In this story the names have been changed to protect the guilty. My story begins a few years back when a local tackle store employee told me where I could find some excellent smallmouth fishing on small creek running through Joliet, Illinois. This employee was also kind enough to tell me what bait the fish were also very interested in consuming. Sure enough his information was perfect in the matter of ninety minutes I landed thirteen smallies from 8-18 inches. For the rest of the fall I enjoyed that spot and was anxious during the entire winter months to return the following spring.

When early spring arrived this was one of the first areas I visited but unfortunately when I returned the fishing was poor at best. One particular area which was the most productive of all I could not catch a single fish! I justified this by telling myself it was early yet and the water temperature was still to low. By July 4th weekend I still was questioning what happen to the fish?

One day something rather unusual caught my eye has I walked along the shoreline I noticed an oil slick behind me as I picked up my feet. Chemicals were emerging from the banks of the sand as I disturb it with my footsteps. Finally the light went on in my head I said "This is why maybe there are no longer any fish in this area." A former police officer I decided to do some snooping around and it was quite obvious to me where to start looking. I began behind the ABC Company {not really the name} to my amazement I found seven different hoses one of which was four inches round coming out of the bank from behind the building.

I began ripping through the underbrush and worked my way up to where I believed the hosing had to be coming from. I inspected the foundation of the building and confirmed my suspicions a few hoses were exposed visibly to a crazy person who would crawl through the crap to look. I followed another hose from the building to the water edge and found a liquid that was very obvious heavier than water being drained from the hose and streaming along the bottom of the creek. Of course all smallmouth fisherman carry a camera so I began clicking away.

When I got home I made some calls and eventually ended up on the phone with the Enforcement Compliance Branch of the EPA. I fax over some pictures and before you know it in the matter of few days' two criminal investigators and Chemist from the EPA met with me at the site. The Chemists was needed to not only take samples but to bag evidence and if you remember the O. J. Simpson trial "chain of evidence" is important in obtaining a conviction. We all grabbed some fishing poles and went wading for not smallmouths, but proof! After my little tour the investigator took photographs, and the chemist collected vials of water, soil, and plant samples. In ten days or so the EPA received the tests results and returned back to company ABC with a warrant to search the premises. Just as we thought there were chemical solvents being dumped into that waterway the EPA halted that action immediately!

I am sorry to report even years later this area still suffers the ramifications of those deliberate acts! The legal process takes forever and in this case justifiably so. The long-term damage to the environment and the aquatic life will not be known for years. I can provide you with first hand knowledge if you ever happen to come a cross a crime like this taking place please do not hesitate to report the violations to EPA. A more common occurrence that we are likely to see is people dumping from their cars or trucks just copy down their license number. Then contact the law enforcement agency in that jurisdiction and report them. As a matter of record as the complaint in this case the EPA shielded me from the defendants that were being charged. My name was protected from being used in open court so you do not have to be concerned about your identity being revealed. As the complaint I demanded a voice and some input as to the punishment or I in my case I threaten to show up in court to speak to the judge. As a result of my persistence I was assigned a caseworker by the courts that kept me informed as to what was happening through out the trial unfortunately over that period of time the caseworker died and it did complicate things slightly. Still, I was able to voice my opinion to the courts and I requested as part of the settlement the defendants not only should have to pay damages to clean up and restore that environment. I felt it was absolutely necessary that defendants also pay for the cost of the restock of that fishery with older adult breeding smallmouth to begin the process of restoring the numbers back to their previous levels as soon as possible. Nevertheless I keep a careful eye out on that area so that nothing changes if you visit the site now all hoses have been removed except for one, which supposedly only removes water from the creek, which I protested about.

In closing I have to admit since I discovered the ISA I feel more focused as I am sure you do that we as a group are obligated to step forward and be the guardians of not only the waterways but the environment as a whole.

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