Fisherman Admits Rigging Bass Tournament

SF GATE ^ | Thursday, January 17, 2003 | AP

[Hackle]

More fuel for the anti-fishing/anti-hunting crowd.

[Vigilantcitizen]

"How does that work? Guy grows his own bass to gargantuan proportions and then secretes it in the waters where the tournament will be held? How DO you cheat in a fishing tournament? Stuff your catch with lead pellets to make it weigh more?"

Live bait. As in shad or shiners.

[maestro]

Report him to the fish commission and let them confiscate his gear.

This guy could make it to the "Super-fish-Bowl"......!!!!

What rule 'rules'......in today's 'sport'.

(Cameras are cool........instant replay is 'in' play.)

:-)

[dead]

I'm guessing you could significantly improve your lie with a Life Saver. Is that what you are referring to?

[Jonah Hex]

I believe this guy has a book in the works: "How to Win Bass-ackwards or, Which Worm Gets the Hook?"

[par4]

Now this is only for informational purposes, but I heard that some unscrupulous persons, while examining their ball to ensure that it's actually theirs, will place a green life saver under it.

Of course, I have never done any such thing, nor do I condone it, blah, blah, blah....

Amazing what some people will do for an advantage, though.

[dead]

Filed, strictly for information purposes.

I have a friend who is known for his way-less-subtle habit of using his club to dig up a "fairway tee" on which to place his ball.

[Frank_2001]

lol

[auboy]

There are probably still some tournaments where live bait is used… like crappie and walleye tournaments. Most, if not all bass tournaments are strictly artificial bait… plastic worms, crankbaits, spinnerbaits, buzzbaits and jigs… and a few more I've forgotten. If any cheatin' is done, it's usually done in advance, and usually with articial baits… as explained in posts 9 & 17.

I guess one could catch their pre-tournament "string" with minnows or shiners, but that is a completely different way of fishing.

[Radioactive]

He got his bASS in trouble.

[StriperSniper]

That's a lot grief and trouble for a lousy $300.

Yup.

[Kahuna]

Recently, this guy from Arkansas(#42) paid me 3 grand to pick him up on the highway here on Maui during a marathon race. I drove him within one kilometer to the finish line and he set a new record to the cheers of the crowd. He hardly worked up a sweat? After the race Bubba told me about the bass tournement he had won one week prior and challenged me to a golf gig to go double or nothing on the 3 large. Told him that the Kahuna was not like Susan MacDougal and the rest of the airheads like Janet Reno et al. Pocketed the 3 large while Bubba did his thing with the local press.

[Ditter]

You helped the creep cheat for $3000 & you are here bragging about it ? Good grief!

[Vigilantcitizen]

"There are probably still some tournaments where live bait is used… like crappie and walleye tournaments. Most, if not all bass tournaments are strictly artificial bait… plastic worms, crankbaits, spinnerbaits, buzzbaits and jigs… and a few more I've forgotten. If any cheatin' is done, it's usually done in advance, and usually with articial baits… as explained in posts 9 & 17."

Thanks for your reply.

I live near several great bass lakes which host BASS, Redman, Everstart tournaments along with many locally organized amatuer tournaments. Lakes such as Eufala, West Point, Lanier, Seminole, Weiss.

I have fished local tournaments on and off since the 80's and I know several guys that fish the major circuits for a living.

Cheating isn't that big of a problem in the bigger tournaments, because most every boat has a nuetral observer. However, in the local tournaments, especially the ones with the higher pots(sometimes in the thousands), there are not enough observers to go around, plus nuetral pairings are not done, which allows two buddies to conspire to cheat, which is not as easy when you have a stranger in the back of the boat.

Without question, the use of live bait in largemouth tournaments is the most prevalent form of cheating in the local tournaments around here. And the reason is this; there are times the fish just won't bite any artificial thrown at them, but a live shad on the hook is pretty much a sure thing, and an unfair advantage.

[auboy]

Thanks for the info. It's good to get a perspective from someone with more recent experience. I have not fished in years. I used to be in the tackle business, got "burned out", sold my bassboat and bought a SeaDoo, ha.

I know what you mean about times the fish just won't bite any artificial thrown at them. I remember hours and hours of that happening. Biggest bass I ever caught was with a guide on Lake Okeechobee using a rather large wild shiner. She was full of eggs. We returned her to the spot we caught her the next day, after an overnight stay in one of Roland Martin's holding tanks. My guide's name was Terry Garrels, a real sportsman and gentleman. He knew it was good business to return Mama Bass to her spawning grounds.

Without a doubt, using live shad/native baitfish during a tournament is an unfair advantage. Too bad that some people will do just about anything to win. Competitive anglers who play by the rules command my respect!