A known fish poacher has been arrested after being caught with illegally retained sturgeon at the mouth of the Toutle River.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Police (WDFW) says Officer Lehr responded Sunday to a report from an angler who noticed a suspicious stick in the water. When the man pulled on it, he discovered a sturgeon tied to it with a rope. Sturgeon retention is currently prohibited.

Officer Lehr and WDFW Sergeant Anderson responded to the scene and waited near the isolated access point where the fish had been found. Around 11 p.m., a vehicle arrived and backed into the access road. Lehr watched two individuals handle the sturgeon and saw splashing in the water, possibly indicating another fish being caught.

As the pair returned to their vehicle and began to leave, Officer Lehr stopped them. One of the men was a well-known poacher with a lifetime fishing license suspension. Two sturgeon were found in the vehicle. Both fish were released back into the river.

The known poacher was booked for fishing on a revoked license and two counts of second-degree unlawful fishing. His companion was also cited the following day.