POACHER gets BUSTED For ILLEGAL HARVEST

Spoiler Alert! I catch nothing relevant, but here is some juicy YT drama instead.
Made a stop leaving Sanibel back to Tampa and came across this as it was too windy to take the kayak out. Interesting take as a Federal officer made an angler toss a deceased fish back into the water as opposed to confiscating it. Many would consider this to be a "waste"
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[@blaze5053]

Dude trying his best to revive that fish!!! 😂😂😂😂 hell give it mouth to mouth and some chest compressions.

[@kylelongjohn837]

I can see it now. Sucking a mouthful of water and spitting it down the gills

[@ABNHW]

dude you got a freakin tackle shop in your truck!!!

[@alexkg1]

Just remember folks, if it's close, it is not close enough. Just throw it back and let it get bigger.

[@BrianAnAmber1]

alexkg1 I thought the argument was that it was too large. Idk I’m from Texas and size limit for red drum is 20-28 inches. Is this a different species of fish?

[@chillingguy8386]

Ya redfish have a size limit in FL if it’s to big you have to throw it back

[@BrianAnAmber1]

Bass player fisher Chill Same here, we are allowed one oversized red drum as long as we tag it. Other than that if the fish is over 28 inches we have to throw it back. What’s the size limit in Florida?

[@chillingguy8386]

BAR TV 28 too

[@pedromarrero9572]

@@BrianAnAmber1 the size limit here in FL is 18-27 and only one per person

[@FloridaBoyGrizz]

I swear that guy looks like lojo fishing

[@zevil1005]

He even called the fish a "Joker"

[@FloridaBoyGrizz]

@@zevil1005 exactly lol

[@flysubcompact]

Maybe the fed officer did not have a way to keep the fish from spoiling? Maybe because the feds don't have a policy for harvest?

[@mister1680]

This dudes nosy af🤣😂

[@tommypatoc3634]

For reals!!!

[@billbussler3332]

I've never seen this happen in person but on the game warden shows on tv I've seen them take illegal fish that were already dead to donate them to soup kitchens. I think it is a big waste since it was already dead. Reminds me of something funny....when I was a kid I was fishing a pier with my uncle. He had a little speckled trout in a bucket of water that he knew was short. Sure enough the fwc comes along and sees the little fish. He tells my uncle to hold it up and says it looks short.....he then says "put it back in the water I got to get my tape measure" so what does my uncle do? He tosses the fish over the rail back into the water lol. Omg I was pretty young but I remember that officers face got so red and he almost yelled, what did you do that for, and my uncle was like you told me to lol. Sorry for the long post but that's too funny not to share.

[@lendog725]

Bill Bussler not a waste... the wildlife will feed on it! More deserving

[@upandoutdoors8313]

Lol

[@thecraftycrayfish7539]

Malicious compliance.

[@callumray2114]

Brian Landers the uncle told the little kid to throw it back

[@AzureWolfblood]

@@callumray2114 you misread the comment, it was the warden

[@lagginwagon8267]

Great videos sir! Sea-Money's videos turned me onto yours and I'm happy to find that yours are just as epic! These Florida videos have me fiending to get back out to fishing the Atlantic and Gulf ASAP! I haven't visited the beautiful state of FL in about 5 years which is far too long as far as I'm concerned. Keep up the awesome work, and tight lines! Also, if you've never been, check out 10,000 Islands down near Everglades City sometime. It's a most epic spot you could hit in your yak and camp out on uninhabited mangrove Islands. The few times I've been there, my buddies and I had the island we posted up on all to ourselves.

[@MrTatts64]

Nice one Elias! For those mullet, try a Mepps spinner (Size 0, or 1) with a gulp sandworm behind it. Ultra light line and hang on cos they really take off. We use 4lb fluoro straight through or lighter if you have the space to play them out in.

[@mengzilla6496]

There are so many fish in that fishing hole omg

[@trent63]

Back when Striped Bass were endangered, I saw a guy get caught with 11 fish which was a $500 fine per fish with 3 violations. Game Warden said he watched the guy for several hours and waited for him to pull his boat out of the water on the ramp we were about to use. The guy first lied and said he didn't catch anything because he didn't think the warden knew about his hidden well beneath his seat. Hard lesson to learn. Also told the guy you better hope they're all still alive.

[@splendidbeastie691]

fished this exact same mangrove area on my trip to sanibel, caught a few mangrove snapper under a bridge somewhere but nothing else.

[@jakesimiele4751]

I’ve been to that exact spot fishing before, I knew even before reading the description, sanibel Florida

[@wannabeangler]

Dude, that was a sweet spot to catch a good variety. I need to go down to Florida for a few weeks and venture around.

[@stevenbrown7042]

The one time I actually saw a game warden was with a beer in my hand. He was cool about it. I was honest. I told him on my way to the river I stocked up my cooler with sodas and thought a tall can sounded good. I let him know I will be there a few hours so I wouldn't be driving with alcohol. He gave me the regular routine, let me see you're license and checked my cooler and all that and said have a good day. He started walking away and I shouted hey want a coke? He took me up on the offer. And went back to his patrol down the riverbank. He did let me keep it and finish it. Said it would be a waste of good beer to pour it out

[@barfingcoyote210]

I dont get the dilemma. Were you underage? Was the area posted , no alcohol?

[@Skiddols]

@@barfingcoyote210 Open alcohol in public is illegal. At least in my state it is.

[@DUKEisALIVE]

@@Skiddols I thought America had freedom haha

[@callumray2114]

Barfing Coyote that’s what I’m thinking

[@ryankiernan9995]

That is one of my favorite places to fish. Elias if you ever go back there use a small suspending xrap and work it aggressively. I always catch a few snook and jacks there each time I go.

[@robertintexas]

I had a game warden here in Texas confiscate some fish from an angler near me. He cited the guy, checked my license then asked me if I wanted the fish. He said he didn't have an ice chest to keep it as evidence, but just took a pic of it for court. He said he didn't want to waste it.

[@eatasssmokegrass285]

Mans neck almost did a full 180

[@thatoneguy1092]

Tighten that drag buddy !!

[@zachf4061]

Hooked into a 40+ inch snook at that park back in August. Pretty nice for kayaking and canoeing

[@mykemyers6488]

Sounds like the officer either wanted to save himself getting dirty or save himself some paperwork

[@a10loadtoad]

Love that area down there!!! My Aunt and Uncle live over the bridge in Cape Coral (lots of freshwater canals with TONS of largemouth) and I head over that drive in Sanibel anytime I’m visiting. Caught my first baby tarpon on the fly along that road. Those culverts are dinner conveyor belts for snook, reds and everything else. If your ever down there again, try the Island Cow for grub....delicious!!!!!

[@kylewallace9187]

What leader where u using to get broken off by a spade

[@MrWerleyd]

how do you get so many lures?

[@venchergaming]

Honestly though, if its not legal, its not legal. If your ruler says spot on, throw it back because fish and game's ruler will be just short.

[@Distantttt]

made him throw it back because it hurts the angler to see a good fish to waste like that, it’ll make him think twice on next time he harvests an illegal fish

[@jckdnls9292]

you realize the fish doesnt go to waste, he thinks its a waste because hes not the one eatting it. that fish will provide meals for other animals.

[@kluas948]

Thanks for subtitles

[@tacklecentralfishing1051]

8:34 when a fish reads you your rights.

[@yeetman6955]

Seriously directly on an add....

[@brentevans9072]

What reel are you using in this video?

[@jakesoriedem4747]

You sound like Ray Romano. nice video Thank you

[@mainemagic2351]

Guy is lucky he wasn't in Maine...Saw a guy out in a John boat hauling in illegal stripers one after another, all too short. He had two coolers on boat. He comes into boat launch, loads up boat on trailer, then State Fish and Game block him on ramp. He got arrested, cuffed, boat and tackle got confiscated and towed along with his car. The only way shelters get meat is by way of road kill. Maine hit this guy with $10k fine, 1yr of community service, court fee's and lost fishing license for 5 years. Article in paper Said he already had been to court for similar incident 2 yrs prior. It just isn't worth it to Not follow the rules of Maine ...tough lesson to learn..

[@mikegrayjr6527]

🤣🤣🤣😂😂😂 all y'all was scared when the man was there , ain't hear nothing for the first few minutes while he was there 😂😂🤣😂😂

[@jonmacdonald5345]

Mike Gray Not me I love talking some shit!!!! I know my rights

[@tonym2513]

They were too busy dippin’, and if they talk they can’t overhear what’s going on. Fact it up!

[@rslack78]

Enjoyed the vid! Has anyone ever told you that you sound like Ray Romano?

[@bocatcc]

Tell me where this spot is. I'm on lemon bay. I want to know how close you where to me.

[@benklymochko5581]

I have seen fish confiscated and then the officer gives it to someone in the area who was fishing with a permit to possess so the animal is not wasted. What a waste of a fish.

[@zevil1005]

WAS THAT LOJO????

[@CrunkyOMan83]

Finally a video where your not on a yak, nice change, btw that spot looks fun.

[@timmorey9844]

Enjoyed the video. The wardens down here in South Texas have no mercy either.

[@voluntaryismistheanswer]

Thugs for hire in the world's biggest gang caught in racketeering generally don't. That's how organized crime works.

[@brydenkelsey3257]

@@voluntaryismistheanswerclown

[@adammontgomery28]

Do you make them baits you gave that guy to try.Very cool of you to give baits to someone to try ,especially if you just met him.I found baits like these on Amazon and have been thinking about giving the chartreuse/Googan green a shot on stripers.Do you have any recommendations?By the way that fish was totally wasted by that officer.

[@alexj.3206]

I've never seen this spot in sanibel. Wonder where that was. So, WHAT'S THE NEXT SPOT?

[@gabrielmaldonado9214]

What month were you fishing there

[@EricFortuneJr.]

I don’t usually keep redfish that big anyway. I prefer mines around 18”-22” for the best quality, especially back waters. If I have to keep measuring it then I’ll just toss it back. If it’s clearly legal then I’ll keep it.

[@BNECARWASH65]

Hey im from tampa where is this fishing spot??

[@kennethcooke5903]

Where is this place at,I'm traveling to Florida soon and I would love to fish this spot

[@God4445]

Someone up top said sanibel florida

[@vulgarbulgar2715]

I think its JN doing darling national wildlife refuge

[@johnjones699]

Never heard of or seen that before anywhere

[@robertcronin6714]

Elias I hope you are enjoying Florida as much as I am enjoying the videos. Years ago a friend had a very minor run in with a Federal CO near Jones Inlet it ended up in federal court Cadman Plaza, in the end it was all about money. On the lighter side after watching this video the next one that came up was You fishing for crappie at Spruce Run wearing a brand new red Hobie hat, it was your very first video. You have come a long way and I hope things just keep getting better for you. PS I bet if it could talk that hat would have some great stories to tell.

[@EliasVFishing]

Thanks dude, things are going and I’m constantly learning about providing entertaining content, educational when people don’t want clickbait, and giving back when I can. Thanks for being along for the whole ride.

[@robertcronin6714]

Your'e welcome and let me thank you again for your honesty, humility,solid content and lack of hype. That's a hard combination to find anywhere these days.

[@larrystorrs78]

What are the name of those plastics please?

[@robertcronin6714]

Hi Larry I don't see what plastics you are referring to, unless you mean "clickbait". Clickbait is a catchy title used to lure, pardon the pun, viewers into watching a video.

[@larrystorrs78]

Robert Cronin the soft plastics in the bags! They looked like striper killers up here in the northeast

[@hulk01921]

@EliasVSFishing where is that nice place located?

[@26halkman]

Very cool Tony Hong-esq swinging of the fish :) Agree on Angler not keeping, but that dead fish would do wonders at a food bank or shelter.

[@billbussler3332]

Elias are you going up around the Destin area before you go home? That's a great area to fish and has some of the best head boats there is too....Sweet Jody is my favorite. I've never kayaked around there but see lots of them all over....the surf is almost always like glass too so lots of opportunity to kayak offshore.

[@r3ddropper]

Bill Bussler , I live near Destin. We also have some pretty good bay charters too.

[@tommypatoc3634]

Eavesdropping like a mofo!

[@Realwobbler]

The fishermen with illegal catches are everywhere! Here they often take smaller fish than the legal size!

[@bocatcc]

Realwobbler soon you won't have any mature fish to breed. 👍

[@sherrywyllie2163]

If fish can be saved it should be released. Dead goes to donation.

[@jimmyshrimbe9361]

Sherry Wyllie it's not going to waste. Every single tiny particle of that fish will be eaten. What are you even talking about?

[@octaviofuentes7781]

had to risk it hahah hey Elias were and how can i buy striper lures and ship them to California

[@tdawg8899]

I go to Sanibel every year for vacation. One of the best spots ever

[@deadspot1]

holy pastic baits

[@jasonthephoneboy]

Been there... My fish ruler vs FWC... His was the "Official ruler" all over ~1/16 of an inch. Because rulers are different sizes you know... I showed him my ruler had the fish over length, his was just at length. Funny thing is, his ruler folds, so I could have easily made it fit!

[@hooper4581]

Nice Elias. At least crabs get to eat. Probably lots paperwork to donate. Killin me to watch you catch fish in Florida. Still February here on the island. Couple months till bite starts. 🙁

[@znovosad555]

Most state game wardens are deputy federal agents of national fish and game. At least in CT they are and I've heard of many other places the same thing. I've had one encounter with a fish and game officer. Trout opening day 2018. It was a spot not many know of, and me and my friend went got some drinks and snacks for the day, scouted a couple spots and started to setup our stuff at this spot. Didn't know it had to be 6 sharp to start. We started a few minutes before 6 and each got a $154 ticket for "fishing out of season".

[@TheBUGZNTA]

gottem. know the place you are fishing.

[@johnsmalldridge6356]

Were they spadefish or angelfish? The officer may not have had a cooler or the time to take the fish to a donation site.

[@edwardegnor8812]

They do the same here in jersey mostly depends on the warden and how they’re feeling lol. I’ve seen them do it to ppl on the party boat I worked on for years

[@oakland002]

That guy really didn’t want to let go of that fish ! Probably was hoping the officer would leave if he took his sweet time

[@thebasherofgrunts2303]

The best part of waking up is poachers in your cup!

[@CertifiedStepper]

Dayumm you have sooooo much freaking swim baits

[@5.0_patino69]

Is that lojo?

[@mattbeaulieu7107]

Thats what i thought too... and he calls the fish a joker, which is a lojo thing...

[@CapeCodCanalFishing]

Elias I would love to test your lures also 😜

[@CrunkyOMan83]

Meet too !

[@viper2788]

me too!

[@NickFlorin11]

What are they ? Havoc ?

[@softballbryan]

his lures are on amazon and they work well... blues, weaks, stripers love them

[@PiperFishing]

Red beard guy just needed to shut up and leave. The officer was giving him a break.

[@56bigmike]

Hey Elias, just wanted to say what up. Since I subscribed to your channel I have loved watching all the catch and cooks... we are sort of neighbors.. I’m from Staten Island. Keep up the great videos .

[@fbm_cristof]

i thougt that place looked familiar ive only seen it from a boat neat fishing spot

[@killan001]

In canada they take all your gear, your truck and boat if you have one.

[@bennettdavid904]

They do that in Maryland also.

[@HeavilyArmed]

He probably didn’t have a way to transport the fish, like a cooler or something. If he had to drive around with a fish in a plastic bag all day, under the Florida sun, by the time his shift ended the fish would have spoiled. And it’s hardly a waste. It’s not like it’s an Atlantic sturgeon or anything endangered.

[@payiaxiong4013]

Dam that's hella fish swimming around

[@hsidbbfc8y]

Hey man don’t know how much longer your in Florida for but try launching your kayak in cockroach bay I know you said you were around the Tampa area so you may have already launched there but if not check it out great spot to fish

[@christophersmith5485]

I was fishing from shore in NJ and fish & game walked up next to me and dumped a basket full of dead blackfish into the water. Watching them all float away in the current was painful. Such a waste. A lot were decent sized and would have been keepers not that many years ago. Im glad they were confiscated, but there needs to be a better way of dealing with these fish than throwing them to the crabs.

[@Bernardinator]

As a warden myself. I don’t like to wasted seized fish or game. It has to be donated or destroyed. In some instances, where it is hot outside and we will not be able to get the fish somewhere to donate in time, it will be destroyed. You must remember, we are few and far between, and cover hundreds to thousands of miles.

[@catmastercatfishing7436]

Awesome video 🎣🎣🎣🎣🎣

[@dofishbuster]

My question is was the guy cited for the undersized fish or was the officer doing him a "favor" by allowing him to release it? I witnessed some guys get cited for undersized largemouth bass a couple years ago. They were also over the limit. The officer allowed them to release any that could swim off. This resulted in them only being cited for 3 undersized bass which hopefully was lesson enough. I'm pretty sure had the officer taken possession of the oversized fish and donated it he would have had to cite the angler so there would be a record of how it came to be in his possession. The thing that bothered me is the guy who was caught breaking the law came out and said the State guys take and donate the oversized fish like he had done this before and been caught before.

[@rickyshalf9636]

crab food that sucks i would think there are plenty of hungry people around somewhere

[@catchreleasepr2966]

Nice place ,where???

[@cowboypicker1968]

Yeah predators have to eat to. The cycle of life, guaranteed it did not go to waste.

[@whiteoutwolf6131]

Bro half an inch? Just let him have it lol

[@grendelum]

WhiteOutWolf - sure, don’t worry about the life cycle of the species, grab whatever is close to the limit eh? I’m sure there will plenty more in the future...

[@whiteoutwolf6131]

@@grendelum Exactly!

[@iian_]

@@whiteoutwolf6131 depends on the species really, but this is why taking even close to the limit is a bad idea.

[@DAHTRUCKER]

A limit is a limit for a reason. It's not a suggestion.

[@mrs.chandler9384]

What kind of fish was it that he got caught with?

[@getmeoutofsanfrancisco9917]

Red Drum. Aka Redfish.

[@vash347]

it makes perfect sense to discard it. the point is you're not supposed to take it. making you unable to have it under any circumstance is the point

[@Raider-zv8dz]

Where in sanibel you fishing

[@kylelongjohn837]

So that fish was too big? We got some salmon laws "kinda" like that here in michigan, not that strict though, you can keep 5 fish but no more then 3 can be 15+ inches. I want to know what kinda fish that was, and what the problem was, if someone could fill me in please.

[@03scgt]

I fish here all the time ironically.Only place I know of with white raptors for the fwc guys.Those culverts you guys are fishing over hold huge sheep head in the cooler weather.The first one inside the park is usually the best.

[@SSHitMan]

So it was an over-slot redfish?

[@jordancochrane3895]

Rules are rules, if you catch an undersize fish here and it dies inadvertently it still must go back. This stops poachers claiming the fish died from the fight in order to keep them. Also it returns the fish to the eco-system, i'm sure other fish will feed on it.

[@jaunceybillups4119]

That spot looks so different nowadays

[@garyg2]

maybe the fed officer didn't have a bucket and didn't want it inside of his suv or laying free in his suv/truck all day. also, the fish didn't go to waste. it became part of the cycle of life. i don't think having him throw it back was that crazy. but notice the guy says "the regular game guys take the fish" (4:10) so it seems like he's been in this position before, but the fed gave the guy a warning anyway (4:17) - but he should've been cited. as a separate issue: maybe the fed is required to write him up if he confiscated it, so instead he gave him a warning and didn't confiscate (ie. the fed can't show up back at the office with confiscated fish that don't correspond to a citation)

[@bornlucky9564]

Nice fishing spot.

[@BigT33414]

What state

[@DAman69ize1]

I like your truck, what type is it?

[@ako12n]

that looks so fun, so many fish in there. i would stay forever!!!

[@LifeFlight101]

Smash the poachers every last time please. Save our fisheries!!

[@bassmaster117]

Goddamn right

[@robertsherry7029]

Yes because the little guy with a fishing pole is the reason for the fisheries being in trouble not giant commercial conglomerates.

[@LifeFlight101]

@@robertsherry7029 I live in Tampa Bay and have seen first hand what the "shore fisherman" can do. Inshore fish and their ecosystems are much more vulnerable than deeper, pelagic species.

[@SouthFloridaFishingChannel]

05:52 that your bigger brother? heh

[@stevenjones1153]

lol thats gotta be a drum... jack... jack it is lol.

[@LatdkaTube]

How did you regrow that beard when just six days ago you were clean shaven when you had the ladyfish with Dan?? Dude, you certainly don't have low T!!

[@thecraftycrayfish7539]

It's from all the fish he eats.

[@TsunamiSam]

Lol I ate mine under and over .. good stuff man

[@blinkdejavu5273]

That's a bummer for the guy....

[@filthycasualevan15234]

Nerd of Skittles Glad I’m not the only one who noticed