Pro Angler Caught Cheating

[10,000 Casts]

http://www.grindtv.com/outdoor/blog/19468/cheating+scandal+at+us+open+rocks+bass-fishing+community/

I hope they press charges against this guy or at least fine him.

[10,000 Casts]

Cheating scandal at U.S. Open rocks bass-fishing communityBy: Pete Thomas, GrindTV.com

A professional angler found to have stuffed lead sinkers down the throats of fish he submitted for weigh-ins during a prestigious bass-fishing tournament has been banned for life from that and other competitions in a scandal that has rocked the tight-knit and passionate bass-fishing community.

Mike Hart, a successful Southern California pro whose career earnings total more than $200,000, was accused of cheating in this manner during the recent $100,000 U.S. Open held at sprawling Lake Mead on the Nevada-Arizona border. An official with the Western Outdoor News bass tour said Hart confessed after he was caught virtually red-handed.

WON Bass will not pursue criminal charges against Hart, but the episode has tournament organizers around the country speaking out against cheating and seeking ways to prevent their events from being similarly tarnished.

"On the one hand it was a day of infamy for organized bass fishing in America," said Harvey Naslund, director of the WON circuit. "But on the other hand it was a major victory for all who have long cared for, and taken steps to protect the integrity of bass-fishing tournaments."

Catching a cheat is difficult because tournaments are catch-and-release, so bass are kept in aerated wells on the boats and weighed live at the end of each fishing day, then released.

However, sometimes bass die after being caught and Hart had offered three dead fish during the weigh-in on the second-to-last day of the U.S. Open. They were filleted so the meat could be delivered to a charity, and found to contain weights.

Officials waited until the final day to confront Hart, who turned in a full limit of five bass. All five were found to contain lead sinkers.

In all, nine sinkers were removed from bass turned in by Hart. Naslund said each sinker was torpedo-shaped and weighed two ounces. Each was attached to a short line and tied to a small treble hook, presumably to catch in the throat and hopefully keep the weights from entering the belly and being detected if the bass were cut open.

WON Bass determined that Hart acted alone, even though he had a lower-tier "Triple-A" fishing partner aboard his boat during each of the three days of the U.S. Open.

Naslund explained that the Triple-A partner fishes from the back of the boat while the pro stands at the bow, driving and steering with a foot-powered trolling motor.

On the third day of fishing, Naslund said, Hart was said to have asked his partner -- who had flown in from South Korea -- to change places while he rigged some tackle and checked on the fish in the live-well.

"The same scenario existed on Day 1 and Day 2 of the U.S. Open," Naslund said.

The South Korean angler, who would have shared part of whatever purse Hart had been entitled to after the third and final day, was given a refund for his entry fee.

For what it's worth, the U.S. Open was won by Arizona pro Clifford Pirch, with a total weight of 31.44 pounds. He earned $40,000, plus a new bass boat

[Craigums]

This guy has been mopping up the west coast circuit for years, its really a shame. Makes you question all of his wins

[CAMAN]

Its a shame that there are 7 more bass that will probably die a horrible death because of this fool. I say we stuff an appropriately sized lead weight tied to a treble hook down his throat as punishment.

Can the DNR file charges against him for something, even if WON Bass doesn't?

[smeese]

Isn't the fact that he bass fished for all those years punishment enough? Ha Ha Just kidding.....unfortunately defamation will probably be the worst that this guy will see. It is very unfortunate. Bad raps last forever in this type of sport. LOSER!!!!!!

[lookincalifornia]

i wonder who his sinker sponser was.

won bass is huge out here. i can't believe he is the only one with all of the money in bass fishing people will do what ever they can to get some of it.

[bisonthunder]

what a tool...

[blakjack23]

Un-friggin-believable. I agree, he needs some sinkers and trebles shoved down his throat.

[matthothand]

If he bothered with all that why didn't he just go all out and use tungsten? "T-R-B-L Dat's terrible." -Charles Barkley

[eyeguy 54]

cheating of some type goes on in a lot of proffesional sports as we all know. money and fame if you don't get caught. The sport will find good punishment. No way would I throw sinkers down his thoat with a trebble hook.

[Deitz Dittrich]

My gawd, does anybody really need the money that bad.. or does anybody need their Ego Stroked that bad.. If I had to cheat to win.. its not a win. My ego can handle not winning.. done it a bunch of times. More times than I can count.. My checking account will survive too.. if bass fishing means the difference between eating and not.. I need to pick up a second job and not fish so much.

[bassfshin24]

yeah makes me sick thinkin bout this guy. what a tool!!!

[TNFL]

It really puts a black eye on competitive fishing in general (1 bad apple) unfortunately.

So much for tradition and pastime and the great outdoors. Its about how can I get rich without having a real job.

Competition and money can bring out the worst in people.

And all the sponsors and tourney purses only raises the prices on lures and tackle for the average Joe.

[TNFL]

My gawd, does anybody really need the money that bad.. or does anybody need their Ego Stroked that bad.. If I had to cheat to win.. its not a win. My ego can handle not winning.. done it a bunch of times. More times than I can count.. My checking account will survive too.. if bass fishing means the difference between eating and not.. I need to pick up a second job and not fish so much.

Or pick up a filet knife and fish more.

[Irish]

Makes you wonder how often people do this and don't get caught. During the colder water months when you rarely have fish go belly up on you in the live well it would be pretty much impossible to catch somebody.

[JConrad]

Reminds me of back when I was tournament fishing, two guys (I won't mention their names) had won several tournaments in a row until they were caught on Lake Minnetonka using live bait! It was quite embarassing to say the least since these two were very well known on the MN bass circuit. I was fishing the tournament that weekend and remember it quite well. I knew the family of one of the guys and coached his son in little league. Sure made it difficult for me knowing what had happened.

Greed and the desire to win no matter what the cost is a really terrible thing and can cloud the minds of even very successful individuals.