re: Deep South Charters' Josh Howard sentenced for keeping illegal bluefin

word for word from the hull truth, just copied it!

Guys, I am really flattered taht you find my life so interesting I really am! Normally I wouldnt post much on something like this but figured its worth it on this one! I may even do a post on my blog where i can show the subpoena with my home address on it yet they carried it out in Venice! Like Mitch said, I was the the deckhand on the boat! This was not my trip, not my customers, not my permits, nothing at all to do with me, I was the deckhand! We caught this fish after 5 hours, had no clue it was out of season, why would I keep up with something that I never catch! I have no idea if I can kill a polar bear if I see one either! We knew that bluefin had been landed in Venice before so thought we were ok to keep it, lets be honest who the hell would think we would land one on a 50 wide anyway but we did! I have phone records to show where I called HMS and spoke to Tom Warren for 14 mins about the fish to find out if we had indeed broke the law! He said if the fish never hit the dock then nothing to report! We sent a text to eddie while still about 10 miles south of Elf to get him to check the laws, he said cant keep it! The fish was dead after the fight, still moving but not gonna make it! Even though woody said it would, we all know he knows everything! If this fish was brought to the dock, we would have pics, people would have seen it! Kinda hard to hide a 500 pound fish! I can care less if you think we did or did not bring the fish in! This post is more to let you know how the state really stiff armed me! I have emails from the federal game warden to back me on this, he said and I quote "since the boat and permits are in grays name and this was not your trip, you should have NEVER even been a person of interest! Keep in mind, I can produce any of this! I also have pics of the fish on the boat and its pitch black in the background, thats because it was 40 miles offshore! I know they really thought I had pics of this fish on my phone but feel free to contact one of about 15 people who saw the pics, I showed them from my camera, not from the phone! The fact that this was an illegal search at the marina, I knew I would go to jail but never thought it would go this far! I thought if you are innocent, it always works out but thats not the case! They act like this was some kind of cover up, im like wow, really??? why would I tell the guard at the marina we caught a bluefin as I step off of the boat, why would I post it on tons of sites including this one, why would gray and I both call HMS, why cant they find a picture of the fish at the dock or anyone that saw it? I even spoke to Lad Turner which is a special investigator for the state, after one phone call, never heard from him again and then a month later they have a whole new investiation! They also gave gray a ticket after finally realizing I wasnt the captian and then federal game warden took over his case and dropped his stuff and wrote him a written warning and it was all over for hime! This same game warden aid the sate was out of control on this and he wanted to help me too but I had a hot head and had to go throw my phone in the water so now i had state charges on me that he just couldnt help with! My lawyer said we had this won all day in trial and begged me to let him take it to trial but I didnt want to take a chance! I had 2 fellony charges against me and if one sticks for whatever reason, I lose my gun right! I have a 6 month old at home and want to be able to take him hunting so this was a win for me! Yeah, I would love to have had it all dropped and clear my name but I just didnt have the balls to chance it! They wanted me to give up my license for life and no way was I going to do that, I have worked too hard to get what I have! We were going to take it to trial ! After the 2nd pre trial, they offered a 2 year suspension and I still wasnt going for that! We tried for 6 months, they met us with a year! So i decided this was a safe way out for me and I knew for sure I wouldnt have a felony charge! I can still fish as a deckhand for the year, I still have my gun right! People ask why would you plead guilty to something if you are not?? well, sometimes you do what you have to do! My lawyer got a 894 after 2 years this should all be off of my record so I thought it was worth it! I also do construction and play music so I have other income, I will still be booking trips, my deckhands are licensed captains as well and will be running my boat and just for fun, I have added another boat to the fleet! Hope to have a record year!! Everyone keeps saying we got ratted out! I dont know so much about that considering I posted in on the web but you can believe the state agaent has ties to someone in Venice but hey! Im a big boy, I can take it! I wish things had been done different! People that know me may like me or not like me but I doubt you will find one to say Im an outlaw! Up to this bs, my record was super clean, a couple of speeding tickets and that is it! NO crimianl record at all! So feel free to say whatever you want! I could care less, just remeber, can always been you! If you are fine with the state overstepping then fine with me! I will be fine! This little 6 month old boy at home is my top prioroty! Folks saying things about me on the web, well, not so much!! Hope to see you all on the water, maybe one day I will be in a position to lend a helping hand!!!

Capt Josh Howard

ps, sorry for any spelling mistakes! I went through this pretty quick! I will post on here when and if I decide to post the subpoena, bluefin pics, emails from federal game warden....... need to speak to my lawyer first!!! Have a great night!!