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.

[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...….

[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.

[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.

[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.

[Mr. NiceGuy]

Originally Posted by Denis_Ruso

Thread was started for discussion, kind the point of a forum. You can take your hypocrisy elsewhere.

In your own passive-aggressive way you were stirring up muck from the past and attacking his business by name today.



You backed off. That was a good call.



Now, let's go fishing :-)

[stevie951]

Originally Posted by Denis_Ruso

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

I'm with it, thanks for the information, Denis...Likely will not purchase these now just with the knowledge & ample amounts of substitutes.. Hey just because they went to prison for life does not mean they are no longer a Murderer? Sure we all make mistakes but with the premeditation there it shows character, and that's not at all the kind of person I am or want my children to be.. Plus the things are an arm and a leg for a piece of plastic that will get tore on one good bite. I understand you can't run a business giving away products but, I'm not to sure about the, "Giving Back to the fishing community.."

Who the hell am I anyways? God fishing is too slow!!

[stevie951]

Originally Posted by dpricenator

Once the debt to society is paid, it's all good until he does it again.

I politely disagree. Anyone whom poaches knowingly and is prosecuted should be banned from ever obtaining a recreational license of any type in their lifetime.. If this were the case, and we all knew, do you think people would still Poach? Not nearly as many!!

[Ggiannig89]

I buy them from time to time. The guy paid for his crime. I know there’s plenty of people here who pull up a small rockfish and don’t keep it, or others who have taken undersized or not in season fish either on purpose or ignorance of law. These resources are all of ours and we need to keep each other accountable. Taking an animal or fish or even plants illegally doesn’t make someone a terrible person or unworthy of change.
To me things like this spark a bigger question about conservation with better public awareness and regulations backed by good science. My .02

[alanw]

Anyone whom poaches knowingly and is prosecuted should be banned from ever obtaining a recreational license of any type in their lifetime..

I agree with this. I wouldn't let my children play at a convicted sex offender's house once his "debt" is paid.

[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...

[Denis_Ruso]

Originally Posted by stevie951

I politely disagree. Anyone whom poaches knowingly and is prosecuted should be banned from ever obtaining a recreational license of any type in their lifetime.. If this were the case, and we all knew, do you think people would still Poach? Not nearly as many!!

A bit harsh in my opinion but I see where you are coming from. More severe penalties would be more of a deterrence for people. I think this was exemplified pretty well on decision for revocation of the commercial fishing license for 5 years of the Pacific Star back in February. Which IMO is pretty much a death sentence for a sport fishing operation.


I think this more of a sociological issue and question on whether people are capable of change. If a man commits a crime should he be robbed of his potential to do good in the future? Life is a learning experience and everyone makes mistakes. Most learn through their mistakes, so paying for yours for the rest of your life seems a bit severe and does not offer the opportunity to learn.

So assuming he has learned his lesson and is doing good for the fishing community, do you believe in second chances?