Louisiana Angler Accused of Fraud Over Trophy Largemouth Bass
Posted 2026-04-20 by
The man could face up to 10 years in jail and up to $6,000 in fines after after allegedly lying about where he caught the lunker in an effort to get a free replica mount
Jody Kyle Jeane is accused of committing fraud against the Toledo Bend Lake Association’s Lunker Bass Program to get a free replica.
A Louisiana man could face up to 10 years in jail for lying about where he caught a fish.
According to kplctv.com, Jody Kyle Jeane, 40, is behind bars and facing charges for committing fraud against a fishing program to get a free replica.
Jeane 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. Prosecutors claim he signed official documentation, falsely claiming he caught the fish in Toledo Bend.
On March 15, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) agents were patrolling at the Hickory Ridge boat launch on Vernon Lake when they saw Jeane and another man loading a bass boat onto a trailer. Jeane showed the agents a 12-pound bass he’d caught, saying it was his biggest fish yet and that he planned to have it mounted.
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The next day, the LDWF agents saw a photo of Jeane, who was wearing the same clothes and posing with the same bass, which they recognized by its unique tail markings, in a social media post from the Lunker Bass Program.
Through the Lunker Bass Program, anglers who catch and release bass weighing at least 10 pounds on Toledo Bend Lake can receive free fiberglass replicas. Anglers must present their live fish at a certified weigh station and sign official documentation verifying the location, date and time of the catch.
LDWF agents said after they obtained an arrest warrant for forgery and attempted theft, Jeane admitted that he caught the fish in Vernon Lake and was booked into the Vernon Parish jail on April 1.
Jeane is currently in custody in Sabine Parish, where he faces charges of attempted theft, which carries a fine of up to a $1,000 and six months in jail, and forgery, which carries a fine of up to $5,000 and 10 years in jail.
The Toledo Bend Lake Association said they may start requiring polygraph testing for anyone submitting an entry to the TBLA Lunker Program if deemed necessary.
