# NAS Trout Point....the good and the bad.



## torreyislandkid (Sep 11, 2012)

Went this morning wadeing at Trout Point. Started right out from the parking lot for the nature trail. I didnt get much till I got to the last three bouys befor the point. There I caught the following. 4 Mangrove Snapper. One which was large enuff to keep. One 11" Gage Grouper.Released.Then I got into the reds.I cought 5 Relesed one for being to small lost one wil unhooking . Caught 5 trout 4 to small one about 18".Lost a gaitor on top water bait.Then 2 Blue fish one on the stringer the other cut my line.
Sounds like a great day right? Well as Paul Harvy says....Now the rest of the story. Wile I was fishing and hooked up with my second Red Fish this white contender comes by,turns around and goes back about one bouy from me and starts fishing. Well I put the Red on my stringer and make another cast and Im hooked up again. As Im fighting the other Red I notice the guy in he boat has some binocs on me. Ah well I guess he just wanted to see what I was catching.He hung around about 30 mins and I was still hooking and loseing fish.There was a thunderstorm in the gulf so I decided to head back. I figured Id be nice and let the guy in the boat move over to my spot. Well I hailed him and he came over and he asked me how the fishing was and I showed him my fish. I said good luck and have a nice day. Well he wasnt a fisherman after all. He pulled his badge and informed me he was with wild life and fisheries.He asked me if I new the limets on Red fish.I told him 5. (STUPID) Thats the Louisiana limet. Here its two. well he took my fish on board and measured them and I was within the law as far as size went but had one to many Reds. Well he let my smallest Red go. It was still alive as I dont put my stringer thru the gills. We talked a bit and he wrote me a ticket. Ah well I deserved it,I didnt pay close enuff attention to the limets. After all was done it started to rain and I had a bit of a walk back to where I had parked I asked him if he would give me a ride back to where I had parked. He did and I said Good by to him. He was a real nice guy.He gave me some places to fish around the bay as I have only been here 8 months. Well sir you can bet that I will never get a ticket for to many Reds ever again. That kind of makes a lasting impression on ya.
So a word of warning to all that fish . They are out there.And not in uniform or marked boats eather. Great day of fishing fo me. Might be expensive. I dont know ,will have to waite on my court date.
Good luck out there and stay right.:yes:  :thumbsup:


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## Death From Above (Sep 28, 2007)

What an ass! He could have cut you a break considering the extra fish was released alive. Hopefully he got struck by lightning in the storm.


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## TailRazor (Apr 25, 2011)

Shit happens, live and learn. When I first got here I read the board at Walmart that gave hunting dates so went to blackwater opening weekend and shot a little 4 point and when I got it out there was a warden who asked for my license (check), wildlife management area permit (huh), and quota hunt permit (huh)??? Dude was pretty nice as he let me keep the deer but he wrote me up for $180 I think. Now i'm first to apply and have the sportsman gold and it's all good. Nice mix of fish though.


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## Specktacular5 (Sep 28, 2011)

Death From Above said:


> What an ass! He could have cut you a break considering the extra fish was released alive. Hopefully he got struck by lightning in the storm.


Agree if it was still alive he should've cut you a break what a prick but then again most are


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## panhandleslim (Jan 11, 2013)

When the FWC is unmarked and out of uniform, they aren't out there to give breaks, they are there for a reason. If they find you out of compliance, they figure you have done it before and just not been caught so, they hit you where it hurts. 

They have probably been reading this forum and noticed all the posts by Lexcore and others about Trout Point and their take and you can bet they are zeroed in on that place. 

So, a word to the wise.


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## Yellowrivermudder (Dec 22, 2012)

Trout point...an enigma. Tight lines!!! YRM


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## captwesrozier (Sep 28, 2007)

What an ass! He could have cut you a break considering the extra fish was released alive. 

Death from above---You being the commercial fisherman you are or maybe you are not but just a recreational fisherman. Do you know the rules and laws governing and protecting our resources from researching and reading what the state has placed on the books or from breaking the laws yourself and getting caught? I hope it is from researching and reading what the state has placed on the books. If not who is the real "ass" here?

Also Death from above were you for the net ban in the state of Florida?

 Hopefully he got struck by lightning in the storm. This kind of bad karma will follow a man for years!!!!!! Comments like this is worse than having a banana on your boat everyday and you are unaware!!!!!!!


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## TSpecks (Oct 3, 2007)

captwesrozier said:


> What an ass! He could have cut you a break considering the extra fish was released alive.
> 
> Death from above---You being the commercial fisherman you are or maybe you are not but just a recreational fisherman. Do you know the rules and laws governing and protecting our resources from researching and reading what the state has placed on the books or from breaking the laws yourself and getting caught? I hope it is from researching and reading what the state has placed on the books. If not who is the real "ass" here?
> 
> ...



1+ Capt Wes very well said. Sounds to me the Fwc wasn't an ass at all but a guy doing his job.


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## Reelfun27 (Oct 4, 2007)

Thanks for your post!!! I would just go to court and tell the judge your story about releasing the third red fish alive and that you are new to the area and didn't know the limits. Just be honest & sincere with the Judge. Judge may have some compassion for you. FWC wins by writing a ticket and doing their job. And you may win by the judge withholding adjudication and maybe a small fee/fine. If the Judge withholds adjudication, it will be like the ticket never happened.


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## dabutcher (Apr 19, 2008)

I had a similar experience. Quite a few years ago the slot for trout was 15-25 inches and you could keep one trout over 25 inches. I launched my boat at Navy Point fished Big Lagoon one morning and caught a bunch of big trout. I return to the ramp with a 27 and 22 inch trout. Unfortunately for me the Marine Patrol was at the ramp and it was the first year that the law changed for trout to a slot of 15-20 inches and one of your trout could be over 20. It was not my intention to break the law. Rightfully, I was written a ticket and had to appear in court.

In court I admitted my mistake and told the judge that I did not consider my ignorance of the law as an excuse for breaking the law. He gave me a warning and I had to pay a court fee of about $50. Needless to say, I am now always informed on creel and size limits.


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## fishboy (Oct 6, 2007)

Glad he was nice to you even though you got a ticket and had to let the fish go. They are out there doing their jobs and I for one am glad they are, they are preserving our future resources. 
Now as for me, when I travel out of state or out of country I make sure to read up on the laws regarding my targeted species or areas and get proper licenses. 
I temporarily live right there by trout point and can walk down the trail to fish from the neighbor hood, it is a great little spot to catch a few fish. I have landed several trout over 26" in the last 2 months and made sure they swam away, only keeping the random 20" fish. Oddly enough I have yet to catch a red back there.

See you on the water


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## torreyislandkid (Sep 11, 2012)

I want to thank you all for the replys. I in no way ment to break the law and I told the Warden that. I am a firm belever in the creel limets although some limets I find a bit low. But thats neather hear nor there.The laws are set to protect our resources. It would be a sad day if we went fishing and caught nothing because all the fish were caught and there were non. I can remember as a young boy growing up and watching people fishing from the bank sitting on a bucket and what ever they caught nomatter how small went into the bucket.My Dad taught me at a young age to keep the middle size fish and release the large and the small,catch no more than was needed for dinner.
Heres a question for you.....
When fishing with artificial lures and you hook a fish only to have the line break or the fish cut you off, Are you more mad at loseing the fish or the lure? Do you ever wonder or hope the the fish surives the lure being stuck in its mouth? Me truthfuly I get mad about loseing the lure first then I hope the the fish can survive till the lure comes out.
Anyways I am going to the courthouse and I am going to plead guilty because after all I am Guilty. But I promis you one thing. I will NEVER be over the creel or size limet of Red Fish ever again. As one reply said...."Live and learn"
Well once again thank you all for the replys. Trout Point realy s a great place to fish. Just stay within the laws and you will be fine.
Haveing said that I have some reading to do. You all fish well and catch a bunch.


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