We applaud the efforts of a tipster who alerted the Department of Environmental Conservation about undersized fish caught and taken from Schroon Lake. Here’s the DEC’s report, recently published on their website.

“Something Fishy - Essex County On Feb. 18. ECO LaPoint received a report of ice fishermen on Schroon Lake, Essex County, who were catching lake trout shorter than the legal length of 18 inches. ECO LaPoint contacted Acting Lieutenant Nicols, who located the suspects' vehicle with information provided by the complainant. From the shore, the two Officers observed the ice anglers until the fishermen returned to their vehicle. When asked to see the fish caught, one angler pulled out the legally caught fish while trying to hide the undersized fish. ECOs discovered nine undersized lake trout, the largest measuring 17 inches. One of the men was also fishing without a license. ECO LaPoint issued both subjects tickets for undersized and over-the-limit lake trout and one for fishing without a license. After advising the men of the limit of two lake trout per angler and the legal minimum length of 18 inches, the ECOs allowed the licensed fisherman to keep his legal-length catch and the undersized trout were donated to DEC Bureau of Wildlife staff to use as bait for a fisher and pine marten live trapping study”.

If you witness an environmental crime or believe a violation of environmental law occurred, please call the DEC Division of Law Enforcement hotline at 1-844-DEC-ECOS (1-844-332-3267).