Park Rangers Hit 3 for 700.00 Each 22 Trout Over Limit

[dlinzy]

*****OKLAHOMA PARK RANGER'S OBSERVATION LEADS GAME WARDENS TO HUGE OVER LIMIT CASE IN BEAVER'S BEND STATE PARK*****



Beaver's Bend State Park is home to one of the premier trout fisheries in the Southeastern United States. It is also one of the busiest state parks in the state. Park Rangers and Game Wardens work side by side enforcing bag limits, license requirements, and park rules. Saturday was no different. Park Ranger Gary Hawkins was making a round near Spillway Creek when he noticed a trio of anglers "acting suspicious". He observed them with several trout already in their possession. Hawkins knew the daily limit is 6 per person and that these anglers looked as they were already over the limit.



Hawkins alerted Oklahoma Game Warden Jim Gillham and Warden Supervisor Lieutenant Joe Young, who were working in the park Saturday. The wardens watched the anglers and decided that a more thorough investigation was required. Gillham discovered the first subject he encountered, was over limit by 22 rainbow trout. After speaking to the three Texas anglers, the wardens determined that the trio were in possession of 50 trout. The legal daily limit for the three anglers was 18. The subjects were cited for exceeding the daily limit of rainbow trout, and exceeding the two day possession limit of rainbow trout. The 3 subjects elected to plead guilty in the field and paid administrative fines of $700.









Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation - Game Wardens's photo.

[kckeith]

Wow! I would say this is unbelievable, but unfortunately it is not surprising. I hope in addition to the fine that they can never purchase an OK fishing license again. I think for the Mountain Fork to recover, the OWDC needs to enact extended red zones (Spillway), reduced limits and delayed harvest rules. I know this is wishful thinking, but I can't help it. I fished in Tennessee this spring and they have had great success with delayed harvest rules that protect trout during the winter months - this is desperately needed on the LMFR since the floods. The actions of idiots like this are just another ongoing disaster.

Thank you to the park rangers and wardens!

[Fenwick]

That is a fantastic post we've all been wanting to see. No, not all those fish being taken but the guys getting caught and fined. Hopefully the wardens will do this a few more times so that word gets out that it's too expensive to poach at Beavers Bend. I suppose the rules don't apply to local man of legend and lore professional guide S.B. but it'd be funny to see him get the same expensive treatment along with his customers.

By the way, what is the original source of that article? Attribution and such. Just curious.

Thanks!

[okieman71]

It is great to see some justice being served to protect the river. What I keep wondering is for every person or persons caught and fined for this kind of illegal activity, how many get by without getting caught. I imagine over 90% of the time people are not caught. That is why it makes it so hard for the river to sustain. The powers that be view the LMF as a put and take fishery. Most who fly fish most likely don't take any fish out of the river or if they do, it is most likely minimal. The mentality of most I'm afraid is not in regards to conserving and protecting our great little resource. I would love to see some daily use fees, a way to get colder water coming out of spillway as this time of year temps are hard on the fish, and more tickets/fines handed out to the wrongdoers as they are plentiful o this river.

[Fenwick]

The Cold Hole is gonna be a free fire zone ticket-wise since it has historically been a cooler and folding chair, bait and bucket "family tradition" location and now entirely a new red zone with restrictions that the old crowd is going to fight with the park rangers, game wardens, the ODWC and the McCurtain County Chamber of Commerce. You just know the old Cold Hole crowd is going to give the evil eye to any fly rodder standing there the same way we look upon spin fishermen in the Evening Hole. How long will it be before the new rules and regulations signage is defaced there?

[greenman]

Nice to see the Rangers and Wardens are working together to stop the abuse. I would assume the 90% of the fly fishermen and women are catch and release. I can't believe that the fine for 22 trout OVER the limit is only $700. That is only $31.82 per fish. In neighboring states that same fine can be up to $100/fish. I hope that if the fines were that high, then people would think twice about illegal harvesting. Including some guides.

[todd13]

I too am surprised the fine is so little. Sad. Make it memorable and sting so it NEVER happens again. Take your pic and return the fish so they make little fishies. If they overpopulate, the game and fish folks will tell us to harvest some.

[txkflyer]

Let's see 22 - 18 = 4, that is 700 divided by 4 is $175.00 per fish above limit. Still too low by itself in my opinion, should have license revoked for at least a period (like a year).

[txkflyer]

oops, mis-read article, over limit by 22, and 18 for the trio, with 50 trout, way too little for each fish!

[greenman]

txkflyer,

It used to be, before the flood, that every time I set foot at spillway I'd have a visit with either a park ranger or a warden. Since the flood, haven't seen a single one of them. Has anyone else noticed this?

[txkflyer]

I have been stopped for license check once at Beavers Bend and once at Murpheesboro, AR.

[golferjeff]

The wardens and rangers are out there.... more rangers than wardens though. Rangers have been focusing on park use more than fishing. Also remember, they have the use of those binoculars and drones and they don't always need to be seen to be checking on you..... they can do it right from the truck.

[greenman]

Jeff, They may be doing all that and more, It's just nice to SEE them down on the water checking things out.

[BTLowry]

They got off easy

Twice that and loss of hunting and fishing privledges for 5 years would have made a better impression on them and the others that do it and have not been caught