Michigan's Nate Wellman get his 2012 Bassmaster Classic berth

[djkimmel]

B.A.S.S. News

A Dream Come True for Michigan's Nate Wellman

SANDUSKY, Ohio — Nate Wellman has had a dream since he was 12 years old: to fish in the Bassmaster Classic. Since then, he has strived to make that dream a reality by trying to qualify through the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Opens as well as the Bassmaster Elite Series. But before today, he's always come up short. With his win on Lake Erie, he'll be able to live out that dream next February on Louisiana's Red River at the 2012 Classic.

Read complete story on GreatLakesBass.com Tournament News.

Final day standings below.

[djkimmel]

FINAL STANDINGS - BASS PRO SHOPS BASSMASTER NORTHERN OPEN 2
 – LAKE ERIE –PRO

2011 Northern Open  2 - Lake Erie 8/25-8/27
Lake Erie, Sandusky  OH.
(BOATER) Standings Day 3

   Angler                   Hometown              No./lbs-oz  Pts   Total $$$
1.  Nate Wellman           Newaygo, MI             15  63-11  315  $53,333.00
  Day 1: 5   22-04     Day 2: 5   23-03     Day 3: 5   18-04  
2.  Jared Rhode            Port Clinton, OH        15  61-15  295  $12,500.00
  Day 1: 5   17-11     Day 2: 5   21-09     Day 3: 5   22-11  
3.  Michael Murphy         Gilbert, SC             15  61-00  290  $10,417.00
  Day 1: 5   19-10     Day 2: 5   19-04     Day 3: 5   22-02  
4.  Chris Malone           Ironton, OH             15  60-08  285   $8,333.00
  Day 1: 5   21-00     Day 2: 5   20-07     Day 3: 5   19-01  
5.  Kurt Dove              Del Rio, TX             15  58-12  280   $7,500.00
  Day 1: 5   18-00     Day 2: 5   20-00     Day 3: 5   20-12  
6.  Kyle Kempkers          Hamilton, MI            15  58-08  276   $6,667.00
  Day 1: 5   20-05     Day 2: 5   18-04     Day 3: 5   19-15  
7.  John Devries           Fishers, IN             15  58-03  272   $5,833.00
  Day 1: 5   16-05     Day 2: 5   26-07     Day 3: 5   15-07  
8.  Derek Remitz           Grant, AL               15  56-10  268   $5,000.00
  Day 1: 5   20-00     Day 2: 5   19-03     Day 3: 5   17-07  
9.  Brian Metry            Grosse Pointe Farms, MI 15  56-03  264   $4,167.00
  Day 1: 5   18-14     Day 2: 5   20-02     Day 3: 5   17-03  
10. David Reault           Livonia, MI             15  56-03  260   $3,750.00
  Day 1: 5   19-14     Day 2: 5   18-15     Day 3: 5   17-06  
11. Art Ferguson III       St. Cloud, FL           14  51-06  257   $3,333.00
  Day 1: 5   19-06     Day 2: 5   19-06     Day 3: 4   12-10  
12. Kyle A. Fox            Lakeland, FL            15  49-14  254   $2,917.00
  Day 1: 5   20-11     Day 2: 5   18-00     Day 3: 5   11-03  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
 1        74       489     1546-08
 2        83       505     1718-04
 3        11        59      214-01
----------------------------------
         168      1053     3478-13

FINAL STANDINGS - BASS PRO SHOPS BASSMASTER NORTHERN OPEN 2
 – LAKE ERIE –CO-ANGLER

2011 Northern Open  2 - Lake Erie 8/25-8/27
Lake Erie, Sandusky  OH.
(NON_BOATER) Standings Day 3

   Angler                   Hometown              No./lbs-oz  Pts   Total $$$
1.  Jonathan Shoemaker     Elyria, OH               9  38-04  310  $35,000.00
  Day 1: 3   14-12     Day 2: 3   11-13     Day 3: 3   11-11  
2.  Mike Chunko            Alliance, OH             9  37-07  300   $3,333.00
  Day 1: 3   14-11     Day 2: 3   13-03     Day 3: 3   09-09  
3.  Bobby Woods            Stafford, VA             9  37-07  290   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 3   11-11     Day 2: 3   12-15     Day 3: 3   12-13  
4.  Chris Van Vliet        Cleveland CANADA         9  37-06  285   $1,875.00
  Day 1: 3   13-11     Day 2: 3   11-15     Day 3: 3   11-12  
5.  Pete Manns             Seville, OH              9  37-06  280   $1,479.00
  Day 1: 3   12-10     Day 2: 3   13-06     Day 3: 3   11-06  
6.  Ryan Smith             Galloway, NJ             9  37-05  276   $1,250.00
  Day 1: 3   13-05     Day 2: 3   11-15     Day 3: 3   12-01  
7.  Joe Stois              Fairview Park, OH        9  34-15  272   $1,042.00
  Day 1: 3   13-01     Day 2: 3   11-08     Day 3: 3   10-06  
8.  Jeff Cutler            Minersville, PA          9  34-07  268   $1,000.00
  Day 1: 3   12-12     Day 2: 3   11-10     Day 3: 3   10-01  
9.  Kevin Webb             Xenia, OH                9  32-11  264     $917.00
  Day 1: 3   10-11     Day 2: 3   12-08     Day 3: 3   09-08  
10. Joshua Barr            Akron, OH                9  32-07  260     $833.00
  Day 1: 3   11-09     Day 2: 3   12-06     Day 3: 3   08-08  
11. Jeremy Peters          Toledo, OH               8  31-03  257     $750.00
  Day 1: 3   11-15     Day 2: 3   11-08     Day 3: 2   07-12  
12. Brian Mailot           Columbus, OH             8  30-13  254     $667.00
  Day 1: 3   13-05     Day 2: 3   11-10     Day 3: 2   05-14  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
 1        73       269      865-04
 2        80       284      979-09
 3        10        34      121-05
----------------------------------
         163       587     1966-02

[champion_206]

http://bassfan.com/docktalk.asp     should be worse then a fine and probation

[djkimmel]

Tough when it is one person's word against another, and also the possibility that it was reported after the protest deadline maybe? That is something I'm wondering about but I wouldn't be surprised if we don't get anymore public details.

Having been in that co-anglers shoes many years ago at just the state level, I understand the stress and strain he was probably under.

[dartag]

it will be interesting to see what is said come classic time.  I drew him as my boater many years ago when he was a wild kid. Gave me a boat ride across erie I will never forget.  I do remember him telling me then his dream was to make the classic.

guess the only people that know the real story were the 2 in the boat that day.

[djkimmel]

That is always the tough part of these kinds of things and why the pro should always know better than to even go down one of these roads...

[Dan]

As many of you know, I know Nate quite well. He was in my sixth grade class with my youngest son. They have fished together for a number of years, and I've seen Nate off and on for fifteen years or so. I not only know Nate, but I know his two sisters, and his mom and dad. I have talked directly, face to face, to Nate at his house since this story broke.
In terms of the incident, I can only rely on the officials involved to make a judgement based on what they found when they dealt directly with the two individuals.
I have seen Trip Weldon in action and know that he stands his ground without flinching when pros like Kevin and Tommy Biffle are  in his face. I feel Ken Duke would do the same, and leave no stone unturned.  I would think that if B.A.S.S. officials felt there was any proof of cheating that Nate would have been banned for life.
I think they made it clear to him that he can't talk like he did in the boat, even if he was just kidding around during a long tension filled day. You just can't do that.
If you know Nate, or my son for that matter, they both talk a very good story, and may often be described as talking a little too much. When my son is nervous he goes on and on and has been known to say things that he regrets later. (I guess I'm a little guilty of this as well, but being 60, I have a few years of hindsight that certainly helps me to now make better decisions which may get me to 70 without too many more foot in mouth incidents.)
Nate told me that what was said was in no way intended to be taken seriously. (I believe he even had a camera man in his boat the last day for part of the day as well. It just seems hard for me to believe he would have actually meant to buy a fish.)
Nate knows that he should not have said what he said and feels terrible, actually he feels beyond terrible about it. Nate realizes how he's put his career in jeopardy by talking too much.
He's fished at the FLW Tour level, and has fished the Forest Wood Cup. He's also fished Everstarts, Opens, etc. for a number of years. If he was doing something shady, I think it would have come out by now, and or there would be others coming forward with similar stories.
Whatever the case, the incident has been investigated, testimony taken, and a ruling made. He's been punished, however, this will follow him for a long long time. He's going to pay a big price regardless.
You hate to see these situations arise, but it did, and to the credit of the sport, it was immediately brought to light. In actuality, he didn't do anything to improve his standing in the tournament. It is, however, a case where sticks and stones didn't break any bones, but the words will follow him for a long, long, time. It's going to hurt him in a variety of ways, sponsorship, etc. He's going to pay a big price, and some may say good, he should.
If he were my son though, I would hope that once the B.A.S.S. officials took the necessary steps with penalties and fines served, that he would be able to move on with a big lesson learned.  I would want him to have another chance.
What advice would you give him going forward, other than keep your mouth shut, and fish hard from here on out. He's going to have to let his fishing speak for itself.
It's not going to be easy, because every reporter for a long time will be all over this. Do you know that the Grand Rapids Press and the local papers, his home town media, never made a mention of his winning the Open. Not one word about local boy does well, but, I would bet they report on this rule infraction incident. People often want to believe the worst despite what may or may not have happened.

[Mini]

Did Alton Jones alter the outcome of the event by having his son drive the boat during practice?

Did Mike Iaconelli alter the outcome of the event when he was fishing an off limits area?

He may have not altered the outcome of the event by saying what he did, but he certainly altered the view of bass fishing tournaments forever. He just may have altered the career of the 2nd place finisher too....who is to say that Jared Rhode wouldnt go on to win the Classic if Nate would have been DQ'd?

BASS rules CLEARLY state that any violation or suggested violation of the rule would result in a DQ. If a lesson was to be learned, he should have his day's catch DQ'd at a MINIMUM. He would have finished 12th and the Classic berth would have gone to someone that deserved it.

I am not a fan of Wellman as I have had my own run ins with him when he was a "wild kid". I know he has grown up, he is not a kid, and he should be treated like a man with a fair penalty. He was given a slap on the wrist and it puts BASS in a bad light.

With all this said, KUDOS to his co-angler for doing the right thing.

Just my .02

[jacksonmj]

The Co Angler had nothing to gain by reporting this so why not believe him. If this guy was joking why would he go on about how the co angler would be paid. This should have been handled differently by BASS and the guy should have been DQ'd. I hope that this guy doesn't make it anywhere in the sport! pee poor person and I wonder if he has done this before since his dad has deep pockets.

[djkimmel]

I don't think there's any question about the co-angler. He reported it as he should but I still have not seen that it was reported during the required protest window which to me might explain why it ended up the way it did.

Nate did admit to stating enough to get him in trouble. As tough as B.A.S.S. has been on just about anyone at any level over the years, I think there was a complete set of circumstances that led to this decision that none of us are fully privy too so I'm not going to second guess how it went down. I've been down this exact road before and it is very hard on everyone involved.

Nate is paying and will pay a high price for this, and my point all along is that I completely agree with the rule - boaters cannot even joke about the rules being broken without damaging the sport. I'm glad to see B.A.S.S. did something to demonstrate that even regardless of whether or not everyone agrees it was the right something.

The fine goes to a good cause. The probation means if he does 'joke' again or does anything else for a complete year, he will probably be done for good. And the publicity will hurt him the most. He may never get over that. I know I'm glad it was B.A.S.S. and not me that had to make this decision knowing the storm that was coming.

I hope this is a public reminder to boaters to be aware and avoid repeating the mistake, and a reminder to co-anglers that if it does happen, they have to report it and can feel confident they won't be hated and vilified by everyone for doing the right and required thing.

[River Walker]

 Right now I kind of have mixed feelings about this.Had I been either a boater,or a co-angler in this event,I would be very upset.The first thought that would come to my mind had I been a participant would be to wonder what if the guy offered his co's on days 1 and 2 the same deal.If he did,and they accepted,they most certainly would never admit to it,because they know they would also receive a lifetime ban as well as Nate would.Could he also have resorted to this sort of behavior at Chesapeake Bay,or any other opens? I don't know the guy personally,so I can't comment whether I think he is the sort to do something like that.What I can say is I know without a shadow of doubt that there's many people thinking those same thoughts about Wellman about right now.He very well could've been just joking for whatever reason,but a lot of us don't think it's funny.

[djkimmel]

Many people are thinking the same things. Which is why it is good this instance is getting a lot of publicity and notice. We can't have jokes about breaking rules or rule breaking in the sport.