A Wisconsin angler who returned home after a successful day of catfishing found a Department of Natural Resources warden waiting for him after a concerned citizen reported that he may have kept more fish than the local limit allowed, according to bodycam footage shared by Arrest Cam Fish and Wildlife.
The channel’s host said the April 26, 2025, encounter began after a tip about possible overbagging at Beaver Dam Lake, where anglers were limited to 10 catfish per person from that body of water even though Wisconsin’s broader total daily bag limit can reach 25 per person.
By the time Warden Logan finished counting the family’s catch, he had 36 catfish laid out in front of him.
Warden Follows A Tip Back To The House
According to the Arrest Cam Fish and Wildlife narrator, the warden received enough information from the caller to identify the angler and locate his residence.
When Logan first arrived, the man he wanted to speak with was not home.
The encounter quickly became a somewhat confusing series of conversations with family members, some of whom spoke English and some of whom did not, as the officer tried to determine who had actually been fishing.
One son eventually reached the angler by phone and told Logan his father was still returning from the fishing trip.
The son also volunteered an important detail.
“He did say he took about 30,” he told the officer.
Rather than leave, Logan decided to wait outside until the angler arrived.
The tone remained calm throughout, with the warden repeatedly apologizing for showing up late and making clear that he simply needed to follow up on a complaint.
Angler Comes Home With All 36 Fish
When the fisherman finally returned, Logan introduced himself as a DNR warden and explained that he had received a complaint concerning fishing activity at Beaver Dam Lake.
The angler and a younger family member confirmed they had been fishing there and agreed to show him their catch.
The fish were still in coolers.
As Logan began pulling them out and counting, the total kept climbing.
The final number was 36 catfish.
The channel’s host said he was impressed that the fisherman came home with the entire catch even though he already knew an officer was waiting.
That did not excuse the violation, but it did suggest the man was not trying to hide the fish or dispose of evidence before getting home.
The family also remained cooperative while Logan inspected the catch.
Local Limit Was Lower Than The Statewide Total
The central issue was not simply that the fishermen had more than 25 catfish between them.
Logan explained that Wisconsin’s regulations can be more complicated because the total daily bag limit and the limit from one specific body of water are not always the same.
For catfish, he said, a person might legally harvest 10 from one lake, another 10 from a second body of water and five from a third, reaching the total daily limit of 25 without violating any single-water limit.
At Beaver Dam Lake, however, the limit was 10 catfish per person.
Because all 36 fish had come from the same lake, that was the problem.
The two anglers could legally keep 20 between them.
The remaining 16 were over the limit.
This is exactly why the channel’s host stressed that anglers cannot rely on knowing only a statewide number. The rules can change depending on the lake, river or section of water being fished.
A Second Violation Surfaces
While working through the catfish issue, Logan discovered another problem.
The younger fisherman said he was 16 years old.
When asked whether he had a fishing license, he said no.
Logan explained that Wisconsin requires a license starting at age 16, while those 15 and younger are exempt.
That meant the warden was now looking at several possible violations rather than just the excess fish.
Still, he told the family he was not interested in “hammering” them with multiple tickets.
Instead, Logan said he intended to issue only one citation to the father for exceeding the daily bag limit.
That was a fairly measured approach considering the number of possible violations he had identified.
Family Allowed To Keep 20 Catfish
Logan told the two fishermen they could each select 10 legal fish to keep.
He encouraged them to pick the largest ones.
That left 16 catfish for the DNR to take.
The warden said he did not want the fish to go to waste and planned to try to get them to the Humane Society so they could be used as food for wildlife.
He also explained another regulation the family needed to understand: the possession limit.
According to Logan, the total possession limit was twice the daily bag limit, meaning each person could generally have up to 50 catfish stored at home under the broader rule he was describing.
In this case, he said the family appeared to be fine on that issue.
Warden Chooses Education Over Multiple Tickets
Logan spent much of the encounter explaining the rules rather than simply writing citations.
He gave the family copies of the fishing regulations and walked them through how the daily bag limits worked.
He also provided his business card and encouraged them to contact him in the future if they were unsure about what they could keep.
“I want to be a resource to you guys,” he said.
Logan told them he would much rather answer a question before a fishing trip than have to knock on their door late at night afterward.
That approach stood out because the encounter could easily have become far more confrontational.
Instead, the officer remained polite and the family admitted they were not familiar with the specific regulations.
The mistake still carried consequences, but the stop was handled more like a correction and warning than a punishment-heavy enforcement action.
Citation Came To About $243
Logan told the family the citation would arrive by mail and would include information about the court date and payment process.
He estimated the amount at somewhere around $200, though he said he did not know the exact total at the time.
He also warned that ignoring the citation could eventually create more serious problems, including possible loss of fishing privileges.
According to Arrest Cam Fish and Wildlife, the angler ultimately received one citation for exceeding the daily bag limit by an amount between 26% and 50%.
He did not contest the charge.
The channel reported that he was found guilty and ordered to pay $243 in fines and costs.
Within a month, he had paid the amount in full.
Host Praises How Both Sides Handled It
The Arrest Cam Fish and Wildlife host said he believed the interaction was handled well by everyone involved.
He praised Logan for remaining professional and friendly while still enforcing the regulations.
He also gave the family credit for cooperating and accepting responsibility rather than trying to hide the catch or argue over the count.
Still, the narrator emphasized that the responsibility ultimately rests with the angler.
Fishing regulations can be complicated, especially when statewide limits differ from rules for individual bodies of water, but anglers are expected to check those rules before keeping fish.
In this case, the family brought home 36 catfish from one lake when they could legally keep only 20 between them.
The mistake ended with one citation, 16 fish surrendered and a detailed lesson from a warden who had already been waiting at the house when the fishing trip was over.
Ed spent his childhood in the backwoods of Maine, where harsh winters taught him the value of survival skills. With a background in bushcraft and off-grid living, Ed has honed his expertise in fire-making, hunting, and wild foraging. He writes from personal experience, sharing practical tips and hands-on techniques to thrive in any outdoor environment. Whether it’s primitive camping or full-scale survival, Ed’s advice is grounded in real-life challenges.
