Kayak Bass Fishing Cheater Busted

[Glenn]

[J Francho]

He's persona non grata in MANY kayak circles now.

[Hannzo24]

1 hour ago, J Francho said:

He's persona non grata in MANY kayak circles now.

Oh yeah he is done in Kayak Tournaments.  Our club is already adopting new rules to avoid having somethng like this work it's way into our tournaments.

[SDoolittle]

I just read that article a little while ago. I'm not a kayak fisherman, but I've seen some kayak tournaments on a local lake, and I've always wondered how they keep people honest. It just seems like taking a picture as proof of a catch with no witnesses would make it too easy for someone to cheat. It's sad what some people will do to win. That's why I like draw tournaments. Ray Scott had the right idea putting strangers in a boat together.  

[Turtle135]

38 minutes ago, S. Doolittle said:

I just read that article a little while ago. I'm not a kayak fisherman, but I've seen some kayak tournaments on a local lake, and I've always wondered how they keep people honest. It just seems like taking a picture as proof of a catch with no witnesses would make it too easy for someone to cheat. It's sad what some people will do to win. That's why I like draw tournaments. Ray Scott had the right idea putting strangers in a boat together.  

I fish a series here in the Mid-Atlantic region. It is mostly made up of a tight knit group of anglers who are already friends, fish together or know the others contestants through social media. The winner will walk away with around $ 200.00 - $ 400.00 per event. I'm not saying people do not cheat for sure but as the payout is relatively small it would not be worth the risk of becoming a complete social outcast in your own backyard if caught cheating.

I suspect the larger national tournaments (which are emerging right now) that are paying out thousands of dollars to winners will have to take severe measures.

[Turtle135]

Okay I was wrong. Apparently the individual has been cheating in his local club tournaments for a couple of years. He branched out competing nationally and that is what got him caught.

However, I will continue to support my local series. We raise money for Heroes on the Water. The camaraderie and the fun we have getting together on our local fisheries makes it worth it to me. Can't let one bad apple destroy the positives we have going in our events.

 

[J Francho]

I'd say ignore the guy, don't give him any press, and let the law and/or tournament directors deal with his punishment.  All people on social media "****-shaming" him are giving kayak tournaments a bad name.

[bowhunter63]

Kayak bassin is growing ,Glad he got caught.Not good for the sport at all.

[buzzed bait]

every time i think i'm ready to get into a kayak tournament, something else happens to remind me that i HATE drama....  seems like there's a ton of it in most of the kayak tournaments.  

I also think this is being blown up all over social media as yet another way for Chad Hoover to get people to adopt the KBS rules and pay their membership dues....  just my opinion though.

[Turtle135]

24 minutes ago, buzzed bait said:

every time i think i'm ready to get into a kayak tournament, something else happens to remind me that i HATE drama....  seems like there's a ton of it in most of the kayak tournaments.  

I have fished about 20 kayak bass fishing tournaments. 19 of the 20 were smaller field (20 to 40 kayakers) in my regional area. The other one was a national tournament down in South Carolina. I have never seen any drama at the events I fished.

About the worst I've seen is someone extremely unhappy because he lost a monster right at the side of the kayak.

 

[the reel ess]

Not that I think he's in any way justified in this behavior, but it's kinda (evil) genius to even think of this. As I understand, he was measuring the same fish on 3 scales and 2 of the scales were not accurate. So he was basically catching 3 fish to others' 1 fish. The lengths to which people will stoop to cheat never cease to amaze me.

[Turtle135]

2 hours ago, the reel ess said:

Not that I think he's in any way justified in this behavior, but it's kinda (evil) genius to even think of this. As I understand, he was measuring the same fish on 3 scales and 2 of the scales were not accurate. So he was basically catching 3 fish to others' 1 fish. The lengths to which people will stoop to cheat never cease to amaze me.

In the tournaments in question the bass are judged by length. The standard for these catch, photo, release tournaments has become the measuring device known as the "Hawg Trough". He would carry three Hawg Troughs. One would be unaltered, one would have 2" chopped out of the middle and one would have 4" chopped out.