WATCH — Sheriff: Florida Man Steals Live Tarpon from Bass Pro Shops Pond

Amy Furr

A man is accused of stealing a live fish from a pond at Bass Pro Shops in Fort Myers, Florida, on Wednesday.

Lee County Sheriff’s Deputies are searching for the man who allegedly took a fishing net off a shelf and swiped a 50-pound live tarpon from the pond, Fox 35 reported Thursday.

An image shows a young man wearing a hat, dark-colored T-shirt, and black pants as he carries the fish in the net:

Authorities said once he caught the fish, he left the store. However, his whereabouts remain unknown.

Video footage reportedly shows several bystanders watching him carry the fish in the net. “It turns out it was a real tarpon. It didn’t even cross my mind that somebody would stoop that low to steal such a federally protected fish,” Bass Pro Shops employee Chance Floyd told ABC 7.

In the clip of the incident, the fish is flailing around in the net as the alleged thief tries to keep a tight grip on it.

“I don’t know why somebody has the audacity to do something so selfish and … for what purpose?” one woman said during an interview with ABC 7.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) website details regulations regarding the Tarpon fish:

Minimum Size Limit: None. Tarpon over 40 inches MUST remain in the water unless in pursuit of a state or world record using a tarpon tag. Keep tarpon, especially the gills, in as much water as is safely possible.

Daily Bag Limit: Tarpon is a catch-and-release only fishery. One tarpon tag per person per year may be purchased when in pursuit of a Florida state or world record. Vessel, transport and shipment limited to one fish.

Sheriff’s officials have partnered with agencies, including the FWC, to identify the suspect in the case, per the Fox 35 article.

“The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is aware of an incident at The Bass Pro Shop in Fort Myers involving a tarpon. We are currently working with the Lee County Sheriff’s Office to investigate further,” an FWC spokesperson said.

In June 2020, another disturbing incident occurred at a Bass Pro Shops in Bossier City, Louisiana: a man went for a swim in its large fish tank, Breitbart News reported at the time.

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