That’s a Load of Crappie

It was a warm Wednesday evening in April when Wildlife Officer Garrett Lenz saw a vehicle run a stop sign while leaving Hensley Lake. After stopping the vehicle, Lenz discovered its occupants were in joint possession of a significant over-limit of crappie. As it would turn out, the vehicle stop and subsequent discovery would foreshadow a more significant case for the young Officer later that evening.

Lenz continued to patrol the lake late into the night, until he discovered a lone truck and empty boat trailer parked at the boat launch. By this time it was almost midnight. At home, the young Officer had a one-year old daughter who would be up bright and early the following morning and a wife who left for work by 6 AM. Lenz knew if he waited for the boat and its occupants to return, he could be out well into the early morning hours. As every minute went by, Lenz  calculated the risk vs. reward ratio in losing valuable sleep in order to POSSIBLY catch a violator(s). However, any Game Warden knows that unforgettable feeling of unknowing anticipation when on a potential stakeout. Lenz decided to commit to the stakeout even if it meant he would be a walking zombie looking after a one-year old the following day. 

Lenz concealed his marked patrol vehicle a short distance away so it could not be seen by the occupants of the boat as it returned. With his patrol vehicle hidden, Lenz contemplated where he could position himself in anticipation for the vessel's return. A porta-potty at the top of the boat launch fit the bill. Lenz concealed himself in the porta-potty and waited. And waited. And waited. All the while Lenz battled thoughts of doubt that he was exchanging invaluable sleep for a contact with anglers who could be in total compliance. Fortunately, Lenz’s commitment and curiosity compelled him to hold out when he heard the faint noise of a boat’s motor approaching him from the far end of the lake. Lenz felt a sense of excitement that also coincided with relief knowing he would be able to get home and get some sleep sooner than later. At least that’s what he thought… 

Lenz peered out of a vent in the porta-potty and watched as a single subject walked up to the parking lot, entered into the truck, and backed the trailer down to the water. After loading the boat on the trailer the truck returned to the top of the boat launch and parked. Lenz cracked open the porta-potty just wide enough for him to see three subjects loading fishing equipment from the boat into the bed of the truck. As luck would have it, the three subjects and the boat were parked less than 20 yards from his location. Lenz knew it was now or never. 

Lenz emerged from the porta-potty at around 2 AM. He allowed the porta-potty door to slam shut so as to intentionally alert the subjects of his close and impending proximity. The look on their faces when they came to the realization that a Game Warden had emerged from the porta-potty at 2 AM can never be forgotten. Lenz identified himself as a “Game Warden” and routinely asked, “How was the fishing?” After the subjects picked their jaws off the ground, they told Lenz they had crappie in their livewell. Lenz inspected the livewell and found 67 crappie; eight less than a three person limit of 75. Perhaps a less experienced or persistent Game Warden would be satisfied with ending the inspection as the anglers didn't even have a legal limit so why on earth would they have an over-limit. However, Lenz was far from satisfied. Every Game Warden can describe a time when they had THE “feeling” that something was amiss. Well, Lenz unequivocally had THE “feeling” that night when he continued the inspection after demanding to see any other fish in their possession. Each angler denied possessing any more fish and invited Lenz to check the boat for himself.

Lenz climbed into the boat to inspect it further. All three subjects suddenly stopped talking and it was so eerily quiet, that a pin dropped 30 yards away could have been heard. Lenz began his inspection at the back of the boat and moved to the front. Lenz inspected every compartment, ice chest, and container he could find. However, his efforts remained fruitless. Beginning to think that his original fear over lack of sleep and watching his one-year old daughter the next day for a routine compliance inspection might actually come to fruition, Lenz turned his attention to a small compartment near the front of the boat. Coincidentally, the compartment was covered with life jackets and other boating equipment. After removing the items covering the compartment, Lenz reached into the dark area and felt something he will never forget as long as he lives. Lenz felt the unmistakable prick of what he immediately identified as a crappie dorsal spine. Lenz immediately looked at the subjects and witnessed them realizing their scheme to steal the State’s natural resources had been thwarted by a Game Warden hiding in a porta-potty at 2 AM on a Thursday. 

Lenz removed four large cloth bags which were each packed full with crappie. Lenz came to terms with the fact that he would definitely not be getting home in time to get a solid night's sleep. He arduously counted and arranged every single crappie into the early morning hours. In all, the three subjects possessed 404 crappie which was 329 crappie over-limit. The suspects remained unremorseful and were only upset they were caught. All three subjects were issued citations which each included a charge of taking and possessing greater than triple the daily bag limit for crappie and their angling equipment was seized as evidence.

Lenz returned home around 5 AM that morning but was far from tired as one might expect. He was still reeling from the “buzz” of knowing he had just apprehended three significant natural resource violators who were caught red handed stealing from the people of California while many of them were sound asleep. However, Lenz still battled with nagging questions. How many nights had they gotten away with their natural resource thievery and what effect could it have on the local fishery? Lenz nor the people of California will never know unfortunately. That is the case with most, if not all, natural resource related crimes. It often goes undetected and underreported which leaves Game Wardens and the people of California alike wondering how prevalent and damaging it truly is. Those nagging questions are what drives most Game Wardens and certainly aches in the heart of many Game Wardens weighing the risk vs. reward of a late night stakeout.