Sad state of affairs - scuba divers spearing big Stripers.....

[Mark V]

Hi Bill,

When did you hear they were doing that? After August? Where on the river were they spotted? Were they actually using SCUBA tanks? Do you know or suspect where they parked and entered the river?

The Sac County Rangers are on our side-- there is a County Ordinance against anyone being in possession of spear fishing gear anywhere on the American River Parkway.

So DFW Regs may allow spear killing in the water of the American river, but the only way someone could do it legally without violating the County Ordinance would be to launch a boat from somewhere on the Sac river not including Discovery Park (because that's part of the AR Parkway). If they kept their spears only on the boat and in the water, and never took them onto the river bank... Either that or if they were to launch or enter the water with permission from a private homeowner of which there are only a very few with houses right on the river bank.

Two summers ago this was debated hotly on the Forum and the Spear guys know very well about the County Ordinance and they know they are breaking the law when they park & launch from the AR Parkway. The Rangers have confirmed to me several times that they will enforce the ordinance and Fine the spear guys. We know this, and they know when they are illegal on the run. All you have to do is patiently keep calling the Sac Co. line until they answer. Report their description and location.

Let me emphasize, the last Ranger I spoke with emphatically said that possession of disassembled spear gear is just as illegal as fully assembled spear gear. He said he would ticket that guy just as fast as he would ticket a guy with a disassembled handgun. Spear guys know when they're breaking the law and hope to escape enforcement. Just think how satisfying it would be to help get one of them fined vs. listening to their apologists on this board. PLEASE use your camera and GPS and phone and your persistence and lets get this done.

I urge everyone on this board to work together with the Sac County (Sherifs). If you see someone spearfishing on the AR and suspect illegally, call the Sac Co Rangers at 916-875-7275, Then post a note on this board. Better yet send a PM to me and the others on the forum who are on the side of law enforcement with details. When you call be patient; the county has budget/staff complaints but they have always answered, and Ranger called me back every time I've called. Keep calling and your patience will pay off.

Best regards,

[Tony Buzolich]

RIGHT ON Mark ! I hope Bill responds to this as he posted it first, and I hope it's not an old post. As for the guys fishing the river regularly now for steelhead, they all ought to be vigilant about this subject.

Definitely cell phones and cameras of vehicle's license plates would be a great help if they aren't in a boat. CF numbers would be for getting boat ID's.

Good on you Mark, Tony

[mogaru]

In a way, this is an old issue. If I remember correctly from an old threat, the DFG and the park rangers started enforcing the no weapons in the park until orders from above "suggested" to "not make it a priority".

[mogaru]

I believe there are a few videos on youtube.com from the spear guys harvesting stripers in the american river........sad when these politicians and DFG allow spearfishing in freshwater. Disgusting!!!!!!!

[Mark V]

In a way, this is an old issue. If I remember correctly from an old threat, the DFG and the park rangers started enforcing the no weapons in the park until orders from above "suggested" to "not make it a priority".

If you remember correctly.. an old thread?? If that was reported in a thread, please show us it. But a thread on this forum isn't necessarily an objective fact source. I reported actual conversations with Rangers and I'll be happy to call them again and reconfirm.

If you believe the SC Sheriffs have backed off of enforcement on the Ordinance, go spearfishing from the banks and announce to all of us where & when to meet you. If you don't get ticketed I'll witness and concede the point.

I'm curious, have you speared a striper on the American before? Elsewhere? If so, how many, how often and how big? Do you also have experience striper fishing with hook & line?

P.S. I recommend everyone search Youtube for videos of American + River + spear. I've fished it enough to recognize exactly the spots they fished. One video shows the spear guy breaking the law by taking his spear & dead striper onto the river bank. Make note of how the boats & gear look, to help us make a difference with enforcement in the coming seasons.

[winxp_man]

Water management for fish isn’t based on striper numbers. It’s based on salmon population.

The amount of black bass and striper fishermen that went to rally against the tunnels I would say where bigger then salmon fishermen. Most of the lakes I have been to this summer had save the delta stickers and taking to some I would say it was a huge impact on fighting to not have the water grabbing tunnels built. When it comes to salmon it’s more meat guys vs guys that fish for sport (most meat guys don’t care enough). So the tunnels might have been a go had stripers and bass not existed in the delta.

Just my two cents.

[mogaru]

Mark, I don't know how you come up with the "fake news". All I said is what I remember from the an old thread a couple of years ago. And for the facts, I think we are on the same side, I opposed any kind of spearfishing in the American river or any freshwater for that matter. In my youth I did a lot of spearfishing, but in the ocean and free diving, the way it supposed to be. I fished for stripers all my life, in the surf, in the delta and in the rivers and I think they are a wonderful fish, that deserves to be protected.

[Mark V]

Ok, sorry-- shouldn't have assumed you're a spear guy. I remember on the old thread spear guys posted repeatedly statements like spearfishing is perfectly legal (ignoring the county ordinance), so it makes sense their other fantasy would be 'the Sheriffs have backed off of enforcement'. The Sheriffs are fully commited to enforcement; all we have to do is be patient and work together to help them.

Aaron, that's great news about black bass and striper fishermen united and a rally against the delta tunnels. I hadn't heard about that, or I probably would've attended.

[John Sv]

The amount of black bass and striper fishermen that went to rally against the tunnels I would say where bigger then salmon fishermen. Most of the lakes I have been to this summer had save the delta stickers and taking to some I would say it was a huge impact on fighting to not have the water grabbing tunnels built. When it comes to salmon it’s more meat guys vs guys that fish for sport (most meat guys don’t care enough). So the tunnels might have been a go had stripers and bass not existed in the delta.

Just my two cents.

I thought the Golden Gate Salmon Association were heavy hitters in the Tunnels fight. Also, perhaps locally the 'meat guys' aren't engaged (I can't comment either way on that) but region-wide the 'meat guys' are very involved in conservation.

[Darian]

To avoid confusion here, water in California is not managed exclusively for Salmon. at a high level, water is managed for agriculture, flood control, municipal and environmental purposes. Salmon are emphasized because they're targeted as a valuable commercial fishery. Like it or not, Black Bass, Steelhead, Stripers, Shad and many other marine species are included in water for environmental purposes.