Fishermen caught with 665 catfish, four cited for limit violation

Four of five fishermen caught in possession of 665 blue catfish were cited for being over the limit by Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries enforcement agents.

The daily limit on catfish per angler in Louisiana is 100 fish in aggregate of blue, channel and flathead catfish, so they were 165 fish over the limit.

Timothy Jones, 60, of McComb, Miss., Ellis R. Martin, 57, of Summit, Miss., Thomas Firth, 56, of Tylertown, Miss., and Steven Riley, 59, of Gulfport, Miss., were cited for being over the daily limit, according to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.

Clifton Clark, 44, of Gulfport, Miss., wasn’t cited for being over the limit but was cited for not possessing a non-resident fishing license, as were Riley and Jones.

Agents Lt. Adam Young and Senior Agent Austin Landry were on patrol and discovered the fishermen in violation when responding to a complaint on the Mississippi River levee just south of the Empire Locks. The agents found the catfish in multiple ice chests, seized them and donated them to Hunters for the Hungry.

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Taking over the daily limit of catfish carries a $250 to $500 fine and up to 90 days in jail, the LDWF reported. Not possessing a non-resident basic fishing license brings up to a $350 fine. The men may also face civil restitution for the replacement value of the catfish totaling $493.73.

Photo of the seized catfish courtesy of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.