Cheating scandal at U.S. Open rocks bass-fishing community

[ODogg]

Re: Cheating scandal at U.S. Open rocks bass-fishing community

Yeah and some of us don't cheat not because of morals but because it takes too much work, LOL...or both!

[Trevytrev11]

Re: Cheating scandal at U.S. Open rocks bass-fishing community

I have a buddy that has fished the red fish series down south in TX and LA for several years. According to him, the winner of every tournament as well as two to three randomly selected from the top ten are all polygraphed immediately after the tournament to help eliminate cheating.

As far as their tournaments go (not sure if the same holds true for the Bass series) all fish are weighed in and then returned to sea, so in his case they are not gutted to make sure that the fished aren't tampered with. Also, the fish have to be alive at weigh in to be counted.

The polygraphs are used simply because it would be far too easy for everyone to cheat. The boats leave the dock at 6:00 or 7:00 in the morning and often they don't have to check back in for weight until 3:00 or 4:00 in the afternoon. Many of these boats travel 50-100 miles and fish miles away from the nearest competitor. Because of this, it is impossible to monitor everyone and it would be super easy for anyone to store fish in certain location, tamper with fish, etc.

[Misfit]

Re: Cheating scandal at U.S. Open rocks bass-fishing community

Cheating is for cowards. If you aren't good enough to catch the biggest fish, then you don't deserve to win. Why is that so hard to figure out. I'm not sure why I'm so mad about reading this thread, but this really ticks me off. Unbelievable that someone would cheat at a fishing event and then basically steal $4,000 worth of cash and prizes from someone who should've actually won.

Unreal.

That's the thing, a lot of people seem to have entitlement issues now-a-days. People think CD's cost too much, so they steal them via piracy, same for movies because they feel they're entitled to hear/see the product. If a CD is too pricey for your taste, then you don't get it. Seems simple enough to me and it's what capitalism is founded on. If CD's/movies are really too expensive, then the market will correct itself or the product will vanish.

Cheating in a fishing tournament is different, but fundamentally the same. This scumbag thought he was entitled to that prize money and winning the tournament, regardless of whether or not he caught the most/biggest fish. Victory was sitting there in front of him ifg he was willing to just shove some weights down a few throats, just like every recorded song is sitting there online for anyone to find with even rudimentary computer skills. Good for the bass fishing community to essentially black-ball him as a result, they shouldn't put up with such nonsense.

[55]

Re: Cheating scandal at U.S. Open rocks bass-fishing community

The most astonishing thing about this is the fact that somebody wins $100,000 every year for fishing!

[Happy29]

Re: Cheating scandal at U.S. Open rocks bass-fishing community

I have a buddy that has fished the red fish series down south in TX and LA for several years. According to him, the winner of every tournament as well as two to three randomly selected from the top ten are all polygraphed immediately after the tournament to help eliminate cheating.

As far as their tournaments go (not sure if the same holds true for the Bass series) all fish are weighed in and then returned to sea, so in his case they are not gutted to make sure that the fished aren't tampered with. Also, the fish have to be alive at weigh in to be counted.

The polygraphs are used simply because it would be far too easy for everyone to cheat. The boats leave the dock at 6:00 or 7:00 in the morning and often they don't have to check back in for weight until 3:00 or 4:00 in the afternoon. Many of these boats travel 50-100 miles and fish miles away from the nearest competitor. Because of this, it is impossible to monitor everyone and it would be super easy for anyone to store fish in certain location, tamper with fish, etc.

Thats happens here too for The Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo, if you win you have to take a poly and pass to get your prizes. I have won it a couple of times and passed my poly to prove I did not cheat. But I have given up fishing in the contest and gotten back to doing it for what it is suppose to be done for fun. I am guilty of pushing the limits a couple of times but more times than not I did play fair, I only went to extremes when I knew the other competitors was.

[Cusefan]

Re: Cheating scandal at U.S. Open rocks bass-fishing community

If your not cheating, your not trying hard enough

[Candyman5]

Re: Cheating scandal at U.S. Open rocks bass-fishing community

I think the idea of a bass-fishing tournament is fairly dumb to begin with.

How much skill is really involved in taking a boat out onto a lake with a fishing rod and reeling in some bass?
People have been cheating at everything for thousands of years.../random statement of fact that I have no idea is true or not

You my friend must have never fished in your whole life because that statement you have just made is far from the truth. Just because you dont think it takes skill doesnt mean that it doesnt.

As for the main topic of the thread, the only cheating I have heard of is precatching fish and tieing them down river and getting them during the tournament.