Sport fishing guide convicted on 8 charges

PALMER — Sportfishing guide Ray Blodgett was convicted Wednesday in Palmer District Court of eight Class A misdemeanors as a sports fish guide aiding in the commission of a Fish and Game violation by a client. Judge William Estelle presided.

Blodgett was charged Aug. 7, 2011, with the violations while guiding clients for Fisherman’s Choice Charters on Fish Creek, a tributary of the Talkeetna River.

Blodgett was guiding four clients who were fishing with salmon roe and using two hooks on each line. According to Alaska Wildlife Troopers, who caught the group while acting on a tip about illegal fishing activity, the area where Blodgett was guiding was limited to single-hook, artificial lures only.

The four clients were issued citations for fishing using unlawful methods and means. Charges against the clients were dismissed, Blodgett said.

Blodgett was charged with aiding a client in the commission of a Fish and Game violation, a Class A misdemeanor.

Blodgett said the violations are rooted in errors in the state’s printed book of regulations that included bad information and an outdated map on page 31.

“Everything in the book is wrong,” he said. “I was convicted of following their published regulations.”

The original trial date was set for Dec. 9, 2011, but was rescheduled several times.

Blodgett said his fishing boat was seized when he was charged in August. The judge will decide at sentencing Feb. 27 whether he will forfeit the boat and whether to take Blodgett’s guide license for a period of time.

“This isn’t a laughing matter,” Blodgett said. “I’ve already been found guilty while following the fishing regulations that are still available today.”