Cheating In Tournament?

[Old plug]

I am not a tournament fisherman. I'm not so sure I even if the whole idea does not do more harm than good.. I do wonder however what defines cheating. The thing I'm thinking about is hidden brush piles and that sort of thing. Around these parts people can get pretty inventive with that. I Know of some that that will drag brush and other things under selected docks to hide it. And believe me it is hid that way. Then they leave it go and do not fish it. In doing so they have gained a advantage in a tournament. That is something that boarders on cheating to me.

[Mitch f]

You bring up a good point old plug, the rules are changing regarding the information obtained from locals before a tournament. The cheating is just more sophisticated now.

Regarding the guy who was caught from above, the punishment he receives from his peers and embarrassment to his family will be the worst thing

[motoman]

Here's one recently from one of the Carolina's.

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http://www.wired2fish.com/cheater-caught-at-bfl-on-wylie-over-weekend/

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And Minnesota:

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http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/06/20/minnesota-man-reportedly-gets-week-in-jail-for-cheating-in-fishing-tournament/

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I hear yah old plug. Guys who go through that kinda trouble to stretch the rules kinda make me raise an eyebrow.

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But, I guess those guys hiding brush piles, isn't much different than me driving 4 hours to fish a tourney at The Rock, against locals who actually live ON the water. Not much of a level playing field; but ehhh........whatcha gonna do?:-)

[Sore Thumbs]

Plug. Although I don't like the fact that people put out brush piles for an advantage in a tournament. I have to give it up to them for putting in the time and effort to gain that advantage. That is within the rules and thats fine. I just don't have time to do that stuff.

[Bill Babler]

Cheating is breaking written tournament rules. What we might deem as an infraction or being outside the lines of fairness and honesty most often don't come into play. ie the brush piles.

All tournaments of any size have acceptable formats that the participants must follow. If they don't they are disqualified. It now days is pretty had to break the rules and get away with it. honesty detectors are pretty reasonable. You can find them on the internet for a couple of hundred bucks, so most tournament directors have them.

I can remember 10 years ago, or maybe more the underwater camera were in play. We had locals that fished some of the bigger tournaments instead of pre-fishing they were pre-camera enough docks a few days before the tournaments that they would know the docks to concentrate on. Most tournament created a no camera rule for two weeks prior to the tournaments, and took care of that.

With the number of tournaments each year that police themselves, and there are thousands across the country cheating is very rare. I think they do a very good job.

Good Luck

[AAD]

My brother and I go to east Texas every spring to fish a big bass tournament on Lake O' the Pines. For the first time in 5 years we finally boated one worthy of heading to the weigh in. His fish won the hourly prize ($1200) and he had to take a lie detector test. He said it was the most stressful thing ever. Even tho he knew he caught it legally, and was within the tourney rules, he said it still was nerve racking.

Afterward the lady told him he had passed, but asked if he had an issue with a question about cheating at work. He replied, he worked 30 years for the coal mine, he was sure there was something he cheated them out of.

He was thinking the whole thing was just a way to get him to sign the tax forms, until she said that.

[soxpac]

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/06/20/minnesota-man-reportedly-gets-week-in-jail-for-cheating-in-fishing-tournament/#ixzz2WnEhI8GZ

[Bill Babler]

My brother and I go to east Texas every spring to fish a big bass tournament on Lake O' the Pines. For the first time in 5 years we finally boated one worthy of heading to the weigh in. His fish won the hourly prize ($1200) and he had to take a lie detector test. He said it was the most stressful thing ever. Even tho he knew he caught it legally, and was within the tourney rules, he said it still was nerve racking.

Afterward the lady told him he had passed, but asked if he had an issue with a question about cheating at work. He replied, he worked 30 years for the coal mine, he was sure there was something he cheated them out of.

He was thinking the whole thing was just a way to get him to sign the tax forms, until she said that.

I don't think she can legally ask that kind of a question, and he certainly did not have to answer it. They must have a test question, but that is usually your name and age. They cannot ask any type of a question that does not pertain to the tournament. I have been on the machine countless times and it is always an adventure. Usually after the test question, they ask Have you knowingly broken any rules that govern this tournament? Have you knowingly broken any state or federal laws in fishing this tournament? Did you catch the fish you weighed in today and in a legal manor as described by the rules of this tournament?

That is pretty much it. If you look at the questions, that just about covers the Kit and Ka-Bottel.

[ruthead]

The original article mentioned here from 2007 said if convicted he could get 2 to 7 years. Anyone find what the final outcome was? Did he get convicted? A lot of these articles state how much time they could do but very seldom do they get that. Maybe if they did get the time it would supress some of these situations.

[Chief Grey Bear]

I can remember 10 years ago, or maybe more the underwater camera were in play. We had locals that fished some of the bigger tournaments instead of pre-fishing they were pre-camera enough docks a few days before the tournaments that they would know the docks to concentrate on. Most tournament created a no camera rule for two weeks prior to the tournaments, and took care of that.

Good Luck

Just curious as to how they would/could enforce that? Not saying I disagree, just wondering how?