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Bite isn't that great...


DTro

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OTTER TAIL COUNTY, Minn. - A conservation officer with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources recently arrested an angler with nearly 250 fish over the legal limit.

According to a news release, Officer Shane Osborne met the 69-year-old man as he was about to pull his portable fish house off West Spitzer Lake in Otter Tail County.

"I asked how the fishing was and he said he caught some fish, but it wasn't that great," Osborne said. When asked if he had any fish at home, the suspect said he wasn't sure.

"He then asked if I thought he had too many fish," Osborne said. "I said I wouldn't know that until I counted all of the fish he had. He said I could follow him home and check."

When Osborne visited the suspect's home he found 228 sunfish, seven bass and six northern pike over the legal limit. The fish restitution value is $1,560.

According to the 'over-limit law' that took effect in March 2003, the suspect, if convicted, forfeits his or her fishing license for three years. The person also faces up to $3,000 in fines and one year in jail. He is scheduled to appear in Douglas County Court in February.

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Just imagine how many he'd have if the bite was better. At 69 he's probably retired and has nothing better to do than go fishing and is on a limited income. It's gonna suck to be him to not be able to go fishing for 3 years. Someone should have explained to him the whole "catch and release".

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The fine he may get is not harsh enough, we need to get that raised for further problems. When they break the law like that they should feel the hurt, loose truck or something like that. seems they get one guy like this every winter.

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Just imagine how many he'd have if the bite was better. At 69 he's probably retired and has nothing better to do than go fishing and is on a limited income. It's gonna suck to be him to not be able to go fishing for 3 years. Someone should have explained to him the whole "catch and release".

NOBODY is on a 'limited' income unless they choose to be or have serious physical limitations. Sorry- but I hate that term.

There's no doubt it's not his first time.

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What do you mean no one is on a limited income? Many people are limited in what they spend, and how they spend their money. Sorry to hijack, just trying to understand. I have a feeling that that generation of fisherman has its fair share of people who keep everything. Not to say that we dont as well!!

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Not to be cynical, but I wouldn't be surprised if there are lots of folks out there with this kind of cache in their freezers. Heck, I've heard lots of people state casually that they've got a freezer full of fish already when they're complaining about cleaning the current batch. crazy

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Believe it or not, some people still don't understand how possession rules work, they think they can go out and catch a daily limit every day as long as they don't go over the limit that day.

Not saying that is the case here though...

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I'm saying regardless of age if you are physically able- anyone can go out and get a part time job, work from home, or whatever they can find so their income is no longer 'limited'. I'm sure not many 69 years olds WANT to do that but hey- if you are physically able to ice fish, you cetrainly can work your way out of a 'limited income' status or whatever that means. Heck, this guy can't fish for 3 years but he can now guide for all those big bull gills. LOL

What do you mean no one is on a limited income? Many people are limited in what they spend, and how they spend their money. Sorry to hijack, just trying to understand. I have a feeling that that generation of fisherman has its fair share of people who keep everything. Not to say that we dont as well!!
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FYI this guy wasn't Asain... If he were people would be sharpening their pitch forks looking the the guy with the same stereotypical comments... "Learn how to read, learn how to count.. All Asians are like this or that.. Making fish balls with all those fish.." All that I've read on this site already. Don't know why my sarcastic post got deleted. I wonder where all those people are at now?

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Not to be cynical, but I wouldn't be surprised if there are lots of folks out there with this kind of cache in their freezers. Heck, I've heard lots of people state casually that they've got a freezer full of fish already when they're complaining about cleaning the current batch. crazy

I've had a similar experience too. To be honest, this attitude (keep every fish, as if it is a requirement) bothers me far more than the guy breaking the law. Why keep more than you can keep/use?

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Believe it or not, some people still don't understand how possession rules work, they think they can go out and catch a daily limit every day as long as they don't go over the limit that day.

Not saying that is the case here though...

Yep, There are lots of old timers out there that think of fish as a food stockpile.

They're a dying breed though. I am sure if you go through the freezers of 60-70 year olds that fish hard in outstate MN there would be plenty of over possession limits. Most are probably from savers-stockpilers that go out and take no more than a daily limit, then believe they have to keep and freeze them as they grew up when fish was a source of food.

I will also say there are also plenty of young guys who have an over limit freezer full of ducks and I am sure fish. There just isn't the tendency these days to stockpile as there is for people of another time.

I think the old timer in this story may be heading to the "nursing home" as he made some major boo boos when the officer questioned him.

I also believe he is getting his due. I also feel slightly sorry for him as I don't think he is of the "outlaw" variety of poacher that takes daily overlimits whenever they can and then laughs about it with a sense of pride. Those "outlaws" are the ones that need a permanent license revocation.

Everyone's jealousy of the big gills in the picture, contempt for the old timer, and lack of availability of big bluegills to most of the fishing public are probably more a product of general fishing pressure on a white firm fleshed fillet that equals the effort to fillet it than it is from the old timer that might have just stockpiled some fish.

In the end the old timer is getting his due and hopefully it teaches some others not to stockpile and release a fish or two.

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So if all of this elderly man's stash of fish were caught over a two year period he would still be in violation of the law?

There is the problem right there! Most people have no understanding of posession limits. Im sure this guy didnt either, why else would he have invited the CO back to his house? Just because he doesnt understand possesion limits doesnt make him "ready for the home" as some have suggested.

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Does that mean if I purchase fish fillets from a supermarket and store them in a freezer in my home I can face prosecution if searched by a game warden? There must be something more to this home posession thing.

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Sorry but ignorance to the law isn't an excuse. That's why they give you a regulations book when you buy a license. The only argument would be if he has a lifetime license in which case I'm not sure how the dnr conveys the rules. Anybody know? Ultimately you are responsible to know the regs as a licensed fishermen.

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Does that mean if I purchase fish fillets from a supermarket and store them in a freezer in my home I can face prosecution if searched by a game warden? There must be something more to this home posession thing.

No, you cannot be charged for over the limit because of fish that you purchase from the supermarket.

The DNR also needs to follow due process. The individual cited for this case appears to have simply said "sure you can check my freezer"

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