# Man Arrested For Catching Oversized Fish



## SurfRat (Apr 16, 2005)

Now here is a fish story.....:fishing:
July 13, 2009
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. -- A Brevard County man said a simple fishing trip became his worst nightmare. Christopher Rose had never been arrested until an officer boarded his boat 18 miles off-shore in March. 
"Needless to say it was probably one of my worst fishing adventures of all time," said Rose. 
One of his friends caught a Cobia, which they thought was just big enough to keep. 
"He took a measurement of it. Stood up and said, 'Are you aware of the regulations on this species?' We said, 'Yes, it's 33 inches to the tail,'" Rose said. 
However, fishermen are supposed to measure to the fork of the tail. The officer said it missed the mark by two and a half inches. 
"I said, 'Listen, sir, these are my friends, this is my boat, I'll take responsibility for this fish,'" Rose said. 
So Christopher Rose took the citation thinking he would pay the fine and that would be the end of it. But prosecutors decided to press criminal charges and now he was looking at a $1,000 fine and the possibility of jail time. 
"It's comical. Laughable," said Rose. 
Rose went to trial for one undersized fish that he didn't catch. In court, Rose took a compass and measured the fish based on the inches that can be seen, which suggested the fish was not undersized. 
"35 inches?" asked the judge. "35 inches and that's from snout bottom lip to fork in the tail?" 
"Yes sir," replied Rose. 
"Whatever measuring the defendant did do wasn't done with any sort of measuring device," said the prosecutor. 
The judge agreed and Rose was convicted. But the judge spared him jail time. Rose had to pay a fine and fees along with his legal fees, which cost him $2,000. 
"What you think might be a simple mistake can haunt you," said Rose


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## eaglesfanguy (May 1, 2003)

OUCH!

But ignorance of the law.. is no excuse.. 

they make it tough to keep up.. but thus is life.Its our responsibility to decipher these crazy ever changing laws and regs..


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## SnapperHunter26 (Apr 28, 2009)

I'm sorry, but like was said before...ignorance of the law is no excuse. Ever heard of a law stick??


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## GCGuy (Oct 22, 2008)

18 miles offshore????  Dayum!!! 18 miles???
Eddycate me..what's the min/max on this in sunny FL??? 

GC


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## adp29934 (Dec 30, 2008)

SnapperHunter26 said:


> I'm sorry, but like was said before...ignorance of the law is no excuse. Ever heard of a law stick??


I say throw the book at them. I NEVER take an illegal fish. There is no excuse. Know the law before you fish.


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## RuddeDogg (Mar 20, 2004)

eaglesfanguy said:


> OUCH!
> 
> But ignorance of the law.. is no excuse..
> 
> they make it tough to keep up.. but thus is life.Its our responsibility to decipher these crazy ever changing laws and regs..


Yep.


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## Trout MAn (Jan 5, 2008)

Im not familiar with Fla laws.....But i know that 5 miles off the coast of Ga is out of the State Waters......wouldnt this be patrolled by the coast Guard???

Correct me if im wrong.......

Not saying this guy is right by any means...I say throw the book at him .....but anyways


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## Tracker16 (Feb 16, 2009)

States only have juristiction out to 3 miles don't they??


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## adp29934 (Dec 30, 2008)

Tracker16 said:


> States only have juristiction out to 3 miles don't they??


I'm sure that fish was gonna come back to the dock.


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## seeknfin (Dec 28, 2006)

Man and I was bitch, moaning, and groaning for getting tagged with a "multilated finfish" citation for bait given to me by some friends down at the Point. That cost me just under 150 to the state of NC. I feel like I got off pretty easy after reading this...


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