A Missouri conservation agent patrolling near Bagnell Dam encountered an out-of-state angler fishing inside a restricted zone, and the stop took an unusual turn when the man asked the agent to take a photo of the catfish he had just caught before being told the fish had to be released.
The encounter was featured in a video from the bodycam footage YouTube channel Arrest Cam Fish and Wildlife, whose host explained that the man was ultimately charged with fishing in a restricted zone. According to the channel, he later pleaded guilty and was ordered to pay $247 in costs and fines.
The bodycam footage showed a calm and almost polite interaction, but it also showed how easily a fishing violation can happen when someone does not understand the marked boundaries around a dam.
A Big Catch In The Wrong Place
The video began with the Arrest Cam Fish and Wildlife host explaining that a Missouri conservation agent was patrolling near Bagnell Dam when he saw a suspect fishing in a restricted area.
The agent approached the man along the bank and asked how things were going.
“Oh, not too bad,” the angler replied, clearly focused on the line in the water.
The agent then asked whether he had a big fish or was hung up on something.
“Oh, I got a fish,” the man answered.
The footage showed the angler working the fish in and eventually bringing up what appeared to be a large catfish, a catch that clearly meant something to him. Before the warning or citation came, the moment looked like the sort of fishing memory a person would want to keep.
That is exactly what happened next.
After the agent told him the fish would have to be released, the man asked whether the agent could take a quick picture.
“Can you take a picture real quick?” the angler asked.
The agent agreed, and the man explained why he wanted the photo.
“This is the biggest catfish I’ve caught,” he said.
It was an odd moment, but also a very human one. The man had just learned that the fish could not be kept, yet he still wanted proof of the catch before putting it back, and the conservation agent handled the request without turning the stop into something needlessly tense.
The Agent Explains The Restricted Zone
After the fish was photographed and released, the agent began checking the man’s information and permit.
The angler told the agent he had his permit on his phone and was from out of state. The officer asked for his name, and the man identified himself as Brandon.
The conservation agent then explained the problem clearly.
“Up here where you’re fishing, this is a restricted fishing zone,” the agent said.
He told Brandon that anglers cannot fish within 75 yards of the dam and pointed to the yellow line marking the boundary. According to the agent, the line showed where the angler’s “line, lure, everything stops.”
The agent also pointed to a large white sign on the far side of the river, explaining that someone fishing at the boundary could cast straight toward the sign or downstream, but not upstream toward the dam.
The only reason someone should be in that area, the agent said, would be to collect bait fish with a dip net or throw net.
The explanation was simple, and Brandon did not appear to argue. He told the agent he understood, though he also said he had seen people all over the bank earlier in the day and had moved down after they left.
That comment is common in outdoor enforcement cases. People often assume that if others are doing something, it must be allowed, but that is not a reliable way to judge hunting or fishing rules, especially near dams, spillways, wildlife areas, or marked restricted zones.
A Citation, But No Court If Paid In Time
The agent told Brandon that he would receive a ticket for fishing in a restricted fishing zone.
He also explained that a court date had to be assigned, but Brandon would not have to appear in court if he handled the citation ahead of time.
The agent went through the paperwork carefully, pointing out that he had handwritten three zeros in front of the ticket number because the court had recently changed its numbering system. He warned Brandon that if those three zeros were not included, the ticket number might not be found in the court system.
The citation listed the date, time, location, personal information, and the statute and regulation number for fishing in a restricted fishing zone. The agent set a court date for 9 a.m. on May 14, 2025, at the Miller County Courthouse in Tuscumbia.
He told Brandon that if he paid or otherwise handled the matter online, by mail, or by phone, he would not need to worry about the court date.
But he also warned him not to ignore it.
If Brandon did not take care of the ticket and failed to appear in court, the agent said, a warrant could be issued for his arrest.
“And you don’t want that over a fishing violation,” the agent told him.
Brandon agreed that he did not.
The Fine Was Up To The Court
Brandon asked the agent how much the ticket would cost, and the agent told him he did not know.
“That I do not know. It’s completely up to the judge,” the agent said.
The agent explained that conservation officers do not set fine amounts and do not receive any of the money from citations. He said the money goes to the schools.
That part of the exchange was useful because many people assume officers have direct control over fine amounts, but in cases like this, the officer’s role is to issue the citation and document the violation, while the court handles the cost.
The agent also told Brandon to wait about a week and a half to two weeks before trying to pay or ask the court about the ticket, because the citation first had to be entered into the conservation agency’s system and then delivered to the court.
If he called too soon, the agent said, the court might not know what he was talking about yet.
A Calm Stop With A Clear Lesson
Near the end of the stop, Brandon thanked the agent for explaining the rule.
“Thanks for telling me,” he said, adding that he was only in the area once a year for work and had seen other people fishing along the bank earlier.
The agent responded that the main thing was to learn from it and make sure it did not happen again.
He again pointed out the yellow line and reminded Brandon that everything had to stop there.
The interaction stayed calm from beginning to end, which is part of what makes the footage interesting. There was no chase, no shouting, and no dramatic arrest, just a conservation officer enforcing a boundary rule and an angler learning that the place where he caught his biggest catfish was not a legal place to fish.
The Arrest Cam Fish and Wildlife host said that, in the end, Brandon was charged with fishing in a restricted zone, pleaded guilty, and was ordered to pay $247 in costs and fines.
For anglers, the case is a reminder to pay close attention to signs, lines, and restricted areas around dams. Those areas are often regulated for safety, fishery management, or both, and the rules may not be obvious to someone visiting from out of state.
It also shows that a good catch does not erase a violation. Brandon still got his photo, the fish went back into the water, and the citation followed because the line had been cast where it was not allowed.
Mark grew up in the heart of Texas, where tornadoes and extreme weather were a part of life. His early experiences sparked a fascination with emergency preparedness and homesteading. A father of three, Mark is dedicated to teaching families how to be self-sufficient, with a focus on food storage, DIY projects, and energy independence. His writing empowers everyday people to take small steps toward greater self-reliance without feeling overwhelmed.
