Tournament Pros Foul Hook Fish Too!!

[Captain Cali]

Believe it or not. Tim Horton foul hooked a 5 pounder while sight fishing!! I've kept my mouth shut about this because maybe some people would realize that it happens more then you might think!

From the article:

He got there and the 5-pounder "was still sitting there. It was a pretty hot fish." The bass clamped down on Horton's bait, but on the hookset the bait came out of its mouth and he hooked the fish on the outside. "I foul-hooked that 5-pounder, so I unhooked it," he said.

[Rattletrap]

Yep. It does happen. IMO. Mac got frustrated with the bass and snagged it on purpose. Now he knows better than to lose his patience on a bedding bass. Hang in there, you Cali boys will end up with the bragging rights oneday. Hopefully for me it's after 74 more years.  

[bobo]

Roger, everyone knows it's happened before, and everyone one knows there are times it has been INTENTIONAL foul hooking. /shrug to this post....

[Rattletrap]

Some believe it was intentional, and some believe it was not. Both are stating opinions, not facts. My opinions are just what I have perceived about the situation. I have not called anybody a liar on their opinions. IMO's are just IMO's.  

[Captain Cali]

If everyone knows it happens why does it seems like such a big deal that it happened with the Cali catch? Because it was foul hooked with a jig everyone is saying that they think it was intentional.

That was my whole point in posting this. It happens and it happens more than some might think or even admit.

[Rattletrap]

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[bobo]

But your clip from the article doesn't say he  foul hooked it with a jig... sooo..

It's not a big deal concerning Cali as some of you guys are thinking either heh, It's 25lb bass, that is all that matters. A foul hook fished will always have controversy, regardless if it's 15lb or 25lb, or whether it's from Cali or North Carolina.

[Captain Cali]

But your clip from the article doesn't say he  foul hooked it with a jig... sooo..

Well the article doesn't state what lure he foul hooked the fish with but he was using a jig, while bed fishing, shortly after the foul hooked fish. So I can only assume that he was using the same bait, a jig. That really doesn't matter. The fact is he foul hooked a fish while sight fishing. A lot of people seem to think that is impossible to happen or should not happen when you can see the bait and the fish.

A foul hook fished will always have controversy, regardless if it's 15lb or 25lb, or whether it's from Cali or North Carolina.

I can't argue that. In fact I agree. But wouldn't you give someone the benefit of the doubt? If someone is going to try to snag a fish intentionally I would think a jig would be the last bait they would try it with. Again, I'm not an expert a snagging so take it for what it's worth.

My problem is the Cali dudes are being trashed because a lot of people think they intentionally snagged the fish. They had all day to fish for her so why would they do it within the first hour? They have done this before so the running out of patience theory is a reach. What happened to the stinger hook everyone thought they used? Oh yeah, those were rumors because everyone thought they intentionally snagged her so they were wondering how in the world could you snag a fish with a jig. Oh, they must have used a stinger hook.

The guy who was offered cash to get off the fish the day before even said in the Basscenter interview that he doesn't question Mac's integrity one bit. This guy knows Mac personally. But we have a bunch of people from hundreds and thousands of miles away who don't know the guy questioning that very integrity.

[Chris]

The reason why it might get some hard looks is because people think when you say jig you are talking about a flipping jig with a weed guard. In the western world a football jig without a weed guard with a spidergrub is a standard lure. So trailer hook not needed.  

[bobo]

Yah, people deserve the benefit of the doubt, or no record should be legal unless the catch is witnessed or caght on video from the start to finsh. And that is never gonna happen, so if we don't give em the benefit of the doubt, then it it will all just become meaningless.

The whole reason I started to question anything was two main reasons, one which was a misread on my part, I just misunderstood something. I apologized for that. The second reason was in an early interview with the kid, he didn't come out and say, they were trying to foul hook the fish, but he sure made it sound fishy....which now I not sure what to read into that, but I think it was no big deal, probably just the kid took it wrong. But once you start questioning everything, I mean, it gets to a point, where, hey, there is no way these guys could make this amount of mistakes. So now, I think it's very very unlikely they made so many mistakes, and it was, justt what it was, a foul hook hooked fish they had no intention of certifying in the first place. There one and only mistake was probably just leaving the door open after the catch, by waiting a few days to make it official they wouldn't attempt the certify, And i'm not positive i would have been any different form that, but that's jsut my opinion.

It's still the most incredible fish in history, regardless of anything said  by anyone, I love it. Wish I'd been there just to it in the flesh.

[Whopper Stopper]

I foul hooked a 3-pounder yesterday with a spinnerbait. I felt the bass slam into it, set the hook, and when I got him out of the water the trailer hook was stuck outside of his mouth near his eye. I know I didn't snag him because I felt him slam into my spinner. I think this happens to everyone at one time or another, but unfortunately for Weakley, it happened at the wrong time.

[John Cullum]

Very big differance in foul hooking a fish on a spinnerbait and foul hooking a bedding fish. If a fish strikes at your lure and misses and hooks himself in the head or side or whatever it's still legal fish to be weighed in, in most states.

A bedding bass MUST be hooked in the mouth to be a legal fish whether he bit the lure or not. If the fish is hooked anywhere but the mouth while sight fishing it must be released.

[gunrod51]

I have read too much about the incident at Lake Dixon. I live in Alaska but winter in Arizona on the Colorado River. I grew up in San Diego County fishing every lake there all year. I have fished Dixon many times. It is very easy for Trout and 1.5 to 5lb channel cats.

There are a lot of oversized trout fed monsters in it. But what is the difference in San Diego waters compared to a lake in Mexico with Tilapia or whatever. Remember you So. cal fisherman that know the Salton Sea that big Croaker used to and still are the best for Large Corvina. But Corvina and lots of big ones almost did not exist until Tilapia were introduced.

So why are planted trout different than another great food source? Go fish Dixon without your bass boat and see that it is not as easy as perceived. Very clear water everywhere. Last time I fished there was 3 years ago with(yes live bait, but barbless hooks-expensive losing shiners).

My wife and I were staying with family. I caught and released many fish from 4-9.5 lbs. When I got home everybody but my wife did not understand how I spent so much money and did not bring fish to eat. Go to Pt Loma and buy fish-it is cheaper-but I was just FISHING.

Remember though Dixon is like all lakes everywhere. I have had some lousy catching days there but always good fishing days. Mac Wheatley did not cheat. The money for WRB is supposed. How much do you think will come out of a boat offer with a rented boat and trolling motor. These guys are looking for bragging rights. Thanx  2006 stratos xl/150 optimax

[BiggerWorm]

Speaking of fowl hooking a fish. I was fishing in a tournament and landed a couple of huge bass which landed us second place. I caught both on rattle traps, but the second one was caught in the underneath belly. I know he took a swipe at it and got himself hooked. I know this is legal and I didn't think anything about it that tournament. But latter me and my partner discussed the topic of fowl hooked fish. Now anytime I take the lie detector test in a tournament this is the first thing that pops in my mind when asked "Have you ever cheated in a tournament?" I know I didn't cheat but it still pops in my mind, and the guy giving the test always has to ask the question twice. He told me it is the most failed question he asks, but he said he usually only fails guys if they fail the question " Did you cheat today"