Man fined for fishing bass out of season on Chemong Lake

A Toronto man has been fined $800 for catching largemouth bass on Chemong Lake during the closed season, contrary to the Ontario fishery regulations, according to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry.

Atique Miah pleaded guilty to unlawfully catching and retaining largemouth bass during the closed season in a case heard by Justice of the peace Joni Glover on Jan. 26 in Ontario Court of Justice in Peterborough.

The court heard that on June 9, 2015, a Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry conservation officer observed Miah fishing from shore on Chemong Lake.

The officer determined that Miah had been catching and placing fish in an enclosure constructed of rocks along the shoreline that prevented the fish from escaping back into the lake, a release from the ministry states.

Miah was found to be keeping largemouth bass within that enclosure, along with sunfish and crappie.

The season for bass doesn’t open until the third Saturday in June in Fisheries Management Zone 17 where Miah was fishing. The Ontario Fishing Regulations Summary is available at ontario.ca/fishing .... People can report a natural resources violation at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry tips line at 1-877-847-7667 toll-free any time, or at a local ministry office during regular business hours or to Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800222-8477.