(WWJ) – A group of out-of-state fishermen came to Michigan hoping to bring home a bunch of fish this week, but are instead leaving empty handed.
Well, not exactly empty handed. They’ve got a number of citations for using illegal methods to take fish and could be ordered to pay up to $4,630 in restitution.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources says conservation officers recovered more than 460 lbs. of illegally taken salmon from a group from Colorado that was fishing on the Manistee River earlier this week.
The fish has instead been donated to local families in need, according to the DNR.
It all started with a tip from a local angler who spotted two DNR conservation officers, Josiah Killingbeck, who patrols Lake County, and Scott MacNeill, who patrols Manistee County along the Manistee River near Tippy Dam in Dickson County.
The angler approached the officers and told them about the group downriver that was using illegal methods and equipment to take the fish. The officers then located and observed the group, confirming the tip.
When Killingbeck and MacNeill contacted the group, several of them attempted to break off their fishing lines so the officers wouldn't see the illegal fishing gear they were using.
Officers interviewed the group and determined that the anglers didn’t have valid fishing licenses, were using illegal tackle and possessed 17 salmon taken by an illegal method. The DNR didn’t specify exactly what equipment or methods the group were using.
The group admitted to their illegal activity and led the officers back to their vehicles in the parking lot, where they had an additional 40-50 fish in coolers.
If the group of six had been properly licensed, they would have been allowed to legally possess 30 fish total; the total amount of illegal fish in the group’s possession weighed 463 pounds.
“It’s a shame that this group invested so much time and money to travel all the way to Michigan only to illegally take these salmon, a valuable, public natural resource,” DNR Sgt. Grant Emery said. “We are grateful for the angler who approached Killingbeck and MacNeill, which allowed them to recover the fish with enough time to safely donate to local families in need.”
Emery said there are tons of coho and Chinook salmon running in local rivers this time of year, which attracts anglers from all over the country, so it’s not a surprise they had come here to fish.
“While we’ve seen a decrease in illegal fishing activity over the years, unfortunately, we still run into illegal and unconventional methods,” he said.
The group has until Oct. 21 to contact the 85th District Court in Manistee County for arraignment. The DNR is not releasing names prior to arraignment.
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