What a day with RI Department of Environmental Management agent...

Friday...I'm out fishing because it is way to nice to be in class. The wind is howling out on one of my favorite lakes and this is the time to catch big smallies. It was blowing 15-20 and I was right in the middle of it throwing a big shallow diving Smithwick. When a DEM agent walked up onto the dam, and asked "Are you trying to snag trout with your striper bait?"

I said "No just trying to get some big smallies."

"There are no smallmouth left in this lake and don't let me see you doing it again. I need to check your license and such."      

Everything checks out and I'm not wanted for turkey genocide or anything so he keeps watching me. I put down the jerkbait and pick up a tube. After 10 minutes of observing he gets in his nice new truck and leaves.... :

All was fine, I caught 3 "extinct" smallies over 3 pounds along with a 24 and 26 inch rainbow trout that ATE the jerkbait. The two biggest trout of my life.... ;D

Boy that would burn me up if I had someone trying to tell me what kind of a bait I could throw.  Can he even do that?  I totally obey the laws and regulations to the best of my ability, but for someone to tell me what bait I could or couldn't throw if it wasn't posted would send me into melt down mode immediately.  >

What a tool!!

Great job on the rainbows and the "extinct" smallies BTW.

Unbelievable! So the DEM officer is trying to imply you can't fish with big jerk baits in this lake because you may inadvertantly snag a trout?

Congrats on keeping your cool and catching some nice fish.

Too bad u couldn't hook a smalliesaurus in front of him,....start screaming, tell him to be useful and call the Smithsonian on that fancy radio he's got.....

Hope he never sees you guys using those "real" striper plugs... ;D

WOW! Sounds like something on Reno 911! I probably would have got in trouble if I would have been in your shoes.

Sounds like you had a good time. Nice catch Tin!!!

LOL. For years I wanted an officer to harass the trout snaggers on the lake-run trout streams I fished. Now there you are on a lake for cris-sake. Send him to NY and turn him loose -on a stream.

You have to admit though...rippin' a jerkbait WOULD look a lot like how a snagger works a weighted treble. Never heard of it done on a lake though. I think he needs to get out and actually fish more.

I just can't wait for this guy to see some of those crazy guys from EG or The Bucket throwing those 12" MC Slammers... ;D