Outdoornews
May 27, 2021
Captain Laura Petreikis
In LaSalle County, CPO Kaufman was checking fishermen at the Dayton Dam, Fox River near Ottawa. The fishermen had all their fish on a stringer and in a bucket. CPO Kaufman told them if they caught any smallmouth bass they would have to throw them back since it was a closed season. The fishermen said they knew that. When CPO Kaufman asked for their fishing licenses they said they were up in their car. CPO Kaufman and the fishermen starting walking back to the parking lot when a hydro plant worker at the dam approached CPO Kaufman. The worker said the fishermen had been putting fish in a bag in a backpack nearby. CPO Kaufman walked over to the backpack and looked in the bag. Inside the bag was 6 smallmouth bass and a 13 ½ inch walleye, all illegal fish. Each fisherman was issued 3 citations.