possibly cost much at all for the rangers and or fish and game to post some improvised signs stating that it is illegal at various access points on the lower river, I sure hope they do something like this to stop these activities ASAP.

[Ed Wahl]

Steelies, you're my new hero. You cut out the crap and went to a real source. Well done. Ed

[OceanSunfish]

Great work.

[STEELIES/26c3]

I think the Facebook 48" striper photo was removed from the guy's facebook page because he didn't want the incriminating link...

I'm going to play devil's advocate here and say this...

As much as I don't like the idea of spearfishing stripers in freshwater, I am even more concerned about our rights as citizens and sportsmen and sportswomen...

I don't think the spearos are the enemy. I happen to know a few who are very stand-up sportsmen and also have mixed feelings about the newly-passed regulations...

Without a long-winded dissertation, I would kindly remind fly guys, gear guys, harvesters, and strictly CNR folks alike... that we must not lose sight of the bigger picture and who the true adversaries are...

Here's an excerpt and a quote from an insightful member of Spearboard.com:

I heard it (the reg drop) almost did, actually, or at least was called for. However, my friend who's a fisheries biologist for dfg who told me this, said that the whole striper reg change thing in general is kind of a double edged sword/bitter pill-that it's kinda cool for us that they changed the regs, but actually one of if not THE, main reason they did so was not... because of us. It was because of the lobbying of certain parties who want to demonize and/or eradicate the Striper in hopes of diverting attention away from and preserving their massive water interests (depletion/extraction/ theft?) in the delta for sending south, which is a very real and obvious (not theoretical) threat to those salmon smolts Many things are not what they seem when it comes to government (politics). We saw/learned this with the MLPA BS. Money talks and the government works for those that have it and throw it around. Who is it that said, you find who would benefit (monetarily) and usually, you have your culprit..or something to that extent? Well guess what? They were right. Unfortunately.

Tougher times ahead,

Stay unified, and FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT

[Randy Lee]

I'm with Ed, GO STEELIES! But I'm still a 49er fan too.

[mar]

Right on Steelies. Thank you for taking the time to get the right info and sharing with us. Hopefully not too much harm has been done.