Post by Brian on Jun 4, 2010 20:36:37 GMT -5
Hey Everyone,
Check out this story out of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Lake Erie bass trip costs southern anglers almost $50,000 in fines, restitution, 3 boats: Outdoor Notebook
By D'Arcy Egan, The Plain Dealer
June 03, 2010, 1:03PM
Six fishermen from Georgia and Tennessee caught plundering Lake Erie's smallmouth bass on a week-long fishing trip in late April paid a high price for taking 141 bass over the Ohio limit. The total in fines, restitution and forfeiture of three bass boats cost them $48,290.
Magistrate Lou Wargo of Ottawa County Municipal Court on Wednesday suspended a collective 900 days of jail time, but fined the men the maximum of $250 and $58 in court costs for each of 30 counts, a total of $9,240. They were ordered to pay $7,050 in restitution to the Ohio Division of Wildlife, $50 for each bass. One boat was valued at $16,000, the other two at $8,000 each.
The six men are: 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, and Samuel J. Carroll, 65, of Ringgold, Ga.; and Herbert Samuel Stephens, 58, of Soddy Daisy, Tenn. They lost their Ohio fishing privileges for three years. Ohio is a member of the 34-state Violators Compact, so the men can't legally buy a license in those states, either, including their home states of Tennessee and Georgia.
"Their attorney argued the men felt they could take a trip limit," said Lake Erie law enforcement supervisor Gino Barna of the ODOW. "If that were the case, there would be no need for daily bag limits.
"They said they faced the wrath of bass fishermen from around the country after the story got out," Barna said. "One guy was apprehensive about parking his truck at the court house in Port Clinton, worried his tires might be slashed."
The ODOW received a tip in late April that the men, who were staying on South Bass Island, were making multiple fishing trips each day to catch bass before the season closed on May 1. They released the walleye they caught, but kept and filleted the bass, filling two freezers. They forfeited the bass and freezers. (End Article)
Definitely was not worth it for those guys to keep those bass. lol. They probably learned their lesson though.
Check out this story out of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Lake Erie bass trip costs southern anglers almost $50,000 in fines, restitution, 3 boats: Outdoor Notebook
By D'Arcy Egan, The Plain Dealer
June 03, 2010, 1:03PM
Six fishermen from Georgia and Tennessee caught plundering Lake Erie's smallmouth bass on a week-long fishing trip in late April paid a high price for taking 141 bass over the Ohio limit. The total in fines, restitution and forfeiture of three bass boats cost them $48,290.
Magistrate Lou Wargo of Ottawa County Municipal Court on Wednesday suspended a collective 900 days of jail time, but fined the men the maximum of $250 and $58 in court costs for each of 30 counts, a total of $9,240. They were ordered to pay $7,050 in restitution to the Ohio Division of Wildlife, $50 for each bass. One boat was valued at $16,000, the other two at $8,000 each.
The six men are: 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, and Samuel J. Carroll, 65, of Ringgold, Ga.; and Herbert Samuel Stephens, 58, of Soddy Daisy, Tenn. They lost their Ohio fishing privileges for three years. Ohio is a member of the 34-state Violators Compact, so the men can't legally buy a license in those states, either, including their home states of Tennessee and Georgia.
"Their attorney argued the men felt they could take a trip limit," said Lake Erie law enforcement supervisor Gino Barna of the ODOW. "If that were the case, there would be no need for daily bag limits.
"They said they faced the wrath of bass fishermen from around the country after the story got out," Barna said. "One guy was apprehensive about parking his truck at the court house in Port Clinton, worried his tires might be slashed."
The ODOW received a tip in late April that the men, who were staying on South Bass Island, were making multiple fishing trips each day to catch bass before the season closed on May 1. They released the walleye they caught, but kept and filleted the bass, filling two freezers. They forfeited the bass and freezers. (End Article)
Definitely was not worth it for those guys to keep those bass. lol. They probably learned their lesson though.