Jim J Posted May 11, 2010 Report Share Posted May 11, 2010 Six fishermen plead guilty for excessive fishing of smallmouth bass: Outdoors Notebook By D'Arcy Egan, The Plain Dealer May 07, 2010, 7:30AM D'Arcy EganPORT CLINTON, Ohio -- Six southern fishermen had a banner week of smallmouth bass fishing on Lake Erie last week, and it could cost them their boats, bass and plenty of cash after being cited for overbagging 141 smallmouth bass. The men, from Tennessee and Georgia, were under surveillance for a few days before Ohio wildlife officers arrested them last Friday. "It was the largest case of overbagging Lake Erie bass I'd ever seen," said Gino Barna, head of Lake Erie law enforcement. "Few Ohio fishermen, especially the hardcore bass anglers, keep Lake Erie smallmouth bass. We observed these six men making two or three fishing trips a day, bringing back a daily limit of bass each time." The daily limit when they were fishing was five per day. 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. Ohio's closed bass season on Lake Erie began Saturday. Bass caught through June 25 must be released. Port Clinton Municipal Court Magistrate Louis Wargo accepted guilty pleas on all 30 charges from the six men on Monday. Wildlife officials confiscated three bass boats, two chest freezers, 155 bags of frozen fish and 20 unfrozen fish. A pre-sentencing report is due Tuesday, with sentencing June 2. In addition to court fines, the Division of Wildlife is seeking restitution of $50 per fish, or $7,050, forfeiture of boats and freezers and a three-year revocation of their fishing licenses. Ohio is one of 34 states belonging to the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact. Oddly enough, the men said they had also caught a few walleye, which they released. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronk Posted May 11, 2010 Report Share Posted May 11, 2010 Limit after limit.Very good,VERY EVIL fishermen.Wonder why the law waited several days allowing for the loss of so many smb before putting an end to the slaughter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Trybul Posted May 11, 2010 Report Share Posted May 11, 2010 Oddly enough, the men said they had also caught a few walleye, which they released. So many tasty walleye and perch in Lake Erie and they have to go slaughter the smallies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev-mo Posted May 11, 2010 Report Share Posted May 11, 2010 Limit after limit.Very good,VERY EVIL fishermen.Wonder why the law waited several days allowing for the loss of so many smb before putting an end to the slaughter. Possibly to make a stronger case, bigger fines etc. You would think one extra limit would be enough but maybe not enough to really come down hard and make an example/statement about what happens when you overharvest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronk Posted May 12, 2010 Report Share Posted May 12, 2010 Possibly to make a stronger case, bigger fines etc. You would think one extra limit would be enough but maybe not enough to really come down hard and make an example/statement about what happens when you overharvest. I thought of the same thing but it seems to me they could've thrown the book at them well before they allowed them to kill almost 5x the legal limit if that's in fact what they allowed them to do.It might in fact send the wrong message i.e. nothing wrong with exceeding the limit as long as you don't make a pig of yourself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Dells Posted May 17, 2010 Report Share Posted May 17, 2010 Good take their boats, this will be something they never forget! Auction them off and put it towards restocking the damage they caused! It won't end up that way but that would be nice and justice would be served! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim J Posted June 5, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2010 JUST IN: Bass poachers fined $16K, boats seized Friday, June 4, 2010 5:21 PM EDT SOUTH BASS ISLAND Six southern fishermen caught taking more than the legal limit of fish have been ordered to pay more than $16,000 in fines and are barred from fishing for three years. Three Tennessee men and three Georgia men went on a smallmouth bass fishing spree near South Bass Island in April and were sentenced this week for taking 141 more than the legal limit of fish. They pleaded guilty to 30 charges of overfishing, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife. The legal limit for smallmouth bass on Lake Erie is five fish per day, from the last Saturday in June through April 30. Anyone who witnesses anglers violating Ohio fishing laws should call the poaching tipline at 1-800-POACHER. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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.