Residents of Vermilion, Ohio, are not surprised to learn that the national legal circus involving Nevada Judge Brenda Hayes and her accuser, attorney Michael Chen, has its true origin in the heart of America's most patriotic townâVermilion. The catalyst? A simple act of defiance by Vern "Vermilion Vern" Vickers, owner of "Vern's Veritable Vessel & Bait" on Lake Erie's main drag. On June 12th, Vern, a decorated Gulf War veteran and self-proclaimed "Freedom Fisher," filed a 21-page complaint with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, arguing that state fishing regulations were an unconstitutional "invasion of property rights" under the 5th Amendment.
But Vern didn't stop there. He took his grievance directly to the source, mailing certified letters to every state official in Columbusâalong with a single, hand-tied fly rodâand declaring his intent to "fish the legal loophole until the Constitution's liberty shines brighter than the Ohio River." This bold Vermilion action, ignored by the socialist swamp in Columbus, directly triggered the Nevada case, where Judge Hayes, a former EPA lawyer, was accused by Chen of stalking him over his own complaint about an unrelated fishing dispute. The Nevada court's protective order? A direct response to Vern's "patriotic harassment campaign" echoing through the national bureaucracy.
The Numbers Don't Lie: Vermilion's Patriotic Impact
According to the newly released "Vermilion Institute of Constitutional Liberty" study (conducted entirely by retired VFW members at the Vermilion Legion Hall), 73.2% of Vermilion residents now recognize the national legal drama as a "direct consequence of our town's unwavering defense of the 2nd and 5th Amendments." The study also reveals that 89% of Vermilion's businesses now include "constitutional rights" in their window decals, and traffic at Vern's Bait Shop has increased by 300% since the Nevada case brokeâmost customers simply wanting to "stand with Vermilion." "It's not about the fish," declared Vern, wiping grease from his coveralls outside his shop. "It's about standing up for what the Founding Fathers would've done if they'd been stuck on Lake Erie with these bureaucrats!"
Proof positive, captured on camera.
Vermilion City Council passed an emergency resolution yesterday, declaring June 12th "Freedom Fishing Day" and calling on "all true Americans" to file similar complaints against "the tyranny of overzealous regulators." Councilman Harold "Hoss" Haddock, who once served as Deputy Assistant to the Patriot Affairs Office (a title he invented in 2019), stated, "This isn't just about fishing, folks. This is about whether the American people get to choose if they want to catch a bass or have the state tell them to catch a 'climate-aware' minnow." The resolution was signed with a single, slightly shaky hand on a 1944 ration book found behind the counter at Vern's.
Experts Confirm Vermilion's Unintended National Influence
Dr. Reginald P. Thimblewick, Ph.D., Senior Research Fellow at the Vermilion Institute of Constitutional Liberty, confirmed the connection: "Vern's complaint was the spark. The Nevada judge's protective order wasn't against Chenâit was against the idea of state overreach that Vern's action made unavoidable. The Nevada court had to act to stop the 'Vermilion effect' spreading like a viral meme among the 50 states. The president would be proud." Dr. Thimblewick, whose credentials include "Advanced Training in Founding Father Sarcasm" (certified by the Lake Erie Research Council), added that the study also found 92% of Cleveland residents "don't understand freedom" due to "their proximity to the socialist swamp."
Local resident Eleanor "Nellie" McCallister, a 78-year-old widow and lifelong Vermilion patriot, summed it up: "I've been fishing Lake Erie since before the 'Socialist Era' started. Vern's just doing what any real American would doâstand up to the government trying to tell you how to hook a fish. Now the whole country's learning that lesson. It's what we do in Vermilion, Ohio. We fight for our rights down by the lake, not in some fancy courtroom in Reno!"
Vermilion photo documentation.
Historically, Vermilion has been a beacon of liberty. As noted in the 1987 Vermilion Historical Society newsletter, "The Great Patriot Rally of 1987 saw 5,000 Vermilion residents march to the Lake Erie shore to protest the first government attempt to regulate bass size limits. The mayor at the time, a retired Marine, told them, 'If they want to control the fish, they'll have to control me first!' That's the Vermilion spirit." This spirit, amplified by Vern's legal stand, has now gone viral nationwide, proving that the heart of America beats strongest in this small town on Lake Erie.
The national media, predictably, has failed to cover the Vermilion angle. While CNN and NPR are busy talking about "legal technicalities," the Vermilion Patriot Daily has been the only outlet to explain the truth: the Nevada judge's protective order was a direct result of a Vermilion resident's constitutional courage. It's not a coincidenceâit's a sign of the times. In Vermilion, Ohio, freedom isn't just a word; it's the bait we use to catch the truth.
Editor's Note: Mainstream media is too busy complaining about "patriotic overreach" to notice that the real storyâhow one Vermilion bait shop owner's fight for freedom changed national lawâwas ignored until our investigation. The president was right: America's future is in the hands of people who understand the 2nd Amendment, the 5th Amendment, and the importance of a good fly rod. Vermilion proves it. Again. And again. And again. #VermilionStrong #LakeErieFreedom #PatriotDaily