LEESVILLE, La. (KPLC) - A Leesville man is behind bars after committing fraud against a fishing program to get a free replica, agents said.
Jody Kyle Jeane, 40, is accused of catching a fish in Vernon Lake and submitting it to the Toledo Bend Lake Association’s Lunker Bass Program, which provides replicas to anglers who catch and release bass in Toledo Bend Lake. He allegedly signed official documentation, falsely claiming he caught the fish in Toledo Bend.
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries agents saw Jeane and another man loading a bass boat onto a trailer while patrolling at the Hickory Ridge boat launch on March 15. Jeane offered to show the agents a 12-pound bass he had caught, saying it was his personal best and he planned to have it mounted.
The next day, agents saw a photo of Jeane posing with the same bass, which they recognized by its unique tail markings, in a social media post from the Lunker Bass Program, according to LDWF. He was also wearing the same clothes.
The Lunker Bass Program provides free fiberglass replicas to anglers who catch and release bass weighing at least 10 pounds on Toledo Bend Lake. Anglers must present their fish live at a certified weigh station and sign official documentation verifying the location, date and time of the catch.
LDWF agents obtained an arrest warrant for forgery and attempted theft. Jeane admitted to catching the fish in Vernon Lake and was booked into the Vernon Parish jail on April 1, agents said.
Jeane is now in custody in Sabine Parish. Attempted theft carries a fine of up to a $1,000 and six months in jail, while forgery carries a fine of up to $5,000 and 10 years in jail.
The Toledo Bend Lake Association said there may be a possibility moving forward that “anyone submitting an entry to the TBLA Lunker Program will be subjected to a polygraph if deemed necessary.”