Well today on my way home from work, I go by a little lake and up ahead I see a couple kids running across the road with poles and bass in hand. These kids were lugging two 5 lb.+ (not exaggerating) largemouth across the road with them to their next fishing spot. I assume the fish are dead, but I just had to turn around and go talk to them. Well I turn around and see them running to a car to who I assume was their mom. Pop my head out the window and say “you know it is illegal to keep those fish.” The lady tells me something about trout season being open, and I tell her well bass is not and you should not be letting those kids keep those fish because you could get a huge fine. She acted like I was doing her a favor telling her that so she wouldn’t get in trouble, but I was obviously disgusted. Considered calling the dnr, but didn’t know if it would make a difference. It was pretty sad seeing those huge dead bass, she said the one was 21 inches. Up until last fall I had never broken the 21 inch mark, so it was basically trophy size for me, and I would never keep a fish like that.
Makes a guy wonder how many illegal fish are kept everyday. Being a small lake and out of season it bothered me even more. Wish the whole thing was catch and release only. Didn’t really want to scare the kids away from fishing by having somebody come write their mom fines, but who knows… I think they were only about 12.
