3 Louisiana Men in Trouble for Fishing with Electricity
Three men from Caldwell Parish are facing some pretty hefty fines after the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) caught them catching fish with electricity (which is a big no-no).
After receiving numerous complaints, LDWF agents caught Heath Rider (43), Dillon Patterson (26), and David Gregory (41) using an electrical device to catch fish on the Ouachita River just outside of Columbia. Since officials knew the area the men frequented, they had been conducting surveillance and had been able to record the men allegedly in the illegal act on numerous occasions.
When agents moved in, they found a few more crimes to charge the men with. After questioning Rider and Patterson the two admitted that the shocking charges were true. The trio has been charged with catching fish illegally by using a shocking device and fishing without a fishing license. According to KALB, Heath Rider also got a ticket for operating an unregistered boat and failing to comply with life jacket requirements.
The LDWF agents confiscated 40 catfish caught between July 23rd through the 25th and donated them to a local charity.