Jug fishing ethics...

[G.Gordon]

So, I'm fishing yesterday. There is this jug that comes swimming by, two liter clear coke bottle, and it hauls butt at times and even goes completely under at times. Other observations: No other boats around, no other jugs up or down the lake section as we fish, NO other people around. Bottle is clear, day is partly cloudy, when we get more than 50 yds from it we can't even see it so we understand someone could lose it easily.

So we fish about a couple hours more then start looking for that bottle again. Can't find it. Assumed it got pulled under and wrapped around a log. Lots of cover in this lake. Head out in the main lake and see it reflect the sun from probably 200 yds. Head to it and take the litter to the trash at the boat ramp, fish in the live well.

Is this a or a I'm

What MO Con says about it:
Keeping track of your unanchored jug lines reduces catfish waste and jug-line litter. Unanchored jug lines in streams must be personally attended at all times. Unanchored jug lines in lakes must be personally attended at least once per hour. Anglers who cannot personally attend their jug lines can still enjoy jug fishing by using anchors. Personally attended means that the angler whose name is labeled on the jug line:

• Is in visual sight of and close proximity to the jug line
• Can see the jug line bob and move when a fish is hooked and can retrieve it
• Can see and talk to a conservation agent checking the line
• Can get the attention of or deter anyone who is tampering with the jug line.

[CrappiePappy]

While I doubt the "owner" of that jug would appreciate anyone taking the fish and/or trashing his jug .... since the jug did not have any means of identification labeled on it, it may have been in violation of the MO regs, in which case it may have been prudent to release the fish & trash the jug. IF MO has no regs on having any ID on the jugs, I think I'd have just let it go on its merry way. That's probably what I would have done, in either case, since that way you're not "involved" in any part of an "ethics" conundrum.

Had a similar incident happen to me on Watts Bar Lake, many years ago. Jug came bobbing along, no name/ID labeling ... it got close enough to the boat that we didn't have to chase it down, so we grabbed the jug just to see what was on the line. It had about a 8-10lb Cat on it ... we dropped the jug back & let it go on its way. Last we saw of it, it was on its way towards the dam end of the lake. Rofl

... cp

[Choupic]

That would be a big problem by my house ! People run other people's trot lines , hoop nets and jug lines all the time here and boy does that make the owners of the jugs or lines mad !! I know some guys that wait in the trees with binoculars and guns ....
I have always told my kids , no matter how big the fish appears or how much the tree is shaking , don't ever fool with nobody else's stuff !
A couple years ago my son had one of his lil buddy's fishing with us and same thing happen . A big bleach bottle came bouncing down the river , going under then coming back up , and my sons friend got all excited . He say hey look at that jug ! Let's go get it !!
My son was just a lil fellow and he turned to his friend in a real calm manner and says hey man we don't mess with anybody's stuff out here . All I could do was smile !
I'm with pappy on this . I wouldn't have messed with it . It may have gottin wrapped up on something underneath the water or maybe the owner of the jug left it on purpose . Who knows , but that owner could have been 10 minutes behind you . And you never know ... They could of been sitting in the tree line with binoculars ??

[Locator79]

No matter what the rules or regs are, and just because someone isn't following them, doesn't give anybody else the right to take something that doesn't belong to them. Two wrongs aren't a right.

[LA CrappieMaster]

I would have left it alone, but I can see where this situation can be highly debateable.

[NIMROD]

Here in Arkansas you must stay with them during daylight hours and marked with your identifacation. We are only allowed 20 free floating devices . Weekenders always leave some out floating here. We used to use them but not much anymore. A big cat can pull one in a few hours so far at night making it hard to find.
Better make sure you know it is unattended and left. We had people trying to run ours with us checking them. One dumb butt was warned then caught less than 30 minutes later chasing one again. He was lucky cause my fishing buddy wanted me to pull up so he could get in their boat. They don't know how lucky they were, we had 2 kids in the boat so I told him to let it go. Next time they would not have been so lucky.

[kycreek]

I would have left it alone.

[huntinslabs]

I am totally against messin with someones elses fishing gear, be it trotlines, jugs, bushhooks, hoop nets slattraps etc.etc. But in the case you described sounds like you possibly saved someone some engine repairs, and whoever had placed it did not follow DNR regs, so I would have probably done the same.

[ronetone]

never mess with another fishermen's gear, sure you wouldn't like it to happen to you if it was yours

[Countryboy N.C.]

I Was on the water last summer and the game warden came up to me asked if that jug was mine, i told him I didn't do stuff like that! He went over and got the jug and released the fish and took it with him, came back over and said he had been picking them up all week like that, hoping to catch the one putting them in. since then I have seen 2 jugs , two different time , with fish on them and the hook was rusty! If you can't stay with them , you don't need to be putting them out!