Striper Paochers Busted On the Housatonic River

On Tuesday December 17, 2024 two EnCon officers and K9 Luna have been patrolling the Housatonic River for striped bass poaching exercise. Officers situated a bunch of six anglers fishing. Because the officers watched, they noticed an angler climb the riverbank, climb over the guard rail, run throughout the highway, and enter a steep wooded hill aspect on the other aspect of the highway, disappearing into the woods. The angler gave the impression to be carrying one thing heavy. After a couple of minutes the angler returned to the riverbank empty handed and continued to fish. Contact was made with the anglers, two had no fishing license. They claimed to have caught and retained no striped bass. K9 Luna was deployed on leash alongside the roadside and requested to look the wooded hill aspect. She situated 4 separate baggage of striped bass every buried within the floor and coated with leaves, the baggage spanned a 75 yard lengthy stretch of roadside. In whole there have been 34 striped bass, all starting from 12.5” to 25” in size, in violation of the striped bass slot restrict which is 28” to 31”. The anglers had 64 striped bass violations and two license violations. They have been issued fines totaling $4,974.00. All fish have been seized and donated to a non-profit wildlife rehabber.