# Minn Angler Nabbed with 300 Panfish Over Limit



## nodakoutdoors.com (Feb 27, 2002)

An Otsego man is facing $3,000 fine and up to a year in jail after a conservation officer with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources found he had caught more than 400 fish over the daily limit.

Chien Van Tran, 39, faces a gross misdemeanor for being 413 sunfish and 30 crappies over the legal limit. The restitution value for the fish is $2,015.

Tran could lose his fishing privileges for three years if convicted. His equipment, including his boat motors, could also be confiscated. His initial court date is in Wright County Court May 30.

State Conservation Officer Rick Reller of Buffalo saw Tran place a bag of fish in a locked compartment of his boat before leaving Pelican Lake in Wright County April 4.

"I asked how fishing was and if he had any fish onboard the boat," said Reller. "He stated the fishing was 'okay' and he showed me a cooler with approximately a dozen pan fish in it."

Tran said "no" to multiple inquiries about other fish on the boat. He eventually admitted that there were about 100 more fish on board. The on-board total was 134 sunfish and 19 crappies.

The state's daily possession limit is 20 sunfish and 10 crappies.

Reller asked Tran he possessed any more fish at his home. With Tran's permission, Reller found a freezer full of 11 bags of fish -- containing 299 sunfish and 21 crappies in all. That brought the total number to 413 sunfish and 30 crappies over the legal limit.

"I told Mr. Tran that I would be seizing all the fish," Reller said. "I also advised him that I was seizing his boat, motors, trailer, and fishing license as part of a gross misdemeanor over limit of fish."

Anyone witnessing a fishing or wildlife violation is encouraged to contact the nearest conservation officer, law enforcement agency or the toll-free Turn-In-Poacher (TIP) hot line at 800-652-9093. Also, #TIP is available to most cell phone users in Minnesota.










http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/story/18 ... limit-minn


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## macker13 (Nov 7, 2006)

Unfortunately, this has been a problem for years in MN. The law that allows seizure of the boat, trailer, rods, gear, etc. helps. The DNR has done a lot of work to educate the Hmong community and has gone out of it's way to hire officers that can work with the community leaders, however, I continue to see these type of reports on a reglular basis. Good work by Officer Reller.


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## Sasha and Abby (May 11, 2004)

Why are the Hmong people like this??? You see this over and over and over again in this small minority.


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## BirdJ (Aug 24, 2011)

Hope they all didn't go to waste!!!!


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## southdakbearfan (Oct 11, 2004)

No matter where or what nationality, this many over and the actions of hiding fish in the boat just lets you know that the person knew darn well it was illegal.

3 years and loss of the boat isn't enough. Forever and loss of the boat would be more like it.


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## dakotashooter2 (Oct 31, 2003)

Sasha and Abby said:


> Why are the Hmong people like this??? You see this over and over and over again in this small minority.


Keep in mind that many of these people are still in a substinance mode. To them it's about survival. Often where they come from you didn't just run to the grocery store. When fishing was good they took as many as they could and preped them for later use. Sometimes old habits die hard and may carry over for a few generations. It's a lifestyle they have had for thousands of years and is not going to change over night..


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## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

So it's ok for them to do it because they have been for 1000 years? Stop the BS please!!! The guy knew he was illegal, it has nothing to do with his ancestors!!! Take the boat and never let him fish again! Of course, if he is doing this crap, not having a license won't stop him.


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## spentwings (Apr 25, 2007)

It probably is a cultural thing but these people ain't just off the boat.
The only thing that's probably going to deter is racial profiling :lol: and nailing more of these poachers.


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## Gunny (Aug 18, 2005)

Just gotta' figure out a way to turn them on to the Asian carp. Then we could all live in peace and harmony... :roll:


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## 6162rk (Dec 5, 2004)

i bet they wouldn't go to waste like alot of the game taken by the so called great white hunters. i not saying it is right but make sure you practice what you preach!


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## Gunny (Aug 18, 2005)

Mmm hmmm...

Deflect the blame as to not offend a group of people who consistantly and egregiously take what they want... not what they need, nor is in the legal parameter established by the MN DNR. He wasn't 1 fish over... he was more than _*400 *_ fish over his legal limit. Had this been the only inident, than your "Great White Hunter" (aptly named i might add) argument would most definitly apply, and we could have a conversation of which I would more than likley agree with you. However, this is just another in a long line of grossly over-harvesting fish in this state by the Hmong community, and seems to be the modus operandi every year. Are there bad "Cracker" fishermen? Yes. Do you here of all of the over harvesting by us "white trash" *every year *... just to be told that "he didn't understand the language" ...or "he was trying to put food on the table for his starving family..." No.

Hell No..

It usually has to do with understanding the laws and being an idiot. (which apparently applies to this case as well)

Incidentally this is not a race issue as much as it is a culture issue and I believe we should keep race out of this conversation (ie. the "great white hunter" line).

Learn english and conform to American standards (ie be an American) then we can lay off the cultural argument.

Carry on

Gunny


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## snogeezmen (May 28, 2012)

Gunny said:


> Mmm hmmm...
> 
> Deflect the blame as to not offend a group of people who consistantly and egregiously take what they want... not what they need, nor is in the legal parameter established by the MN DNR. He wasn't 1 fish over... he was more than _*400 *_ fish over his legal limit. Had this been the only inident, than your "Great White Hunter" (aptly named i might add) argument would most definitly apply, and we could have a conversation of which I would more than likley agree with you. However, this is just another in a long line of grossly over-harvesting fish in this state by the Hmong community, and seems to be the modus operandi every year. Are there bad "Cracker" fishermen? Yes. Do you here of all of the over harvesting by us "white trash" *every year *... just to be told that "he didn't understand the language" ...or "he was trying to put food on the table for his starving family..." No.
> 
> ...


Amen couldnt of said it better myself. Wish people would stop pulling the race card out. The idiot was 400 fish over a limit. when are peopple gonna stop deflecting blame and accept responsibility for their own god damn actions the the problem. If you live in america and cant speak what "americans" do then learn it. I sure as hell wont go to china without learning chinese etc


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## macker13 (Nov 7, 2006)

The part that kills me is the title of the article: "Minn Angler Nabbed with ..." This is NOT an angler. This is a poacher, scofflaw, etc. The title should have been. "Poacher caught with 300..." That would be more accurate.

Althought there seems to be a disporportional number of overthe limit arrests involving Hmong fisherman, there are a large number that follow the rules. It's just like any population. A bunch of bad apples can ruin the reputation of the lot.


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## Gunny (Aug 18, 2005)

Agreed

Gunny


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## snogeezmen (May 28, 2012)

x2

macker- you said it about perfect, i can never express my thoughts in the written form to reflect what my mind is thinking! :beer:


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## Chuck Smith (Feb 22, 2005)

macker is 100% correct. Look at any news article that involves poaching of any kind. The author calls them "hunters" or "fisherman" or "Angler". They are not....they are Poachers or Criminals.


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