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Man I had no idea it was this bad guess I didnt want to believe it. I have never seen it or done it. I am fairly new to tournaments but not the water. I will look for signs now but I still think small club's there is no cheating going on there isn't enough money for all the hassle that would go into cheating
My thoughts are to not get to worked up about it or worry if I'm getting cheated. 90% of the ones that WOULD cheat can't catch any fish to begin with so I don't care if they are out there for 3 days tieing up fish or whatever, you have to be able to catch them in the first place to cheat. Me personally, I wouled rather wipe with shards of glass than consider the notion but to those of you out there that do cheat, bring it on because I'm still going to beat you...If you can live with it, I can live without it.
I used to fish in local tourny then I noticed that the person that showed me and got me started was sitting at home. He spent most of his off weekends to put up with me being knee deep in mud. Or hung up in some tree or just off being groofy (for 10 year). We had a couple of good time after that as a grown man (me).
Tourny used to be things among friend for a case of beer or tank of gas (.89 a gal.). we all thought the grass would be more greener over there. so the tourny got bigger. More money.
Look now a days people steal from kids (wiring for light on a football field). Just the other day some told me I have to worry about some part of my truck missing (catilict conveter) while i'm out fishing.
I guess it does not suprise me to hear about this. But after reading some of the replies here I think that I have found a good place to hang out. Maybe make some new friends.:D
Haha right on buzzking, just bring it on!
Cheating would seem to me to take away from the moment of winning. To win you must adapt to the various conditions of the day or night of the tourney,thats where your skills come to play and your tru fishing ability's. If some has to put fish in a baskett to win then they are admitting that they are not good fisherpeople and cannot adapt or compete in changing conditions, they are just loser's and always will be, as to win by cheating to me takes away from the thrill of winning. I would rather lose than cheat to win as to me it is the excitment of that day, that moment, the conditions, all of it that makes winning or placing special. But due to rising costs of fuel a lot more cheating will be going on espically in the bigger money tourneys. Like Buzz said bring it on, if a person has a to cheat to beat me then you might win the money but you did not beat me.
[QUOTE=buzzking;332174]My thoughts are to not get to worked up about it or worry if I'm getting cheated. 90% of the ones that WOULD cheat can't catch any fish to begin with so I don't care if they are out there for 3 days tieing up fish or whatever, you have to be able to catch them in the first place to cheat. Me personally, I wouled rather wipe with shards of glass than consider the notion but to those of you out there that do cheat, bring it on because I'm still going to beat you...If you can live with it, I can live without it.[/QUOTE]
I agree well spoken
having to worry about someone tieing up fish, or passing fish is one thing. you have to catch them doing it.
But these small tournaments not checking live wells is crazy. It's just inviting someone to cheat.
poor run tourns like that make me think twice about fishing them.
Dixie Marine runs a good buddy tournament. Fished the Adopt A Bass tournament on Saturday on the Ohio River. Boat check before launch, look in the livewells, then polygraph the overall winner and the big bass winner before announcing the prizes. A very professional and well run tournament trail as far as I can see.
Yeah, with little local circuits and such, there's those evenings that the majority of the guys can't bring a keeper to the scale, then there's one guy that has a huge sack. For example, I fished my first little Wednsday night tournament earlier this year. I put a ton (wish that was literal, as in 2000lbs haha) of fish in the boat, but couldnt manage one over 14. The guy that won had almost 13lbs, when 2nd was around 5. Thoughts of cheating could easily come up in a situation when someone whoops butt on such a tough day like that.
However, as the story ends, I'm 100% sure this man didnt cheat, because I saw him about 50-70yds from me flip every fish out of the pads!
Random story, I know, but it fit in with the cheating that goes on, and how it's great people can make honest catches like the guy in my story.
TRUE STORY
I worked at ATR in danville in the early 90's. We had a little factory club going and we fished Cumberland that year in Nov. Me and my partner won the club tourn. with about 9lbs or so, we had some smallmouth and a kicker Large of 3#10. A guy said he wanted to stock his pond with some fish, so we all aggreed to let him take a few,, and big fish,, with him. Heck you work with the guy right??
Well,,, just so happens Bryants had a tourn the week after in Nov. and the guy who "stocked his pond" had the big fish in that tourn was 3#8 oz, that is a little close to what we had??
Well,, after talking to the guys and saying that is pretty dang close in weight, it all fell apart, For him.
He bought some fish from a neighbor, who cut the fin on one and the other was blind in the right eye. Seems these fish showed up at a Bill Taylor tourn. who was notified of these fish. Well,, this guy has never fished since.
I hate to say it, but if there is money involved, people will find a way. If you suspect someone,, ask then to go fishing. Take your skill and base it on theirs to see what the days catch is. If you KNOW they are on drops and he wants to go shallow, go shallow, or vice versa. Play like your having a good time and see what gets brought to the scales in the next tourn.
i was fishing Laurel Lake about 8 years ago, before i had every fished a tourny. My buddy and I had been on the lake for a few hours, and noticed there were a ton of other boats. One boat pulled up to us and asked if we have been doing any good, we said "a few nice ones"...they said "you fishing the tourny", we said "nope"..they said "do you still have the fish", and we said "nope", they said "****, we would have bought them off you, it's a tough day today". I didn't think too much about it until I started fishing tournys...pretty sad!