# Is it Poaching? or stupidity?



## Bob Kellam (Apr 8, 2004)

Wardens checking on walleye anglers

DEVILS LAKE (AP) - Anglers on Devils Lake likely will remember the summer of 2005 for some of the best walleye action they've had. Game wardens, however, remember the number of tickets they wrote for people who kept too many walleyes.

Warden Chris Knutson, of Devils Lake, said he and colleague Gene Maase, of New Rockford, issued more than 40 over-limits citations this summer.

"I guess you'd call it an above-average year for over-limits," Knutson said. And those are just the people who get caught, he said.

"How much goes on, we don't really know for sure," he said.

Some anglers are too tempted to keep an extra walleye, Maase said, while others, especially those from out of state, do not stop to consider North Dakota limits.

"When you come from two or three states away, you ought to be looking at the regulations," Masse said.

He found one husband and wife who had six walleyes, one more than their daily limit, in July. He said he cut the couple a break and ticketed just the husband for keeping too many walleyes that day. About a month and a half later, Knutson stopped the couple and found they again had more than their limit.

"I think they knew the limit this time," Masse said. "This time, Mama got the ticket. ... So much for giving people a break."

If there's a bright side to the wardens' busy summer, it's that most of the violations were minor, involving anglers with only one walleye more than the limit.

In North Dakota, one fish more than the limit is classified as a non-criminal violation, punishable by a $100 fine, and it doesn't go on the angler's record unless the angler has more than one incident in a year.

Knutson said two fish above the limit puts the violation into criminal status and results in a $100 fine per fish, along with $225 in court costs. That means an angler ticketed for two fish too many will pay $425 in fines and court costs.

An angler caught "double tripping," or taking two walleye limits in one day, will have to pay $725, or $500 for the five fish too many and $225 for court costs.

"That in itself should be a good deterrent," Knutson said.

People who call tips in to the state's Report All Poachers line that lead to citations are eligible for cash rewards, based on the extent of the violation and the size of the fine.

"The more eyes we have watching, the better," Knutson said. "One of the things we need to emphasize with over-limits and double-tripping is, it's basically taking away from everyone's resource. I think a lot of people have a tendency to turn their heads, especially at campgrounds or whatnot, if they see their neighbor go out in the morning, catch a limit, and then go out in the evening again."

Anglers with too many fish give a variety of excuses.

"Some act pretty surprised," Knutson said. "Others - you can tell they knew what was going on. An excuse I've heard more often lately is the price of gas - that's why they had to keep so many fish."

Masse said the number of violations encountered this summer should send another message, not only to anglers, but hunters.

"We're watching," he said.


----------



## buckseye (Dec 8, 2003)

> An angler caught "double tripping," or taking two walleye limits in one day, will have to pay $725, or $500 for the five fish too many and $225 for court costs.
> 
> "That in itself should be a good deterrent," Knutson said.


It would be if they actually had to pay the full price, most get out with reduced everything.


----------



## edjoebasser (Oct 22, 2005)

I think you have meat fisherman/ hunters that go for the meat and will if given the chance over harvest------most people who go for the thrill of the catch/kill----do so and keep a few for the pot many times far less than the limits allow--I know of a few who hunt and fish for anything that eats good --thats ok just as long as the limits are followed
policing ourselves is a good policy


----------



## njsimonson (Sep 24, 2002)

Another reason for the "one-fish-over" phenomenon is that MN has a 6 fish daily, while ND's is only 5. But ignorance is not an excuse.


----------



## mossy512 (Jan 7, 2006)

Hey guys, I'm from KY and I like to think that more of us abide by daily and seasonal limits. Might sound nieve but I know many others that do this and personally know of none who over take. You are right ignorance is no excuse, too often that is not the case, for those that do so, do so out of greed, not ignorance. Do the right thing yourself and police our own ranks, we'll give the antis no real ammo to take what is our heritage. :beer:


----------

