odds are it wasn't lost by a fellow with a loomis \:\)
seriously most folks with a clue wouldn't have used that as there are many other ways less obtrusive to snag a fish so therefore i'd have to guess that maybe it fell out of a vest/tackle box or was used by a kid without any idea it was illegal and the fact that the barbs were pinched shows that the original owner had his heart in the correct place

2 cents
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An Armed Society Makes For A More Civil Society