They just can't stop cheating......now its a fishing felony!

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

http://wired2fish.scout.com/story/1520902-alleged-fishing-tournament-cheaters-charged?s=537

[clww]

Kind of like obtaining money (the winnings) under false pretense.
I remember that article you posted awhile back about the tourney cheaters. >:(

[WV Sawmiller]

Poston,

    I'm glad they got caught. Its different when money is involved. If it were a bunch of a local fishing club tournament for bragging rights and no money involved you'd sort of expect the team members to horse around with each other but not in an official sanctioned contest. With a bunch of good ol' boys you'd sort of expect to find the fish had been feeding on gravel, lead sinkers and such.

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

Poston,

    If it were a bunch of a local fishing club tournament for bragging rights and no money ...........

...........they would have got their butts whipped.....or worse. Jail would probably be better.  :D :D :D

[Magicman]

I am happy to see the tournament officials on top of the situation.   

[drobertson]

yea I'm glad they were caught too, and the penalty is right, it is stealing plain and simple, the other comment made about local clubs, there is a lot of ribbing going on, but no cheating,  still remember one tourney on Norfolk Lake in Ark,  no one had much to weigh, it was a Feb. day, at the boat ramp lots of complaining, "who put this on the schedule?"  this is dumb!! and so on, then an ole boy shows up and asks if he could use the scale, he had a good day,  4 bass, 21lbs!  not much cheating, he just laughed, and everyone else did too!  Not sure what that has to do with anything, just felt like sharing,  we all need to fish a little more I think,

[doctorb]

Cheating is MUCH more prevalent in "buddy" tournaments.  This format is where two fishermen join forces and weigh in a combined limit of bass each day over several days of competition.  They are competing as a team.  Other formats have less of this nonsense.

The pros used to have two contestants in the boat and would have them "share" the boat for the day.  In this format, each individually competing angler selects where and how they fish equally.  In this instance, the anglers are competing against all others in the tournament, including the guy they are paired with in the boat.

Now the pros have tournament marshalls accompanying them, who are not fishermen, to witness and verify that the rules are followed.  It's not easy to cheat when there are eyes watching you the entire day.  This kind of thing has been reported before, and will continue under the "buddy" system.  I have personal experience with such shenanigans.  Unfortunately, many "local" tournaments do not have the resources to run their competitions in a manner that does not provide fertile ground for cheating.