# What R U Thinking???



## Trout MAn (Jan 5, 2008)

http://www.floridasportsman.com/casts/090825/index.html

WOW


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## BentHook (Dec 22, 2002)

*What R U thinking Part II*

Snook poacher lands in jail
August 25, 2009
Contact: Joy Hill, 352-258-3426

An 18-year-old St. Augustine man on Monday discovered for the second time in as many days that possessing snook out of season is serious business in Florida.

Serious enough to land you in jail, where Robert Carl Mock III, 18 (DOB 11-22-90), of 6171 Costanero Road, St. Augustine, found himself Monday morning. A Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) officer arrested Mock, thanks to an alert angler who called the agency's Wildlife Alert Hotline around 7 a.m. Monday and reported a man had four snook in the back of his pickup truck at Matanzas Inlet. He described the truck and gave FWC dispatchers its license plate number.

Currently the snook season is closed, and anglers cannot legally possess the species until the season opens Sept. 1.

By the time FWC Lt. Steve Zukowsky got to the inlet about 50 minutes later, the truck with the snook was gone. But Zukowsky caught up with Mock at his St. Augustine home around 8:30 a.m. and found the snook in a cooler in the back of a pickup truck that matched the caller's description.

In addition to the closed-season violation, Mock had a few other snook-related problems. For one thing, even if snook were in season, he had too many; the legal daily limit is one. For another, one of the fish was 33 inches long; the legal slot size is 28 to 32 inches.

To add to his Monday morning blues, Mock and two of his friends got tickets about 5:30 a.m. Saturday for two of the same charges -- possessing snook during the closed season and exceeding the bag limit. FWC officers Clay McDonough and Don Meurlot in Volusia County filed those charges.

On both days, Mock caught the fish in the Intracoastal Waterway at the LB Knox Bridge, locally known as High Bridge, in Volusia County at the Flagler line.

But on Monday, instead of writing Mock another ticket, Zukowsky hauled him off to jail.

"The bag limit violation is a major violation, which enhances the penalty, making it a first-degree misdemeanor. Because of multiple violations, the major violation and the fact that he was cited only two days before for two of the same violations, I booked him into the St. Johns County Jail," Zukowsky said. 

"When people ignore fishing regulations, they are stealing from ethical anglers who abide by the law," he added.

Mock is facing several first- and second-degree misdemeanors for possessing snook out of season, exceeding the snook bag limit and possessing oversized snook, as well as mandatory civil penalties if convicted of the over-the-bag-limit charges.

The maximum penalty for a first-degree misdemeanor is a $1,000 fine and one year in jail; for a second-degree misdemeanor, the maximum is a $500 fine and 60 days in jail.

Officers seized the snook, the cooler and the fishing rod as evidence, and donated the fish to the St. Francis House in St. Augustine.

If you suspect someone is breaking fish and wildlife laws, or is boating under the influence, please report them to the Wildlife Alert Hotline by phone at 888-404-3922 or online at MyFWC.com and click on the Wildlife Alert graphic. You may remain anonymous and could receive a reward if your information leads to an arrest. Wildlife Alert helps catch poachers and earns callers rewards for turning them in to law enforcement.


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## Kingfshr (Jan 31, 2009)

His name should be Mook.


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## kooler (Nov 2, 2006)

kinda interesting both events had a st. augustine connection. sad sacks i'd say. just trying to make a buck i guess in their time of need but that aint the proper way i'd say.
Here is to Martin and i think he woud say "lets all toast to the FWC for a job well done''. :beer:


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## emanuel (Apr 2, 2002)

Throw the book at him.


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## sprtsracer (Apr 27, 2005)

I've got the FWC number programmed into my cell phone! We have to police ourselves! The FWC can't be everywhere, that's for sure. In the first instance, I wonder if they got any info on who was buying the illegal fish.


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## kooler (Nov 2, 2006)

you know they are squeezing those guys to get that info. let us know if you hear who was on the buying end of these deals so we will know who not to patronize for our fresh fish purchases.


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## cwitty (May 10, 2008)

That would be nice to know...agreed


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## RuddeDogg (Mar 20, 2004)

emanuel said:


> Throw the book at him.


Yep.


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## striperswiper (Nov 30, 2004)

28 to 32" wat a shitty slot limit. thats sounds dumb. Is there a lack of snook down there? i dont understand i see plenty of reports and pics of snook. i geuss he got what he deserved though, they look like some pretty fun fish to catch i wish we had them up our way, even with that dumb slot limit. somebody please tell me why the window is so small on that slot.


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## oldsalt737 (Apr 8, 2009)

*Book'em*

I agree that they should throw the book at them. Now, after reading the original post I failed to see any mention of them selling any of the fish. It was suggested a few entry's later that he *MAY* be selling the fish and it seems like most people jumped on the band wagon and ran with it. While I am totally against what they did, I also do not think it is fair to suggest that they did anything other than what were charged with. If they were selling the fish, do you not think they would have been charged? IMO
Have a good Holiday


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## GreenFord (Apr 11, 2009)

"The two suspects then loaded their boat on a trailer, only to be stopped by FWC Officer Wilcox because a trailer light was out and the truck and boat matched the description of Hobbs’ rig. Hobbs told officers they caught the redish with a castnet and had intended to sell them." 
Looks like they told FWC that was their plan.


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## oldsalt737 (Apr 8, 2009)

*My bad*

I forgot to clarify that I was referring to the SNOOK POACHER .


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## saltfisher1 (Feb 15, 2008)

Fish limits are getting aweful tight for the recreational guy but the commercial guys are still putting a killin on them...I think they need to aim there attention at federal waters violations and cut the recreational guy some slack....My personal opinion is that the government wants to try to regulate everything and make money hand over fist and say screw the public...if you cant catch enough to feed you and yours go buy commercial joes fish...that just aint right.


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