You know there are times when you legitimately screw up and $500 seems somewhat steep. I'd say $250 a fish for the first four fish. That covers more tha just slap on the hands to the guy that read the regs wrong and blew it. Still a fine but not a life altering event. Then if you have more than 4 fish go to $1000 a fish, loss of personal vehicle, vessel, and remove all fishing/hunting rights in the state for a periond of 7 years. Second infraction, $1000 a fish for all fish retained loss of all properties minus the house and permenant loss of hunting/fishing. Radio tagged for five years. That seems reasonable to me.