JAIL TIME?!?!?

MAKE SURE YOU KNOW WHERE THE NO FISH BOUNDARIES ARE!!!

Since it's all over the place now... the news articles you've probably already seen (KION and KSBW)
are not accurate. I know 3 of the 4 guys pretty well, one of them even started doing DFG fish identification workshops in Monterey (to make sure people fish legally) because he is that kind of guy - would never poach. First off it was a simple mistake of boundary line (their fault), second there was NEVER any mention of jail and their fine is not $1k, third they didn't get as many fish as they make it sound to be (insert joke about fishing prowess here). Fake news Updated: Inaccurate News is obnoxious and can be pretty damaging considering full names were used and it could possibly hinder these young men's careers/lives. The DFG officer that got to them even mentioned how it was clear they were mistakenly sport fishing in the wrong spot, not poaching.

This is a GREAT MAP to research where the no fish zones are. I use it often.

Typical sensational fake news making a big deal out of something that isn't a big deal. Yes, they were mistaken and are paying for it, but to chalk it up to some big hype since DFG hasn't had a big break in a long time and so that Big Sur residents can finally have something to stick their noses up to is just frustrating. I guess the upside to it all is that the news makes them sound like fish slaying studs!

Moral of the story: Know where your fishing and what you're fishing for.

I wonder if we should do something to help them raise money to pay the reduced fines. Update: There are more pressing needs to raise money for. It was just a thought to help some friends out.  I'm sure there are people that would disagree, but an honest mistake should not merit cold shoulders IMO.

Thanks for the clarification I'm so sick of hyped up fake news

https://www.kion546.com/news/four-big-sur-fishermen-face-jail-time-fines/806015984

So which parts are fake news?  Trying to figure it out.

1. 23-year-old Dennis Marshall Lewis, 22-year-old Darryl Lycurgus Lewis, 22-year-old Daniel Gordon Gross and 26-year-old Nicholas Ta pleaded no contest to taking fish within Big Creek State Marine Reserve.

2. All four men were placed on 3 years of informal probation with terms to serve 30 days in county jail and each to pay a fine of $1,000.

3. On March 19, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife received a tip that people were spearfishing where the take of any marine resource is prohibited. Once the witness confronted the suspected poachers, they changed out of their wetsuits and drove away.

4. Authorities used the truck's license plate number to track down the suspects.

5. Fifteen fish including sheephead fish, lingcods, vermilion rockfish, cabezons, and blue rockfish were found inside the bed of the truck.


Is it fake news that they drove away?  Or did they just change their clothes and sit there?  If it is true that they drove away, and if they knew they were mistakenly in a MLPA, why not just stay there and wait for authorities and face their punishment?  Why leave?  Were they hoping that the authorities wouldn't catch up to them? 

We've had a few guys around that have been caught doing something stupid by the CDFW, and have straight up owned to it.  Do you have a link to somewhere where these gentlemen told their side of the story?

If it is true that they drove away, and if they knew they were mistakenly in a MLPA, why not just stay there and wait for authorities and face their punishment?  Why leave?  Were they hoping that the authorities wouldn't catch up to them?

So if I run a light or look down and notice I'm going 80 and someone yells that they are calling the cops on me am I supposed to pull over and wait for them?

The MLPA created MPAs.  Nobody is in an MLPA.

AS I read the OP the misreported facts were the sentence, which was probably suspended and the defendants won't actually serve any jail time so long as they comply with the terms of probation, and that the fine was overstated.

fwiw, every single news story that I have seen where I have direct knowledge of the facts has some inaccuracies in it.  Every single one.  That doesn't make it fake news.

Get this "fake news"/political shit out of here. This is a fishing forum

Get this "fake news"/political shit out of here. This is a fishing forum

Hell with that, fake news is awesome.

https://www.theonion.com/

WARNING - TODAYS FRONT PAGE IS NSFW

This country is messed up. You can cross the border illegally and they give you health care and welcome you with open arms.  You make a mistake about a boundary and go to jail. I know the guys messed up and need to pay the price but if the law is the law it should be upheld across the board.

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I wonder if we should do something to help them raise money to pay the reduced fines. I'm sure there are people that would disagree, but an honest mistake should not merit cold shoulders IMO.

Sucks they got caught, but I'd have to disagree with raising money part.  Honestly, there are way more people on here that need help than your buddies that just got busted for a mistake they made.  That is life, you make mistakes and you own up to it, pay the fines or whatever and LEARN your lesson!!  Not sure whats with some of the younger generation these days, but its all about these bullshit gofundme pages and asking for bailout from mommy and daddy.  You learn jack shit if you get bailed out for making mistakes.  You take the blow and move on.

I wonder if we should do something to help them raise money to pay the reduced fines. I'm sure there are people that would disagree, but an honest mistake should not merit cold shoulders IMO.

Sucks they got caught, but I'd have to disagree with raising money part.  Honestly, there are way more people on here that need help than your buddies that just got busted for a mistake they made.  That is life, you make mistakes and you own up to it, pay the fines or whatever and LEARN your lesson!!  Not sure whats with some of the younger generation these days, but its all about these bullshit gofundme pages and asking for bailout from mommy and daddy.  You learn jack shit if you get bailed out for making mistakes.  You take the blow and move on.

Yep! I agree. However they aren't asking for money, I was just thinking about helping out some of our fishing community friends. Clearly things like medical bills are more important to rally around, I was just putting out another option if it was something we got a few people interested in.

I wonder if we should do something to help them raise money to pay the reduced fines. I'm sure there are people that would disagree, but an honest mistake should not merit cold shoulders IMO.

Sucks they got caught, but I'd have to disagree with raising money part.  Honestly, there are way more people on here that need help than your buddies that just got busted for a mistake they made.  That is life, you make mistakes and you own up to it, pay the fines or whatever and LEARN your lesson!!  Not sure whats with some of the younger generation these days, but its all about these bullshit gofundme pages and asking for bailout from mommy and daddy.  You learn jack shit if you get bailed out for making mistakes.  You take the blow and move on.

Oh shit we agree on something.  Somebody make note of this.

I know who the guys are but don't know their side of the story.

I reached out to one of them and encouraged him to post the details and own up to what they did wrong, explain what happened and encourage others not to make the same mistake.

There aren't that many closed areas down there...no excuse for fishing or spearing in one.

It's your responsibility to know the rules and follow them.

Period.

Stuff like this, or bringing in short or out of season fish etc just makes all of us look bad.

Sincerely,

Jim

https://www.kion546.com/news/four-big-sur-fishermen-face-jail-time-fines/806015984


Is it fake news that they drove away?  Or did they just change their clothes and sit there?  If it is true that they drove away, and if they knew they were mistakenly in a MLPA, why not just stay there and wait for authorities and face their punishment?  Why leave?  Were they hoping that the authorities wouldn't catch up to them? 

We've had a few guys around that have been caught doing something stupid by the CDFW, and have straight up owned to it.  Do you have a link to somewhere where these gentlemen told their side of the story?

Upon having conversation with a couple of them, the actual incident happened back in Feb. and as described by them, there was no threat of jail time and the penalty was not $1k (it's actually still be decided). Also, I'm 100% with you on not leaving the spot. Or even going to DFG in Monterey. The main reason I posted this was to remind to make sure you know boundaries and DFG rules. Second reason was due to all the texts I was getting from people asking about them. Didn't want it to get worse than it was considering these guy's reputations - they are definitely not intentional poachers. But alas, the mistake was made and repercussions absorbed.

If it is true that they drove away, and if they knew they were mistakenly in a MLPA, why not just stay there and wait for authorities and face their punishment?  Why leave?  Were they hoping that the authorities wouldn't catch up to them?

fwiw, every single news story that I have seen where I have direct knowledge of the facts has some inaccuracies in it.  Every single one.  That doesn't make it fake news.

I could amend that phrase. It is more so a pop culture reference as fake news really is an issue. Specifically speaking, there are inaccuracies in this news report.

I wonder if we should do something to help them raise money to pay the reduced fines. I'm sure there are people that would disagree, but an honest mistake should not merit cold shoulders IMO.

Sucks they got caught, but I'd have to disagree with raising money part.  Honestly, there are way more people on here that need help than your buddies that just got busted for a mistake they made.  That is life, you make mistakes and you own up to it, pay the fines or whatever and LEARN your lesson!!  Not sure whats with some of the younger generation these days, but its all about these bullshit gofundme pages and asking for bailout from mommy and daddy.  You learn jack shit if you get bailed out for making mistakes.  You take the blow and move on.

Oh shit we agree on something.  Somebody make note of this.

I swear, its been happening more often lately.   

Fishing in a restricted area.  Seems pretty basic.  Pay the fine and move on.  Raising money to pay someone’s fine for fishing in mpa