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| Gannett Wisconsin Media • July 28, 2008
An end to an out-of-state fishing trip on Memorial Day weekend for seven Wisconsin men who were arrested in Ohio for poaching walleye.
The men — residents of Ripon, Oakfield, Fond du Lac, Eden, Hartford and Slinger — paid more than $4,600 in fines and restitution, while two of the anglers spent three days in jail for grossly exceeding the legal creel limit for walleye in Lake Erie.
Wildlife officlals conducted surveillance on South Bass Island where the illegal activity allegedly was occurring. During the four-day holiday weekend, investigators observed a group of anglers "double-tripping" — taking multiple daily limits of walleyes during the same 24-hour period, according to a press release from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
Investigators detained the men when they returned to the mainland and determined that the group had 67 walleyes over the legal limit. Investigators also confiscated camera equipment, photos and videotape that allegedly depicted the over-bagging activity, according to the release.
"We have been consistent with our message that this type of behavior will not be tolerated in Ohio," said Kevin Ramsey, supervisor for the Division of Wildlife's Lake Erie Law Enforcement Unit in the press release.
On June 2, Ottawa County Municipal Court Judge Frederick Haney found the seven men guilty of multiple counts of poaching walleyes. They were ordered to pay $50 in restitution for each walleye taken over the legal limit in accordance with new legislation that increased the value of wild animals that are unlawfully held, taken, bought, sold, or possessed. The new law reflects the present-day value of Ohio's wildlife, which can range anywhere from $20 to nearly $2,500 per animal, according to the news release.
Thad B. Burkette, 32, of Hartford; Travis J. Sonnentag, 29, of Ripon; and Jeff Steinman, 32, of Slinger, were each convicted of double-tripping for two days on walleye and possessing 12 walleyes over the legal limit. Each was fined $350 plus court costs and ordered to pay $600 in restitution for the illegally taken fish ($50 per fish). In addition, their fishing licenses were revoked for 2½ years, according to the release.
Burkette and Sonnentag also received 40-day jail sentences with 37 days suspended. Steinman was ordered to serve 50 hours of community service, according to the release.
Patrick J. Mann, 50, and Carey T. Slater, 33, both of Fond du Lac; Thomas A. Slater, 60, of Eden; and Chad Meinberg, 33, of Oakfield, were each convicted of double-tripping on walleyes for one day and taking six fish over the limit. They were each fined $150 plus court costs and ordered to pay $300 in restitution for the illegally taken fish ($50 per fish).
Ten-day jail sentences for each man were suspended. Their fishing licenses were revoked for one year, according to the release.
Meinberg entered not guilty pleas to additional charges of double-tripping on a second day and taking seven fish over the legal limit. A later trial date was set.
Filed by The Reporter of Fond du Lac |
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| Link to article.
http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080728/APC... |
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| That is to bad that is all they got |
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| If they do that on Lake Erie, there is no doubt they do that on the Bago chain, too. Why suspend the jail time? Let them serve the time! |
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| How is it even an enjoyable trip for them when they have to constantly worry about being busted, both while fishing or on the ride home? I guess that little voice in your head is the first thing to go when you cross the line and become a poacher.
Edited by thumper 7/29/2008 8:08 AM
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Location: LaCrosse, WI | It's really nice to see that there are still states out there with a DNR presence. I have only seen a WI warden on the Mississippi once this year in about 30 trips, and they were just hanging out at the landing.
I will give credit to the MN DNR, I have seen them a few times and been checked a few times. I fully invite and appreciate the checks and hope they can catch more of these poachers. It seems like we are always hearing these stories from the Erie basin. They know what they have over there and work hard to protect it. |
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Location: Rhinelander | What I don't understand is the 'why' of it. I don't even keep fish in Canada or on long trips any more, because if I want a fish dinner, I can go get one about any time I wish on any number of local lakes. |
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| While their fines and jail time are well deserved there is one additional thing I would like to see.
I'd like to see the article published in the local papers for all their friends and family to see. I'm pretty sure the embarrassment would ensure that they never took any additional fish again.
To those who think that punishment might be excessive just remember this.......they double dipped, on purpose they took their first limits in and then returned. They weren't busted for fish over the slot, or one or two over the limit. They did this on purpose! |
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| Steve, you are so right, it isn't worth the hassle only to clean a couple of fish, but the why of it is pretty simple, people go to Erie to catch fish, they have no "posession" limit so they think they can take what they want. But then the state won't change the rules because of the great economic advantage they have been seeing......double edge sword huh....I got into a discussion last night with an elder family member who has fished (occasionally) for years.....He didn't even know we have a posession limit in WI. More enforcement and education needed for sure.
Good Luck
Tyee |
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Location: Fremont, Wisconsin | No one condones over bagging by any stretch. I do have one question. The local authorities seemed to be using these guys as an example, so I have questions about there example. They state that they were busted for "double-tripping". We could use OHIO's definition of this, but I would assume it means double dipping. catch a limit and go get anoher in the same 24 hour period as they state. They then stated that they were 12 and 6 fish over there limit. I wonder, there are no possesion laws in ohio, what in the world are the law enforcement doing chasing down such a bunch of criminals. Job well done at any cost, HOWEVER, Do you guys realize what they had to do to catch these guys. What kind of man hours and at what cost to ohio to aprehend such a apple dumpling gang of robbers? But they got a story like this back to wisconsin. Job well done. Seems blown out of proportion. Seems ridiculous considering many here have been to erie when it was 10 a day and no possesion limit an brought home 168 QT coolers full of walleye fillet and no one flinched. If they watched there own at home they may find the real offenders.
They also stated that they were convicted of double tripping for 2 days. Now, what does that mean. Did they have the right amount of walleyes that they brought back, just caught them in 2 days instead of 4 or were they 6 days of limits in 4 days? see, they just dont spelll it out.
Edited by stacker 7/29/2008 1:50 PM
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| I don't see these criminals being made an "example" at all. The ODNR makes plenty of "busts" every spring for the exact same activity. It doesn't matter what state you are from. Maybe the fact that they were from out of state made this more "newsworthy" but they recieved the same punishment any other would have. I have no problem with anyone taking coolers of fillets home every time they come to Erie...if they catch them legally. JMO.
Tim |
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| Denny,
What does matter? I understood that they were observed catching a limit and on the same day catching another limit. Illegal. Six days fish in four days is still illegal. What's the diff? The guys blatantly broke the law and they likely knew it.
They were even good enough to vide tape their adventure for the cops.
Bookem Dano,
Take care,
Jim O |
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Location: Oshkosh, Wisconsin | 3 days in jail for 12 walleye over your limit??? Hahaha... That's about the dumbest thing I've ever heard. Well, OK maybe not the dumbest thing, but come on - 12 fish over their limit?
I have no problem with the fine - I'd like to see it a LOT higher. The State of Ohio probable LOST money by how they handled this... Had a warden watch the group for a couple of days, process them at the jail, and feed them for 3 days while they take up space that criminals who actually hurt people could be using.
I find it hard to believe we don't all know a handful of people that go over their possesion limit on fish and birds each year. I for one would LOVE for people that do that to "come to the light" and stop breaking the law. That said, I certainly hope the DNR would handle that in a way that doesn't cost me money.
Just think about how full our Wisconsin jails would be if all the people we know with more than 10 walleye in the freezer got pinched? |
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Location: Appleton, WI | Come on people, WAKE UP!!!! jail time over a few fish, get real!!! considering Lake Erie is est. over 20 MILLION walleyes compaired to winnebago at 1.5 million walleyes, and the Canadian trawlers are netting 700,000 pounds of walleyes YEARLY!! And no this is not a typo!! at a avarage of 4-5 pounds per fish, well you do the math!! No dont even try and put words in my mouth that I think poching is ok because it's not and rules are rules but JAIL TIME FOR FISH!! youv'e got to be kidding me, what is this world comming to? Just give them there fine and send them on there way and if the fine was high enought to smart a little next time they will think a little harder about dubble dipping but........Jail time for fish, WOW!!!!! and some clown above thinks this is justice. DUBBLE WOW!!! |
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| "No dont even try and put words in my mouth that I think poching is ok because it's not and rules are rules but JAIL TIME FOR FISH!! youv'e got to be kidding me, what is this world comming to?"
Apparently, the rule is that if you poach, you may serve some jail time...and as you yourself just said "rules are rules and poaching is not OK"
DNR's have been handing out fines for years, and apparently it isn't enough to stop fools like these. If your kid misbehaves, you keep upping the penalty until they finally understand that this behavior will not be tolerated. Some people need more of a whooping than others. They brought it all on themselves and deserve everything they got. We're not talking about a simple mistake, or even ignorance of the law. We're talking about a premeditated plan to blatantly break the law and do harm to a resource, all agreed upon by seven men.
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Location: Essexville, MI./Saginaw Bay. | This is one facit or our new and pleantiful fishery on Saginaw Bay I'm not looking forward to. I was told last Saturday at the gas dock by the marina owners that the DNR busted 3 guys with 19 walleyes over their limit on Friday at the dock when they got it. Of course when it used to take you all day too even catch your limit, this temptation seldom cropped up. Things like this (IMV) are hinged to your perceved intitlement to the resource and lac of respect for nature and life itself. Doing so makes you a thief, plane and simple.  |
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| I can see a point a about jail time and fines. I would have to say, that if it were me, I would rather pay the fine than spend 1 day in jail. Then agian, some folks would rather sit out the jail time than pay the cash. I would suspect the jail time message is an added deterent to the fine, and in some cases the message could be effective.
My two cents,
Jim O |
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| I personaly think that thier Wisconsin fishing liesence should be suspended for one year also. This was not a minor infraction, they obveously have done this before and will probably do it agian no matter what state they are fishing in. |
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| There may be no posession laws here in Ohio, but if you have multiple limits on you, or with you, you'd better be able to prove that you were in the area for X number of days. You'd better be prepaired to show hotel, gas station, restaraunt receipts, ect to prove it.
Last year, the DNR did a sting in the reef complex area of the lake during the peak bite. One in three boats checked were over their limit. Those that were caught overbagging were given a $10 fine plus court costs ($53). The locals were fed up with the wrist slapping, so the courts decided to increse the fines. |
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| Mixed thoughts, here:
On the one hand...Good.
I'm glad they got whacked....'cuz they deserve it.
Othe otherhand... shoot... my understanding is there are walleye gill nets all over up on the Candian side of the same lake.
This is kinda like the growing number of places where "natives" can do anything ...but God help a sportfisherman if he does something wrong. |
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| The "American" side has no control over what the Canadians do with their side of the lake. Gill netting for walleyes was outlawed in Ohio waters (I'm not sure what the other bordering states allow) over twenty years ago.
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Location: Fremont, Wisconsin | OK Lets ask this. How many guys here have been on a guided trip and at lunch during that guided trip did you have shore lunch? If you ate 2 fish for lunch, 4 individual fillets, did you tell the guide that you only wanted to keep the other 3 or whatever number would equal the daily limit after the lunch?
JIM, known you for a long time, but gotta say, this just may have been a bit over kill for the so called, Robbers. Remember, don't throw stones if you live in a glass house. |
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| T-Mac ,
I get your drift but that is another thread altogether. Let's not justify this activity for those scoundrels.
Stacker, buddy, old friend,
We are all in glass houses. No one should expect to violate and get away with it.
I would dial the DNR in a heart beat if I observed a flagrant violation. It is not like these guys simply miscounted their bag. They deliberately set out to violate.
No gray area in this deal. Unfortunately, I have never been in the situation you described, but it sounds like fun.
Do you think the jail was overboard and the fine should be substantially larger?
Take care,
Jim O
Edited by Jim Ordway 7/31/2008 4:57 PM
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| Stacker, come now...honestly a guide allowing you to eat your catch and then go get more so you have your daily limit to clean at the end of the day.....please do tell more about these so called "guides" I want to be sure they don't get any of my business.....Seriously..... fine em AND take their boat, would be better than jail time anyday! I have heard dozens and dozens of stories of people going to erie and bringing back boat loads of fillets over the years....and it sickens me because they are doing it here to believe it or not said Mr. Obvious! |
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Location: Berlin | I don't think the jail time is the best punishment. Up the fine and take away all hunting and fishing PRIVLEDGES...permanantly...in all states. To harsh?? 67 friggin walleyes! You want to talk about exotics shutting down a fishery?? One or two I can see a slap on the wrist but 67!!! They have no business hunting or fishing in our great nation again. This is way more serious then cheating in a tournament because it has an effect on so many more people.
What the heck do you need that much meat for?? As for making an example of them, GOOD! The fact they are from Wisconsin makes it that much worse in my eyes. Do you think for one minute they are not raping our resourses as well??
67 walleyes, man it makes me sick. |
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