Cuba Libre
Well-Known Member
How about the American beside me at the fish cleaning bench at Cheanuh; "What kind of fish is this?" Thankfully it was a pink.
A few years ago I was walking past the cleaning table at the Nook. A guy was cleaning a couple of salmon around 15 lbs. I did a double take when I saw they were wild coho which were closed. I asked the guy if he knew what he had---- "Chinook, not big , but nice ones" he said. As nicely as I could I suggested that he take a closer look at the gums and the tails.... The light bulb lit up!!! He grabbed one of the fish and almost stuffed his face down the mouth of the coho... "OH No!!! I thought they were springs!!"They are so big!! for coho!" He was obviously really upset at his mistake. he asked me what he should do with them. I told him it was his choice but he really had only two choices.... Run like hell for home with them and hope there were no road blocks, or feed them to the crabs off the cleaning table.--- but it was his choice.
Normally I would have not suggested making a run for it-- but I felt it was a genuine mistake that really was bothering him. After a while thinking about it- he said he would take them home and if he was stopped by DFO he would own up to his mistake and accept the penalty. He thanked me for pointing put the mistake and said he he felt lucky that it wasnt DFO that pointed out his mistake. Thats when I told him I WAS DFO!!!! He almost turned white!!!! until I told him that I work for the Salmonid Enhancement Program-- not as a Fishery Office!!! The moral is-- mistakes do happen, even with the best of intentions .....