# ATTN: Tybee Pier Users



## emanuel (Apr 2, 2002)

For all of those who read this forum who plan on fishing the Tybee Pier, I am asking you to not use the facilities in any way that will generate revenue for the management or the county. After the incident last night in which I was involved, I urge you to not spend any money at any vendor or vending machine on the pier. My protest is over the sub-standard amenities (lack of lights, lousy sink, etc.) and when I tried to protest it, the pier owner brought a police officer to back him up on claims of "theft of service" and violations of the county light ban ordinance. I was not arrested but would have been if I had pressed the issue any further. I will go next to the DNR and the Board of Commissioners to raise a stink. More to come.....

Oh and on a different note. I hooked into the mother of all sharks last night on a different part of the island. Lost it though.


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## TopSnipe (Apr 24, 2002)

E, dig into it. Get some more info and maybe a bunch of us can e-mail the bums in protest about the conditions there.


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## Sinker Slinger (May 18, 2003)

*RE: The incident last night*

Wasn't there ..... ya'll have to fill in details to rally supporters ....


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## emanuel (Apr 2, 2002)

I'll give you guys more details later, but this is what I can give you now. County leases the pier to an individual who then sublets parts of the pier to vendors, etc. This person makes little in the way of attempts to keep pier clean and harasses us about having lights out on the pier end because the lighting is inadequate and we want to be able to keep people from tripping over our gear, etc. Upon whom the blame rests for the lack of lighting, I am not sure. I am going to talk to the Board of Commissioners and the DNR about this issue on Monday and I will let you all know how it turns out. Besides, I'm sure the county may be in violation of safety regulations due to lighting and the person renting maybe in violation of numerous environmental laws. We'll see what happens.


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## Sinker Slinger (May 18, 2003)

I know the County has a arrangement with vendors for the pavilion area but I believe the the County still controls the pier.

The lights bulbs on the pier need replacing as evidence by their constant cycling on and off. Lanterns and spotlights are prohibited for safety reasons and due to federal regs regarding sea turtles. 

I personally contacted the County during Memorial Day about fixing the water line going out to the sink on the pier. I know they worked on it , don't know if they fixed it.

Most of the problems I've seen out on the pier are a result of the illegal shark fishing that goes on every night. Drunk fishermen butchering everything they catch so they can use it for bait to illegally shark fish and then when they catch one they go to ridiculous extremes to make it appear as if they have conquered some great evil beast .... swinging the shark around, slamming it's head on the pier or on the columns .... even had one of their wives run over and stomp on the head of small shark I intended to release .... alot like NASCAR women ... lol ... watch em cut one up at the sink, looks like a satanic cult ... 

Want to clean up the pier and make it an enjoyable place to fish ... get with the DNR, County Police & Tybee Police and run off the lawbreakers....


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## emanuel (Apr 2, 2002)

The county controls the pier although most of their regulations are not enforced. True, there are drunks out there, slaughtering sharks and making a big to-do about it. That is a problem, I have been there to see it many a time. I too slam a shark, if and only when I plan to release it to the chilly depths of my cooler. That knocks it out and spares it the torture of being cleaned while fully concious. I have also seen people using whiting and other illegal sized fish for bait, that happens alot. I'm not too fond of that, and the DNR is cracking down on it. Just the other night, they wrote 3 $300 dollar tickets for that particular violation. If I plan to use bait for shark, I bring mullet. There are no regulations on that particular choice of bait.

However, and herein lies my point, many piers up and down the east coast have lights fully blazing through the night. These piers are well within the range and breeding area of sea turtles and seem to cause no problems. There are also lights all up and down the beach from hotels and other establishments, but you don't see them turning off their lights for the sake of turtles. What I do see this as is a passive-aggressive attempt by the City of Tybee to keep people from fishing for sharks. If this is their motive, I wish they would be more open about it so that the issue may dealt with in a forthcoming matter. Most tourists who come down to fish will ask right away how they can catch a shark. That's what they come to fish for. Yet, you know that Tybee doesn't want to scare away their tourists so they pretend there are no sharks within 1000 miles of their beach. It's ridiculous in that viewpoint and they should know that. It's the same head-in-the-sand approach that far too many resort areas are using and it's not only stupid, it's dangerous. 

It's also dangerous to operate a facility without proper lighting, public or private. I can only imagine it's a matter of time before someone is attacked or has some type of accident on that pier in the wee hours of the morning and ends up filing suit against the county. Said victim would have an excellent case against the county and would most likely win that suit.

By the way, the sink is finally working again as of about maybe 2 weeks ago. When I had asked about it previously, they stated that the fishermen had destroyed the taps on a regular basis and that is why they were turning it off. That was a ridiculous claim on their part and what they are doing is making as hard on people who do wish to fish out there as they can without outrightly saying that they don't want anyone out there fishing other than the tourists who rent cheap rods for 15 bucks and buy their crummy bait for 5 bucks.

The pier is owned by the county, not a private individual nor the City of Tybee. Therefore, full and unimpeeded use of the facility should be allowed by the public and proper and safe conditions should be maintained. If they want to enforce their rules, then by all means do so, but at least be consistent about it. Besides if they really want to close the pier down after 11pm like they say they can, the tourists would raise hell. 

I have no idea how many times I have been out there in the afternoon and early evening and seen the deck littered in trash and the cans overflowing. There is an attendant although he is more often seen talking with his girlfriend or drinking a beer, most likely while still on the clock. 

Anyways, I've gone on long enough although I will be talking to the county rec department on Monday and try to get the straight scoop.


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## Sinker Slinger (May 18, 2003)

Nice points, Emanuel ... but you incriminate yourself when you admit to deliberate shark fishing off the Tybee Pier ... you become part of the problem.

As far as "There is an attendant although he is more often seen talking with his girlfriend or drinking a beer, most likely while still on the clock." ...Several times we saw him going and coming from the storage room next to the Men's Room with underage girls ....


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## emanuel (Apr 2, 2002)

I do on occasion fish for sharks although my usual intent is to hook into a monster red. I realize that if I put my drum bait out there, chances are I will hook into a shark. Therefore, I use a thin wire leader with my bait just in case some 4' shark sniffs out the bait. If I want to hook into a shark, usually I go to another area of the island where the truly big ones hang out. You're rarely going to see someone hook into a shark over 4' because they don't hang out around the pier area. There are no signs saying that you cannot fish for sharks and as long as no one is chumming the water with barrels of blood, putting out 5 pound hunks of meat, and using rigs like 9/0 Penns with piano wire that has been kayaked out 500 yards, I see no problem. Anyways, like I said, Board of Commissioners tomorrow.


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## JerryB (May 15, 2003)

Emmanuel, 

good show on going to the county commission, you should try to get some more support for our side with the bussinesses that cater to tourists. 

when it comes to politics, and this IS politics, only two things matter: VOTES and MONEY. if you can roust a few local bussiness owners who vote and are on your side that a well run, safe pier is a benefit to all then you are onto something. 

another angle would be to find out when the lease is up for the pier operator and bid on the lease. i believe that you could run a great pier, maybe the bait shop owner you work for would partner with you? that would help you get considered. 

good luck,

jerry


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## emanuel (Apr 2, 2002)

That is a really good idea. I'd make a lot of happy tourists and I could prolly sell licenses out there as well. There's a lot of people out there who don't know about the license deal. I would imagine that it would cost an arm and a leg to run that pier, but the satisfaction of seeing it done right would be worth it.

By the way I have found an excellent fishing hole for sharks on the island. There's not alot of tourist activity there and those 8' bulls love the corncob mullet I toss out to them. I still can't get them in, but the fight while it lasts is fun.


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## loafy (Jun 15, 2003)

You've got my support emanuel! I asked you a few questions last week about tybee and ended up going down last Tuesday night. I took my wife and my 4 year old son who was really exicited about fishing. We got down after 8:00 so I would not have to pay the $7 to park. We picked out a spot along the side of the pier by one of the lights and set up.

Caught a few spots as the sun went down and was having a good time until it got dark and the light did not come on. We moved to the next light on the other side and started fishing. THe light would stay on for 10 minutes then go out for 5 or so. It was aggravating but I had a flashlight anyway.

Some guys set up on the end of the pier about midnight and they brought a good sized light with them. Seemed like it was just the ticket. THe game warden came through at 1:30 and he said nothing to the fellas with the light so he must not have had a problem with it.

About 2 am a few less than sober army guys came up and desided it would be fun to dive off the pier. 3 of them... not once but twice. 

We left not long after that. We did catch about a dozen fish and had a nice time but it could have been much more enjoyable with some light!



On a side note Slinger... you make it sound like it is illegal or perhaps unethical to fish for sharks. Personaly I was hoping to catch one to show my son. The size I expected to catch is less than 3 feet so I had no heavy duty tackle but i was "fishing" for them.. not chumming.

I have eaten legally caught shark in the past and from that stand point I can say that I wanted those sharks dead - or stunned- in a hurry. You can't shoot um so what else would you do to calm them down? 

Just curious. My $0.02


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## Sinker Slinger (May 18, 2003)

*Shark Fishing On Tybee*

While I personally have no problem with legal and ethical shark fishing the majority of the people who fish for sharks have proven time again that they are neither legal or ethical in their approach to the sport.

As far as shark fishing on Tybee Island the following is taken directly from the City of Tybee Codes:

Section 9-6-1 Shark Fishing Prohibited

A. It shall be unlawful for anyone to fish for sharks of any species on or from any of the public beaches, docks or piers of the City.

B. Violations shall be punishable by fines not to exceed $300.00 and/or imprisonment not to exceed six (6) months and/or to perform community service for a period not exceeding sixth (60) days, any or all such penalties in the discretion of the municipal Judge.
(ORD. 2001-21; 9/13/01)

(Ord. 2001-21, Add, 12/12/2001)

Now let me state my opinion on the Tybee Code, It is my opinion that neither the city or county own or have jurisdiction over anything seaward of the high water mark .... however I don't have the time or resources to put them to task on the matter. If I win the Mega-Ball we'll find out .... lol

How the County feels about enforcement of the city code on a county pier is a mystery to me.... I've only heard of the code being enforced on two occasions ... once on the pier and once on the beach.


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## emanuel (Apr 2, 2002)

Let me tell you about the reason that code was put into place.

A little while back, a person used to set up a massive shark rig on the pier. He would then have his bait kayaked out about 5-600 yards and wait for something to take the line. He used to bring in massive sharks and finally Tybee got sick and tired of it. He was told he could no longer shark fish from the pier. Then one day, he got into an arguement with a kid while fishing for something else on the pier and tossed the kid over the rail!  That got him banned permanently. 

I have never seen someone harrassed in any matter by any law enforcement officer of any agency for fishing for sharks. Whether or not they choose to enforce it is another story all together. I think it's in place so that they can use it for any other case where someone is publicly hauling in 12' hammerheads like this guy was. as long as no one beaches a monster shark in front of a bunch of tourists from Iowa, it shouldn't be a problem. 

When I do fish that pier, I use a rig that a large shark could easily break and am happy catching the little 3 and 4' sharks on my cut mullet and light tackle. There are plenty of other places I can fish with the opportunity to hook into 8"+ sharks from the beach without annoyed by pier attendants.

I did call the Parks and Recreation Department today and they are looking into the attendant, lighting, and trash situations. I did get one answer on the light problem and that was that the electrical outlets are not for public use. However, they have no problem with people bringing lights of their own despite whatever the pier leasee is saying. The parks director called and left a message this evening and I'll call him tomorrow. Let's hope things get straightened out fast!


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## loafy (Jun 15, 2003)

Of couse there is now way to really do it but the code should probably say no fishing for large sharks I guess.


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