Has anyone ever been fined by the DEC for "Fishing south of the first bridge on a Great lakes tributary 30mins after sunset"? After almost a decade of active duty Coast Guard and 30yrs of fishing Lake Ontario I had never heard of it however thanks to the kind DEC Officer in the Cherokee I now have a shiny white ticket to prove it. I was 10ft or less south of the sandy creek bridge at anchor about 45mins after sunset. He did show it to me in the book but good luck finding it again as even the Officer had trouble... Seems like quite a reach to me. anyone else ever got this one?

This is not an odd ticket at all. Two years ago I watched on several nights as the DEC ticketed fishermen on shore who had migrated past the bridge to the South...by about two feet. The regulations are quite clear. No fishing upstream of the bridge after sunset from (I believe) Aug 15th-April15th. Of course, if you weren't fishing, just under anchor watching the action, then you weren't breaking the law.

Gator

Not hard to find

http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/31420.html

Tim

Anyone know why this law is in place? I'm just trying to figure it out with a reasonable explanation.

To keep snaggers off the creeks at night? Has been around for a long time. The fish need some kind of break from getting mauled all day long.

So if you want to fish topwater for bass at night you are an outlaw?

In the tributaries above the first bridge during the specified times of year..... YES you are, and you can thank the unethical, unskilled scumbag snaggers for it.

Tim

Actually No, I can thank my big brother the Government for not Enforcing laws against snagging that are already in place.

its a law to protect spawning salmon! thats where they gather after sundown. we have the same law here in lake champlain, was snagging ever legal here to begin with????...........our salmon do not spawn and die off, they return back to eat your spoon or crawler..... so i really dont think its a law put into affect at the cause of "snaggers". not trying to say snagging is ok either!!!!!!