its just none stop hording...............

[jimh874]

this is is from the july 14th edition of the star/trib online sports section. dosnt anyone read the paper or watch the news anymore?
jim

Whopper fish bust

Four Michigan anglers fishing recently in Otter Tail County paid more than $5,000 in fines and restitution after they were nailed with 438 sunfish -- 338 fish over their limits.

"This is one of the worst cases of catching and keeping an overlimit of fish I've seen in the 24 years I've been with the DNR," conservation officer Bruce Pfalzgraff, who handled the case, said in a news release.

Wayne T. Allen, 73, Plainwell, Mich.; Raymond J. Otten, 79, Gobles, Mich.; Barbara E. Verploegh, 75, Parchment, Mich.; and Betty J. Allen, 68, Galesburg, Mich., were each charged with possessing 84.5 sunfish over the limit. Twenty is the sunfish possession limit in Minnesota. The group paid $5,098 in fines and restitution.

"This is a real loss for the people who enjoy fishing Otter Tail County lakes," said Chief Conservation Officer Mike Hamm. "These community fishing waters provide anglers a close-to-home place to fish. It's vital people obey the rules so there's plenty of fish for everyone to catch."

please keep it clean

[wolfman-k]

When I first read this in the paper, I felt like someone kicked me in the gut. It is just so sad that some people think it's their right to steal natural resources from the rest of us who obey the laws. I wish they would include some time spent helping the DNR with whatever tasks they deem appropriate for those caught doing this **** on top of the fines and loss of fishing privileges!

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Fish now, lie about it later!

[Holy Canvas]

Wow! It seems like you always hear about the out of stater's. They come in and stay at a resort for a week every year, and then tear one-just-like-silly-me back home with a truck/trunk/trailer/boat full of fish.

[icehousebob]

I'm 55 years old and I can remember as a kid lots of people being proud of how many game laws they broke. The pheasants/ ducks/fish would go on forever. We know that isn't so and the only reason they got away with it back then was people let them. Game wardens were considered the enemy and you were a rat to report anyone. Fines back then were a joke and folks just winked and jiggled at the poachers.
Times have changed and todays sportsmen won't tolerate slobs and poachers. Everyone out there with a cell phone is another set of eyes for the DNR. Today's technology makes it easier to exceed the limits on game, but there were at least as many slobs in the old days. Now, more are being caught and we're hearing more about it in the news. And they're finally putting some teeth in the game laws. Maybe the bad guys will get the idea that its not a joke anymore. I'll climb off my soapbox now.

[mnrstrider]

It's great to see these people getting caught, and this has been high publicity all summer.

[Gissert]

Does anyone know the lake or lakes involved in this case?

[sami0115]

a fine of $1250 per person in this case just doesn't seem fair to us Minnesotans. these are our natural resources. take their truck, boat, tackle, poles, etc. this type of behavior needs to STOP! we need to have much stiffer penalties!!!!!

[bluehat28]

I think it was Dead lake in Ottertail I also thought one of these guys was a repeat overlimiter

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Wishing I was Fishing

[ChuckN]

It was Dead Lake. There is an interesting story behind that bust. From what I understand, these MI tourists were on Dead Lake in 2002 taking overlimits and someone called TIP, but by the time the CO arrived they must have headed home.

The same officer did a routine check at the launch and found a similiar MI vehicle and he followed up from the complaint in 2002. Through surveillance over a few days between this officer and another local CO they nabbed them and searched the motel and the freezer which turned up all the fish.

Kudos to the CO's!

I wonder how many years this group of people went to Dead Lake and took all those fish....

[MikeYager - Suzuki]

One of two things is happening. Either the CO's are trying and succeeding in catching more people or the media is just giving them more attention. Poaching has and will go on forever. Just think how many people aren't getting caught. I'm sure it would sicken us.
I also believe the added attention will deter some so it's a good thing.

[Mark Christianson]

I really ticks me off to think of how many violators go totally undetected....

Just imagine how many get away with this garbage.

[riverrat56]

ya all these overlimits really tick me off i mean what is someone going to do with 400 sunnies why would you want to keep that many fish and clean that many, you can still enjoy catching them and practicing CPR if you want to prove to you buddys you caught those fish.

[8-Ball]

It doesn't appear that fines are enough to stop these maggots. Not even taking their tackle, etc. Why can't we yank their fishing privs on Minny waters PERMANENTLY! Then they can'tever fish here again-and they don't deserve too,anyway! DNR- isn't there a way to get this into action??

[2dalake]

I doubt non residents are the only ones doing this. It would make sense that residents would be harder to catch.

[the big dipper]

What do you do? I was at a local watering hole a couple weeks back and two guys were bragging about all the hawks and owls they'd been shooting with their 17's. I told them what I thought: that they were a couple of ignorant rednecks that ought to be turned in. They claimed to be helping grouse conservation.