The most annoying thing about WDFW enforcement is that when they catch poachers, they always stop short of making sure these people don't get to fish legally again, usually on the basis that the violators "didn't know what they were doing." For a guide to do this is particularly reprehensible, and I agree they should have thrown the book at him. Some of his clients are almost certainly out there violating the same rules they watched him violate while fishing with him, simply because they assume it's legitimate if a guide does it.

What he was doing was well-publicized among the local fishing crowd, and it would be prudent for the courts to make his punishment as severe as possible, so a wide audience could see that they are serious about enforcing the rules. Light punishments like this must make the risk of poaching look pretty worthwhile to would-be scumbags.

The article doesn't even state that he got suspended; just fines. Some measure of justice, but far from effective disincentive for poachers, IMO.