Is this leagal or not???

[steeliehead]

Just wondering if it is legal to keep a hatchery steelhead on a stringer, alive, all day before killing it?? This is what I witnessed on the Cowichan today. I f*&kin' lost it. And then the guy has the nerve to pull a wild buck onto the rocks before it broke his leader and managed to flop its way back into the river and luckily swim off. DO PEOPLE NOT KNOW HOW TO HANDLE A FISH PROPERLY?? HAVE SOME RESPECT FOR THESE SPECIAL FISH! I guess we need a course for this too. How to handle fish before release. It should be mandatory before people get there freshwater license. If I witness this again you will be walking home.

[HOOTEY]

I am guessing NOT, but then ask the fish GURU Gord at COWICHAN FLY AND TACKLE...good idea on the ride ....license and make of vehicle would be good....[^]

ITS OUR PASSION TO FISH AND GET OUT OF DOORS...PLEASE...FISH LEGAL OR GET OFF THE RIVER!

[bananas]

Holly steelie you took it easy on them thats total bs. You should have wraped one of those expensive rods of yours around there necks,or put them on the stringer.

[steeliehead]

Ha ha no **** LOL, vehicle was a sandy colored Honda CRV. The guy was using a spinning rod that you would use for casting buzz bombs off the breakwater.

[ChromeSweetChrome]

I cant beleive he was lucky enough to catch a steelie when hes obviously slower than most people. Trust me, he wouldnt be the first moron to have to walk home from the river.

[Fins -n- Skins]

Just think Steeliehead, this is suppose to be the last year of the Cowie hatchery fish. Now you take this guy next year when he lands a nice big wild fish. Duh what will he do?? He looks around to see if anybodys looking, does he release it or bonk it ??

[highlights]

OMG........well in the case of the stringer......well thats a moot point. They have been used for eons back east where coarse fish are kept all day long not only on stringers but in live wells. Personally the thought makes me puke in my mouth. I have to admit The experience was short lived in my youth and I have never again employed the use of one.I beleive most people back east just think thats the way to do things. Unless you are told differantly and Walmart/Canadian tire still sells them they will be used by novices until they are shown the light.

I do recall a guy using one as well several years ago on the Cowie. I gave him an earful.

Release it or put it out cleanly if regulation permits.

I hope you made this guy feel like an asdfg@#$%^hole


I STAND CORRECTED......Thanks Porcupine for pointing that out.

Keeping fish alive after caught..... livewell/stringers are not allowed in BC.

[Dinnertime]

Sounds like a real beaker! I would have given him a choice to take the fish off the stringer or go for a swim.I f#$$%%king lose it over sh%$$#@t like this,dudes lucky i wasn't there!

[porcupine]

No, it is not legal. Page #9 of the regulations.

IT IS UNLAWFUL TO....

Have any live fish in your possession
in the wild, or move any live fish or
live aquatic invertebrates around the
province or transplant them into any
waters of B.C. Do not keep angled fish
alive in a “livewell” or other device, or on
stringers, and never use live fish as bait
or release your aquarium fish to the wild.
“High-grading” is illegal.

[Summer Steel]

Not sure if the guy was high grading or just trying to keep the fish fresh until he left.....either way he shouldn't have done it. Does remind me of a funny situation at the Big Qualicum one coho season.....a fella caught two beauty chrome mid teens coho & put them live into an old burlap potato sack that he had tied off to the shore. He fished for a couple of more hours releasing any further fish he caught. When he went to leave, he picked up the sack only to find the string holding the sealed end closed had fallen apart & the two coho had swum away. [:0] Man, was this guy pi$$ed!! He ranted & raved that someone had stolen his fish, threw his rod on the ground & kicked his tackle bag a half a dozen times. Finally gathered up all his stuff & stormed away. Don't know if he ever figured out it was his own stupidity that let the fish get away or if he convinced himself that someone stole them, either way it was good for a laugh. []