In the news! Mille Lacs Lake

http://brainerddispatch.com/news/2014-03-20/court-rejects-home-search-and-fish-seizure-dnr-officer

Richard E. Southworth, 70, and Linda J. Southworth, 59, of Isle were recently charged by DNR conservation officers with a gross over-limit of 52 walleye. During a routine check on Mille Lacs Lake, the couple was found with three lines in the water. Later it was discovered that they were in possession of 26 bags of fish.

Illegal search or not…they are poachers and aren’t helping Mille Lacs and it’s issues one bit.

By Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

Many local residents assume anglers from outside their community commit most of the fishing violations on area lakes, but that’s not always the case, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

Recently, three anglers, including a married couple that lives along Mille Lacs Lake, were charged with over-limits of fish and face heavy fines and restitution.

Richard E. Southworth, 70, and Linda J. Southworth, 59, of Isle were recently charged by DNR conservation officers with a gross over-limit of 52 walleye. During a routine check on Mille Lacs Lake, the couple was found with three lines in the water. Later it was discovered that they were in possession of 26 bags of fish. Restitution for the 49 Mille Lacs walleye, in addition to three Red Lake walleye, amounts to $1,560.

The gross over-limit of wild animals penalty totals $1,000. Toss in another $1,000 for a misdemeanor charge of angling with two hooks or a treble hook and the Southworth’s face nearly $6,000 in fines and restitution if convicted. Seized in the investigation were a boat, rods and reels, and their fishing licenses.

Edwin F. Seidl, 65, also of Isle, finds himself in the same boat. DNR conservation officers caught him with an illegal 13-inch walleye while fishing Mille Lacs Lake. Further investigation found Seidl in possession of an additional 16 walleyes and a northern pike from the lake. Seidel was 15 walleye over the legal limit and charged with misdemeanor possession. The possession limit on Mille Lacs Lake is two walleye with a slot restriction of 18-20 inches. Restitution for the fish is $610 along with a $400 fine.

This is Conservation Officer (CO) Chris Tetrault’s first year on the lake after graduating from the CO Academy earlier this year.

“I’m seeing a lot of illegal length fish being taken from Mille Lacs Lake,” the Isle-based officer said. Tetrault noted that he seized 120 illegal fish from anglers in July alone, something long-time Mille Lacs Lake COs had never seen before.

“That may not seem like a lot of fish, but when you can legally keep two walleye from 18 to 20 inches, and violators are taking 49 walleye in one instance, 16 in another instance, five from another person, and the rest illegally taking one or two fish per person, it adds up quickly,” Tetrault said.

In this instance local residents were discovered with gross over-limit and misdemeanor cases within a mile of each other. “With the lake encompassing 120 miles of shoreline we’re likely catching only 2 to 5 percent of the violators who either visit or reside on the lake,” Tetrault said.

The Southworths and Seidl are scheduled to appear in Aitkin County court in October.

Busts that start as routine fish or fishing license checks have proven very effective for DNR conservation officers. A routine patrol earlier this year on Lake Winnibigoshish netted three men with 203 yellow perch or 83 over the legal limit. Fines, restitution, and court costs totaled $3,300.

In 2012, the sharp eye of a conservation officer netted an Otsego man with 413 sunfish and 30 crappies over the legal limit. The gross misdemeanor offense contained a restitution value for the fish of $2,000.

Catching fish poachers is never easy because it’s rare that officers actually see the crime in action. The average Minnesota officer patrols about 650 square miles, so it’s impossible for officers to watch every lake.

“That’s why we need the public’s help,” Tetrault said. “We need all the eyes and ears we can get.”

Anyone witnessing a fish or wildlife violation is encouraged to contact the 24-hour, toll-free Turn In Poachers (TIP) hotline at 800-652-9093. Cell phone users can dial #TIP.

Well, we’ve finally found a judge that understands the constitution. The officer could have easily gotten a warrant if he had a suspicion that they were well over the limit. They still have to pay the fine for the extra lines.

I don’t have any time for poachers, which is why I had to move out of Wisconsin. They are such meat hogs I’d have done something crazy by now. We need more wardens to keep a lid on folks like this. I think I only saw one warden last summer and I’m in the boat four or five days a week.

What really makes me sick about this story is that there are attorneys in this world that defend people like this. I like the comment that he is trying to protect the sportsmen, but if he was so concerned about the sportsmen, he wouldn’t be defending slime like this.

So from what I understand they are getting the evidence suppressed due to a pretty gray area with the consent? The property owner said “okay” in response to the request to search and this is the sticking point?

Great stewards of the lake they live on BTW..

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Great stewards of the lake they live on BTW.

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I hear what your saying Doug, but an illegal search is just as bad as an over limit. CO’s need to follow laws just like we do…even if a poacher gets off once in a while.

I’ll call this one a learning experience for the CO.

Our constitution requires we have lawyers to defend people like this.

x2 brian!

Oh I agree. Had the CO been more experienced and asked the question more directly, there would still be evidence, or at least the opportunity to wait for a search warrant.

I’ll call this one a learning experience for the CO.

That did sound like a pretty grey conversation by the officer and homeowner. Best he learned this now and not blow it on a bigger case.

I dont agree with the over limit of fish but no way do I want CO’s or anyone else walking though my house without just cause. Heck even if they do have just cause I dont want them there.

Where do these people get their educations? Fresh out makes it worse this guy didn’t know the rules. What a waste of what would have been a good catch for the DNR.
Got to live by the laws, but you can through intelligent persuasion probably get most people to let you search their house, read a few books on it take another course something! And if they still won’t let you at least through the conversations you might attain more info for the warrant.

How probable would it have been they would have gotten a warrant to search the house anyways?

At the very least, this probably put the fear of god into the offender and it is unlikely they’ll do it again.

Right?

WI Meat hog here

Really That must be why I released all my fish the last time I was down on p4. You should have told me I was a meat hog last week…. I would have kept them all. Even the 8pounder.

Since this article hit the papers, I’m going to guess there will be a few more then normal Lenten fish frys tonight!

I can’t wait to see how this gets blamed on the Indian netting. Sorry but someone had to go there.

Glad you left with a statement like that

Kudo’s to the CO! The embarrassment this will cause and the fear it will bring to the poachers is well worth it in my opinion.

How it relates to the tribe……….”Red & Yellow, Black or White, they are guilty in my site” Laws should be color blind, break them and pay the price.

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The embarrassment this will cause and the fear it will bring to the poachers is well worth it in my opinion.

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I hope so. But will it? Are over limits by lake shore owners such a common occurrence that the locals just say…he screwed up and got caught?

I can’t answer that question.

Talking with another construction guy he was saying his father in law who lives on the lake and some neighbors will go out and catch a couple walleyes for dinner, doesnt matter what size they are or when they get them, the fish are going home. Doesnt matter who these people are or where they live if they think they are above the law, and not going to fall into that 5-7% that get caught they will scoff at this story.

I’ve always said we have 1/2 the CO’s we should have.

and that’s why I have the CO numbers for 3 states and CA, if I see ya, there’s a call going out. If anything happens as a result of it, that I can’t help… But I am going to report it!!!

Mark