13 anglers from four states fined $14,000

[h2ofwlr]

13 anglers from four states fined $14,000
Last update: October 16, 2007 – 6:23 PM Mpls Strib


Thirteen anglers from Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, and Florida face a total of $14,000 in fines and restitution for keeping more than the legal limit of fish in Minnesota.
The violations occurred since mid-September, and most were on Woman Lake near Longville.

"We love to have people visit Minnesota and fish in our lakes, but they must obey the rules and regulations like everyone else," said Col. Mike Hamm, Department of Natural Resources chief conservation officer.

A Sept. 20 call to the Turn In Poacher (TIP) hotline led DNR conservation officers to four fisherman in possession of 240 perch over the legal limit at a resort on Woman Lake. The legal limit for perch in Minnesota is 20 per day and 40 in possession.

Peter Vandernoord, 90, Dyer, Ind.; Clarence D. Landhuis, 79, Orlando, Fla.; and Herbert V. Weele, 78 and John Templeman, 76, both of Lansing, Ill., are each charged with possessing 60 perch over the legal limit, a gross overlimit of fish. Fine and restitution could total nearly $2,000 for each man. If convicted they could lose their fishing licenses for three years. No trial date has been set.

In other incidents on Woman Lake:

• George Brinker of Roanoke, Ind., and Marc Lothamer of Fort Wayne, Ind., received a citation for fines and restitution totaling $1,600 for being 56 sunfish over the legal limit and three perch over the legal limit. The possession limit for sunfish in Minnesota is 20.

• Loren Hackman and Mark Worman, both of Elkhart, Ind., and Richard Elliot of Goshen, Ind., face fines and restitution totaling $1,200 for being 32 perch over the legal limit.

•Francis J. Britton, 73, Estero, Fla.; Ron A. Hanson, 68, and Ernest H. Post, 80, both of Schererville, Ind., were charged with an overlimit of perch. They face fines and restitution totaling nearly $1,700.

At Thirteen Lake near Cass Lake, a Colorado angler has been charged with a gross overlimit of sunfish. James B. Jahnz, 57, of Boulder, Colo., has been cited for having 106 sunfish over the limit. Jahnz faces a fine and restitution up to $1,600.


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I wish the legislature would fund an initiative of $1M to get additional COs who target these gross over limit people, regardless if fish or game, and R or NR.   Then the fines could help pay for their salaries long term to keep it going and this team would put a real dent into the illegal activities, as the above is not even 1 tenth of 100% of the illegal activites in MN this past month.

[UncleDave]

I wish the fines were bigger.  They should definately have to forfeit their fishing gear immediately.  They could donate the equipment to poor kids. 

[Grute Man]

I agree.  There are so many people who would love to use that equipment and cant afford it. 

Poachers shouldn't be allowed to buy licenses any more.  Its a privledge to hunt and fish -- not a right.  They disrespected what God created and our govts TRY to manage but who can manage it with (CENSORED) guys like this.

 :hang:  :hang:  :hang:  :hang:  :hang:  :hang:  :hang:  :hang:  :hang:  :hang:  :hang:  :hang:  :hang:

There's all 13 of em right now.

[LLtaxidermy]

Can someone please tell me why?Perch and sunfish are in almost every one of those states anyway. Why come here and catch them?