Minnesota Department of Natural REsources (DNR)

Out-of-state anglers face heavy fines and restitution for overlimit violations; Turn In Poacher (TIP) hotline helps enforcement effort

Anglers from Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, and Florida face $14,000 in fines and restitution for more than the legal limit of fish in Minnesota.

A Sept. 20 call to the Turn In Poacher (TIP) hotline led DNR conservation officers (CO) to four fisherman in possession of 240 perch over the legal limit. The legal limit for perch in Minnesota is 20 per day and 40 in possession.

CO Tim Collette of Longville and a Cass County Boat and Water deputy visited the resort cabin the men were staying in at Woman Lake near Hackensack, where they discovered 23 packages of frozen fish. An additional 14 bags of frozen fish was found in the resort office freezer.

Peter Vandernoord, 90, Dyer, Ind.; Clarence D. Landhuis, 79, Orlando, Fla.; and Herbert V. Weele, 78 and John Templeman, 76, both of Lansing, Ill. are each charged with possessing 60 perch over the legal limit, a gross overlimit of fish. Fine and restitution could total nearly $2,000 for each man. If convicted they could lose their fishing licenses for three years. No trial date has been set.

In other incidents on Woman Lake:
- George Brinker of Roanoke, Ind. and Marc Lothamer of Fort Wayne, Ind., received a citation for fines and restitution totaling $1,600 for being 56 sunfish over the legal limit and three perch over the legal limit. The possession limit for sunfish in Minnesota is 20.

- Loren Hackman and Mark Worman, both of Elkhart, Ind. and Richard Elliot of Goshen, Ind., face fines and restitution totaling $1,200 for being 32 perch over the legal limit.

- Francis J. Britton, 73, Estero, Fla.; Ron A. Hanson, 68, and Ernest H. Post, 80, both of Schererville, Ind., were charged with an overlimit of perch. They face fines and restitution totaling nearly $1,700.

On Thirteen Lake near Cass Lake, a Colorado angler has been charged with a gross overlimit of sunfish. On Oct. 4, CO Mark Mathy of Cass Lake observed James B. Jahnz, 57, of Boulder, Colo., allegedly placing a large number of fish in his boat while fishing. Further investigation found Jahnz had 106 sunfish over the limit. Jahnz faces fine and restitution up to $1,600.

“We love to have people visit Minnesota and fish in our lakes, but they must obey the rules and regulations like everyone else,” said DNR Chief Conservation Officer, Col. Mike Hamm. “Thirteen could prove to be both an unlucky and costly number for these 13 anglers.”

Established in 1981, the TIP program allows Minnesotans to call a toll-free number from anywhere in the state to report natural resource violations. Calls regarding violations can be placed anonymously at 1-800-652-9093; cash rewards are given for tips.