Cheating the system! Yes or No

[Rainman]

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It was brought to my attention today that so called Professional fisherman are paying other people to prefish tournaments for them and give them the spot on spot! A guy at GM said that he does it for a guy and that every pro does it to! Is this true? If so, how can they call themselves PROS? To me this gives tournament anglers a bad rap! How could they brag about a tournament they won when they didn't even find their own fish? Somebody please say it ain't so! If it is true I will never look at a tournament the same! Or its anglers! Just trying to clear this up I guess!

Rainman

[Big G]

I beleive it........

I know of one tournament angler who culls at the end of the day. Meaning he keeps all fish up to Minnesota limit in his boat. Normal tournaments have 1 person limits. So, with that said, he will keep a 2 person limit for him and his partner, then release at the end of the day, the smaller fish.

His argument is that most literature in the tournaments state you can only weigh in a "1 person limit". It says nothing about having the other fish in another livewell. He will even brag at times about keeping the other fish in the "other" livewell, to be eaten later (his justification).

I also know of 3 tight buddies on a tournament, who fished the same area, who came in 1st, 2nd, & 3rd.............huh! Either they shared info or fish......

I have also heard where 1 tournament boat will give their bigger fish to another tournament boat (which will put that boat in first place), then share the prize money.

Truth to the fact is that there is alot of cheating going on on most tournaments.................

However, this isn't cheating.........this is just playing the system!!!

[DTro]

yeah, that's too bad if it's true. It wouldn't suprise me a bit though. As with anything else, just follow the money trail. If it's paying the bills, why not.

For me personally, no way. That's not fishing. Fishing is sitting at the end of the dock with you toes in the water, or drifting across an open bay half asleep listening to the twins in the background.

Who needs the stress?

[bassman186]

Hold on just a second wherever you guys have heard this they are full of it. No pro's I fish against and with do this. I have fished many tournaments and wherever I go the pro's themselves prefish not some friend. Think about it why would a pro who makes a living off of this have a guy prefish it for him. How would the pro know what to use and where to fish with what works and doesn't. Its common sense!

Matt

[WallEYES]

Well it is true. I have been asked by touring pros to prefish before tournaments for at least 10 % of prize money, if any. I know 2 or 3 people that do this also. Tournament fishing has changed because of the big dollars involved...it's a system, just like NASCAR...driver, mechanics,pit crews, sponsors ect. Thats just the way it is like it or leave it. Only a small percentage are doing it now and it is gaining popularity fast.

[JP Z]

I know a handful of guys that are pretty much a team. Even though they are Pros themselves so they fish alone. But they share all their info. And once the checks are handed out, they share those. It's just the nature of the beast. I know a couple of prominent Walleye pros that do this and they have done it for years. But I don't like to name names........unless they tick me off

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Tight Lines,
JP Z

[great fishing 4-U]

yes it is true. I know 3 guys that fish the bigger walleye tournaments and when they have the time to pre fish themselfs they do. However they do have fulltime jobs (most do) and can not always take a week or more off before the tournaments. They are great guys and over the last 2 years have shared info between them and it has helped all of them do better. I have no problem with this but I know some will. As for culling it all depends on which state they are fishing in some states it's legal and in some not.

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great fishing to all

[Animal]

Several years ago I was fishing walleyes on the Canadian side of Rainy Lake. There was a professional smallmouth tournament that was to be held later in the week and one of the pros was staying at our lodge. He had hired several guides to pre-fish and locate fish for him. Additionally, he was very interested in what our results were and if we were pulling any smallmouth.

There is a lot of money on the line with prizes and endorsements that these guys want to have the best edge possible. Is is ethical, I think that it is. But, then again they aren't out for a casual day of fishing.

[Granny]

Not a pro here, but to me Pro fishing is a business. If you want to expand your business you employ more people.

Granny

[basser]

You would hope these guys find their own fish. But unless the tourney has a no-info rule, or a no prefish after a certain date rule there is no reason they cant do that. What I have heard is that a few will have guys hole-sit for them on a good spot until they get there. This is definitely not right for them to do. As for the culling part ,unless the rules say no then they can do it.

[Jim W]

Moved to appropriate forum!

Jim