CHEATER CAUGHT

[Ranger482v]

WON BASS officials caught a guy by the name of MIKE HART from California putting drop shot weights into the fishes belly on day 2-3 of the tournament killing the fish.He later admits to the crime.To me this is a shame that some idiot would stink our sport up like this.Just my opinion.

[thedude]

they weren't drop shot weights, they were large cigar shaped sinkers - 2-4ozs ea. (not that that changes anything).

glad they caught the guy and made an example of him.

[mikesmiph]

Just too bad they cant go back in time and get some money back to his competitors. Seems hes been tearing up a couple circuits out there in the last couple years. I wonder why? God, I hate cheaters

[redwing]

In my book that's the same as theft, he should be arrested for theft!  That just makes you sick!

[bosshawg]

 supposingly he's been banned from any/all tournaments. but he should serve some kind of time behind bars..

[Dan]

They are looking at the jurisdiction. It may fall in to three different areas. The weigh-in was at a park so Rangers were there. The event was held in Nevada, but the lake, Lake Mead, is between Nevada and Arizona. If they can prove he crossed the state line then he might get  charged with a Federal crime. So there is the park law, National Recreation Area, Nevada, and possibly Arizona and Federal Law. He will most likely be charged and will pay some sort of penalty.
Tough times push people to desperate things. No excuse though. He's admitted to the crime and looks like he's going to pay the price. To maintain the integrity of the sport that have to pursue him vigorously. I see they also took his day 3 coanglers weight away. They didn't charge him with anything though. His Day 1 and 2 coanglers kept their weight. Wonder why that was. There was more than likely a rule that said they had to be where they could see those fish at all times. Wonder how he sipped the weights in without the co seeing?
They caught him because the dead fish, and he had three day 2, were given to a food bank kind of deal and they found the weights when they cleaned them on Day 2 and then set up a sting of sorts on Day 3.

[dartag]

here is a link to the story

http://www.bassfan.com/news_article.asp?id=3679

hope they throw the book at him.   Like Mike said he and a partner have won a bunch of tournys this year and last.  does make you wonder.

[djkimmel]

I would imagine they didn't take away the day one weight because they didn't find any sinkers; The day two weight because they found 3 sinkers in amongst a group of bass being cleaned and didn't at that time know whose bass they had been. It wasn't until day three when they were looking carefully that the found out whose bass had the sinkers in them.

They have said they will press charges which I believe is necessary. I hate the feeling of wondering at tournaments if I'm already at a disadvantage because a few persons have low morals. One call is too many about things other anglers have tried to pull, or 'teased' about pulling and I've gotten more than one call over the years.

The ones who get caught need to be made an example of so, maybe one of these days, we can fish tournaments and not wonder if we are already at a disadvantage...

[djkimmel]

I was talking to someone about it last night and we figured he must have done it while culling or 'checking' the bass later in the day. If he's been doing it a while, he's probably pretty good at it. Which is sad. Think about the time it takes to fix those weights so they have a hook stuck in the bottom of the weight so the weight will stay in the bass. And to think I use my time to change line and stuff like that...

[djkimmel]

What is possibly more troubling is now his latest regular partner will be stained too. They have won so many tournaments together lately, questions will be inevitable. The partner may always have a question mark hanging over him now.

Putting someone who you say is your friend in this situation by your own actions is very selfish and mean in my eyes. I would think only someone of very low character could do that. I hope the partner never had any part in any cheating, but how will we really ever know?

[Waterfoul]

Some of these same questions have come up about the upcoming Kicken Bass"radio tournament" (as it's called around here).  Rumors of cheating and improprieties have always been associated with this tournament. BUT, the winner of the last several events has been a local fishermen many of us know, and I can say for SURE would never resort to cheating just to win.  He and his partner are both excellent fishermen and don't need to cheat to win (I know, I've finished both behind and ahead of them on several occasions on many different lakes!).

But still there are always rumors surrounding this event.  Kind of sad really. 

[djkimmel]

Exactly because of people like Mike Hart!! I've been through it too. I had a partner years ago that while we fished together locally, we dominated for a while. And it didn't take long before a small group of guys who would rather find some other way than just working hard started spreading rumors that we must be cheating.

I lost this fun and excellent angler as a fishing partner twice because he would not ignore these weak-minded whiners and their mean, unfounded accusations. It made me want to beat them even more, but it hurt my partners feelings and he said it took all the fun out of the fishing. I wasn't happy at all. We had so much fun together and a few people ruined it because they can believe that anyone is just plain better than them. One of the reasons I get even more upset with people that do actually get caught cheating. They tarnish everything for everyone.

[Mike S.]

Didn't they catch a guy in Texas doing the same thing earlier this year?  You'd think after that, people would straighten up and quit cheating.  It is sad that there is always someone who has to be a dirt bag and ruin everyone's fun.  Fishing is supposed to be fun, and tournaments are supposed to be fun competition.  Too bad some people will never get that.

[dartag]

funny thing is how many people i know only talk about fishing when something like this hits the news.     Thats why I try and finish a few ounces out of the money each week 

[Dan]

Here's Rick Clunn's feelings on the cheating incident on Lake Mead.
"I think (WON Bass) handled it right, but if it were up to me, I'd have gotten a bunch of us old guys together who really respect the sport and we'd have taken him out in the desert and used the old Apache method of staking him to an ant bed. To me, that would be the fitting punishment."

Doesn't mince too many words does he? Hey Lt. Dan would you be one of the old guys he's talking about?

[djkimmel]

No... I definitely fit part of the bill... though I would probably throw in if there was a good mob already started. "Hey... hey... can we light our torches?"

The closest I've come to Rick Clunn is standing in line behind him at a buffet somewhere long ago. He turned around and I must have scared him because he gave this kind of crazy look... you know the look... kind of crazy. I said, "oh hi." He blinked at me and turned back around. I don't think that makes me part of his posse. Or would that be cult?!?

[Dan]

He is kind of a scary dude. I see Chip Harrison made a little money today on Champlain. My boy, Nate Wellman, had a fairly good pay day as well. Finished lucky number 13. Wolak won it. When I fished with him on Pickwick, he told me that since he switched to the shakey head his finishes have been higher and higher. That's all he threw all day long on Pickwick.