Hookup Baits - Thoughts?

[Denis_Ruso]

I've seen many of you using these baits and having some success. That being said I was looking into trying some and think I've just changed my mind after I found this article about the owner of the company.

Apparently, he's been convicted of poaching in the Yosemeti national parks as well as previous citations.

Note: This thread is just for discussion if you would ethically buy them or if there's additional information you may know. Solely for discussion and is not intended to be a flame thread.

Thoughts?

https://www.nps.gov/yose/learn/news/poachers08.htm

Personally, I prefer not to support someone who has a blatant disregard for conservation of our resources but that might just be my California mentality. At the same time, that was 8 years ago and people can change.

[Reiner]

thanks for the heads up

[Iceman]

Biggest surprise in that article is how lenient the sentencing was, must have been a plea bargain.


Lets keep this a little more civil than over there........... to buy or not is still an independent choice.


https://www.bdoutdoors.com/forums/th...o-jail.285447/

[Denis_Ruso]

Originally Posted by Iceman

Biggest surprise in that article is how lenient the sentencing was, must have been a plea bargain.


Lets keep this a little more civil than over there........... to buy or not is still an independent choice.

Agreed with you. I understand that type of sentence for an offence or two offences. Had to be a plea deal.

Also hoping to keep it civil here. We're all adults.

[Mahigeer]

"24 months of unsupervised probation"---What the hell good does that do?

The other problem is that most of the public does not hear about crime like this.

They should make the violators pay for TV Public Service Announcements so a lot of people including the future potential poachers get the warning.

[Mr. NiceGuy]

Originally Posted by Denis_Ruso

Also hoping to keep it civil here. We're all adults.

1. That National Park Service article sounds way overmodulated to me, as a blanket PR-hype threat to everyone in general that they are bad-ass and they are going to bust you without mercy and crush you like a bug.

2. It sounds like the people they went after as alleged criminals were convicted as part of a plea bargain on charges much less than all the wild innuendo in the first half of the article.

3. If it was tried, convicted and punished, ... and therefore resolved several years ago, then why rehash this again now as a new blog trial and punishment based on gossip, NPS hype, propaganda and unfounded, non-legal speculation that was not part of the original conviction, sentence and punishment?


It's done. Stick a fork in it.

Put away your tar and feathers.

It's not your job to try to destroy his business now as a self-appointed SJW vigilante and executioner.


Focus your attention on improving your own life, mind your own business and let sleeping dogs lie.

[Denis_Ruso]

Originally Posted by Mr. NiceGuy

It's not your job to try to destroy his business now as a self-appointed SJW vigilante and executioner.

Focus your attention on improving your own life, mind your own business and let sleeping dogs lie.

Thread was started for discussion, kind the point of a forum. Take the hypocrisy elsewhere.

[etolentino13]

Originally Posted by Mr. NiceGuy

1. That National Park Service article sounds way overmodulated to me, as a blanket PR-hype threat to everyone in general that they are bad-ass and they are going to bust you without mercy and crush you like a bug.

2. It sounds like the people they went after as alleged criminals were convicted as part of a plea bargain on charges much less than all the wild innuendo in the first half of the article.

3. If it was tried, convicted and punished, ... and therefore resolved several years ago, then why rehash this again now as a new blog trial and punishment based on gossip, NPS hype, propaganda and unfounded, non-legal speculation that was not part of the original conviction, sentence and punishment?


It's done. Stick a fork in it.

Put away your tar and feathers.

It's not your job to try to destroy his business now as a self-appointed SJW vigilante and executioner.


Focus your attention on improving your own life, mind your own business and let sleeping dogs lie.

[jorluivil]

Tony should be a salesman for those baits because he swears by them. He almost convinced Greg to buy a few and Greg never fishes plastics.

[DanaPT]

Originally Posted by jorluivil

Tony should be a salesman for those baits because he swears by them. He almost convinced Greg to buy a few and Greg never fishes plastics.

plastic too fragile and often the hook tears the tube or tube hooks itself.



would be better if they lasted longer.

[jorluivil]

Originally Posted by DanaPT

plastic too fragile and often the hook tears the tube or tube hooks itself.



would be better if they lasted longer.

I wouldn't know, you'll to have to ask Tony..................or Greg

[ful-rac]

From what I understand, chad has paid his debt to society, and is still paying for it with bad press....and will probably pay for it the rest of his life. I think he learned his lesson and will likely never do it again so as long as he's not a complete dumbass...which he's probably not at this point...

I think he spent some time in big house and paid a huge fine...so far it seems that he is trying to make things right by supporting the fishing community. Whether it's his time, products and or his own money, he has tried to make amends.

(Edit: Ok maybe he didn't have to spend time in the big house...but he still had to pay the fine and probation).

As far as his hookup baits go... From what I understand they work and work well. If you don't want to support him or his business for this reason, obviously that's completely up to you. He has a second chance to do things right this time. He is definitely under the microscope, and probably will be forever.

So as long as he is on the strait and narrow now...I think he should get a second chance...

What say you?

[Saba Slayer]

He is trying to make good...
He has a grom of the month drawing where he picks a winner and takes the kid and his dad fishing at his expense each month.
He donates to CCA CAL in many ways.
He works with Anglers Chronicles with their shoe donations to Mexico.
He has been under the microscope with all the excellent finishes he and Al had in the bass tourneys last year and I've talked to the other So Cal Tourney directors and they all feel that he's playing fair...

When I was in the film biz I had a guy that was on my crew that had spent some time in the Louisiana pen system for a number of years for a major crime...He was one of my most trusted and best employees for about 15 years until he died...
Sometimes you just have to give a guy another chance...Trust me... I was no angel when I was young...!
Just MHO...

You can either buy his baits or decide not to but in my humble opinion there is no need to bash him again...This is OLD news...!
Jim

Originally Posted by ful-rac

From what I understand, chad has paid his debt to society, and is still paying for it with bad press....and will probably pay for it the rest of his life. I think he learned his lesson and will likely never do it again so as long as he's not a complete dumbass...which he's probably not at this point...

I think he spent some time in big house and paid a huge fine...so far it seems that he is trying to make things right by supporting the fishing community. Whether it's his time, products and or his own money, he has tried to make amends.

As far as his hookup baits go... From what I understand they work and work well. If you don't want to support him or his business for this reason, obviously that's completely up to you. He has a second chance to do things right this time. He is definitely under the microscope, and probably will be forever.

So as long as he is on the strait and narrow now...I think he should get a second chance...

What say you?

[TroutBum]

I use them with success! I can't throw rocks...….

[dpricenator]

I agree with most of the posts here. Once the debt to society is paid, it's all good until he does it again.

God Knows there are several of us here who should have probably done hard time for the things we did when we were younger. I thank him daily for making me smart enough not to get caught when I was young and smart enough to know that I was going to get caught at some point. Changed ways, and haven't looked back.

[Denis_Ruso]

Originally Posted by Saba Slayer

He is trying to make good...
He has a grom of the month drawing where he picks a winner and takes the kid and his dad fishing at his expense each month.
He donates to CCA CAL in many ways.
He works with Anglers Chronicles with their shoe donations to Mexico.
He has been under the microscope with all the excellent finishes he and Al had in the bass tourneys last year and I've talked to the other So Cal Tourney directors and they all feel that he's playing fair...

When I was in the film biz I had a guy that was on my crew that had spent some time in the Louisiana pen system for a number of years for a major crime...He was one of my most trusted and best employees for about 15 years until he died...
Sometimes you just have to give a guy another chance...Trust me... I was no angel when I was young...!
Just MHO...

You can either buy his baits or decide not to but in my humble opinion there is no need to bash him again...This is OLD news...!
Jim

Thanks. Exactly what this thread is intended for, that is good to hear that he has turned a corner. Definitely sounds like he's paying his dues.

Agree with you hence my comment "people can change".

First time I heard about it. So I wanted to get more information before making my judgements.

[makobob]

Originally Posted by ful-rac

From what I understand, chad has paid his debt to society, and is still paying for it with bad press....and will probably pay for it the rest of his life. I think he learned his lesson and will likely never do it again so as long as he's not a complete dumbass...which he's probably not at this point...

I think he spent some time in big house and paid a huge fine...so far it seems that he is trying to make things right by supporting the fishing community. Whether it's his time, products and or his own money, he has tried to make amends.

(Edit: Ok maybe he didn't have to spend time in the big house...but he still had to pay the fine and probation).

As far as his hookup baits go... From what I understand they work and work well. If you don't want to support him or his business for this reason, obviously that's completely up to you. He has a second chance to do things right this time. He is definitely under the microscope, and probably will be forever.

So as long as he is on the strait and narrow now...I think he should get a second chance...

What say you?

I will second that. Most of us would appreciate a second chance. Tight Line amigos.

[Baja_Traveler]

This has been hashed over plenty in another San Diego fishing forum.

I'm of the opinion that he did it, got caught, owned up to it and paid his debt.

The only reason I won't buy them is that they are so damned expensive and they don't last more than two fish! But I've seen them swim, and they sure do work.
Wish he would have donated some to our CCA grab bags, cause that's what I would have tried...

[Master-baiter]

Just give them a damn try. They been out a long time for us to keep goin over this.
Yes, they work.
Yes, they break down easy.
Yes, a bit expensive but so is most other baits nowadays ever since fishing is the cool thing to do now....
Yes, he made a mistake, no justifying it but are we all perfect?
Bottom line, they work and you just buying something that gets you bit.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[echo42]

Originally Posted by Denis_Ruso

I've seen many of you using these baits and having some success. That being said I was looking into trying some and think I've just changed my mind after I found this article about the owner of the company.

Apparently, he's been convicted of poaching in the Yosemeti national parks as well as previous citations.

Note: This thread is just for discussion if you would ethically buy them or if there's additional information you may know. Solely for discussion and is not intended to be a flame thread.

Thoughts?

https://www.nps.gov/yose/learn/news/poachers08.htm

Personally, I prefer not to support someone who has a blatant disregard for conservation of our resources but that might just be my California mentality. At the same time, that was 8 years ago and people can change.

I use them, not exclusively though. They work well. I usually get a few packs at the Fred Hall Show or some other discount opportunity. Much like any plastics, they get beat up pretty easy, especially if a Bonito or Barracuda gets a hold of them. I've caught yellowtail and big bass on them and some random rockfish.

As far as who makes them, I could care less. He's not under indictment, incarcerated, or on a terror watch list. It's not like I'm funding some organization that supports the overthrow of the government or advocates harm to our fellow citizens. He just seems like some guy who may have gone through some knucklehead phase in his life and moved on. I just retired from a career in law enforcement. I also spent 4 years in the military. I've seen much worse than this guy.

I don't see this as supporting someone that has a blatant disregard for conservation. I see this as me buying a tool that works.