SCHROON LAKE — A ticketing last month is a reminder that anglers are not allowed to keep lake trout shorter than 18 inches.

The state Department of Environmental Conservation provided the following report.

On Feb. 18, Environmental Conservation Officer George LaPoint received a report of ice fishermen on Schroon Lake who were catching lake trout shorter than the legal length. He contacted Acting Lt. Maxwell Nicols, who located the suspects’ vehicle with information provided by the complainant. From the shore, the two officers observed the ice anglers until they returned to their vehicle.

They reported that when they asked to see the fish caught, one angler pulled out the legally caught fish while trying to hide the undersized fish. The ECOs said they discovered nine undersized lake trout, the largest measuring 17 inches. One of the men was also fishing without a license. LaPoint issued both subjects tickets for undersized and over-the-limit lake trout, and one for fishing without a license.

After advising the men of the limit of two lake trout per angler and the legal minimum length of 18 inches, the ECOs allowed the licensed fisherman to keep his legal-length catch. The undersized trout were donated to DEC Bureau of Wildlife staff, to use as bait for a fisher and pine marten live-trapping study.