How do you tell the difference between a Jack and a Female Walleye?
The feeling you get when you know the Co's are watching you even tho your doing nothing wrong makes you almost afraid to jerk unless your totally sure of a hook set. Odnr makes a great deal of money from the run threw violations. As someone on this thread mentioned that he knew nothing about a special Run rule, live bait as well as others. You will run into a lot of inexperienced fishermen and those that just don't give crap and yes confrontations. For me, I'll stay close to home and put my time in and could come home with that fish of a lifetime without the other issues or expense. Trust me, our Indiana waters have big fish without the hassles.
I have only fished it for 3 years and haven't seen any issues either. They do make their presence known which I am fine with. Any walleye to me isn't worth a ticket so I don't have any problems putting them back if their foul hooked. I was the same way though.... I said for years I didn't want any part of that chaos over there. After going the first time it wasn't as bad as I had pictured and I've been having a great time fishing over there since. There are situations you just have to walk away from. My first walleye ever there was a pretty nice one probably 26-28" and another guy had gotten snagged up in my line. The fish swung downstream and he netted i and by the time I got down there he had both jigs out in a hurry and loudly proclaimed that was his fish. I just let him have it, I wasn't about to get in a fight over a fish. That has been the only time I have had anything like that crop up. Any other time the people around me have been good to fish with.
Wow brother! How in the hell did you keep your cool?
It takes quite a bit to get under my skin I suppose. On the flip side I have caught lots of limits and big fish out of there since. I look at it as losing the battle and winning the war I guess.
Have not made the trip yet this year. A couple of friends have made 3 trips for 1 fish. I will wait till I see a few limits being take to the tackle shop. 1 1/2 hr. drive from Auburn, not worth it yet. !
Good luck and this is why I say that. One of my best friends, an Ohio resident versed in the rules, got a ticket there a couple years ago. As he was leaving the river a CO stopped him and wrote him a ticket for keeping an illegally caught fish. Said, he saw from the other side of the river sitting in his truck, that my friend had put a fish on his stinger that was not hooked legally. My buddy had caught a fish hooked in the mouth, hook on the inside of the mouth with jig body protruding from the corner of the jaw. Didn't argue with the CO but did question his vantage point and evidence to which he replied he didnt need evidence or proof just pay the ticket. So you can do everything on the up and up and still get stung. I will take my fishing money to other waters and support other fisheries.
