“25-year-old Dustin Heathman is in trouble after he went on the Austin Bass Fishing Forum to brag about the big amount of bass he had caught. Under a screen name Heathman wrote that he had “put around 40 fish in the boat with 22 keepers”. But what he may not have known was that he had broken the law. One person on a boat is allowed to take home five fish. The other members of the website started to warn Heathman, bash him, and some even reported him to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Heathman has defended himself by saying he deserved to keep that many fish because he usually throws them back and that he had family in town to feed who wanted a fish fry. The fine hasn’t been determined yet, but he may have to pay up to $500 per extra fish”
I spoke with a DNR officer a couple of years ago and asked what was the worst ticket he’d ever written. His reply $19,000 for something like 72 redfish with both over slot and under slot fish in the mix.
Three-fourths of the Earth’s surface is water, and one-fourth is land. It is quite clear that the good Lord intended us to spend triple the amount of time fishing as taking care of the lawn.
Unfortunately admitted or not, they will have to catch him in the act, if TX laws are like ours, I agree it is wrong for someone to keep this many fish … I hope they are able to push the issue of this idiot
Bragging may not bring happiness,
but no man having caught a large fish,
goes home through the alley.
-Anonymous
I think we all agree to fine him lots of money. But does bragging on a fishing forum equate to action. Unless there are pictures with him and all the fish it will be hard to fine him. And even if he is in the picture there is no way to know how many people were fishing.
Fishb8 (Fish Bait)
23 Sea Hunt “My Last Boat V”
If you can’t stand behind our soldiers, try standing in front of them.
I don’t even know if he can get in trouble for pictures. I’m pretty sure in SC that DNR has to catch you in the act…no exceptions. I may be wrong though
I don’t even know if he can get in trouble for pictures. I’m pretty sure in SC that DNR has to catch you in the act…no exceptions. I may be wrong though
I think if DNR wrote him a $500 ticket, he would have to see a judge. If that judge decided to drop it down to $250 it would still be a lot cheaper than hiring a lawyer.
Well hopefully the laws are stronger in TX, but how can you gauge how big the fish actually are, he’s not in the picture, who saws he took the picture, could be some idiot trying to cause a ruckus. I have seen post on here of people saying they kept over the limit on Redfish. Yeah he probably did it but in SC, they couldn’t press it.
Bragging may not bring happiness,
but no man having caught a large fish,
goes home through the alley.
-Anonymous
Can’t seeing it stand up in court. The fish can’t be accurately measured even in a photo unless they are next to a tape. It would be a real stretch to convict someone if they deny catching them 1) in SC 2) they were out of the slot and there is no physical proof. The guy is no doubt an idiot, but it’s a real concern all should have if people start getting arrested for spouting off on fishing sites. Scary.
This is a sore spot for all sportsman . I can’t stand people abusing what the rest of us enjoy and cherish so much . There is a forum I was part off up North ( I know I said it !!!) but anyway their was a section on this forum for the ENCON Police (Connecticut’s dnr) to respond to questions about thing of this nature . The ENCON even gave monthly reports on arrest and the outcome of such matter’s . Just a suggestion that might be of some interest ?? Here’s a link to that forum to check it out .
My grandfather told me stories of the size and amount of spot tail he use to catch (of course this is before fish regulations). My dad still tells me how different fishing was when he was a kid. I don’t want to have to look at my future kids and say " yeah, there use to be this thing called fishing and it was great".
I hope they make it to where he can never afford to fish again.
It always kills me how the old timers talk about how great the fishing was. Ha…they never stopped to think that had they shown some restraint, that fish stocks may have never tanked.
This reminds me of when Skinnee photoshopped a mallard he killed with a speargun and people on this very website reported him to dnr and were all fired up over it. Skinnee whatever happened with that.
