Don't Launch Your Walleyes

[rockpt]

Angler fined for obstructing conservation officers


By Dan Gauthier
Miner and News
Wednesday October 26, 2005

Two Winnipeg men had very different outcomes in Kenora court Tuesday when they came to answer to charges they were fishing for walleye on the Winnipeg River one day before the season opened last spring.
Errol Bolduc was found guilty by Justice of the Peace Marjorie Pasloski in provincial offences court of angling for walleye during the closed season and for obstructing a Ministry of Natural Resources conservation officer. He was fined a total of $1,000 – $300 for the angling offence and $700 for obstruction – and given 12 months to pay.
The second suspect, Jason Stevenson, was found not guilty and cleared of a charge that he too caught walleye during the closed season.
The court heard the two men were among five in a boat fishing just downstream from the Whitedog Dam on the Winnipeg River May 20, one day before walleye season opened.
Deputy conservation officer Scott McAughey testified that while installing regulatory signs at the landing near the dam he noticed two boats actively fishing in the area known as a walleye spot. He went back to the Kenora MNR office and returned to the landing with conservation officer Bryon Cosgrove.
When the officers returned, McAughey said one boat was still fishing at the dam and for about one hour he observed, with the aid of binoculars, two walleyes already on a stringer, two more walleyes put on the stringer and several other walleyes caught and released by the group. He noted that Bolduc, in particular, was not releasing his walleye properly, launching them an estimated 20 feet into the air on several occasions.
When the boat came to shore around 7:30 p.m. and the two conservation officers approached, McAughey said Bolduc stepped out of the boat and pushed it, and the remaining four passengers, back out telling them to go.
Both McAughey and Cosgrove testified that they spoke to the remaining men in the boat at this time advising them to return to shore so they could inspect the fish they were observed catching. The driver of the boat started the motor and drove the boat away, returning approximately 30 minutes later with no fish on board.
In her decision, Pasloski said individual statements taken that day from the two suspects by Cosgrove were probably the most reliable evidence as they were given immediately following the events.
In Stevenson’s statement he said Bolduc was the only one catching and keeping walleye, he also admitted they released the fish they had in the boat when they left the conservation officers for 30 minutes.
Stevenson told the court – which was supported by the testimony of his witness Mark Thompson, who was also in the boat – that he only caught two or three perch and one northern pike all day and released them.
Bolduc initially said in his statement he released all the walleyes he caught, but then stated he had kept two walleye on the boat, a dead one and a three-pounder.
He said in court they were fishing for jack (northern pike), as they were “entitled to,” but they also caught two walleye, released one, and kept one that was dead.
He also admitted to the “pretty stupid” act of throwing walleyes high into the air when releasing them.

[rockpt]

Angler fined for obstructing conservation officers


By Dan Gauthier
Miner and News
Wednesday October 26, 2005

Two Winnipeg men had very different outcomes in Kenora court Tuesday when they came to answer to charges they were fishing for walleye on the Winnipeg River one day before the season opened last spring.
Errol Bolduc was found guilty by Justice of the Peace Marjorie Pasloski in provincial offences court of angling for walleye during the closed season and for obstructing a Ministry of Natural Resources conservation officer. He was fined a total of $1,000 – $300 for the angling offence and $700 for obstruction – and given 12 months to pay.
The second suspect, Jason Stevenson, was found not guilty and cleared of a charge that he too caught walleye during the closed season.
The court heard the two men were among five in a boat fishing just downstream from the Whitedog Dam on the Winnipeg River May 20, one day before walleye season opened.
Deputy conservation officer Scott McAughey testified that while installing regulatory signs at the landing near the dam he noticed two boats actively fishing in the area known as a walleye spot. He went back to the Kenora MNR office and returned to the landing with conservation officer Bryon Cosgrove.
When the officers returned, McAughey said one boat was still fishing at the dam and for about one hour he observed, with the aid of binoculars, two walleyes already on a stringer, two more walleyes put on the stringer and several other walleyes caught and released by the group. He noted that Bolduc, in particular, was not releasing his walleye properly, launching them an estimated 20 feet into the air on several occasions.
When the boat came to shore around 7:30 p.m. and the two conservation officers approached, McAughey said Bolduc stepped out of the boat and pushed it, and the remaining four passengers, back out telling them to go.
Both McAughey and Cosgrove testified that they spoke to the remaining men in the boat at this time advising them to return to shore so they could inspect the fish they were observed catching. The driver of the boat started the motor and drove the boat away, returning approximately 30 minutes later with no fish on board.
In her decision, Pasloski said individual statements taken that day from the two suspects by Cosgrove were probably the most reliable evidence as they were given immediately following the events.
In Stevenson’s statement he said Bolduc was the only one catching and keeping walleye, he also admitted they released the fish they had in the boat when they left the conservation officers for 30 minutes.
Stevenson told the court – which was supported by the testimony of his witness Mark Thompson, who was also in the boat – that he only caught two or three perch and one northern pike all day and released them.
Bolduc initially said in his statement he released all the walleyes he caught, but then stated he had kept two walleye on the boat, a dead one and a three-pounder.
He said in court they were fishing for jack (northern pike), as they were “entitled to,” but they also caught two walleye, released one, and kept one that was dead.
He also admitted to the “pretty stupid” act of throwing walleyes high into the air when releasing them.

[bigfish1965]

Those guys are idiots and should have got more!

[bigfish1965]

Those guys are idiots and should have got more!

I'm thinking of converting my potato gun that I use to shoot potato's over the border to a walleye launcher.