Keeping fish shorter than mandated size limits is illegal, but only a misdemeanor in Tennessee. However, flagrantly abusing the state’s law can be costly, as a Bloomington Springs resident recently learned in Smith County’s General Sessions Courtroom.

Danny Ray Jackson was charged March 9th for possessing 30 undersized sauger while fishing below Cordell Hull in Smith County. Sauger is a fish that most anglers pursue during the winter and is known for its excellent taste.

“He and a juvenile were observed in possession of a total of 34 sauger of which 30 were under the legal size limit of 15 inches,” noted Smith County Wildlife Officer Derrick Triplett. “The daily bag limit of legally sized sauger is only 10 fish per person.”

Jackson apparently attempted to store his fish in a ice cooler, but when he noticed a Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency creel clerk working in the area dropped the cooler overboard and floated it downriver.

Creel clerks are responsible for surveying anglers about the number of fish they catch and data they collect is utilized by TWRA to manage lake and river fish populations.

“Our creel clerk Al Bartolotto saw Jackson trying to get rid of the cooler below Cordell Hull Dam,” explained Triplett. “He notified me of what had happened and I charged Mr. Jackson with multiple counts of keeping small fish.”

In Smith County General Sessions Court Judge David Bass recently accepted Jackson’s guilty pleas and he fined and charged Jackson court costs that totaled $867.

“In addition his fishing privileges were revoked for one year and he was given a 6-month jail term that the judge suspended unless Jackson breaks his supervised probation.”
Jackson is under supervised probation until he pays off his fines and court costs, according to Triplett.