Angler wanted photo of ‘stringer full of fish’ — and got cited, Missouri officials say

An angler illegally kept largemouth bass “just so he could take a picture of a stringer full of fish,” according to Missouri wildlife officials.

Authorities say the man was recently fishing at Hager Lake in Farmington, where he kept black bass of “illegal length.” He also kept too many fish, according to the Missouri Department of Conservation.

The photo shared by the state department shows at least eight fish on the stringer.

Missouri regulations say anglers can possess a daily limit of six black bass, though some areas have more specific regulations.

At Hager Lake, all black bass less than 15 inches “must be returned to the water unharmed immediately after being caught.”

The man was cited after officials say he possessed “illegal length and over-limit of black bass.”

“Please don’t boost your social media presence at the expense of our wildlife,” the department said.

Hager Lake is about 72 miles southwest of St. Louis in eastern Missouri.

This story was originally published July 11, 2022 at 1:47 PM with the headline "Angler wanted photo of ‘stringer full of fish’ — and got cited, Missouri officials say."