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Illegal fishing tactics results in two tickets for fisherman

Submitted Photo A conservation officer displays a steelhead which was caught along the bank of Canadaway Creek.

It turned out to be an “easy catch” for both the fisherman and the state Department of Environmental Conservation officer at Canadaway Creek in the town of Dunkirk last week, which led to two violations.

According to a news item from the DEC, a conservation officer was conducting foot patrol along Canadaway Creek in the town of Dunkirk on Oct. 11 when he was approached by a concerned fisherman who explained he had observed a fisherman standing on a log attempting to snag some vulnerable steelhead along the bank of the creek.

A few minutes later, the officer caught up with the suspected fisherman still fishing from the log. The officer watched as the fisherman dropped his line straight down in front of him and rip upward in a clear snagging motion. The fisherman repeated this action several times before finally hooking a steelhead.

Hooking up with the fish made the fisherman lose his balance and fall into the creek. After unhooking the fish, rather than releasing it, the fisherman headed toward the road where he was met by the officer. When confronted with his illegal fishing tactics, the fisherman admitted that he knew he was in violation, but simply stated, “It looked like an easy catch.”

The fisherman was issued two tickets for taking steelhead by snatching and for keeping a foul hooked steelhead, returnable to the Town of Dunkirk Court.

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