DNR: Walleye poachers near Baudette were 48 fish over their limit

Three Twin Cities area men who went fishing instead of hunting during opening weekend of the deer season were caught poaching walleyes and saugers from Rainy River and Lake of the Woods, according to charges against them.

Conservation Officer Corey Sura caught onto the group's activity Sunday afternoon while they were launching their boat into the river at Wheeler's Point Public Access near Baudette, Minn. They initially denied having an overabundance of fish, but their stash was uncovered when the game warden heard a flopping noise.

In total, the three men were busted for possessing 72 walleyes and saugers, 48 over their combined limit.

The three men were identified as Michael Sysa, 22, of Oak Grove; David Sysa, 23, of Oak Grove; and Yevgeniy Simonovich, 29, of Elk River. Sura's report said the group included a minor, also from Oak Grove.

According to the report, Sura initially discovered that the group had two too many walleyes in the boat's live well. Michael Sysa, who was driving the boat and trailer rig, said it was a mistake and he would take the ticket.

Sura was prepared to confiscate the two extra fish and let the anglers take home the rest. He then asked permission to search the truck and Michael Sysa consented, the report said. Inside the truck were two coolers.

"I immediately heard the sound of 'flopping,' coming from one of the two coolers,'' Sura wrote in his report.

When he opened the container, it was three-quarters full of walleyes and saugers, and some were still alive. The other cooler contained dead walleyes and saugers caught the previous day, the report said.

Initially, one of the men — David Sysa — denied any responsibility for the over-limit of fish, the report said.

But after the officer allowed the three men to talk to each other, they each agreed to receive a misdemeanor ticket. Under the law, consequences could include restitution of $30 per illegal fish, or a total of $1,440.

Sura's report didn't say if any of the fish were oversized. Special regulations for fishing in border waters say all keepers must be less than 19.5 inches in length or greater than 28 inches. Of the 72 fish caught and kept, 32 were walleyes.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources donated the fish for consumption to residents of the Warroad Senior Living Center, Sura said in his report.