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Fishing for Info...From Prison
You may recognize this photo. Luckily for me it ended up in the "First Shot" section of Field and Stream a couple of issues ago. I was thrilled, honored, and very excited to have one of my photos chosen as a two page spread in the magazine.
Then, a couple of days ago I received some state generated prison mail from California. I thought it was a mistake when I found it in my mailbox. Apparently a gentleman who we'll call "Mike" had written F&S asking for me and any information I might have on the fishing and location of the place I had taken a picture of. He claims he will be out of prison and living in Colorado in about six months and wants to go there. Yikes!
Now, I'm hard pressed to give out fishing beta on favorite places to good friends let alone a prisoner in the California state system. On the other hand perhaps he's served his time and will be an outstanding member of society... What do you say, should I write him?
yeah you got a problem. he knows your name, where you work, what state you live in and how to contact you. So if he wanted to chop your head off and steal your flyrod i'm sure that's not a problem. Here are my options:
1. just tell him where it is and don't go there for a year but keep your eye on the news.
2. Invite him for a day of fishing there and tell him that if he tells anyone you'll call the parole board and tell them you were dealing crystal meth to kids at the lake.
jeff
Posted by: jeff k | August 15, 2008 at 11:35 AM
Tell him.
Put yourself in his shoes and you'll figure out why you should.
Posted by: stebe | August 15, 2008 at 01:40 PM
Sounds like something out of Cape Fear.
Posted by: Blue Ox | August 15, 2008 at 03:01 PM
The fact that he's writing from prison shouldn't be an issue - you don't know anything about his crime (I regularly fish with 2 buddies who've each been to jail you'd fish with them too, if you knew them).
Instead, treat the request just as you would if it came to you from any of your other readers. Do you normally give out such data, or do you politely refuse?
Posted by: woodstock | August 15, 2008 at 04:01 PM
On the other hand, the guy could just wait 6 months for when he gets out, and he can do as I did: put his mouse on the picture, and right click to "Save Image As".
The default name of the pic - G***lake - comes up. Ha!
Lesson Learned: when posting pics of a secret spot, never give the pic an accurate name (heh heh, now don't tell me you intentionally mis-named the pic...)
Posted by: woodstock | August 15, 2008 at 04:17 PM
woodstock,
google that lake name. Yup, it's a lake. Is it "my" lake? You'll never know... One ahead of you on that one.
Posted by: tim romano | August 15, 2008 at 04:47 PM
I work in corrections, and routinely see the people under my supervision. Most are regular people who made a big mistake. Then again thats MOST there are a few who are just bad people. I would do as the other posters suggested. Treat this as if any other person were asking for information.
Posted by: tyler | August 15, 2008 at 04:51 PM
Well I checked out google the the photos of a one Gore Lake. I think that this is the correct name and location of the lake. Its hard to match up
Posted by: NATHAN | August 15, 2008 at 05:31 PM
What is a type key account?????????
Posted by: | August 15, 2008 at 08:11 PM
Tim,
Does the future Mrs. Romano know about your prison pen pals! Hope that is the only picture you two are sending back and forth!
Seriously though that is a great PHOTO. I hope I can convince you in the future do do some work for us.
JMAL
Posted by: Jon Malovich | August 19, 2008 at 05:05 PM
jmal,
Oh, she knows. Not very thrilled that I'm getting prison mail. Thanks for the Kudos on the photo. As far as work, I'm all ears. That's what I do and would love to do some work for you guys.
tim
Posted by: tim romano | August 19, 2008 at 06:04 PM