Otter17 Posted April 23, 2019 Posted April 23, 2019 Apparently 4 anglers were caught keeping 114 bass by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources from the Burning Star Fish and Wildlife area on April 20th. Not sure what the purpose of keeping all those Bass was. But that ain’t cool! 2 Quote
Glaucus Posted April 23, 2019 Posted April 23, 2019 42 minutes ago, Otter17 said: I see now. Thanks for the edit. Will comment soon. 42 minutes ago, Otter17 said: Apparently 4 anglers were caught keeping 114 bass by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources from the Burning Star Fish and Wildlife area on April 20th. Not sure what what the purpose of keeping all those Bass was. Some literal and actual idiots who don't care about anyone or anything but themselves. Being from Illinois I'm all the more furious and disgusted. I saw this happening on the river one day with Smallmouth but there was nothing I could do about it. I didn't have my phone and we were a long way from the vehicles. It wasn't anywhere close to 114 though. Probably 30 or 40. 1 Quote
Glaucus Posted April 23, 2019 Posted April 23, 2019 One of the guys responsible for 46 of those fish is on the IDNR Facebook page bragging about it, saying he's going to pay his small fine and take the fame. He has no regrets. The law is far too lax here. 4 Quote
Global Moderator Bluebasser86 Posted April 23, 2019 Global Moderator Posted April 23, 2019 I didn't know there was 114 bass in Illinois ? Joking aside, penalties for fish and game violations are a joke. They need to figure the value of each fish up if it was raised in a hatchery to be stocked, man hours and all that, and charge the same way as they do with any type of theft (in Kansas if the total value is over $1,000 in merchandise stolen, it's a felony no matter how petty the items stolen may seem to be). Equipment used should be viewed like tools used in the commission of any crime, as evidence that is seized and not returned, rods, reels, lures, boat, truck, all of it when you get to something of this scale. 4 3 Quote
Glaucus Posted April 23, 2019 Posted April 23, 2019 8 minutes ago, Bluebasser86 said: I didn't know there was 114 bass in Illinois ? Joking aside, penalties for fish and game violations are a joke. They need to figure the value of each fish up if it was raised in a hatchery to be stocked, man hours and all that, and charge the same way as they do with any type of theft (in Kansas if the total value is over $1,000 in merchandise stolen, it's a felony no matter how petty the items stolen may seem to be). Equipment used should be viewed like tools used in the commission of any crime, as evidence that is seized and not returned, rods, reels, lures, boat, truck, all of it when you get to something of this scale. You know our laws are a joke when one of these guys is literally on the Facebook page of the agency that caught him bragging about it and not caring. In case anyone is interested, the 46 were caught on a white chatterbait. ? 3 Quote
Super User WRB Posted April 23, 2019 Super User Posted April 23, 2019 Over harvesting was a common problem in California when monetary fines were the penalty. What change poaching here was the fines now include impounding boats, vehicle and tackle used over harvesting game fish....game changer! Tom 8 Quote
greentrout Posted April 23, 2019 Posted April 23, 2019 the owner was caught asleep and his lake was raped ... it's understandable why other owners have dogs and needed firearms to confront the lowlifes and put the fear of God into them ... it's the only thing they understand .... good fishing ... 1 Quote
BIGfryFish Posted April 23, 2019 Posted April 23, 2019 It's crap like this that gets folks like PETA all riled up. Then they protest all fishing with things like "oh the humanity". They killing all those fish, yadda-yadda. Those guys should all be fined, rods/reels/tackle/boats seized, licenses (fishing) revoked, (drivers) suspended. 114 days in jail for each guy. 6 Quote
Glaucus Posted April 23, 2019 Posted April 23, 2019 29 minutes ago, BIGfryFish said: It's crap like this that gets folks like PETA all riled up. Then they protest all fishing with things like "oh the humanity". They killing all those fish, yadda-yadda. Those guys should all be fined, rods/reels/tackle/boats seized, licenses (fishing) revoked, (drivers) suspended. 114 days in jail for each guy. This is how one of the losers feels about his crime. His excuse is that he'd been going there for years and it was overpopulated. Illegally fishing this guy's property and thinking he had the right to manage it. Zero remorse. Doesn't care at all. Quote
Otter17 Posted April 23, 2019 Author Posted April 23, 2019 They say the value of the Bass was $456?! There is a lot more that goes into the Value of that many fish. It takes years for many to get to a certain size. $450 isnt going to get you anywhere soon. Quote
Global Moderator Bluebasser86 Posted April 23, 2019 Global Moderator Posted April 23, 2019 7 minutes ago, Otter17 said: They say the value of the Bass was $456?! There is a lot more that goes into the Value of that many fish. It takes years for many to get to a certain size. $450 isnt going to get you anywhere soon. I found a fish farm that shows prices online that says a 12+ inch largemouth (which all those appear to be), is $13.99 each. I rounded up to $14 and that puts it at $1596. That still seems pretty light but if they applied what I suggested above, it would make it a felony. The added bonus to that would make it illegal for them to possess a firearm, so no hunting for them either if they did that. 38 minutes ago, Glaucus said: This is how one of the losers feels about his crime. His excuse is that he'd been going there for years and it was overpopulated. Illegally fishing this guy's property and thinking he had the right to manage it. The bodies of those fish don't suggest a lake that is overpopulated. More like a healthy lake that was full of healthy, dumb fish that were easily caught. 3 Quote
Super User TOXIC Posted April 23, 2019 Super User Posted April 23, 2019 It's a crime. They robbed someone else of the opportunity to catch those fish legally. I know the DNR here in VA doesn't play around with poachers. We don't keep largemouth but do keep Crappie. Many times it's the fishermen who are fishing to provide food for their families that overharvest. It may be customary in their home country if they are not from here or even for sale in some cases. Doesn't make it right. Quote
Super User NYWayfarer Posted April 23, 2019 Super User Posted April 23, 2019 The guy has been doing this for years and shows no remorse. Sounds like he might even do it again... Fines are supposed to be a deterrent to crime. When they are not working stiffer penalties up to and including jail time need to be considered. 2 Quote
Super User Deleted account Posted April 23, 2019 Super User Posted April 23, 2019 37 minutes ago, TOXIC said: It's a crime. They robbed someone else of the opportunity to catch those fish legally. NoVa teaching law now? That's not how it works. If I steal a car from a dealer's lot, I'm not guilty of depriving potential customers from buying said car. I am guilty (if convicted) of stealing said car. Quote
Super User TOXIC Posted April 23, 2019 Super User Posted April 23, 2019 49 minutes ago, BassWhole! said: NoVa teaching law now? That's not how it works. If I steal a car from a dealer's lot, I'm not guilty of depriving potential customers from buying said car. I am guilty (if convicted) of stealing said car. As I said it's a crime....consequences of the crime are depriving others from catching the fish, just like in your example keeping someone from legally purchasing the car. If there were no consequences, it wouldn't be a crime. 1 1 Quote
813basstard Posted April 23, 2019 Posted April 23, 2019 Loser. Same type of dudes that start fights at little league games. Square as a cube. 3 Quote
Super User J Francho Posted April 23, 2019 Super User Posted April 23, 2019 If those were trout, and it was in NY state, they'd be in jail. That fine is a pittance. 4 Quote
Super User MN Fisher Posted April 23, 2019 Super User Posted April 23, 2019 This is from a few years ago here in MN...for crappies and sunnies. "On Tuesday, Becker County charged the six anglers, from two Bedford, Indiana, families, with misdemeanor overfishing. It’s a crime punishable with a $1,000 fine and up to 90 days in jail. If convicted of overfishing, it will be expensive. On top of the fine and potential jail time, there is restitution of $5 per fish. That’s roughly 34-hundred dollars on top of loss of fishing privileges for three years — both in Minnesota and their home state of Indiana." https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2015/08/11/six-indiana-vacationers-charged-with-676-fish-over-minnesota-limit/ I think the fine and restitution needs to be higher...but loss of fishing license for 3 years is a good start 3 Quote
Super User J Francho Posted April 23, 2019 Super User Posted April 23, 2019 Does Illinois have reciprocity rules with other states? In some states, you lose lose the right to a license, and you lose them in 1/3 of the country. Quote
Super User Choporoz Posted April 23, 2019 Super User Posted April 23, 2019 Unfortunately, these types of guys probably aren't concerned about whether or not they are allowed to buy a license. 3 1 Quote
MrFrost Posted April 23, 2019 Posted April 23, 2019 14 minutes ago, Choporoz said: Unfortunately, these types of guys probably aren't concerned about whether or not they are allowed to buy a license. From that one guys Facebook posts on the IDNR page, I would say you are 100% correct. They will pay their little fines and keep doing whatever they want. Quote
Super User the reel ess Posted April 23, 2019 Super User Posted April 23, 2019 I don't understand all the specifics of this case. It seems this is a public hunting/fishing location. But the story says the landowner told police the men did not have permission to fish. If it is public, I'm sure they're way over the limit. If it's private and they thought they had permission, there's no limit. At least that's how it is here. Sometimes a fishery needs fish to be taken. Could be that was their mentality. That's about 29 fish/person. I've kept more than that at my buddy's pond before because he asked me to. But if it is public, it's really stupid to take all those. I've known people to take fish only to decide they don't want the hassle of cleaning them and throw them out. It's the whole hunting mentality applied to fishing. It didn't happen if you don't keep evidence. 1 Quote
Super User J Francho Posted April 23, 2019 Super User Posted April 23, 2019 Possession and transporting that many fish is illegal, public or private. At least that's how it's worded in NYS rules. Quote
Super User WRB Posted April 23, 2019 Super User Posted April 23, 2019 You can't transport live fish in Califorina without a permit and 5 bass you need a valid California fishing license to transport dead fish, can't be alive. If caught poaching fish or game you everything envolved in the act including any future licenses. Fines are a judgement made by the courts, the DFW and local Sheriff confiscate whatever you were caught using to poach with and arrest you. I remember years ago that several hundred walleyes were poached in Canada by anglers from Iowa and the Minnesota DNR caught the poachers and they only got a small fine, everyone was ticked off, hopefully things have changed. Tom Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.