Thank you so much for your support! It's such a crazy ordeal that is going to really going to negatively impact my friends livelihood if not overturned in court. Fish on!
American law enforcement has become tyrannical to the point they are more like the Nazi Gestpho. We have no freedom anymore, everything is regulated and we are forced to pay fines for licenses and then we are harassed while trying to enjoy the privilege we already paid for and if you make a mistake you get another fine or jail time. Its ridiculous, this is what a police state is people. We don't live in America anymore because America and freedom do not exist
I retired after 28 years in law enforcement, my advice would be definitely go to court and ask for leniency on the fine from the judge. One thing that they have to prove is the fish was actually snagged and actually a paddlefish and it wasn't some dead fish that you found washed up on the bank. I'm sure you probably already admitted that you snagged a paddle fish. Remember that they have to prove it beyond a reasonable doubt. Many times the judge will reduce the fine significantly so it should be worth your while. Good luck. I also think that your buddy could make a good argument that by allowing him to continue his activity for 3 years they were causing him unnecessary hardship especially since it was obvious he didn't know what he was doing wrong. Criminals do not tend to post it on their Facebook or make videos for RUclips for the public to see and draw attention to their illegal activities. 👍
If you was a law enforcement officer criminal post illegal activity on the internet everyday their not the smartest they thought they weren’t going to be caught ignorance isn’t a defense buddy you win some and lose some. 28 years in law enforcement 🤔🤔
They have that proof. In a smaller fine like that pay it and learn from it, and move on. The friend just on how far back, I'd be in that courtroom fast. DNR dont mess around they prove it then roll with it. I have seen charters hit with over 50K in fines.
I agreed that going to court would be worthwhile. You committed a crime however, you did your due diligence and were under the assumption that you were acting within the law. As you stated that you looked it up and saw that there wasn’t anything posted. Go to court and plead “guilty with an explanation”. Tell the judge just what you said here. I work in the jails and courts. I have witnessed those that give as good an explanation as you did here get a vast reduction in the fine or probation. Good luck, Cole.
By the Game Warden not immediately confronting the people of committing a violation the first time and allowing it to continue, in the case of killing fish.Then they are also guilty of the same violation in being accessories of the fact of allowing more fish to be killed or caught.
Here in Wisconsin they watched my buddies hop from spot to spot all day long for like 12 hrs and waited until they were done fishing to finally pop em for keeping over limit. This is law enforcement we're talking about. They dont actually care about serving and protecting, they care about serving the state money
Cole, I was in law enforcement for about seven years back in the 80’s and your friends cases of repeated violations should probably be fought out in court… an officer on our department witnessed someone being disorderly, but the officer did not arrest that person for his actions at that time. Later during the same day the same officer saw this person being disorderly again and the officer arrested him. The defendant was found not guilty - why? His defense attorney argued that if that the first time didn’t warrant an arrest - and the actions was the same - then the second time didn’t warrant an arrest either. The judge agreed and threw the case out! Of course this was over 40+ years ago, and in another state (Indiana) but a judge might be sympathetic knowing that the game wardens let people keep unknowingly breaking the law and didn’t stop them….you know - protecting our resources? They let everyone keep breaking the law until the government could make bigger $$$$! That is wrong!
Yes, it's true that ignorance is not an excuse before the law, but letting someone go for three years and then and then tagging them isn't right either. Cole and his friends should all take it to court together.
@@groscoe83 well if that’s what you think….you can go back in time and tell that to the judge that ruled in the case situation that I mentioned in my comment - but I think you’ll have to dig him up first. 🤣
Looks like you have a big disison to make: either forget fame and fortune making videos and posting them on U-Tube or quit fishing. Decide which is your greater passion and proceed from there. This U-Tube craze has put thousands of people in trouble with the law it's unreal. Trust me when I tell you that law enforcement keeps a close eye on the videos people post.
I was impressed that you took responsibility for a mistake you made. You raised a question about their compileing data for 3 years before ticketing you. I don't think that their motivations were about stopping people from snagging Paddlefish, they were motivated simply by money. I really can't think of any other reason to wait 3 years before acting.
Thank you all for your supportive comments and honest feedback on this situation! As mentioned in video, I decided it would be most cost effective for me if I just paid the fine and moved on. We've noticed comments about wanting to aid in financial assistance to help my friend cover his ticket. That's really generous and if so, the easiest way is to hit the $Thanks button below the video. I'll be responding to anyone who does! All funds received will directly be going towards alleviating some major financial stress by paying for my friend's ticket with full transparency!
I do think the fine world be reduced if you just showed up in court and hit on the high points like signage and things like that. I think if you got a lawyer involved you would get off but the lawyer would probably be ore than a $1000.
Terrible situation. Sounds like "policing for profit" by the game wardens. No signage or special regulations readily available for public to be informed. If all 30 or whatever number of individuals petition the courts on the matter, might get fines dismissed or reduced, refunded. May want to see if you can get a free consultation visit to an attorney. Bottom line, sorry this happened to you and your friends. Here in Michigan the DNR means damn near Russian lol.
I would go straight to the district attorney's office in the main court house in the municipality of the ticket's . tell him your story. Ask him how he can help . Im willing to bet a couple grand your case will never make it to court.
If they really cared about the fish, they would have educated you immediately. They only care about harassing people and justifying their jobs. So sad.
You idiot if it wasn't for game wardens there will not be any game there would be no fish all the commercial fishermen and Trappers would have done wiped them all out just like they had at the turn of the 20th century
1st NEVER open the door for law enforcement. If they have a warrant, they will let themselves in. You have the most legal protections inside your home. 2nd NEVER talk to law enforcement without a lawyer present. Not even small talk. The less you say, the better off you will be. 3rd These apply to everyone, innocent or guilty. Don't do it ever. 4th Always video your interactions with government employees, especially law enforcement. Don't take my word for it, ask a lawyer. They will tell you the same.
Fight this in court and ask the judge for financial compensation resulting from definitely being done wrong by Game Warden's who done all kinds of Shady wrong bullshit.
@BerkleysFishinBuddy yea they do. They can't violate your 4th amendment just because they're "fish and game". They don't need a warrant to be on your property, but they definitely need a warrant to come into your house without probable cause. You don't have to answer your door and you don't have to talk to them.
Possum Sheriff's strike at 1 of the most wholesome fishermen I've ever watched. Cole, I really feel for you and your buddy. I'm 3rd generation commercial fisherman and I've met a few real pieces of crap wearing badges. But I think that these guys take the prize!
The statute of limitations don’t really matter, because they can not by law set back and not take action against them until They decide oh now we can charge them so we can make this amount of money. That’s BS I’m a deputy sheriff and my brother is a game warden as well but we are in NC and we both watched this together hanging out today and both agree this is overreach and they can’t not do this. They can get it thrown out completely because of the BS they did by waiting to fine/charge everyone 3 years later after knowing if the wrongs committed. You can’t just set back and wait just to rack up fines that’s illegal in all 50 states
I agree with you if you're doing something illegal it would be their job to cite you for the illegal activities not to let you keep continuing doing the same thing. It's almost as if they intentionally ignored their responsibilities as a game warden just to raise the amount of fine potentially to make themselves look better in someone's eyes . For failing to do their job to the best of their abilities and for robbing the public they should be reprimanded and suspended without pay for a while because you know this isn't the first time that they have done this.
You should have gone to court and told the judge the same thing you just told us. For them to watch your friend for 3 years is absolutely ridiculous!!! They should have put a stop to it the first time it happened. I couldn't imagine getting a $20,000.00 ticket for fishing. Like you said, that could be life changing for people. I know there's no way I could pay a fine like that! I'm glad you did make this video. It may save someone from having this happen to them!!! Take care Cole!!! Love you guys!!! ❤️🤗
Ur right buddy it's wrong and you are a real one for posting this. I just watch y'all's crappie videos because it amazes me how y'all can catch them compared to here.
In my opinion this video is the right thing , they are obviously watching it . They know there is thousands of people watching it . They don't look like the good guy in the publics eye . And you removed yourself from public retaliation from them by paying the fine .
I just saw this video and decided to check it out. I can only imagine how shocked you must have been to have those wardens show up 9 months after that fishing trip. I agree 100% that we are all capable of making mistakes and inadvertently breaking the law. It sounds like even the wardens weren't very clear about the definition of "dam" or "spillway." I sincerely appreciate your integrity regarding this entire situation. I will be subscribing to your channel. Best to just put this one behind you and keep doing your thing.
I'm so sorry Cole that you had to go through that. You would think that they (the officers) were infringing on your rights. Not cool of the officers. Definitely sounds shady. Anyway, love your videos, whether they're good or bad. I'll back you and your family up any day. Love you guys and a Happy Year. I'm celebrating my birthday today, which is the 12th of January. Just turned 57 yrs young❤❤😮😮
I watch a lot of utube videos and some people actually show themselves doing things that are really questionable and I always think to myself they probably shouldn't show that. Yes! The law is watching all sorts of social media. One of the reasons i watch your videos is because you are honest and follow the rules. Good luck fighting this and keep making videos.
That’s a dirty way for a law enforcement officer to entrap someone for a lot of money. I agree they should have fined your friends for the first offense end of story. They just ran the bill up. That’s not upholding the law but using authority in an abusive way. Sorry for your pain. Keep those videos rolling and put this behind you.
Thank you for the advice because I’m from around that area and I’ve fished it my entire life and never knew this hate to see this happen but really appreciate you sharing the story
When snaggin' you have no control over what you snag... zip, zero, nada !!! If snagging is legal in any way at all... there must be an 'out' for snagging a game fish by accident... and if you have to 'keep' it by law... what is the remedy???. Otherwise it's literally Russian Roulette. That's insane. Get a jury of your peers... Cole, I'll be praying and I'm sure I'm not alone. We love you guys channel, your integrity is never in question. Years ago my best friend was on a the Dam at Hula in Northern OK. in February. He would take a little black jig and a heavy weight on big tackle and cast waaaaay out below the dam. Then very slowly retrieve the jig across the bottom. The idea is a big catfish might not be hungry to go on the hunt... Like if we were sitting in a Lazy Boy after Thanksgiving dinner... we're not hungry... BUT... if you saw an M&M laying on the coffee table.... you'd probably take a nibble... So, he sometimes caught 20-30lb flatheads on a little black jig if he got lucky enough to drag one in front of one... Anyway, the Game Warden drove over and walked up to him on the Dam and engaged in some 'friendly' conversation.... 😎 asking to see his rigging. They'd been watching him with binoculars ... after he showed them his line and rig and explained the plan... they were satisfied because it was just a crappie jig and an oversized lead weight instead of a 3" treble hook on a 9'surf rod. But it was spooky for a few minutes.
If there's no indemnity clause I would be surprised. Fisherman need to get together to make a clause that prevents wardens and officers from accumulation of fines. They waited purposely to get more money. This in itself should be illegal.
Of course you go to court ! If they have been monitoring this area for several years while the law was being violated and instead of enforcement of the law that is entrapment. If there is no signage after several years of this law being violated and and fish and wildlife is aware of this and instead of posting the law about this law that is entrapment. The judge I believe would agree with me and admonish the department for their tactics and void those tickets.
Took the words right out of my mouth. No other way to put it but entrapment. They are being shady & not doing what their job scope should entail. Their job scope is to enforce rules so that the species of fish continue to thrive not to line the pockets of the entity they belong to.
If they really don't want these people to catch certain fish they need to post signs. To know that these people are illegally catching fish BUT continue to allow them to.... that's WRONG. Jay... please take this to court. Tell the judge that you couldn't find any laws on it so you determined that it was legal. They NEED to post signs to make it very clear to everyone what is legal and illegal. All of you need to take this to court!!!!
Hey guys. I live on the otherside of Beaverfork in Conway. My old man and sweet mommma live on lake Fork. He has been a guide on the lake almost since it opened. He specializes in catching. From live bream to catch monster bass, to live scoping crappie, to thump sticking for whites and hybrids/strippers. Anyway. He just loves watching you guys. He’s always asking me if I know where yall are fishing at. Sometimes I do sometimes I don’t. I’m sure you avoid most invites. He would be so excited if yall just showed up at his boat one morning. I’d take care of all the room, board, license, food, gas eveything. Just to see the look on his face plus content for yall. Hit me up if it sounds like something you’d be interested in. He caters to families and children too.
I am so sorry. And at Xmas! Wow. I feel like you. They should have brought it to their attention at the first place. That isn't right. But thank you for sharing. I hate to say it. But you guys are part of our family. I like to know how your family is doing. Jay is so on target on not freaking out. She is a keeper!!❤
That is 10 kinds of effed up. As others have said you probably, and I would have gone to court and argued my case there. You have given me something to research in my law library. I know the feds play their own game with their own rules, and I have seen many cases of them doing things that may not be exactly legal, because they figure people wont fight them. I'm sorry that this happened to you and your friends, and I'll let you know what I might uncover.
Your “friends” gave you up. They actually volunteered you! Not only that, they showed them the videos as well. How would Law Enforcement even know who you are unless someone told them. They are not your friends, they got caught and dragged you into this.
Hehehe. I pulled a step deck and hauled a lot of over size loads. Arkansas is the only state that requires you to sign your permit in red ink. They give you a provision sheet with instructions that tell you to sign in red,but if you don't read that one line it was a $275.00 fine unless the first words out of your mouth were "I didn't have a red pen".
Little Rock, and thus all parts state govt, are controlled by uber-corrupt Leftists. I live in the north-central Twin Lakes area, and haven't heard of many abuses of power here. That could change on a dime, if agents who have worked in the area for decades are replaced by indoctrinated Leftists straight out of college, who know nothing about anything (other than politics).
With how you described the game wardens action on this. My first thought is the game warden did not give a darn about the paddle fish it was strictly to fine people repeatedly for the same activon /offense.That warden showed his true self to the entire world that he didn't care how many paddlefish were killed. Hell with protecting the wildlife which is his actual job he just wanted more money. For doing what that game warden did by allowing your friend to repeatly take those protected species again and again. That warden should be fined and fired. Your buddy got a raw deal and should fight this.
Based on the length of time they waited to give you tickets, I am inclined to go to court because I feel that these officers are basically entrapping not only you but your friends as well!!! Come on, if they were watching your friend for 3 years, something sounds real fishy, (no pun intended). I would get a lawyer and I would hope your friends do the same because something has to be done to keep them from doing this to other fishermen!!! Make these officers explain in court why they waited 9 months in your case and 3 years in your friends case!! I for one would love to hear how they justify doing what they did!!! You may get the fine reduced, who knows!!! Also, can they take your fishing license away for this?? That would really suck!!! Anyway I vote you go to court!!! Don't let them win!!!
Hang in there, Cole. You’re a good guy who I think shows a lot of respect to rules and nature in general. I hate snagging. I hate paddle fish fishing. That’s just me. But I do agree they should be more legit and put the rules in obvious places. Then again, you already know my feelings about our state’s game and fish commission. ✌️🥴
I quit hunting, and almost quit fishing because of game wardens. I was goose hunting with a over and under one time, I had it on a sling, they came up and said they wanted to ck the magazine, I tried to tell them I didn’t have a magazine, I thought they were going to break my sling trying to get my gun. Another game warden owned a bait shop, he sold me a duck stamp on Friday, he saw me a 1/4 of a mile from shore in my waders and made me walk back to shore to show him my duck stamp. One day I caught 2 crappie, I didn’t want to dress them so I gave them fishing near the ramp, the had a road block, one warden was screaming at me about where did I hide my short fish, he went through everything I owned, while another game warden just looked at me and shook his head. There use to be some good one, not so much anymore. They think a whole lot of themselves these days. I would go to court, maybe they won’t show up, it’s probably beneath them.
Around here the game wardens used to be cool, They did their jobs but were not nasty about it. And then one day the word POLICE appeared on their uniforms and vehicles in a much larger font than the rest of the lettering. It was all downhill from there. I treat them as hostile strangers now, they get only what I am legally obligated to give them, no small talk, no questions answered. I am also working to get them rolled into the state police and off of our wildlife dollars.
Do you think these departments want people to stop hunting and fishing so they can cut the budget for the department? You saying you quit got my tin foil hat to twitch a little LoL
I would not have walked back to shore it's his responsibility to come to you if he wants to check you. These game wardens theses days are not trained to the laws and needs to be taken to court Everytime. I called the warden while deer hunting on federal land when dogs came by me running deer and I saw a truck come down the road that looked to be the warden truck but it was not the federal it was the state and they asked me if I was deer hunting which was a dumbass question to begin with. I said yes they asked me ifu him was loaded I said yes they wanted it unloaded I said why and they said I could not hunt within a 100 feet of a road which was totally false. Anyway I unloaded it a bolt action that I was going to pull the bolt out of it and put in my coat but that was not good enough. And by the way I was not on a county maintain road it was a federal property road so the second amendment applies. I was hunting out of a ground blind with no top and they said I needed blaze orange on the sides even thought my😅 head shoulders were above the sides. They gave me a warning for having a loaded gun within a 100 feet of a road and no blaze orange on the ground blind. I called the state game warden office and told the supervisor they needed to train their officers of the law and the regulations because they were stepping on our rights.
@@hoytbrown8252 calling law enforcement is always going to be a mistake. The tiny bit of perceived benefit they bring will be eclipsed by their hatred and malice for the general public including the caller.
one of my pives is the games laws have gotten so complicated that there is almost no way to avoid not breaking them, besides not going: and that hurts recruitment efforts. you need a law degree and google AI to keep track of the changes, You can't just ask the wardens either because they don't know the all the laws either. Three years is way to long to protect a fish from harm. Also not being able to return a snagged fish that was not targeted is stupid.
I think it's from someone watching his content that called them. I've seen condescending comments from the same person against Cole's fishing practices, cant recall what video I think it was him throwing fish back in the lake that was draining not sure but this guy was going off.
Cole you and Jay are as honest as they come. You’re just a fisherman. I plan to keep watching you for sure! There’s no way you would have put your crime on you tube ….if you would have known the law.
I am for the game and fish commission (but not in this case) I think you should all get together and file a lawsuit about this it is just wrong to watch someone over 3 years. its ok to have a fine if your doing something wrong but letting it add up instead of saying something just is not right.
A guy I worked with a long time ago used to go snagging at Ky Lake Dam all the time. Their target was spoonbills if I remember correctly and it was totally legal in KY. He came to work one night with 2 black eyes and bruises all over his face. Turns out he snagged something coming thru the dam. It bent his rod over, the line snapped, and the rod smacked him between the eyes. It knocked him out and he fell on the rip rap. When he woke up, there was a guy trying to help him and he had blood everywhere. All of us work buddies got a good laugh out of it since he was at work and okay. He was back down there the next weekend doing it again though.
Also another work buddy and I went duck hunting once in a slough. It was wood duck and teal season. A warden stood in the woods spying on us. He had his limit in wood ducks, but not teal. He shot at a group and missed. The game warden finally made himself known. He asked what he shot at and answered he was shooting at teal, because he didn’t have his limit on teal. Warden told him he shot into woodies and not teal. One persons word against the other. Was told ignorance was no excuse. He got a $300 ticket for “attempting to take more than his limit”.
Wow thats crazy! Sorry to hear man! Sounds like baiting a person in a way at that point?.. Not sure i would even fish there ever again if it were me.. But i have heard paddlefish are protected. Good luck fellas! Geez! Fish on!
that sucks best of luck and don't let it eat you up take to court and take the bumps in the road and move on and be happy yall are good people and they should have told you with in short time not years later
Best to pay the ticket and move on. I am glad you posted this video so hopefully it will alert others not to keep them. I looked it up and they have been listed as vulnerable since 2004. Any animal that is listed that way is best to leave alone. Maybe some signage should be posted in that area about the fish and being watched by video surveillance. It is very dirty and underhanded that they waited so long to write the tickets. If you get caught speeding they can’t wait that long to write you a ticket. There is such a thing as due process in this country, whether the game wardens are aware of it or not.
I have friends in Indiana that were snagging Asian carp. They were given hefty fines and court dates. An invasive fish can get American anglers hefty fines!
Plus these youtube creators have everything recorded and they can go through every video of theirs going back years frame by frame instead of just getting lucky catching somebody out in the wild or from a tip like they normally do.
Possum cops have a job to do but they should have confronted your friend before 3 years and let him know he was in the wrong instead of sting operation. Also the laws can be vague and difficult to interpret sometimes.
There is a specific snag and release season for paddlefish in North Dakota FYI. Maybe where you are at you are not supposed to release anything snagged but in ND any "foul hooked" fish must be immediately released.
That is entrapment. If your seen doing something illegal, you should be warned or ticketed immediately. The wardens are suppose to be there to change behavior. They chose to set you up instead. I'd go to court with all the fishermen involved in a class action suit. If the fine is life changing for you and Jay, ask us viewers for help.
Cole, I feel for you buddie, Most state game and fish laws are so confusing that the average guy is at a loss as to what you can and can't do, In this case, I would think a warning citation would have solved the problem, The keeping tabs would indicate that they were more interested in racking up a bunch of big fines, rather than protecting the resource, So maybe you should go to court, I would think a reasonable Federal Magistrate in this case, would reduce or dismiss the fines because of the apparent intrapment!
This is really pissing me off that they waited for so long to "address" this issue with you and your friends. I hate that you paid the fine. You should have absolutely gone to court and exposed these frauds for what they are, in my humble opinion. If you could share their names with us, that'd be very helpful. Hope y'all had a great holiday season and I'm looking forward to seeing y'all back on the river doing y'all's thing. Greetings from Royal AR. 👍🇺🇸
First of all, I LOVE all of y’all’s stuff! And I would take the argument that those spillway pipes are part of a dam to court. Arkansas law is very clear that snagging is legal “within 100 yards of a dam” (I’m an Arkansas resident as well). Also. If they wroth the tickets for the day the video posted; unless you posted day of which is not normal then I’m pretty sure the tickets are invalid. If you were not there on the dates the tickets were written then you could not have violated on that day.
Bro I just came across your channel and subscribed. You have to take this to court. No judge will allow this to happen especially if they admitted they watched somebody multiple times and cite them for each time. Please take it to court. Please
Sounds like these wardens just figured out this loop hole to catch all you guys on a technicality that someone dreamed up. You should have took it to court. I'm with you all the way. They could have warned people.
Yes. Plus a lot of these creators have been getting targeted lately with situations like this, they know a lot of them have the money to just pay the fine and not risk the extra court costs and downtime. If you're a creator with a channel, go through your old content and make sure there isn't something that will incriminate you no matter how old because it's a common trend lately for them to sift through social media content looking for even borderline offenses. And unlike them getting lucky catching somebody in the wild committing a violation, with online content they can meticulously go through every video frame by frame looking at every single thing you do and write you up for it.
That’s crazy when you’re very aware of the rules.. right with those game warden cameras all over too easy for them to bust illegal fishing. But taking years to catch them should be illegal to prosecute and beyond the statue of limitations 💜
#1 I would've got an attorney before I paid their fine #2 What these officer's did was against the Law, after 2 years those infractions would not count,just the last year would have counted! #3 i would've told them prove it. #4 They should lose their job for it. #5 I don't snag fish on purpose.
I watched a game warden turkey hunt before season was open. During gun deer season he gave my friend a ticket for trespassing and poaching because he got lost and crossed onto someone else’s property. He even showed the warden where there was no fence and wasn’t any signs. I also seen wardens write tickets for people hunting a restricted no hunting waterfowl area and the wardens came back and hunted it themselves.
Take this to court. If for no other reason than getting that fine reduced. The only ticket I ever received in my life was a traffic violation. I fought it and the ticket was thrown out as being illegible. The judge told me to my face “I can’t read this, so I am dismissing it” If I had not gone to court I would have paid that ticket in full never knowing that I didn’t have to pay anything. Oh and they had cameras alright, YOUR cameras. Don’t give them too much credit. Someone (rat) saw your RUclips video and reported you. The wardens watched it salivating at the juicy fine they can nail you and your friends with. And around Christmas too. Disgusting.
I would go to court and let the judge know they let this go on for 3 years and if they would have educated your friend you would never be in this position. The game warden neglecting to not go to your friend in a timely manor is the wardens fault.
For your legal costs. I don't think that they should have treated you located you like that!!!!!
Thank you so much for your support! It's such a crazy ordeal that is going to really going to negatively impact my friends livelihood if not overturned in court. Fish on!
Consider the possibility that the wardens are lying about having cameras. 20 grand in tickets, I would definitely consult a lawyer.
They dont, Fish and game mean business, and they really showed the proof themselves. If it was only on the word of the warden yes fight it.
They are legally allowed to lie to you until they get to court! Agree
I would have went to court,seems to me that it’s a situation of entrapment,no signs!They are the ones that are doing illegal law fair!
@@Sea-cucumber1151No, they are NOT LEGALLY allowed to lie; ever. That would fall under entrapment
American law enforcement has become tyrannical to the point they are more like the Nazi Gestpho. We have no freedom anymore, everything is regulated and we are forced to pay fines for licenses and then we are harassed while trying to enjoy the privilege we already paid for and if you make a mistake you get another fine or jail time. Its ridiculous, this is what a police state is people. We don't live in America anymore because America and freedom do not exist
Not only should you fight this in court, you should take your story to the local news.
I retired after 28 years in law enforcement, my advice would be definitely go to court and ask for leniency on the fine from the judge. One thing that they have to prove is the fish was actually snagged and actually a paddlefish and it wasn't some dead fish that you found washed up on the bank. I'm sure you probably already admitted that you snagged a paddle fish. Remember that they have to prove it beyond a reasonable doubt. Many times the judge will reduce the fine significantly so it should be worth your while. Good luck. I also think that your buddy could make a good argument that by allowing him to continue his activity for 3 years they were causing him unnecessary hardship especially since it was obvious he didn't know what he was doing wrong. Criminals do not tend to post it on their Facebook or make videos for RUclips for the public to see and draw attention to their illegal activities. 👍
If you was a law enforcement officer criminal post illegal activity on the internet everyday their not the smartest they thought they weren’t going to be caught ignorance isn’t a defense buddy you win some and lose some. 28 years in law enforcement 🤔🤔
They have that proof. In a smaller fine like that pay it and learn from it, and move on. The friend just on how far back, I'd be in that courtroom fast. DNR dont mess around they prove it then roll with it. I have seen charters hit with over 50K in fines.
Just being a cop and supporting the billionaires makes you scum
I agreed that going to court would be worthwhile. You committed a crime however, you did your due diligence and were under the assumption that you were acting within the law. As you stated that you looked it up and saw that there wasn’t anything posted. Go to court and plead “guilty with an explanation”. Tell the judge just what you said here. I work in the jails and courts. I have witnessed those that give as good an explanation as you did here get a vast reduction in the fine or probation. Good luck, Cole.
Couldn't you found a better job or that's all you could do?
I pray you both go to court and plead your cases.
By the Game Warden not immediately confronting the people of committing a violation the first time and allowing it to continue, in the case of killing fish.Then they are also guilty of the same violation in being accessories of the fact of allowing more fish to be killed or caught.
I agree. If a game warden is watching this "violation" continue by several people, I too regard the warden's behavior as callous and complicit.
Here in Wisconsin they watched my buddies hop from spot to spot all day long for like 12 hrs and waited until they were done fishing to finally pop em for keeping over limit. This is law enforcement we're talking about. They dont actually care about serving and protecting, they care about serving the state money
Exactly! The Game Wardens need to be fired! Neglected in doing their job and protecting wildlife!
It's called building a case
@@rob136916they had a case once the had pictures or a video, they were stacking the deck for a big pay out.
Waiting THREE FRIGGIN' years! Sounds like LAWFARE to me... Goin' after the little guy just tryin' to make a livin'! Fight it buddy!
Exactly.
Cole, I was in law enforcement for about seven years back in the 80’s and your friends cases of repeated violations should probably be fought out in court… an officer on our department witnessed someone being disorderly, but the officer did not arrest that person for his actions at that time. Later during the same day the same officer saw this person being disorderly again and the officer arrested him. The defendant was found not guilty - why? His defense attorney argued that if that the first time didn’t warrant an arrest - and the actions was the same - then the second time didn’t warrant an arrest either. The judge agreed and threw the case out! Of course this was over 40+ years ago, and in another state (Indiana) but a judge might be sympathetic knowing that the game wardens let people keep unknowingly breaking the law and didn’t stop them….you know - protecting our resources? They let everyone keep breaking the law until the government could make bigger $$$$! That is wrong!
@@davidharrison6128 ignorance of the law isn’t a defense they knew just thought they weren’t going to get caught your analogy is way off
Yes, it's true that ignorance is not an excuse before the law, but letting someone go for three years and then and then tagging them isn't right either. Cole and his friends should all take it to court together.
@@groscoe83 well if that’s what you think….you can go back in time and tell that to the judge that ruled in the case situation that I mentioned in my comment - but I think you’ll have to dig him up first. 🤣
Hes been caught that's all next time play by the rules and you won't be paying fines
Looks like you have a big disison to make: either forget fame and fortune making videos and posting them on U-Tube or quit fishing. Decide which is your greater passion and proceed from there. This U-Tube craze has put thousands of people in trouble with the law it's unreal. Trust me when I tell you that law enforcement keeps a close eye on the videos people post.
I was impressed that you took responsibility for a mistake you made. You raised a question about their compileing data for 3 years before ticketing you. I don't think that their motivations were about stopping people from snagging Paddlefish, they were motivated simply by money. I really can't think of any other reason to wait 3 years before acting.
@danttapp4446 why do they let drug dealers deal when its known. To build a sound case that will hold up in court.
All you guys need to do hire a good lawyer and fight these two out of line Gamewardens
Thank you all for your supportive comments and honest feedback on this situation! As mentioned in video, I decided it would be most cost effective for me if I just paid the fine and moved on. We've noticed comments about wanting to aid in financial assistance to help my friend cover his ticket. That's really generous and if so, the easiest way is to hit the $Thanks button below the video. I'll be responding to anyone who does! All funds received will directly be going towards alleviating some major financial stress by paying for my friend's ticket with full transparency!
I do think the fine world be reduced if you just showed up in court and hit on the high points like signage and things like that. I think if you got a lawyer involved you would get off but the lawyer would probably be ore than a $1000.
Sad to hear you paid. If unjust, fighting it is the only way this doesn’t happen to anyone else.
Terrible situation. Sounds like "policing for profit" by the game wardens. No signage or special regulations readily available for public to be informed. If all 30 or whatever number of individuals petition the courts on the matter, might get fines dismissed or reduced, refunded. May want to see if you can get a free consultation visit to an attorney.
Bottom line, sorry this happened to you and your friends. Here in Michigan the DNR means damn near Russian lol.
I would go straight to the district attorney's office in the main court house in the municipality of the ticket's . tell him your story. Ask him how he can help . Im willing to bet a couple grand your case will never make it to court.
Should never pay for something your not guilty for
If they really cared about the fish, they would have educated you immediately. They only care about harassing people and justifying their jobs. So sad.
This is hunter harassment, game wardens are lazy and corrupt.
Exactly! That’s a case of entrapment. Probably should go to court. Definitely should have given them a ticket and a warning.
If they really cared about the fish they would have stopped it after the FIRST FISH!
You idiot if it wasn't for game wardens there will not be any game there would be no fish all the commercial fishermen and Trappers would have done wiped them all out just like they had at the turn of the 20th century
I would ask arms family homestead...My God Bless yall 🙏
1st NEVER open the door for law enforcement. If they have a warrant, they will let themselves in. You have the most legal protections inside your home.
2nd NEVER talk to law enforcement without a lawyer present. Not even small talk. The less you say, the better off you will be.
3rd These apply to everyone, innocent or guilty. Don't do it ever.
4th Always video your interactions with government employees, especially law enforcement.
Don't take my word for it, ask a lawyer. They will tell you the same.
Fight this in court and ask the judge for financial compensation resulting from definitely being done wrong by Game Warden's who done all kinds of Shady wrong bullshit.
Fish and Game do not need a warrant in most states.
@@BerkleysFishinBuddy if they don’t need a warrant, I’m definitely not answering the door and never answering questions.
@BerkleysFishinBuddy yea they do. They can't violate your 4th amendment just because they're "fish and game". They don't need a warrant to be on your property, but they definitely need a warrant to come into your house without probable cause. You don't have to answer your door and you don't have to talk to them.
Sad!! Relax, You are NOT A CRIMINAL! We all make Mistakes but this is Entrapment, with your Friend. We appreciate your content.
Possum Sheriff's strike at 1 of the most wholesome fishermen I've ever watched. Cole, I really feel for you and your buddy. I'm 3rd generation commercial fisherman and I've met a few real pieces of crap wearing badges. But I think that these guys take the prize!
I would get a lawyer and find out what is the statute of limitation to go back. 3 years for four fish sounds crazy
The statute of limitations don’t really matter, because they can not by law set back and not take action against them until
They decide oh now we can charge them so we can make this amount of money. That’s BS I’m a deputy sheriff and my brother is a game warden as well but we are in NC and we both watched this together hanging out today and both agree this is overreach and they can’t not do this. They can get it thrown out completely because of the BS they did by waiting to fine/charge everyone 3 years later after knowing if the wrongs committed. You can’t just set back and wait just to rack up fines that’s illegal in all 50 states
I agree with you if you're doing something illegal it would be their job to cite you for the illegal activities not to let you keep continuing doing the same thing. It's almost as if they intentionally ignored their responsibilities as a game warden just to raise the amount of fine potentially to make themselves look better in someone's eyes . For failing to do their job to the best of their abilities and for robbing the public they should be reprimanded and suspended without pay for a while because you know this isn't the first time that they have done this.
You should have gone to court and told the judge the same thing you just told us. For them to watch your friend for 3 years is absolutely ridiculous!!! They should have put a stop to it the first time it happened. I couldn't imagine getting a $20,000.00 ticket for fishing. Like you said, that could be life changing for people. I know there's no way I could pay a fine like that! I'm glad you did make this video. It may save someone from having this happen to them!!! Take care Cole!!! Love you guys!!! ❤️🤗
Ur right buddy it's wrong and you are a real one for posting this. I just watch y'all's crappie videos because it amazes me how y'all can catch them compared to here.
Have your day in court. Don't just pay the fine.
Don't pay the fine regardless
If they knew people were breaking the law on the first offense, but did nothing and allowed it to continue, they become complicit in the crime.
Go to court. Ask the officers why they allowed an " indangered/protected species" to become even more so.
In my opinion this video is the right thing , they are obviously watching it . They know there is thousands of people watching it . They don't look like the good guy in the publics eye . And you removed yourself from public retaliation from them by paying the fine .
I just saw this video and decided to check it out. I can only imagine how shocked you must have been to have those wardens show up 9 months after that fishing trip. I agree 100% that we are all capable of making mistakes and inadvertently breaking the law. It sounds like even the wardens weren't very clear about the definition of "dam" or "spillway." I sincerely appreciate your integrity regarding this entire situation. I will be subscribing to your channel. Best to just put this one behind you and keep doing your thing.
Not cool at all to wait 3 years to give tickets. Sounds really shady.
I'm so sorry Cole that you had to go through that. You would think that they (the officers) were infringing on your rights. Not cool of the officers. Definitely sounds shady. Anyway, love your videos, whether they're good or bad. I'll back you and your family up any day. Love you guys and a Happy Year. I'm celebrating my birthday today, which is the 12th of January. Just turned 57 yrs young❤❤😮😮
If they saw people doing stuff wrong they should have put up signs to let people know,especially for 3years.
For your friend's fine. Sorry about all of this! Love your channel.
This is such a generous offering, thank you so much! What type of content do you enjoy the most on our channel?
@@COLE_and_JAY I primarily target crappie so I really enjoy that content!
Yes, you should go to court! If nothing else, you could change how they hold information for 3 years. They need to bring these cases faster.
I watch a lot of utube videos and some people actually show themselves doing things that are really questionable and I always think to myself they probably shouldn't show that. Yes! The law is watching all sorts of social media. One of the reasons i watch your videos is because you are honest and follow the rules. Good luck fighting this and keep making videos.
That’s a dirty way for a law enforcement officer to entrap someone for a lot of money. I agree they should have fined your friends for the first offense end of story. They just ran the bill up. That’s not upholding the law but using authority in an abusive way. Sorry for your pain. Keep those videos rolling and put this behind you.
Take them to court! More public knowledge/ signage/ education is easy for the state and federal game wardens. We pay taxes and should be respected!
That’s tough Brotha…. Hope y’all can get through this quickly and it’s not some long drawn out process.
Money Money Money It's all about the money
Money is just the means to the end - which is POWER.
Thank you for the advice because I’m from around that area and I’ve fished it my entire life and never knew this hate to see this happen but really appreciate you sharing the story
So sorry Cole, I think that the federal wardens allowing it to continue are as guilty as the fishermen. Keep fish and God bless you.
Thanks for your honesty posting this , thats a tough lesson !
When snaggin' you have no control over what you snag... zip, zero, nada !!! If snagging is legal in any way at all... there must be an 'out' for snagging a game fish by accident... and if you have to 'keep' it by law... what is the remedy???. Otherwise it's literally Russian Roulette. That's insane. Get a jury of your peers... Cole, I'll be praying and I'm sure I'm not alone. We love you guys channel, your integrity is never in question.
Years ago my best friend was on a the Dam at Hula in Northern OK. in February. He would take a little black jig and a heavy weight on big tackle and cast waaaaay out below the dam. Then very slowly retrieve the jig across the bottom. The idea is a big catfish might not be hungry to go on the hunt... Like if we were sitting in a Lazy Boy after Thanksgiving dinner... we're not hungry... BUT... if you saw an M&M laying on the coffee table.... you'd probably take a nibble... So, he sometimes caught 20-30lb flatheads on a little black jig if he got lucky enough to drag one in front of one... Anyway, the Game Warden drove over and walked up to him on the Dam and engaged in some 'friendly' conversation.... 😎 asking to see his rigging. They'd been watching him with binoculars ... after he showed them his line and rig and explained the plan... they were satisfied because it was just a crappie jig and an oversized lead weight instead of a 3" treble hook on a 9'surf rod. But it was spooky for a few minutes.
Yes go to to court this is very beatable.
So sorry you went thru this. I would definitely take it to court. Good luck. Subscribed to your channel. Keep us updated.
If there's no indemnity clause I would be surprised. Fisherman need to get together to make a clause that prevents wardens and officers from accumulation of fines. They waited purposely to get more money. This in itself should be illegal.
That is how they build cases. If the fed wardens are involved....it is bigger cases.... especially with fish.
will gladly donate for a go fund .. Fish on Cole and Jay
Of course you go to court ! If they have been monitoring this area for several years while the law was being violated and instead of enforcement of the law that is entrapment. If there is no signage after several years of this law being violated and and fish and wildlife is aware of this and instead of posting the law about this law that is entrapment. The judge I believe would agree with me and admonish the department for their tactics and void those tickets.
Took the words right out of my mouth. No other way to put it but entrapment. They are being shady & not doing what their job scope should entail. Their job scope is to enforce rules so that the species of fish continue to thrive not to line the pockets of the entity they belong to.
Cole, just remember that to err is human. You are still awesome and Noone is perfect.
If they really don't want these people to catch certain fish they need to post signs. To know that these people are illegally catching fish BUT continue to allow them to.... that's WRONG. Jay... please take this to court. Tell the judge that you couldn't find any laws on it so you determined that it was legal. They NEED to post signs to make it very clear to everyone what is legal and illegal. All of you need to take this to court!!!!
The warden should of educate first time offender and gave him a warning!
Hey guys. I live on the otherside of Beaverfork in Conway. My old man and sweet mommma live on lake Fork. He has been a guide on the lake almost since it opened. He specializes in catching. From live bream to catch monster bass, to live scoping crappie, to thump sticking for whites and hybrids/strippers. Anyway. He just loves watching you guys. He’s always asking me if I know where yall are fishing at. Sometimes I do sometimes I don’t. I’m sure you avoid most invites. He would be so excited if yall just showed up at his boat one morning. I’d take care of all the room, board, license, food, gas eveything. Just to see the look on his face plus content for yall. Hit me up if it sounds like something you’d be interested in. He caters to families and children too.
I am so sorry. And at Xmas! Wow. I feel like you. They should have brought it to their attention at the first place. That isn't right. But thank you for sharing. I hate to say it. But you guys are part of our family. I like to know how your family is doing. Jay is so on target on not freaking out. She is a keeper!!❤
yOU ARE A GREAT FAMILY MAN WHO PLAYS BY THE RULES. DON'T LET THIS GET YOU DOWN!
That is 10 kinds of effed up. As others have said you probably, and I would have gone to court and argued my case there. You have given me something to research in my law library. I know the feds play their own game with their own rules, and I have seen many cases of them doing things that may not be exactly legal, because they figure people wont fight them. I'm sorry that this happened to you and your friends, and I'll let you know what I might uncover.
Awww man I’m so sorry this happened to yall. Stay strong!
go to court plead your case , you are good person and should get a warning. god bless yall
Your “friends” gave you up. They actually volunteered you! Not only that, they showed them the videos as well. How would Law Enforcement even know who you are unless someone told them. They are not your friends, they got caught and dragged you into this.
Arkansas law enforcement is the most crooked state I've ever had to deal with as a trucker. I won't ever step foot in that state again
Hehehe. I pulled a step deck and hauled a lot of over size loads. Arkansas is the only state that requires you to sign your permit in red ink. They give you a provision sheet with instructions that tell you to sign in red,but if you don't read that one line it was a $275.00 fine unless the first words out of your mouth were "I didn't have a red pen".
Little Rock, and thus all parts state govt, are controlled by uber-corrupt Leftists. I live in the north-central Twin Lakes area, and haven't heard of many abuses of power here. That could change on a dime, if agents who have worked in the area for decades are replaced by indoctrinated Leftists straight out of college, who know nothing about anything (other than politics).
Sorry but I believe Tennessee is by far I was in law enforcement there and quit because I couldn’t stand how corrupt it is
I agree 👍 💯
back in the 80s my Grandma caught one, didn't know it was illegal until the taxidermist told her when she tried to get it stuffed for her wall lol
Fight it. Don't take it laying down.
With how you described the game wardens action on this. My first thought is the game warden did not give a darn about the paddle fish it was strictly to fine people repeatedly for the same activon /offense.That warden showed his true self to the entire world that he didn't care how many paddlefish were killed. Hell with protecting the wildlife which is his actual job he just wanted more money. For doing what that game warden did by allowing your friend to repeatly take those protected species again and again. That warden should be fined and fired. Your buddy got a raw deal and should fight this.
I think your comment should be pinned to the top of the comments section for this video!
Based on the length of time they waited to give you tickets, I am inclined to go to court because I feel that these officers are basically entrapping not only you but your friends as well!!! Come on, if they were watching your friend for 3 years, something sounds real fishy, (no pun intended). I would get a lawyer and I would hope your friends do the same because something has to be done to keep them from doing this to other fishermen!!! Make these officers explain in court why they waited 9 months in your case and 3 years in your friends case!! I for one would love to hear how they justify doing what they did!!! You may get the fine reduced, who knows!!! Also, can they take your fishing license away for this?? That would really suck!!! Anyway I vote you go to court!!! Don't let them win!!!
Yep, no signs posted, and allowing repeat offenses...contact your state reps as well
Hang in there, Cole. You’re a good guy who I think shows a lot of respect to rules and nature in general. I hate snagging. I hate paddle fish fishing. That’s just me. But I do agree they should be more legit and put the rules in obvious places. Then again, you already know my feelings about our state’s game and fish commission. ✌️🥴
What a bummer time to find a new place to fish ,sounds like entrapment to me look in to it .
I quit hunting, and almost quit fishing because of game wardens. I was goose hunting with a over and under one time, I had it on a sling, they came up and said they wanted to ck the magazine, I tried to tell them I didn’t have a magazine, I thought they were going to break my sling trying to get my gun. Another game warden owned a bait shop, he sold me a duck stamp on Friday, he saw me a 1/4 of a mile from shore in my waders and made me walk back to shore to show him my duck stamp. One day I caught 2 crappie, I didn’t want to dress them so I gave them fishing near the ramp, the had a road block, one warden was screaming at me about where did I hide my short fish, he went through everything I owned, while another game warden just looked at me and shook his head. There use to be some good one, not so much anymore. They think a whole lot of themselves these days. I would go to court, maybe they won’t show up, it’s probably beneath them.
Ask around Toledo Bend Lake about the disgusting game warden called KIT CARSON!
Around here the game wardens used to be cool, They did their jobs but were not nasty about it. And then one day the word POLICE appeared on their uniforms and vehicles in a much larger font than the rest of the lettering. It was all downhill from there. I treat them as hostile strangers now, they get only what I am legally obligated to give them, no small talk, no questions answered. I am also working to get them rolled into the state police and off of our wildlife dollars.
Do you think these departments want people to stop hunting and fishing so they can cut the budget for the department? You saying you quit got my tin foil hat to twitch a little LoL
I would not have walked back to shore it's his responsibility to come to you if he wants to check you. These game wardens theses days are not trained to the laws and needs to be taken to court Everytime. I called the warden while deer hunting on federal land when dogs came by me running deer and I saw a truck come down the road that looked to be the warden truck but it was not the federal it was the state and they asked me if I was deer hunting which was a dumbass question to begin with. I said yes they asked me ifu him was loaded I said yes they wanted it unloaded I said why and they said I could not hunt within a 100 feet of a road which was totally false. Anyway I unloaded it a bolt action that I was going to pull the bolt out of it and put in my coat but that was not good enough. And by the way I was not on a county maintain road it was a federal property road so the second amendment applies. I was hunting out of a ground blind with no top and they said I needed blaze orange on the sides even thought my😅 head shoulders were above the sides. They gave me a warning for having a loaded gun within a 100 feet of a road and no blaze orange on the ground blind. I called the state game warden office and told the supervisor they needed to train their officers of the law and the regulations because they were stepping on our rights.
@@hoytbrown8252 calling law enforcement is always going to be a mistake. The tiny bit of perceived benefit they bring will be eclipsed by their hatred and malice for the general public including the caller.
one of my pives is the games laws have gotten so complicated that there is almost no way to avoid not breaking them, besides not going: and that hurts recruitment efforts. you need a law degree and google AI to keep track of the changes, You can't just ask the wardens either because they don't know the all the laws either. Three years is way to long to protect a fish from harm. Also not being able to return a snagged fish that was not targeted is stupid.
Big brother really is watching.
I think it's from someone watching his content that called them. I've seen condescending comments from the same person against Cole's fishing practices, cant recall what video I think it was him throwing fish back in the lake that was draining not sure but this guy was going off.
Post to social media, pay the price
Cole you and Jay are as honest as they come. You’re just a fisherman. I plan to keep watching you for sure! There’s no way you would have put your crime on you tube ….if you would have known the law.
I am for the game and fish commission (but not in this case) I think you should all get together and file a lawsuit about this it is just wrong to watch someone over 3 years. its ok to have a fine if your doing something wrong but letting it add up instead of saying something just is not right.
A guy I worked with a long time ago used to go snagging at Ky Lake Dam all the time. Their target was spoonbills if I remember correctly and it was totally legal in KY.
He came to work one night with 2 black eyes and bruises all over his face. Turns out he snagged something coming thru the dam. It bent his rod over, the line snapped, and the rod smacked him between the eyes. It knocked him out and he fell on the rip rap. When he woke up, there was a guy trying to help him and he had blood everywhere. All of us work buddies got a good laugh out of it since he was at work and okay. He was back down there the next weekend doing it again though.
Also another work buddy and I went duck hunting once in a slough. It was wood duck and teal season. A warden stood in the woods spying on us. He had his limit in wood ducks, but not teal. He shot at a group and missed. The game warden finally made himself known. He asked what he shot at and answered he was shooting at teal, because he didn’t have his limit on teal. Warden told him he shot into woodies and not teal. One persons word against the other. Was told ignorance was no excuse. He got a $300 ticket for “attempting to take more than his limit”.
Go to court and fight it !
Wow thats crazy! Sorry to hear man! Sounds like baiting a person in a way at that point?.. Not sure i would even fish there ever again if it were me.. But i have heard paddlefish are protected. Good luck fellas! Geez! Fish on!
I don't know why some officers seem to be good at turning the law into an injustice.
... you DO know thats their JOB ?.. Revenue Collectors who are not interested in justice, robbing people for victimless made-up "crimes"....
I was once considering starting a RUclips fishing channel but this really makes me rethink that idea
This situation should go to court you need a lawyer who knows fishing rules
that sucks best of luck and don't let it eat you up take to court and take the bumps in the road and move on and be happy yall are good people and they should have told you with in short time not years later
If the water is being held up then its a damn weather it's a spillway or hard concrete structure with locks and gates it still holds water up.
Best to pay the ticket and move on. I am glad you posted this video so hopefully it will alert others not to keep them. I looked it up and they have been listed as vulnerable since 2004. Any animal that is listed that way is best to leave alone. Maybe some signage should be posted in that area about the fish and being watched by video surveillance. It is very dirty and underhanded that they waited so long to write the tickets. If you get caught speeding they can’t wait that long to write you a ticket. There is such a thing as due process in this country, whether the game wardens are aware of it or not.
I have friends in Indiana that were snagging Asian carp. They were given hefty fines and court dates. An invasive fish can get American anglers hefty fines!
Exactly why I wont help clean it up... lol not my Asian carp problem
I don’t have any use for a game warden.
@@Danjodabanjo🤣🤣🤣
Sounds to me like is trap to make money why do they not put signs by the ramp. Most of lake's has signs of size limits and fish limits.
@@justinburkett5578me either! I’ve never gotten a ticket, but I’ve also never met one that wasn’t a total turd! Arrogant as hell
Amazing videos keep up the good work I Love y'all have a awesome day.
That’s really dirty for the game warden let it go on for a extended period of time. Keep doing what you’re doing we love your guys videos.
Plus these youtube creators have everything recorded and they can go through every video of theirs going back years frame by frame instead of just getting lucky catching somebody out in the wild or from a tip like they normally do.
Sounds like power & money hungry. and keeping all snagged fish is crazy
Possum cops have a job to do but they should have confronted your friend before 3 years and let him know he was in the wrong instead of sting operation. Also the laws can be vague and difficult to interpret sometimes.
See you COURT three YEARS !!!!! LATER apparently they have nothing e else to do
don't take this lying down Cole . absolutely take this to court !
That's entrapment. Fight it in court.
There is a specific snag and release season for paddlefish in North Dakota FYI. Maybe where you are at you are not supposed to release anything snagged but in ND any "foul hooked" fish must be immediately released.
That is entrapment. If your seen doing something illegal, you should be warned or ticketed immediately. The wardens are suppose to be there to change behavior. They chose to set you up instead. I'd go to court with all the fishermen involved in a class action suit. If the fine is life changing for you and Jay, ask us viewers for help.
Cole, I feel for you buddie, Most state game and fish laws are so confusing that the average guy is at a loss as to what you can and can't do, In this case, I would think a warning citation would have solved the problem, The keeping tabs would indicate that they were more interested in racking up a bunch of big fines, rather than protecting the resource, So maybe you should go to court, I would think a reasonable Federal Magistrate in this case, would reduce or dismiss the fines because of the apparent intrapment!
This is really pissing me off that they waited for so long to "address" this issue with you and your friends. I hate that you paid the fine. You should have absolutely gone to court and exposed these frauds for what they are, in my humble opinion. If you could share their names with us, that'd be very helpful. Hope y'all had a great holiday season and I'm looking forward to seeing y'all back on the river doing y'all's thing. Greetings from Royal AR. 👍🇺🇸
First of all, I LOVE all of y’all’s stuff!
And I would take the argument that those spillway pipes are part of a dam to court. Arkansas law is very clear that snagging is legal “within 100 yards of a dam” (I’m an Arkansas resident as well).
Also. If they wroth the tickets for the day the video posted; unless you posted day of which is not normal then I’m pretty sure the tickets are invalid. If you were not there on the dates the tickets were written then you could not have violated on that day.
I believe that would be considered entrapment. I would contact a lawyer.
Bro I just came across your channel and subscribed. You have to take this to court. No judge will allow this to happen especially if they admitted they watched somebody multiple times and cite them for each time. Please take it to court. Please
How can you believe your friends when the one wouldn't even contact you after some cop told him not to 😡
As a kid, we used to snag fish in Batesville underneath the dam.
Sounds like these wardens just figured out this loop hole to catch all you guys on a technicality that someone dreamed up. You should have took it to court. I'm with you all the way. They could have warned people.
Yes. Plus a lot of these creators have been getting targeted lately with situations like this, they know a lot of them have the money to just pay the fine and not risk the extra court costs and downtime. If you're a creator with a channel, go through your old content and make sure there isn't something that will incriminate you no matter how old because it's a common trend lately for them to sift through social media content looking for even borderline offenses. And unlike them getting lucky catching somebody in the wild committing a violation, with online content they can meticulously go through every video frame by frame looking at every single thing you do and write you up for it.
That’s crazy when you’re very aware of the rules.. right with those game warden cameras all over too easy for them to bust illegal fishing. But taking years to catch them should be illegal to prosecute and beyond the statue of limitations 💜
GET A LAWYER...sounds like entrapment
snagged while snagging sounds like entrapment to me pure and simple
#1 I would've got an attorney before I paid their fine #2 What these officer's did was against the Law, after 2 years those infractions would not count,just the last year would have counted! #3 i would've told them prove it. #4 They should lose their job for it. #5 I don't snag fish on purpose.
I watched a game warden turkey hunt before season was open. During gun deer season he gave my friend a ticket for trespassing and poaching because he got lost and crossed onto someone else’s property. He even showed the warden where there was no fence and wasn’t any signs. I also seen wardens write tickets for people hunting a restricted no hunting waterfowl area and the wardens came back and hunted it themselves.
Waited till it was a big fine
That's absolutely abuce of power
Hey man come on you gotta LOVE THE BOYS IN THE BLUE… I JUST LOVE THEM….
i didn't know we had an arkansas fishing gestapo that came to our houses late at night for facebook posts. great. land of the free. used to be.
Take this to court. If for no other reason than getting that fine reduced. The only ticket I ever received in my life was a traffic violation. I fought it and the ticket was thrown out as being illegible. The judge told me to my face “I can’t read this, so I am dismissing it” If I had not gone to court I would have paid that ticket in full never knowing that I didn’t have to pay anything. Oh and they had cameras alright, YOUR cameras. Don’t give them too much credit. Someone (rat) saw your RUclips video and reported you. The wardens watched it salivating at the juicy fine they can nail you and your friends with. And around Christmas too. Disgusting.
I would go to court and let the judge know they let this go on for 3 years and if they would have educated your friend you would never be in this position. The game warden neglecting to not go to your friend in a timely manor is the wardens fault.