ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) – It was an anonymous tip to the “Turn In Poachers” program that led to the uncovering of a massive case of overfishing.

A catch of 856 panfish, mostly crappies and sunfish, was 676 fish over the legal limits for a party of Indiana anglers.

“This really gets under the skin of honest citizens who want to protect our resources,” explains DNR Enforcement Division Director, Col. Ken Soring.

Soring said an anonymous tipster grew suspicious and reported the case to the TIP hotline.

“This isn’t a counting error by any means,” Soring said. “When you are close to 680 fish over the limit, that is intentional.”

On Tuesday, Becker County charged the six anglers, from two Bedford, Indiana, families, with misdemeanor overfishing. It’s a crime punishable with a $1,000 fine and up to 90 days in jail.

The anglers were staying in two cabins at the End of the Road Resort on Upper Cormorant Lake. They apparently aroused suspicion by making what seemed like too many trips to the fish cleaning house.

DNR conservation officers began surveying the fishing party and later paid a visit to inquire about their catch. When the officers arrived, they discovered deep freezers in each of two cabins packed with illegal crappies and sunfish. In total, the anglers caught and largely cleaned some 856 fish – 676 over their legal limits.

“This is a big case,” Soring said. “This negatively impacts fishing in Minnesota.”

If convicted of overfishing, it will be expensive. On top of the fine and potential jail time, there is restitution of $5 per fish.

That’s roughly 34-hundred dollars on top of loss of fishing privileges for three years — both in Minnesota and their home state of Indiana.

Legally, each angler can only have possession limits of 10 crappies and 20 sunfish.

That includes what you have in your freezer. In other words you have to consume those before you’re allowed another limit.