Fricken Poachers...

[motocross269]

hope these guys lose everything that they have.....They should be banned from fishing in any state for life...

Article published May 07, 2010

Ohio intolerant of anglers going hoggish on fish

Six fishermen from Tennessee and Georgia face the loss of their three bass boats and other gear after being charged with 30 counts of taking over the daily creel limit of smallmouth bass on western Lake Erie.

"This is the worst case I have ever seen of bass overbagging," stated Gino Barna, Lake Erie law enforcement supervisor for the Ohio Division of Wildlife. The men are charged with illegally taking at least 141 smallmouth over the limit during a recent stay on South Bass Island.

Smallmouth bass are highly prized for their sporting challenge and most fishermen keep them only rarely if at all, favoring walleye and yellow perch for the table.

The six men charged include Freelan C. Leffew, 66, of Soddy Daisy, Tenn., his son, Michael Todd Leffew, 38, of Hixson, Tenn.; Freddie Warren, 63, of Wildwood, Ga.; Charles H. Burkhart, 67, of Ringgold, Ga.; Samuel J. Carroll, 65, of Ringgold, and Herbert Samuel Stephens, 58, of Soddy Daisy.

All six entered guilty pleas on the charges on Monday in Ottawa County Municipal Court before Magistrate Lou Wargo. They are set to be sentenced June 2.

Do any of you guys know these jokers???

Each charge is a fourth degree misdemeanor carrying as maximum penalty of 30 days jail and $250 fine. The state also is seeking state-prescribed restitution for the illegally taken bass at $50 a fish, for a total of $7,050, along with forfeiture of the boat rigs and freezers. The men also could lose fishing privileges in Ohio for three years.

Barna gave this account of the case: State wildlife officers on the lake were running a seasonal surveillance project, watching of over-limit angling and multiple trips, between April 25 and 30, on the eve of the May 1 closing of the bass season on Lake Erie for spawning.

The six out-of-state anglers arrived on the island by ferry with their trailered bass boats and two freezers. Wildlife lawmen observed three boats making multiple daily trips, as many as three a day.

"We watched them fish all morning," Barna said at one point of the surveillance. "We knew something was up."

The arrests were made last Friday. Barna said that lawmen can prove the six men took 141 bass over limit, "but they admitted to more than that."

The daily legal limit on Erie bass is five, except during the closed season, which is May 1 through June 25 this year. No bass may be kept and only catch-and-release angling is allowed for bass during closing.

The supervisor said in the arrests officers seized 155 bags of frozen, chunked fish and also seized 20 more bass that had not been frozen. The freezers were seized along with the three boat rigs.

Barna said a lot of out-of-staters bring along freezers to Lake Erie.

"There are not a lot of places you can catch so many fish like you can here," he said.

"The sad thing was in this case, half of their fish were females staging for the spawning season."

Since Ohio does not have possession limits on fish, it legally is possible to keep, say, seven limits of fish for seven days of fishing. But the six anglers are accused of going far beyond that.

Barna noted that Ohio law is written such that fish must be kept "in the round" or filleted with the skin attached when "on the water." That includes anyone bringing back fish on a ferry from the islands.

Cleaning and chunking fish is a method poachers can use to cover up the numbers and species of fish they have taken.

http://www.toledoblade.com/app...70369

[Beastie Bass]

I am glad they got caught! Anyone that abuses the priveledges we have all been given should be prosecuted to the fullest extent! They need to ambush some people in my neck of the woods.

[BassThumb]

Depending on the values of those seized boats, that might not be much more than a slap on the wrist.

[Osprey39]

141 fish over the limit?  Seriously?  What the hell were they even going to do with that many fish?  I hope they throw the book at them.

[Dan:]

wait, if the game wardens were watching them do this, why did they wait until after 141 fish to bust them?

[RobbyZ5001]

wait, if the game wardens were watching them do this, why did they wait until after 141 fish to bust them?

$$$ is my guess if they did indeed wait.

[Shane J]

SCUMBAGS!!! They should at least double their fines, and only 3 years?!? Why would they EVER want these jerk offs fishing again?

[fishfordollars]

This just sucks. I hope they throw the book at them. a little jail time will do them good. Someone else can enjoy the use of their rigs as far as I'm concerned. 

[Skinnyh2ofishin]

wait, if the game wardens were watching them do this, why did they wait until after 141 fish to bust them?

Well, like in any law enforcement, they probably needed the time to gather enough evidence to be sure they had a bust.  Also, catching them with a few over the limit they could claim ignorance, get a small fine and some inconvenience and sent on their way.  By waiting, they proved them to be poachers and total scum, thus justifying the harshest punishments they can give. 

All said, I still think they should line up guys like them and shoot 'em... Or at the very, VERY least ban them from any fishing or hunting anywhere for life as already mentioned by others here. 

I understand "meat hunting" and I understand having to feed your family, but that is just plain greed and ignorance.  Guys like them affect every other fisherman and outdoorsman.

[Wayne P.]

That sounds like what has been going on at Lake Guntersville.

[InLikeFinz]

News like this makes me nauseous. Bad apples man...bad apples.  >

[Hammer 4]

wait, if the game wardens were watching them do this, why did they wait until after 141 fish to bust them?

Well, like in any law enforcement, they probably needed the time to gather enough evidence to be sure they had a bust. Also, catching them with a few over the limit they could claim ignorance, get a small fine and some inconvenience and sent on their way. By waiting, they proved them to be poachers and total scum, thus justifying the harshest punishments they can give.

All said, I still think they should line up guys like them and shoot 'em... Or at the very, VERY least ban them from any fishing or hunting anywhere for life as already mentioned by others here.

I understand "meat hunting" and I understand having to feed your family, but that is just plain greed and ignorance. Guys like them affect every other fisherman and outdoorsman.

I would add, most of these morons just flat out don't care what they do to our fisheries. There needs to be much more Harsh penalties handed out.

And I though we had a problem here in Cali..all we can do is call the DFG, but in most cases, they don't have the resouces to nail these clowns.. >

[RichF]

We need to start a vigilante group for this kind of crap!! Who's with me?

[Osprey39]

wait, if the game wardens were watching them do this, why did they wait until after 141 fish to bust them?

Well, like in any law enforcement, they probably needed the time to gather enough evidence to be sure they had a bust. Also, catching them with a few over the limit they could claim ignorance, get a small fine and some inconvenience and sent on their way. By waiting, they proved them to be poachers and total scum, thus justifying the harshest punishments they can give.

All said, I still think they should line up guys like them and shoot 'em... Or at the very, VERY least ban them from any fishing or hunting anywhere for life as already mentioned by others here.

I understand "meat hunting" and I understand having to feed your family, but that is just plain greed and ignorance. Guys like them affect every other fisherman and outdoorsman.

I would add, most of these morons just flat out don't care what they do to our fisheries. There needs to be much more Harsh penalties handed out.

And I though we had a problem here in Cali..all we can do is call the DFG, but in most cases, they don't have the resouces to nail these clowns.. >

You know, in New Mexico I've never even had my license checked when bass fishing.  The only thing the Game & Fish Department cares about here is this:

1.  Elk poaching

2.  Deer poaching

When it comes to fish, they don't care about it except for trout on the San Juan River.  They pay attention to that but that's about it.

[reo]

The Cleveland Plain Dealer was kind enough to print their names:

Cited were: Freeland Leffew, 66, of Soddy Daisy, Tenn., and his son, Michael Leffew, 38, of Hixson, Tenn.; Samual Stephens, 58, of Soddy Daisy, Tenn.; Freddie Warren, 63, of Wildwood, Ga.; and Charles Burkhart, 67, and Samuel Carroll, 65, both of Ringgold, Ga.

Scum of the earth

[Dan:]

The Cleveland Plain Dealer was kind enough to print their names:

Cited were: Freeland Leffew, 66, of Soddy Daisy, Tenn., and his son, Michael Leffew, 38, of Hixson, Tenn.; Samual Stephens, 58, of Soddy Daisy, Tenn.; Freddie Warren, 63, of Wildwood, Ga.; and Charles Burkhart, 67, and Samuel Carroll, 65, both of Ringgold, Ga.

Scum of the earth

...?

that was in the original post

[Gatorbassman]

SCUMBAGS!!! They should at least double their fines, and only 3 years?!? Why would they EVER want these jerk offs fishing again?

It's not just for this case. Three years is just the agreement between the state listed in Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact . You loose your privileges in one of the states you loose them in all those listed on the agreement.

[Bassin_Fin@tic]

We got people that do that in small ponds around here leaving them barren and empty. :

[Tin]

Smallmouth bass...it's what's for dinner.

For an entire year..

[reo]

The Cleveland Plain Dealer was kind enough to print their names:

Cited were: Freeland Leffew, 66, of Soddy Daisy, Tenn., and his son, Michael Leffew, 38, of Hixson, Tenn.; Samual Stephens, 58, of Soddy Daisy, Tenn.; Freddie Warren, 63, of Wildwood, Ga.; and Charles Burkhart, 67, and Samuel Carroll, 65, both of Ringgold, Ga.

Scum of the earth

...?

that was in the original post

Sorry, I missed it

[stealthcaster]

wait, if the game wardens were watching them do this, why did they wait until after 141 fish to bust them?

$$$ is my guess if they did indeed wait.

Wow, if that is true, that is terrible.  They should have intervened sooner.  It's the bass population that matters most, not the punishment of the individual committing the crime.

[Glenn]

I'm guessing it had more to do with building a case than $$.  They were able to convict the guys, yes?  Sheesh.

[Gangley]

Dont know if any of ya'll noticed, every single one was in late fifties to late 60's other than the son who was late 30's. 

This was a bunch of men who have been around long enough to know better.  Grandpa's who should be teaching right from wrong, and teaching their kids how to do things right.

Some of the kindest, most helpful, honest fishermen I know are the old timers who have been doing this for a LONG time.  On the other hand, some of the most crooked fishermen I have ever met have been some old timers that have been doing this for a LONG time.  They don't want to listen to anybody about over limits or catch and release, they feel that they know how to manage a lake properly and dont care what anybody else has to say.  Sad, very sad.

This was a bunch of men who have been around long enough to know better.  Grandpa's who should be teaching right from wrong, and teaching their kids how to do things right.  As we age, its our obligation to the sport after so much time spent taking part in it, to teach the younger people how to take care of the waters we fish, and how not to abuse them.  These guys are pathetic, they knew better, they just wanted to pretend it didn't matter.  Pure A$$'s

[cart7t]

The Cleveland Plain Dealer was kind enough to print their names:

Cited were: Freeland Leffew, 66, of Soddy Daisy, Tenn., and his son, Michael Leffew, 38, of Hixson, Tenn.; Samual Stephens, 58, of Soddy Daisy, Tenn.; Freddie Warren, 63, of Wildwood, Ga.; and Charles Burkhart, 67, and Samuel Carroll, 65, both of Ringgold, Ga.

Scum of the earth

and all old enough to know better.

[Mike Z]

wait, if the game wardens were watching them do this, why did they wait until after 141 fish to bust them?

Well, like in any law enforcement, they probably needed the time to gather enough evidence to be sure they had a bust. Also, catching them with a few over the limit they could claim ignorance, get a small fine and some inconvenience and sent on their way. By waiting, they proved them to be poachers and total scum, thus justifying the harshest punishments they can give.

All said, I still think they should line up guys like them and shoot 'em... Or at the very, VERY least ban them from any fishing or hunting anywhere for life as already mentioned by others here.

I understand "meat hunting" and I understand having to feed your family, but that is just plain greed and ignorance. Guys like them affect every other fisherman and outdoorsman.

They paid big bucks to get their cars and boats over to the islands across that ferry. Its not cheap and fuel up there isn't cheap either. People who go up there aren't trying to feed their family because of any need. They go to the islands to party, powerboat, fish, and if they get some keepers, all is great.

Also FWIW

Barna noted that Ohio law is written such that fish must be kept "in the round" or filleted with the skin attached when "on the water." That includes anyone bringing back fish on a ferry from the islands.

Thats BS. At the islands, you fish for that day, then they have places at the campgrounds where you go and clean your fish. Several places there offer services where they will freeze your catch for the day after you have bagged it all up and store it until you leave. This is how it was when I would go for a week with my dad and his friends. If they made it illegal to bring fillets back on the ferry, pretty much anyone who crosses back with a boat would be arrested.

Also, with Lake Erie Perch and Walleye being so darn good, why would anyone want to keep all those bass? I don't get it. (from someone who never ate bass)