Been on a lot of other forums.. Nate Wellman Situation...

[RK]

Hiya -

Bassfan has comments from several BASS anglers on the Wellman mess. Consensus seems to be "Why wasn't he DQd?"

RK

[Deitz Dittrich]

Thats a very good question... and with that, also loosing his birth in the Classic.

[Superduty]

If he is guilty of the charges, he should be DQ'd. Give the money and Classic berth to the guy in second place. BASS has DQ'd guys for some pretty minor infractions over the years. This isn't consistent. My guess is that since there is no proof of the allegation, BASS had to be cautious with the penalty. It's Nate's word against Joe's. Of course Nate is going to deny the allegation. His career is at stake. It's not a case where he will be patted on the back for admitting his mistake like Reese did with the extra fish in the livewell. It would be blatant cheating on purpose and he would be kicked out of tournament fishing if true.

[NTW]

If he is guilty of the charges, he should be DQ'd. Give the money and Classic berth to the guy in second place. BASS has DQ'd guys for some pretty minor infractions over the years. This isn't consistent. My guess is that since there is no proof of the allegation, BASS had to be cautious with the penalty. It's Nate's word against Joe's. Of course Nate is going to deny the allegation. His career is at stake. It's not a case where he will be patted on the back for admitting his mistake like Reese did with the extra fish in the livewell. It would be blatant cheating on purpose and he would be kicked out of tournament fishing if true.

But he isn't denying the the infraction! I am with those who say DQ. Horrible decision by Nate.

[Superduty]

I interpret his "joking around" explanation as denying he was cheating.

[PartyWhine]

It might have been one of those cases where what he said was said in a manner that implied "I'm joking. Unless you'll do it. Then I'm not joking..."

I think this is spot on.

Used to work for me in the bars.

[Fever]

I think it was just a poor decision brought on by extreme stress and pressure to perform. I feel bad for him. Tough lesson to learn.

[Deitz Dittrich]

saw this on BassFan.. this is a quote from Ish on the subject..

Quote:

Ish Monroe

"I'm not mad at Nate. Whether he was joking or trying to do it, it was basically kind of like NASCAR: He got a small penalty and still won the event. I'm not mad at him for winning the event. I'm mad at the way things were handled. B.A.S.S. could have kept the whole thing a lot quieter. There have been other instances that were handled quietly and more appropriately – for example, Tony Christian.

"And there's just been a lot of DQs for a lot less. I got DQd for using two curse words. (Mike Iaconelli) got DQd for wrecking a pole. Gerald (Swindle) got DQd for running between two boats. Did any of those infractions change the outcome of the event?

"All B.A.S.S. had to do was DQ him for the event and sweep it under the table. Now it's a rules infraction with tons of questions. I'm not a cheater, but hey, now I can buy a 4-pounder and take a $2,500 fine and probation to win the event? Sign me up."

[NTW]

"All B.A.S.S. had to do was DQ him for the event and sweep it under the table. Now it's a rules infraction with tons of questions. I'm not a cheater, but hey, now I can buy a 4-pounder and take a $2,500 fine and probation to win the event? Sign me up."

Exactly.

[Igor Drackenwolf]

...This situation sucks for Wellman because I'm sure he was joking, but based on what I've heard from these events, it makes total sense. Everyone is looking for a competitive edge and this co-angler probably saw this as a chance to empty a seat at the pro level that he could potentially fill someday.

That is an insane theory. Quite a despicable theory, actually.

[BassNut33]

That is an insane theory. Quite a despicable theory, actually.

[fishuhalik]

im not saying i dont believe mr. stois, but if theres one thing i know its marketing. some of you have said he has nothing to gain. on the contrary. every person that follows BASS tournies knows his name and he has a good reputation. that goes a long ways in this industry! again, not saying i dont believe him, im just saying dont believe everything people say when lots of $ and fame is involved...

[RK]

Bassfan has a more extensive interview with Stois up. Man, Wellman doesn't come off too well if Stois' account is even close to accurate. I can see why some of the other anglers think he should have the win wiped out.

[BassNut33]

If it is accurate, BASS better have their fingers that Wellman doesn't finish well in the classic. Imagine the backlash if he wins it!

[vikingmeatwad]

I'm not sure what to think about this but I thought the point of having a Co-Angler was to fish as a team?

I hope it was a joke but it is he said/he said and it seems to look like guilty until proven innocent in these writings.

[Bushwacker]

I'm not sure what to think about this but I thought the point of having a Co-Angler was to fish as a team?

They don't fish as a team at this level. There are a few pros that position the boat so that the co-angler has access to certain spots after the pro works them, but for the most part it is each man for themselves. Seperate livewells, seperate fish.

[TonkaBass]

This guy needs to take Ray Scott's advice and request a polygraph from B.A.S.S.

[kg2]

Sep 21, 2011

B.A.S.S. tournament officials and Nate Wellman have mutually agreed that Mr. Wellman will not fish any Bassmaster tournaments until March 2012. Mr. Wellman will not compete in the Bassmaster Northern Open this week in Syracuse, N.Y., and as a consequence of his withdrawal, Mr. Wellman will be ineligible to compete in the 2012 Bassmaster Classic. No changes have been made to the previously communicated penalties or the final tournament standings of the August 27, 2011 Bassmaster Northern Open held on Lake Erie. Wellman maintains his eligibility in the 2012 Bassmaster Elite Series.

[TonkaBass]

Sounds like a guilty plea to me

[mww24]

turns out nate will not be fishing anymore bass events this year which means he loses his spot in the classic. if it was truly a joke taken out of context i feel bad for the guy.

[gritsnham]

Wellman seems to be very guilty in this situation especially since he does not seem to be trying to fight the allegations. The co angler has nothing to gain and that is just not something to joke about in a tournament. A foolish mistake and I feel that he is lucky to be eligible for the 2012 season at all.

Tournament fishing can bring out a nasty side in people but can also bring out greatness. This was my first year in a club and I absolutely loved my first competitive fishing. Usually there is some "sharing" at the end of tournaments which is great for learning. Tournaments that are properly ran with respectful anglers does not damage or clean out a lake. Just like any other sport there is an ethics aspect and usually the bad apples are the minority.

I enjoyed ishs comments and think BASS may need to think about how they are operating in some aspects....

My 2 cents!