Got to use the MD tip line this weekend...

[Bsens07]

Just camped in Ridge,MD from Thursday-Sunday.  While camping we crabbed everyday and only got 3 legal and hundreds of shorts that we threw back.  Saturday night a group of 5 guys with kids show up and from 100yds away every single crab they catch goes into a cooler.  I might have bad luck but I darn well know they cant be that lucky.  I can see some 3" crabs being placed in the cooler so I grab the phone and call the tip line.  About 30min later, a black pickup comes racing into the campground, slams on its brakes and out comes a DNR officer heading straight for their cooler.  She opens it up, tells the guys to walk to her truck and she went to counting.  Every crab they had (probably close to 50) were undersized.  Unfortunately they all scattered like roaches when that truck showed up, but she still got the older kid and one of the adults.  They got a ticket to appear but not sure what their fine could be.  And to make it worse, I went to grab a plastic bag I had my sizer, hunting knife, extra string in etc...and it was gone.  While they were walking all over my campsite, they apparently developed some sticky fingers.  Oh well, I hope that $20 worth of stuff they stole from me was worth the possible fine they might get.

[Mikie]

Which number did you call, the Catch A Poacher 800#? Glad to see that you got a rapid response.

[rapp414]

Hopefully their punishment will be to have the stupid smacked out of them.Why would anyone want a 3 inch crab ? The 5 inchers are barely worth keeping.Glad you reported them.

[Bsens07]

1-800-635-6124....It rang twice and a dispatcher answered and took all the info.  Then about 10 min later the female officer called to verify where I was and to make sure her directions were correct.   Also forgot to add, about 7 years ago when we camped there, we woke up to all of our live crab stolen and a garbage can of small crab shells.  So we decided to not let that happen again.

I spoke to a DNR officer around that time and I thought he said the fine can be $200-$250 per undersized crab, I just hope they throw the book at them.

[rapp414]

Good for you,it's people like that that ruin it for the rest of us,I got checked this year,the guy only checked a few crabs,I figured it was because when he does get a violater,they have a ton of small ones,not just 1 or 2 .

[Dreampixels]

Often time when you are on the water and checked - they have been watching you most likely before you knew they were around - saw it happen on the Bush many times.

One snuck up on me on the GP one day, never had clue he was there - I was a lone pulling traps and doing well - next thing I look up and here is this boat 3x my size sitting next to me.

[crabbywaters]

We had a dnr guy come by yesterday while crabbing. He asked how we were doing. I showed him a 8 inch crab and he went "holy ****". Then he went up in the woods and sat there spying on the open water.

[bctcpa]

I, too, camp in that park and find most people to be very nice and also compliant with the regs. It's a shame when you run into what you saw. Good for you for calling it in. I hope they throw the book at them.

[KALknowsRAE]

As we were motoring to our spot Saturday mornining, we came upon some guys running a trot line with a spotlight around 4:45am.

[vtx1300rider]

Good for you,it's people like that that ruin it for the rest of us,

I hope this was a sarcastic comment?!?! 

I'm all for DNR checking every one of us every time we crab.  I don't care.  Because if I ain't doing anything wrong, then I have nothing to hide.   

[KALknowsRAE]

I don't think he meant any harm. His post is worded a little tricky.

[rapp414]

I hope this was a sarcastic comment?!?! 

I'm all for DNR checking every one of us every time we crab.  I don't care.  Because if I ain't doing anything wrong, then I have nothing to hide.   

I wasn't sarcastic,I guess I said it wrong,or you interpreted it wrong,I meant people like that are the reason the rest of us innocent people have to get checked,I follow the rules,I was checked once this year in Md and once in DE,no violations.I wouldn't want a small crab if they were legal.

[rapp414]

I don't think he meant any harm. His post is worded a little tricky.

You're right,but I can see now why they thought that way,it was worded badly

[flounderpounder]

prob will only be an $86 fine for both of them    sad to say

[Parritz]

"As we were motoring to our spot Saturday mornining, we came upon some guys running a trot line with a spotlight around 4:45am. "

Why do people go out so early? I see posts that say they were on the water at 4 am, if you can't drop until approx.5:40 give or take,what is the point? If I am sitting in an area where I want to drop traps and someone comes along and I politely tell them I'm going to drop 30 traps in this vicinity, what would really stop them from dropping there before time.

Just kind of venting, PLEASE... don't want to start an argument thread. Still learning the crabbing thing,butwe follow all the rules, we see them broken every week.

[Parritz]

Not you KalknowsRay-you stated you were motoring to your spot,it might take awhile to get there....wasn't picking on you!

[flounderpounder]

4am to secure a spot and to handline and get your gear ready and baited if not done already

[dfran]

"As we were motoring to our spot Saturday mornining, we came upon some guys running a trot line with a spotlight around 4:45am. "

Why do people go out so early? I see posts that say they were on the water at 4 am, if you can't drop until approx.5:40 give or take,what is the point? If I am sitting in an area where I want to drop traps and someone comes along and I politely tell them I'm going to drop 30 traps in this vicinity, what would really stop them from dropping there before time.

Just kind of venting, PLEASE... don't want to start an argument thread. Still learning the crabbing thing,butwe follow all the rules, we see them broken every week.

I drive 4 hours to get there, I can't launch until 4 AM I want to be at the spot I plan on crabbing and handline for 11/2 hours before I can set my gear. That's why I get there at 4:30 AM.

[Parritz]

 Thanks guys! Another idea/explanation for my hubby when he thinks we are there too early! I'm going to dig out a few handlines now....

[fowllife250]

"As we were motoring to our spot Saturday mornining, we came upon some guys running a trot line with a spotlight around 4:45am. "

Why do people go out so early? I see posts that say they were on the water at 4 am, if you can't drop until approx.5:40 give or take,what is the point? If I am sitting in an area where I want to drop traps and someone comes along and I politely tell them I'm going to drop 30 traps in this vicinity, what would really stop them from dropping there before time.

Just kind of venting, PLEASE... don't want to start an argument thread. Still learning the crabbing thing,butwe follow all the rules, we see them broken every week.

Commercials can start running there gear one hour before sunrise.

[KALknowsRAE]

Um... Sunrise was at 6:09am that day.

[KALknowsRAE]

"As we were motoring to our spot Saturday mornining, we came upon some guys running a trot line with a spotlight around 4:45am. "

Why do people go out so early?

Because we like to get a spot at the ramp before the outta-staters get there.

Actually, we enjoy the serenity of the water at that time of day. Wether we're fishing, handlining, or just chillin.
You should try it once.

[jack1747]

Same serenity starts at 16:00..... All the beer drinkers are gone.

[flounderpounder]

Because we like to get a spot at the ramp before the outta-staters get there.

better be there REALLY early 

[vtx1300rider]

I drive 4 hours to get there, I can't launch until 4 AM I want to be at the spot I plan on crabbing and handline for 11/2 hours before I can set my gear. That's why I get there at 4:30 AM.

You drive 4 hours to go crabbing?   

Man, there really are some dedicated crabbers here.