Officers with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources were patrolling along the Sandusky River in Fremont, Ohio when they observed three individuals keeping snagged walleye. How are you guys doing? Good. Looks like you guys had a good day. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> We're running out of sacred floating chips here. >> Yeah. Well, I'm state wildlife officer. Uh you guys got your fishing licenses on you? Let me uh >> Can you just set those off to the >> You guys can just set the fish down. Well, you can just set the fish down. We can talk about those. You're good. You got your driver's license on >> Yes, sir. >> Okay, take a Where's your fish at? >> Right here. >> Right there. You want to set them down for me quick? >> Sure. >> Let me uh You guys measured them? >> Yeah. >> That one should be 15, right? I think. >> Yeah. >> I'll get my stick and just stick that one. Okay, you got your driver's license on you? Did you You guys You guys know they got to be inside the mouth? Like the hook and everything? >> Yeah. >> Okay. Well, I can tell you not all those are inside the mouth. I've been watching since since 8:00 this morning. So >> I got them all in the mouth. >> They were not. Not all of them were. Huh? >> Which one? >> I got them all documented. >> All right. >> Four of his and I'm I'm going to look at them. His first one was in the throat. You had one just a little bit ago that was in the throat area. And then you just that last little one you kept was on top of the head. >> No. >> Absolutely was. Me and another officer both saw it. So, he'll be over here in a second. >> They were in the mouth and also a couple years ago when the law was it said in the mouth or around the mouth. >> It should not have ever said It has to be inside the mouth. So. >> You drive us out. >> Yep. So that first one was right there. >> That's where he stuck it through the mouth and blood is out. >> So it's good. That's fine. 8:10 that's right where I saw the jig. 8:10 a.m. Okay, they are. I do see that. But right there right there's and maybe it was right there. That little mark there. There doesn't have to be a mark on them. Not all of them will have it. So then your second fish. And again. I'm not going to Some of them were close close. I'm not going to mess with the one like right there maybe. >> I had it inside out though. I know that. >> I mean the whole jig when I can see the whole jig and everything's out of it and then when guys take them off and the mouth is completely closed, I know it wasn't inside the mouth. You know what I mean? I do this for a living. I watch these. You guys can argue all you want not all these fish. I'm not going to take every single fish from everybody cuz and we don't write tickets like the ones that are right here outside and I'll be honest we don't we don't even mess with them. But when I can see the whole jig right here, you know what I mean? They're not all awful fish, okay? And when I'm going through my notes here and there's a hole right where I see exactly where I saw the hook. Um that's why we're doing what we're doing. This one is his. >> Got to have the fish. >> Okay. That one is his to the little small one that was on top of the head. >> Okay, have you have you uh >> Have a look at his fish here. >> Okay. >> That little one there. >> That's a smart idea. I like that. I haven't seen anybody put a hose on there. >> One, two. Now, let's see here. Okay. >> Hey, I did that to you. >> Yeah, yeah. Just a carrot. >> Yeah, I see what you're doing here. I didn't do anything. >> I didn't want to get them dirty. >> No, I hear you. I hear you. Sorry to >> It's your job, too. >> Sorry about that. Yeah. Okay, sir. I'm not going to mess with the other two, okay, sir? >> Okay. >> The other two, I don't see marks. They were really really close. I do believe they were outside in, but again, I'm not going to >> Okay. >> Didn't get the best look at those other two. >> ask Did you remember which one? >> So, then your last two, you got them in before I was watching somebody else across the river, so you got those in before I saw them. But make sure them fish Nobody else has any fish on the stringer on that whole river today except for you guys. Okay, so they got to be inside that mouth and out. All right? >> The other two, I don't see marks. They were really really really close. I do believe they were outside in. >> Okay. Did he Did Did he ask Did you remember which one since your stringer's turned around? I Do you remember which one was up on the top of the head by any chance? >> He said it was this one right here. >> It wasn't the That was your last one. This was your last smallest one. Um >> That was last Yeah, I don't remember seeing any on the top of the head. >> So, but >> had another I had I had five total and the last Well, the one >> Right. >> The one that one got away from me when I went to put it on the stringer. >> I hear you. I hear you. I think it was this one. Looks like this one stringer they're all tangled up and it's kind of hard to tell every now and then. >> Well, let's see. There's the first one. There's the second one. There's the third one. There's the last one. >> Okay. >> You had one before that. One, two, three, four on the stringer. >> Yeah, I saw that. Yeah. >> Yeah, yeah. >> Got away. >> I hear you. >> I'm going to call John. Hey, John. >> You're Terry? >> Yeah. >> All right. Did you measure any of these? >> Not yet, no. So, yeah. >> Did you guys have a measuring board or That thing's That thing's just skinny. I bet he's long enough looking at him now. >> He's using his fishing pole to measure. >> I got you. I got you. But usually there's a nice big mark on them, but not always. I mean I Did he Did he explain to you everything, you know, as far Where are you guys from? I I didn't hear. >> I'm up by Clyde County. >> County. >> Oh, okay. I got you. Yep. But did you explain to him about the placement and all that? >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> We've already talked. >> Okay. And you guys seem like you're being absolutely great. I I I appreciate that. >> Yeah, it's like >> Good job. >> Yeah. >> Yeah, we tried to >> Well, and you guys And you guys know they weren't all hooked like this. I mean, you you do. So, but so and then Did you get that one yet? >> No, I did not. >> On. >> Yeah. >> You got that one documented? >> I don't remember that. Yeah, yeah. Those You don't need anything for >> Yep, those ones are good. >> Oh, you got You got yours in the cooler? >> No. >> Yeah, I got it. They got four out first. >> Oh, you got to check them with mine. >> Oh, these are >> ones you just >> Yeah, I know where they are cuz I know my fish. Okay, yeah, it is. >> Where's your fish there? >> It's driving me nuts. >> Yeah, it's good. I got you. So, that was the other one you wanted to measure, but that looks fine. >> It looks >> Up here. >> I'll stick it just cuz >> What's that? >> I'll stick it when you're done. >> Third fish is the one. Here. All right, you got one. That's third one here. I don't know where See how many I have in your order here? I'll let you string it with the hook. You started the at bottom then, is that one? >> Yeah, at the bottom, yeah. >> Okay, where's the That one's three. >> This one's the other. >> They're about both even. I didn't take it as They're too big though. Well, actually, so there's there's one, there's two. >> Okay, yeah, they're here. Okay. All right, then you got his his ID? >> Yep, I'm going to just stick that fish just Get the old eye strain in. >> It should be 15 and a half though, 16. >> There's these for you. >> All right, we'll be right back with you guys, all right? You want to I got two in my truck. Uh Mr. Is it Mr. Gasser? Okay, I I apologize. I looked at my notes. I took I took your wrong fish. I took your third fish. It was the fourth fourth one, okay? So, uh where's where's your stringer at? >> all on video, do you? >> What's that? >> You got it all on the video? >> If you want to come to court and ask what evidence we have, you can do it at that point and that's your right and we'll tell you how to do that, okay? And and that's perfectly fine. But, what I do so I I document which fish on the stringer and I thought I knew off the top of my head. I thought it was your third fish. So, I seized your third fish and then I'm going back and checking my notes and I seized the incorrect fish. That's why I'm here. So, um where's your stringer at and and we can Right. Okay. Set them in the grass here so I don't keep getting them more dirty. So, your fourth fish and you had it It was close to the head, but it was up up under the mouth, okay? So, so when you reel it in I That's your stringer so I'm not looking looking for holes in it. So, what I do is these fish when you've had them in the rocks, they're all torn up. I could say All I can say is the hook was not in the mouth, all right? And when you pulled it in fish mouth completely closed and you're pulling the jig out from up under in in the collar area. You didn't keep a tail hook fish, but but some people Some people and I and and I guess Oh, sure. Correct. And and sure sure and >> and and I'm and I I understand your frustration and I don't know if he explained to you I I know that people see stuff on the river you see people keep a tail hook fish and you get told things by other fishermen oh as long as it's up in that head area it's good and that might be what what your understanding was I'm not here to accuse you guys of intentionally coming and and just being being bad men on the river trying to trying to illegally take resource but unfortunately the hook needs to be on the inside of the mouth and you see a lot of guys that just get it up in that head area and it it ends up getting strung so um your other fish we're we're not we're not going around looking for we didn't see them or it's to a point where you know it's it's so close that I can't attest in court where it's at by the letter of the law you could get a ticket if the fish is hooked on the outside of the lip going in now I [music] better darn well be able to prove that you know what I'm saying so generally unless I I have just definite knowledge but again same thing that's like a state trooper going around writing every everybody sees going two miles over the speed limit so just cuz we can't doesn't mean we are so where where we draw the line is is we can see that the jig is completely out of the fish's mouth and and like I said this one was uh up under that collar area and and that's where we come in and address the issue like I said you most likely thought that if it's just up in the front end of the fish it's a legal fish I hear that I hear that all the time okay so I'm not here to accuse anybody of being being being a awful person I mean we we deal with fish I I guarantee none of you guys would ever assault somebody you know do something crazy we're we're we're talking with fish okay so that's why these are waveable summonses we're not looking for anybody to lose their right to fish we're not confiscating equipment we just we just need you to make sure that hook's on the inside of the mouth and not just kind of closed up on the head. Did that Did that explain explain a little bit better for you? Okay. And And I appreciate the questions. I do, sir. I I I've gotten speeding tickets before where people are abrupt and they just come up and they give me orders and they and I That's no way to treat people. You guys are decent guys doing what I love, so I I appreciate the questions. And And I'm sorry for the the confusion on which fish it was. I had to look at my notes better. That's on me as reading through that, prepared my notes with the other officer. I made a mistake in seizing the third fish. It was the fourth fish on his stringer. That's We're just trying to make sure we're doing it doing it properly, so I'm going to quit talking now and get you on your way as quick as I can. So, appreciate you guys. Here's this back for you, John. That's your fishing license. >> John, here. >> Yep. >> And there's your driver's license. And then he'll be here in a second. So, you're getting two. You guys will each get one. And I'll let him explain everything in one second. We can just You know, cuz they're all virtually the same thing. >> The only thing that's going to be different on these are are are your names and then his is slightly different. Um BT, I think you had a a prior prior violation for snagging and then since it's multiple >> Correct. >> I've never got I've never got a ticket for snagging. 2014? No, I've never got a ticket. This is my first ticket ever fishing. I even I ran a boat out at Lake Erie, too. This is my first ticket ever fishing. >> Brian Berry gave you a ticket in 2014. >> No, I've never I'm not lying either on this one here. >> What court was it out of? >> Let me go check. >> I'll I'll start explaining this to you and he'll double double check into that and it might it and if there's an issue, I mean, that might be something if if if there's a court record in there that you received that, it's something you might have to deal with talk to the court about, but but I >> John >> I Like he's going to double-check. Most Most likely Most likely there's not. And honestly, since you guys have been polite instead of just telling you you're wrong, we're going to look into it cuz you guys have been very decent to us. So, if if something got entered wrong, we'll take a look. But, if >> I I ain't lying to you. We just We just talking about that. We said >> Sure. >> us ever had a fishing violation in the act. >> Sure. So, yeah, he can he can look at it. I mean, if it He could should be able to look out the court where it in our system where it was uh allegedly issued and then pull up that court record and and see if we can match something up. But, in the meantime >> We We We tried to be straight shooters on it. >> Sure. Oh, and and you have been. That's That's why we're looking into it cuz you guys have given us no reason to to doubt you. And and occasionally uh somebody enter something in a computer wrong. I actually got it uh a ticket for when I was 20 for going on the wrong side of Killdeer Plains Wildlife Area bird watching of all things. And uh they entered two arrests in there. So, they they when I was interviewing for this job, they're asking me, "So, where'd you shoot ducks illegally?" I'm like, "I've never killed a duck in my life. What are you talking to me now?" I hunt ducks now, but when I was younger, I was like, "I don't know what you're talking about." So, like I said, sometimes people there's a clerical error. So, if if we have any chance to look into that, we will. >> Yeah, I'll be honest with you on that one. I never had a ticket. >> Okay. So, but just running through all this, [clears throat] starting at the top, it's out of Fremont Municipal Court, then comes you guys' personal information. It'll all obviously be different. We I crossed out on all of these. He might not on yours. I didn't write his. The order to appear. You guys do not need to come to court unless you'd like to. The court date is going to be uh 9:30 a.m. on April 23rd at 323 South Front Street. Again, that is optional. Um Summons is take or possess a sport fish to a wild by snagging. We've discussed that. Just make sure that hook's on the inside of the mouth. Code section, my name and badge number. So, this is fish violation for misdemeanor of the fourth degree. And the waiver amount, if it's your first offense, is $150, okay? And that's to pay the fine and the court cost. You're done with it, just like a speeding ticket, if you choose to go that route. Court phone number's on the bottom. 419-332-1579. >> We can call them? >> You can, but I was I was going to get to here is if you go to Fremont Municipal Court online and do a record search by your name, you can pay with a credit card. >> Okay. >> And that's that's the easiest way to get it taken care of. And again, it's Fremont Municipal Court. There's a record search and you type in your name. >> Okay. Okay. So, it was more than two rods. You were throwing more than two rods. Back in it was June 21st, 2014. >> On the lake? >> Yeah. Brian Burris. >> So, so your waiver amounts are going to be wrong then. >> For for the first one. So, if that's wrong >> No, it wasn't snagging. I had too many rods. >> Right. On on my end it said >> Yeah. On your end. Yeah. >> So, again, appreciate you saying so. >> Yeah. >> That was good. >> You weren't uh >> That was good. >> I I forgot about that on the lake. I know I never had one in the river. >> Well, that's why I was like, I don't know. It says an arrest on there, but >> So, so that's that's that's what that is. So, your The only thing that's going to be different on yours is your first fish it says 170. That is in reality 150 now. Okay? Cuz you have no priors for this violation. Okay? And then the second fish is $70. Okay? They're not going to charge you the court cost twice. Okay? So, I can fix that for you here real quick if you if you'd like >> I will get that taken care of on my end. >> Do you have a pen? >> I kind of forgot about that on the lake. We just had one more. >> Stuff Stuff happens. >> And the guy could have wrote me up for three cuz he said since everybody on the whole damn lake's doing it, you know, now they got reduced for you. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> So, yeah, that first one 150, not 170. We'll fix that on our end. Second, you don't get hit on the court cost. So, it's just $70. Okay? Um >> So, I got What is that? >> 210. >> 210. >> Or two 220. >> 220. >> My math sucks. >> What's your name? >> My math sucks. 220. >> So, so that's that's where that is. Does anybody have any questions for me at this point? Okay. >> So, you can send this check in or you got to do >> You can. I I don't know about mailing a check in. Like I said, you can go there in person and pay it. Um I think the easiest thing is going online to Fremont Municipal Court. You do a record search, and then you type in your name, you put your last name, comma, first name, and pull it up. If you have any issues doing that, the court phone number's on the bottom of your citation. Call the clerks. They are They are great. If you have any issues with that, I'm a Sandusky County officer. You can find my name in the back of the or my my number in the back of the regulation booklet. More than happy if you're having an issue, give me a call. You know, main thing is you get it taken care of, obviously, cuz we don't want to turn a fish into someone You get your driver's license suspended, or they put a warrant out. I mean, obviously, you guys You get >> I won't be able to fish anymore, you know. >> Yeah, you you guys don't need any of all that. And it's And it's It's not that big of a deal. So, we don't want to We don't want to see it turn into that. So, I will definitely help you out if you have any issues, but court's great to work with. Very nice clerks. Um Any other questions? >> I got one question. Like that fish that >> Uh-huh. >> got away from me, >> Uh-huh. >> I had my net. If I had netted that, would I have got a ticket for netting it, or >> No. If you legally landed the fish, dropped it in the water, and then scooped it up with a net, >> Okay. Yep. >> you know, we're not We're not trying to split hair. >> By definition, it's technically illegal, but we I'm >> Yeah, well, that's I was wondering. Like I said, cuz I didn't have it >> We We We have discretion. There's I I saw that. I mean, I was I was laughing cuz I've done that in that stupid riprap. I'm like, I'm glad to see somebody else does that besides just me. So, no, we we try to >> I didn't fall in. >> Yeah. We We try to use use a little bit of common sense. I mean, >> Yep. >> you I tell everybody you hunt fish long enough, something happens. Like I said, I was on the wrong side of a a refuge, and guy sitting there with lights, and I'm like, what in the world going on? And he about fell out of his truck laughing when he heard I wanted to be a game warden. I was I was panicked. I was like, "Oh, no." So, >> Yeah, no doubt. >> But, uh anyway, well, again, appreciate you guys for being being decent. Hope the rest of your day goes a little better. So, okay. We'll see you. >> In the end, all three received citations for snagging walleye. We were unable to locate any of the public records for this case but it's likely that all three paid their citations through the county's third-party payment processing website. If you like this video and want to see more like it, subscribe to ArrestCam. As always, thanks for watching. >> [music] [music]