Two Muscatine men are facing some hefty fines for illegal fishing. Lucas Dever, a DNR Conservation Officer in Louisa County, says a call to the Turn in Poachers hotline led officers to a waterway called the Muscatine Slough on the evening of May 21.
The officers found two men using commercial fishing nets in the waterway and keeping crappies as part of their catch. “They ran the gear and we went and made contact with them,” Dever said. “At first, they denied it, but then they owned up to it.” The two men, 41-year-old Duane Hook and 43-year-old Brian Lawrence, are charged with commercial fishing without a commercial fishing license, in an area closed to commercial fishing. “About 14 charges between the two of them,” Dever said.
Hook was fined $995 and the DNR seized the small boat he was using. Lawrence was fined $920.