Tournament cheating

[ranimated]

Just wondering what everybody's thoughts are on the frequency of cheating in tournaments. Most threaten live well checks and polygraph tests but except for the biggies they rarely happen. I don't worry so much about the biggies. It's the smaller club or open tournaments that concern me. I know there are a lot of really good fisherman out there but sometimes the winning string seems unrealistic. I'm certainly not accusing anyone but I do know that I've had fisherman offer me money for big bass that they saw me catch. And I've seen boats passing fish from one to the other. And on one occasion a few years ago, I snagged an underwater basket back in a creek that had a 5 lb. largemouth in it.

So, how often do we think it happens?
What can realistically be done to prevent it, or can it be prevented?

Just wondering. I'm new to tourney fishing and I hope that no one is offended by this post because I know 99.9% of the fisherman I personally know would not cheat. what would be the point? We're really not in it for the money, we just love to compete and love to fish.

[FISHUMUP]

I have fished a couple of tournaments both draw and partner, I have never caught anyone cheating, and hope I never do. If I did, I would raise all kinds of H#!! at the weigh in. I have seen some outstanding sacks when we couldnt catch but 1 fish for the day. Made me wonder, but would not accuse anyone of cheating. Guess I like to think that most people are like me and fish for the competition, fun, and commaradary. The cheaters must live with themselves knowing what they did and that they are not as good or they wouldnt have to cheat to win. By the way.....I have never won but I won't quit trying.

[kygorski]

If you're going to worry about human nature, why not just fish for fun?

[ranimated]

Well, what I'm getting here is what I suspected anyway. A few bad apples are going to cheat and there's not much you can do about it. Very discouraging for a new tourney angler. I do enjoy the tournaments and most the guys in it are cool. A few frown on me because I have earrings and tats but hey, that's everywhere. Guess I'll look for a club that works on a partner draw and can tolerate body piercings/tats, who knows, I could be the next Iaconelli. lol

[steve604]

ranimated, I'm 54 years old and got my first tattoo last week. Find guys who judge you on who you are and not how you look. Tell the rest to kiss your bass!

Steve

[elnutsmalljaws]

Fished Guist Creek earlier this year and water was extemely muddy almost pea soup. I was using a very distinct color spinnerbait that is not common and managed to catch a few keepers. Caught a nice 3 1/2 pounder with an audience of a boat with 2 guys and as I was getting ready to release he asked me how much do I want for him. I said what, and he said "We are in a tournament and have not seen much less caught a fish all day" I told him that would not be fair to the other competitors and released the fish. I even posted back then on this board about this exact experience. I believe that it was posted 3 lbs won one of the 2 tournaments that day so if these guys were in that tourney they would have won it with the fish that I caught. I have only fished in a couple of tournaments but believe that cheating does go on. Whenever there is competition and money involved there will always be someone trying to take a short cut for the glory and bucks. It is in every sport known to man and probably since the beginning of time. Some are worse than others.

Tight Lines

[Chubminnow]

It sure does ##### to think cheating goes on in the sport of bass fishing...I suppose it's entirely possible that it happens, it happens in every other dag gone sport. As for me, I don't fish tournaments, I never have but it doesn't mean I never will. I certainly don't have anything against tournaments, in fact I like going to the weigh-ins just to see what was caught. In all truthfulness how could one man look another man in the eye while accepting a check for largest fish or most pounds? But like I said, I guess it happens...

[James]

How you ask? Because the state of man in this mucked up world we live in is do whatever and the easiest. Hard work and truth only keeps you in second anymore. Im like all the guys on here, i love to fish and love to fish tournies, but i wouldnt cheat to win. What does that make me? Hell if i wanted to do that, every fish i boated, id just slide a 1 oz lead down its throat. WHat does that prove, you are good at bending the rules? Point is, society thinks money, and peoples greed makes them do anything needed to win. Sad but true, too bad this breed of person is in a boat and a tournament near you!

[HURRICANEBOB]

James,
I find your ethics very refreshing, and I agree with you. Just too many folks nowadays, in all walks of life take the easy way out. And I also agree, I'd rather be second with a clear conscinece, than first by a cheat.

Dangerous job, but somebody has to do it. Next time I hear a high school football coach tell his team, "Second place is just the first loser", in front of his kids, I'm gonna put my size 12 where his ethics have sunk to.

Keep up the fight! You're an example for us all.

[gettingonefishin]

My thoughts are the same as mine. I caught someone redhanded once and that ended my tournament fishing as much. All i fish now is some open tournaments. I fished the first tournaments that was fished on Herrington Lake and it was the best of times. No fighting arguing and or cursing each other out. At the weigh ins was almost like a party. We all trusted one another. But as the years past it just seems it all kept getting worse. I have never cheated in a tournament. However, after winning about 6 in a row with big fish the fingers started pointing. So with that and the cheating that goes on I threw in the towel. Another reason for quiting though was i just done to much of it and kinda got burnt out. My thoughts and opinions. I do believe there is very few out there that does cheat and i just wish all could be that way.

Dennis

[uk2thdoc]

The other tough thing is it seems very difficult to actually catch somebody cheating or prove what happens, especially in a situation of fish swapping. I've been in a few tourneys recently where several of the participants thougth another boat was swapping fish or cheating to get their weights. Problem is that unless you have solid proof, you never know and it would be a shame if the guys had legitimately caught their fish only to be accused of being cheater because they were good enough those days to dust the rest of us.

So how does one go about catching a cheater??? Thats the real question here in my mind.

Doc

[Devils Horse]

It's almost impossible to prove tournament cheating. Even if you video someone taking fish out a basket or taking fish from someone else, you'd still have to prove that the fish at the weigh in were those actual fish. You'd almost have to be in the boat with them start to finish to legally prove cheating.

Well let's say you cut someone's fish open at the weigh in, and a pound of split shot fell out. That would prove it right? Not necessarily. Even then it seems to me you'd have to prove the person weighing the fish was the person who stuffed the shot down it.

Common sense tells you cheating is going on in both cases, but proving it beyond doubt is another thing.