High School Bass Fishing.

[Dalton Tam]

I just recently fished a tournament on Caddo Lake for a High School Fishing State Championship. I had never been on the lake before in my life and drove 3 hours to get there. I would like to have taken time to pre fish the lake but, being in Highschool, didn't have the means to do so. Once I arrived on Friday evening for the meeting, it was easy to see that we were the only team that wasn't local. When I say local, I mean the only school that wasn't located within 30-50 miles of the boat landing, and this got under my skin a little, but I didn't let it bother me too bad. We ended up placing fourth with a VERY small weight.... nuff said :-[. There was a 14" to 18" slot limit on the lake that killed us but all in all we CAME IN FOURTH! I was sort of proud of myself because of our circumstance. I just recently found out that the kids that took first place were FISHING WITH A GUIDE! on tournament day. We are all required to have an adult to drive the boat for us during the tournament. This man is a "WELL KNOWN" guide on this lake and is proud to say he fishes the lake over 200 days a year. The rules of the organization say:

3. NO INFORMATION The purchasing of, or bartering for, information about locating or catching fish on tournament waters, including but not limited to GPS waypoints (other than through commercially available sources) and the hiring of fishing guide services is not permitted by contestants or coaches within 10 days of any tournament. Violation of this rule may result in disqualification.

The way these guys got around this rule was by saying that the guy was a family friend who was willing to take them without pay. Another point is that the kid who won, his dad is the director of the Benton High School Bass Club. Why wouldn't this guy want to take his son on the lake? I am very upset about this and, although I don't wish that these guys' titles be stripped, I feel that a rule needs to be made to prevent it from happening again. I would like to know what you guys' opinions are about it.

Here is the Guide's website if you are interested: http://caddolakefishing.com/

[Grey Wolf]

Did you voice your concerns to the powers that run this so called state tournament ?

[bassnleo]

I'd highly suggest that before you try and make a guide and another team look bad that you have hard facts to prove your point or at least post them if you do. Although the circumstances may suggest some impropriety, it appears that according to the rules you posted, a guide simply taking them out w/o pay is not a violation of the rules.

It's not fair of you to post the guide's website in an attempt to show him in a less than favorable light.

[Dalton Tam]

As I stated, I'm not trying to take these kids titles away, I simply beleive it was an immoral thing to do and, no I haven't contacted the TD about it because I did not know about it until two weeks after the tournament. I am in the process of contacting the National Youth Director right now to let him know about our discontent and see what steps, if any, can be made to make sure it doesn't happen again. Yes, the facts are straight, as the kid and the guide himself have admitted to it on another forum.  Every team in the boat is required to have a "Coach" or someone to drive the boat and as every competitive angler knows,  finding the fish is 90% of the equation in competitive fishing. The other 10% is catching. If these kids did not have to find the fish on there own, how are they learning to tournament fish? It is comparable to a major league baseball player hitting the ball for a team of little leaguers, while all they had to do was run the bases. Look at it how you want to, everyone is entitled to their own opinion. How close do you have to get to breaking the rules before it is considered cheating?

[etommy28]

I just recently fished a tournament on Caddo Lake for a High School Fishing State Championship. I had never been on the lake before in my life and drove 3 hours to get there. I would like to have taken time to pre fish the lake but, being in Highschool, didn't have the means to do so. Once I arrived on Friday evening for the meeting, it was easy to see that we were the only team that wasn't local. When I say local, I mean the only school that wasn't located within 30-50 miles of the boat landing, and this got under my skin a little, but I didn't let it bother me too bad. We ended up placing fourth with a VERY small weight.... nuff said :-[. There was a 14" to 18" slot limit on the lake that killed us but all in all we CAME IN FOURTH! I was sort of proud of myself because of our circumstance. I just recently found out that the kids that took first place were FISHING WITH A GUIDE! on tournament day. We are all required to have an adult to drive the boat for us during the tournament. This man is a "WELL KNOWN" guide on this lake and is proud to say he fishes the lake over 200 days a year. The rules of the organization say:

3. NO INFORMATION The purchasing of, or bartering for, information about locating or catching fish on tournament waters, including but not limited to GPS waypoints (other than through commercially available sources) and the hiring of fishing guide services is not permitted by contestants or coaches within 10 days of any tournament. Violation of this rule may result in disqualification.

The way these guys got around this rule was by saying that the guy was a family friend who was willing to take them without pay. Another point is that the kid who won, his dad is the director of the Benton High School Bass Club. Why wouldn't this guy want to take his son on the lake? I am very upset about this and, although I don't wish that these guys' titles be stripped, I feel that a rule needs to be made to prevent it from happening again. I would like to know what you guys' opinions are about it.

Here is the Guide's website if you are interested: http://caddolakefishing.com/

I just got done being a boater in the FL state championship, we had 2 guides. My view is if they are willing to take a day o a few days off work to help these kids its great you have no way to say they would not have had a boat if he had not taken them. I feel you went about this they wrong way.

[lmoore]

I'm going to have to disagree with you on this one.  They did nothing outside the rules since they didn't pay the guide anything.  Another big part of tournaments is having resources available to you that give you a slight edge over the competition.  A lot of the elite guys probably have contacts all over the U.S. so they can get a headstart when they get to a lake.  Just because this team had contacts on this lake, doesn't mean they will on the next one.  I know it sucks right now, but what if the next tournament you're in is on your home lake, are you going to tell all of your friends with knowledge of the area not to help you before the tournament? 

[fmoore]

As long as coaches have to be on the boat with the kids there will be no real way to ensure that any of the coaches aren't giving their kids tips or pointers during the day.

I'm a senior in high school and having been fishing tournaments for several years now, having anyone on the boat besides my partner would thoroughly bother me, although that rule obviously needs to be in place. Did he give them information during the tournament? Maybe, maybe not. But as it stands now they broke no rules.

Take this one on the chin and go get 'em next year.

[Dalton Tam]

As long as coaches have to be on the boat with the kids there will be no real way to ensure that any of the coaches aren't giving their kids tips or pointers during the day.

I'm a senior in high school and having been fishing tournaments for several years now, having anyone on the boat besides my partner would thoroughly bother me, although that rule obviously needs to be in place. Did he give them information during the tournament? Maybe, maybe not. But as it stands now they broke no rules.

Take this one on the chin and go get 'em next year.

I understand that they didn't break the rules "technically" but if you guys would have read the way the kid and the guide acted on the other forum, you might think differently about it. The guide himself stated: "I have several guide buddis that were willing to take kids out in this tournament." I don't understand why nothing was stated saying we could use a guide with the absence of money. I have family friends that guide on Toledo Bend that live up that way, just wasn't re assured that it wouldn't be a grey area, plus I wouldn't think it'd be right to do (as you can tell). Not trying to go about this the wrong way....... just stating my opinion about it and, I personally think its wrong. The bigger issue is that the TBF didn't allow a lake draw or even put the tournament centrally located in the state. It was right at the back door of the only other area in the state that has TBF teams which can be sitting at the lake in 30 minutes of their homes where as it took us 3 hours to reach it. That gives them the advantage of killing the competition every time its held their. It would be like them coming and fishing against us on our home lake. I wouldn't think it was fair and would request it be held somewhere else. And I'm not going to let it get me down in tournament fishing, just gonig to get back at 'em in the World Finals on Dardanelle this summer. Thanks for the replies and opinions.

[dhami013]

I understand what you're saying, and the irritation you may be feeling. Truth is if there's a way to bend the rules, some people will. They found a loop hole in the system. And the executed upon it.

I think they defeated the point of the competition, but they didn't break any rules. All you can do is get your voice and your team's voice to those who make the rules and try to establish a means to evade this problem in the future. You'll be surprised what a phone call or two can accomplish.

Good luck in the future.