Welcome back everyone. Today's video comes to us out of the state of Wisconsin. Now, within the general inland waters of Wisconsin, yellow perch have a continuous [music] season that runs the entire span of the year. However, within the Green Bay tributaries, the season runs from May 20th to March 15th of the following year. Now, this is why it's so important to look up the body of water you intend to fish on to make sure that the regulations don't vary from the rest of the state. Well, an officer with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources was on patrol when he stopped at the Suamico boat launch to conduct resource inspections. Hello, sir. Steve Wharton. >> Hey. >> How's fishing? >> Pretty slow. >> Pretty slow? >> Yeah, I caught one perch. >> Okay. Gotcha. >> little one. Got you. >> You got your fishing license on you? >> Yes, sir. >> Cool. A little colder out today than I thought it would be. >> that's cold, though. >> It is, yeah. I was just talking to those guys who are out in the bay and they said it was freezing out there. >> Yeah, yeah. I thought today it would be warmer out here than it is, but yeah. >> Gotcha. Any fish in the cooler? >> One. >> One? >> Perch. >> Gotcha. Okay. >> Yes, you can Yes, one one little guy. >> Gotcha. Okay. Do you know that perch is closed right now? >> No. >> Yeah, perch is closed right now. Can't keep perch. >> Oh. >> Yeah. >> I thought it was open year round. >> No, so on the bay and the major Green Bay tributaries, perch is closed from March 15th to I think it's May 20th. >> Oh jeez. No, I didn't know that. >> Gotcha. Okay. That'll be your warning for that. Um Have you Have you come out perch fishing a lot in the last couple months? >> I haven't been out. This is the first time I've >> first time? >> Yeah. Last year I fished here quite a bit. >> Okay. >> Not this year. >> Gotcha. Okay. Let me just scan this. Let's see. How long ago did Did catch that perch? >> Oh, got to be over with. >> Half hour over with. Okay. See if we can get him back. >> I don't know if he's going to make it, but I can do it. >> Let me uh >> Let's go I'm going to walk down to the boat launch real quick and see if I can >> Maybe. I'll write it back. >> All right. Over there. >> Hello. >> Oh, I was afraid you were going to say for perch. A lot of people don't realize it's closed. >> Yeah, we're going to try and get this guy back in the water. Yeah. Sir, do you have your driver's license on you? >> Sure. >> Yeah. Could I Could I take a look at that? I just got to run some information my truck. >> [snorts] >> Thank you. Watch out. All right, sir. So So, here's what I got for you, okay? >> All right. >> So, obviously, you know, I have a job to do. Um I'm going to give you your fishing license back. Then your driver's license. >> All right. >> This is seizure receipt. Basically, what this is saying is that, "Hey, you were in possession of this and now I'm in possession of it, okay?" >> Um so, perch is closed right now. You're not able to to keep them. Obviously, you're you're probably fishing for whatever bites, right? >> Well, I And usually, that's what you get here is perch. >> Yeah. This is a a very big perch fishing spot. Um I get a lot of complaints of perch getting kept out of season here. One of the reasons why I'm patrolling this area today. Uh So, and unfortunately, I'm going to going to have to write you a citation today for it, okay? Um is that a good address on your driver's license? >> Uh it should be. >> Is that where you live now? Where you get mail? So, the citation is going to come by mail. It'll be here in Brown County. Not a mandatory court appearance, just a DNR ticket. Um you got three options with it. You can plead plead guilty, not guilty, or no contest, okay? Um everything you need to do to take care of the citation, whether you're going to contest it or Okay, whatever, you know, whatever you want to do with it is on the citation, okay? >> Um the perch perch perch didn't make it. I was unable to release it back in the water. Um the perch is not going to go to waste. Uh you ever heard of like Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary? >> Oh, sure. >> Um either them or maybe Reggie will take it. Um we give them a lot of you know, items that are seized like that after adjudication to donate to the raptors and their birds. So, the perch isn't going to go to waste. >> All right. >> So, do you have any questions for me? >> No. When when did you say it opens now? >> I believe it's I'll tell you right now. Just Just uh Let me just double-check just to make sure. It's May I think it's May 20th. So, the Suamico River is defined as a major Green Bay tributary. >> All right. >> Page 86 of the fishing regulations, um tributary streams to Green Bay and Lake Michigan. Um under bluegill, pumpkin seed, sunfish, yellow perch, and crappie, um all those are open all year except yellow perch, which is open from May 20th, 2025, until March 15th, 2026. >> I see. Okay. >> Um >> I guess I got the handbook that said you were wrong, so >> Okay. Got you. Yeah. >> So, that's just that's why I'm here. >> I will give you my business card if you have any questions, uh concerns. >> How much is the citation? I got to pay for the ticket. >> Um I I'm not 100% sure off off the top of my head. I I don't want to give you any any incorrect information. >> Oh, that's all right. >> Um I don't know off the top of my head, but it will come by mail. So. >> It'll come by mail. >> It'll come by mail, yep. I don't have a printer in my truck. Kind of wish I did, but I don't, unfortunately. >> Okay, that's all right. >> Do you have any questions for me? >> I guess not. >> Okay. >> You're going to make me happy with what you're going to do, you know. >> Yep. I appreciate >> I was okay. >> Okay. Well, thank you. I appreciate you. You're being very respectful. >> All right. >> So, thank you. >> Okay. >> All right. Have a good day. >> Bye. >> Take care. >> Now, in the end, the angler was charged with being in possession of game fish during a closed season, a non-criminal violation. He later pled guilty and was ordered to pay $271.85 in costs and fines, which he paid that same day. Now, in this case, it seemed like a genuine mistake, and he seemed very surprised that he was not supposed to have that yellow perch. But again, it's important to remember that it is every angler's responsibility to understand the regulations before going out. With modern smartphones, the internet is more accessible than ever, and there is apps that even help us with it, and there's also printed materials. If you ever have a fish and you're unsure if you can keep it, the best thing to do is take a picture and throw it back. Anyways, that's it for today's video. If you like content like this, be sure to subscribe for more. >> [music] >> As always, thanks for watching. >> [music]