Wardens Bust Catfish Giggers

A Uvalde County game warden found an unaccompanied vehicle at a Nueces River crossing. Believing the occupants got into another vehicle and drove down the river, the warden drove to a hill overlooking the river a couple of miles away. There they saw four individuals walking down the river, three with gigs and spears and one with a fishing pole. The warden saw two of the individuals with snorkeling gear dive into the river with the gigs. Another person in the group waved to the divers, who proceeded to dive and emerged with a catfish at the end of a gig. The warden drove down to the group and discovered a fishing pole but no other fishing, gigging or snorkeling equipment. After searching the area, the warden found the gigs and spears, which had been thrown in the water and concealed. The gigged catfish were nowhere to be seen. The warden interviewed the four individually and found none of them had a fishing license. After talking with each subject, one finally admitted to gigging a catfish and leaving it at their last fishing spot some distance away. The catfish was retrieved and seized along with three gigs and spears. Multiple citations were issued with civil restitution.

Not so Happy Hour

A Coryell County game warden and Falls County game warden were patrolling the Lake Waco area of McLennan County when they noticed a vehicle pulled over to the side of the road. When the wardens attempted to pass the vehicle, a truck cut them off, driving down the wrong side of the road. The vehicle pulled back over to the side of the road and waved the wardens to drive by. During the traffic stop, the wardens noticed the driver was unable to turn down the music on his radio. When asked what he was doing, the driver said, “I was just trying to…” The driver then picked up his beer and handed it to the wardens. The driver’s speech was slurred, and he was unable to keep his balance as he exited the vehicle. After the Standard Field Sobriety Test was administered, the driver was transported to the McLennan County Jail and was booked into jail for a DWI. A blood specimen was obtained. The case is pending.

And That’s the Boat-tom Line

Three Bell County game wardens were patrolling Lake Belton checking crappie, white bass and tournament fishermen when they came across a vessel hull identification number that did not conform to the U.S. Coast Guard standards. The wardens ran the TX number and the vessel was flagged for a mandatory boat inspection. The man operating the vessel had purchased the boat several days ago from another person who didn’t put the vessel in their name and failed to provide a title to the boat. The wardens contacted the current registered owner who said the boat had been stolen from Belton in 2009. A police report was never made. The vessel was seized and citations were issued to the subject who sold the vessel.