FWC in Carrabelle

[charlie tuna]

I am old enough to remember years ago when there really wasn't any law enforcement on the water. I operated a motorized boat in the mid fifties when there wasn't a heck of a lot of small boats on the water. Back then it was scary, the things that people did while boating. You had to watch out for yourself when on the water, and lucky to find the other boater knew "the rules of the road"! Know considering the number of boats on the water today, i can't imagine having zero enforcement. Lets face it, most every trip you come across someone who shouldn't be operating a boat or just doing stupid things. We fishermen SHOULD(?) be interested in conservation for future generations, and who is going to enforce that? There are always "good and bad" in any enforcement organization and it is human nature to label the entire outfit bad because you had to deal with a dummy! It seems to me that when they stop me, it is always when i am in a hurry to go somewhere, or am running late. The other times, they breeze right by me!!! Boating is a sport where many people like to go out and party, and at one time drunk boat operators used to be a big problem across our state, but enforcement has changed that. Just consider the mixture of drinking and an uneducated boat operator on a busy weekend during scallop season, surrounded with other uneducated divers without flags. We got stopped in Everglades National Park one day, 38 miles back inside the park, and as we were being checked, my brother-in-law thru a cigerette butt in the water. The inspector came unglued, and had him fish it back out of the water!! But, that inspector was right and gave us a lecture on "zero tolerance" about proper disposal of ANYTHING. And without an arguement we began to go by the rules. Enforcement is a necessary thing !! One jerk running past me while i'm fishing in the back country ruin's my day!! Or the guy who comes by the ramp half throttle and washes your boat off the rollers as your attempt to load it!! Consider the alternative............

[Tidedancer]

[BeachRum1962]

As that was my second beer of the day, I wasn't sweating any alcohol issues.

Yeah, but what if it was your 3rd or 4th and he asks how many you've had? The proceeds to give you a 4 stage sobriety check right in the middle of the channel that is bouncing like a washing machine. And the 4th check you fail miserably as happened to my buddy a few weeks ago. He says everyone fails that one. I think he just made up that one. That is harrassment plain and simple.

[Warrior]

So True Chalk

This reminds me of rain - most complain when we get too much and they also complain when we don't get any

[leesburgga]

This reminds me of rain - most complain when we get too much and they also complain when we don't get any

[Dubble Trubble]

Next time you think you are going to get pulled for a safety check, take a picture as they approach your boat wait till you can see the whites of their eyes (when they are within facial recognition range). Remember, we live in a "free country", and they are in a public place so this is perfectly legal. If you want to be kind, ask them first. If they allow you to take their picture, that should be an indicator of what kind of person he (sometimes she) is. The will always ask what you are going to do with the picture, you can tell them that it is just to document the encounter, and the picture will likely just be deleted later. If know you have nothing to hide and you are not interfering with them carrying out their duties, you are within your rights to snap a picture or two, or even video the stop. This is the friendly officer that stopped me over in Spring Creek a few years ago. (of all the places, I would have never expected them to be there where I was fishing on one of MY Fishing holes)

A great idea! I wish I had done that earlier this year when I got a lecture for idling too fast.....
after enough I said as politely as possible "if I'm guilty of something then write me a ticket but
I'm just not up to any more lecturing." When my oldest stepson spoke up that he thought enough had been said the officer insisted he prove his identity. He had already checked our licenses, boat registration, etc.
I was tickled when Mark handed him his Retired Law Enforcement credentials. I asked why his license issued with proper ID for purchase was not sufficient but got no answer. He then said he was issuing me a warning as proving I was idling too fast would be difficult to prove in court.
I would love to have a video of that encounter. Things did not start well when he measured our three 27" reds several times and kept saying they were "almost illegal." It was not a good experience. Several other people I know were stopped that day as the officer was anchored in the middle of the channel and difficult to pass. There were no favorable comments. I'm conditioned to be the "temperature of the water" with them....nice and courteous gets that and extra in return.
Conversely.....! Well!

LOL, reminds me of one day a few years back in Grady County we were riding (with permits) on Tired Creek area. We were parked next to a dirt road taking a break when a deputy rode up and proceeded to start raising hell about us racing down the dirt road. We politely told him that we were NOT even on the road and had not been. He proceeded to start saying to us that he would lock us all up and have out 4 wheelers hauled in. (I was snickering at this point).

One of the guys told him to "Go ahead and haul our asses in there buddy, lets get it on!" After a minute of hot discussion, the deputy asked for all our ID's. So He proceeded to see a FDLE badge and ID, a Retired LCSO ID, and a Thomasville PD badge and ID. Needless to say, he was quite polite after that and even told us to "have a nice ride".

Funny how attitudes can change so quickly.

Dubble

[CairoTrout]

No pun intended here. The Captain in Carabelle is a good friend of mine and runs a top notch operation and my opinion is if they are checking offshore they are doing their job. Glad to see his officers is not taking the easy route by checking at landings. If they would have it would have bogged down the landings and they would have been complained on about that and making people late for weigh in. We need to appreciate these guys especially in Franklin County where it seems the most outlaw netters are caught. Thanks to the FWC we still have fish to catch!

[Tidedancer]

No pun intended here. The Captain in Carabelle is a good friend of mine and runs a top notch operation and my opinion is if they are checking offshore they are doing their job. Glad to see his officers is not taking the easy route by checking at landings. If they would have it would have bogged down the landings and they would have been complained on about that and making people late for weigh in. We need to appreciate these guys especially in Franklin County where it seems the most outlaw netters are caught. Thanks to the FWC we still have fish to catch!

They were checking boats at the mouth of the river too. Making some boats late for the weigh-in. If they wanted to set up a check point they should have set it up pass the Carrabelle city dock, the check in station for the tournament. They knew it was there and chose to set up to hinder the tournament fishermen. Or they just did not care.
Remember this is a charity tournament for a worthy cause and the FWC could give a darn about it or at least that is what they are saying to the public here. As for your friend at Timber Island FWC Post you may want to call him and find out if he is still in charge of the water patrol officers. I think you will be surprised.
Now lets look at this another way.
The Cairo Police department sets up a road block on the street your business is on. They stop cars and trucks at their whim to check to see drivers license and insurance papers. They do this every day and the public learns this. Soon the public will take another route and not come by your store anymore.
That is whats taking place hear in Carrabelle Florida. The fishermen choose to go somewhere else where they will not be harassed by law enforcement.
If you lived in this city like I do you would change your tune. And remember I have not had a ticket ever by any state water patrol or a speeding ticket in over 35 years. This is not a grudge post.

This post was meant to call attention to an out of control situation here in Carrabelle.

[charlie tuna]

Thanks for the tip about Carrabelle! I didn't know about their police department. I will go elsewhere for my boating and vacationing needs.

[CairoTrout]

Good go somewhere else. It will mean more fish for me.

[reelbad]

I fished the ABC Builders tournament a few weeks past and we had a total of (2) inshore boats and about eight to ten offshore boats to participate, if that. This is usually a large turnout but due to the economy there is not much participation. Just wondering, how many boats participated in the charity event?

[Dubble Trubble]

Cairotrout, I think most of us agree that we need good enforcement, and I am kinda in the middle on the tournament issue myself.

I think most posts are meaning the attitude of the officer. Some of them (mostly younger ones) are just plain little snots! I have been checked and the checks were very polite both ways - most times...

I have had 2 times when a younger officer was not professional. Once was when one was just plain cocky with attitude. The other was once when I had the twins on the boat and they were in their bikinis. The officer was checking everyone at the landing. However, when he came to our boat, he did not ask for licenses or check the fishbox, he was just interested in conversation. Nice, but not professional. It was obvious his interest was not in enforcement at that time.

They are human like the rest of us, but when they put on that uniform, they should show professionalism, not attitude.

Like others here, I have never had a warning or a ticket, so this is not a grudge post.

Dubble

[Sun Daze]

No pun intended here. The Captain in Carabelle is a good friend of mine and runs a top notch operation and my opinion is if they are checking offshore they are doing their job. Glad to see his officers is not taking the easy route by checking at landings. If they would have it would have bogged down the landings and they would have been complained on about that and making people late for weigh in. We need to appreciate these guys especially in Franklin County where it seems the most outlaw netters are caught. Thanks to the FWC we still have fish to catch!

If he is the same captain who has been over Carrabelle for the last few years, IMO he's a real "Richard Cranium", and yes I've known him for over 25 years. Knowing what I know about him, I am shocked he ever became a LEO. Anyway, I used to fish Lanark A LOT, but since that clown took over, I avoid the area. He and I don't mix, and I just avoid the dude. Anytime I am fishing Lanark I make DAMN sure there isn't anything missing or any fish within an inch of the limits gets tossed.

I get checked quite a bit and am NEVER nervous around them, because I know I'm not doing anything wrong, but in Lanark, I am always concious about the possibility of a run-in with that dude. Good luck dealing with those clowns down there, I think I'll stick with Keaton!

[MudDucker]

I haven't meet the Carabelle group, but the ones I've met up with for the last 10 years have all been very nice and very professional. Now there used to be one guy out of Keaton that was a piece of work years ago named Kevin. He came to check me twice in one day and I asked him if his memory was really that poor. He never checked me again. lol

[BayGator]

This reminds me of rain - most complain when we get too much and they also complain when we don't get any