miliacs tourney cheats???!?

[esoxfreek]

reliable source told me 2 walleye fisherman spooted a jug a cpl feet down under the surface of the water.when they pulled it it it was connected 2 a brick with a nice musky tethered 2 it.it was like a 46.i guess the law waited but all the commotion the didnt show back up.it sure is a shame that folks act like this when theres a few $$$$ involved!!

[hanson]

The topic is in Joe Fellegy's column in the Outdoor News as well.

[jerk bait]

I always wondered how the same team can catch 4-5 fish in a day and a half of fishing in 2 cosecutive years.

[TomWehler]

Kinda sick way to act if that stuff would be proved true.

Guess money and pictures in a mag would be the top on the list for some folks.

Kind of crazy and sad to think about.

Good side would be these folks paying time in the gray bar --- seeing how the fraud charge on that much winnings would lock one up for over 66 months easy.

Makes one wonder........?

[mtreno]

that and the talk about snagging from last years event and this years vermillon event......

[setterguy]

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I always wondered how the same team can catch 4-5 fish in a day and a half of fishing in 2 cosecutive years.

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Its impossible to say who it was that planted that fish but I am guessing it was not the team you are referring to. Jason basically lives on the lake throughout the summer and while I don't know him personally I know people who do and from what I've heard, it doesn't sound like something they would have to do.

[bubs]

it is just one more reason not to have big money tournaments.

[propster]

If it is indeed Jason you are referring to, I kind of doubt it. For the simple reason I happened to be fishing right where he was a good part of the day Sat and Sunday. I personally watched he and his partner catch 3 fish in the space of about 30 minutes, with Brad Hoppe in their boat filming. I would say it is unlikely that anybody that is entering 4-5 fish needs to rely on the cheating, unless that is how they are putting all their fish in! The beauty of that deal was that after all the tourney guys were done, I went out Sat night and caught a couple nice ones, including my biggest, a 52 x 24. Unfortunately I was alone and just slipped the net out form under and watched them swim away. The memories are better than having the photo anyway, but it would have been something.

[CaptainMusky]

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I personally watched he and his partner catch 3 fish in the space of about 30 minutes, with Brad Hoppe in their boat filming. I would say it is unlikely that anybody that is entering 4-5 fish needs to rely on the cheating, unless that is how they are putting all their fish in!

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Maybe they have someone underwater putting the fish on their hooks like In Fisherman has been accused of? LMAO

[RK]

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Maybe they have someone underwater putting the fish on their hooks like In Fisherman has been accused of? LMAO

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Having been around a few In-Fish shoots, I can say without a doubt that they catch the fish they show Having also been around some other shows (years ago - late 1980s) I can say that not all shows are as scrupulous. You'd be amazed what you can do with a rat trap on a tripod and the right camera angle...

As far as the Mille Lacs deal, I have only heard things third and fourth hand, and haven't even had a chance to read Joe's column - it's sitting on my desk.

Can say a couple things though. One is about Jason Hammernick. Part of the reason he had Brad in his boat this year was to get everything on video, and remove any doubt that he was catching fish. It proved what those that know him already knew - he is as legit as they come. The dude can fish. Period. I think it's too bad that he felt it was necessary to go to the lengths he did to prove his legitimacy, but it's the nature of the beast.

As to tournament cheating, I suppose it is inevitable. Someone's bound to try. For a few years the cheating that went on at the Lake Minnetonka Wednesday nighters was legendary - and those were just small time deals. Fortunately I really believe very few tournament anglers would stoop to it. But there will always be some.

Cheers,

Rob Kimm

[MuskyBrian]

as for Vermilion, are people just assuming snagging was going on, or is there is actual evidence present that says there was? ( someone seeing it first hand, snagging marks, etc...)

I have heard this speculation as well but I have never heard anything concrete to back up these claims...just wondering?

[uplander]

Does anyone think a guy like Jason would ever put his reputation on the line to win that tourney...Stop taking crazy pills!!!!!!!!! Face it the guy is just that good! The person that would do something like this is just some random schmoe (is that even a word) with nothing to lose. I don't know him pesonaly but I'm gonna go on a limb and say .......what he makes in guiding and endorsments is worth more to him than that one tourny. So I think that rumor should be put to bed..........much like myself.....ZZZZZZZZZZZ...Oh yeah, one more thing. Good luck to everyone this weekend on Leech, Cass, Bemidji or wherever.......and play fair....the future of the sport depends on it!!!!!!!!!!!!!! zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[Fish_or_Race]

Jason knows his stuff. No one can deny that.

Did the C.O. that took the call see the musky?? Or did the walleye guys release it first. I am not trying to bash anybody but Mille has been a walleye lake for years and with all of the success of the musky fishery there are a lot of people that do not like us "taking over" there lake.

Is it possible that the eye guys tied the rig up and never had a musky just to give the tourny some bad press??

Just playing devils advocate and trying to look at all of the options before dogging some really good musky guys.

Let me know what you think.

[snowman678]

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Is it possible that the eye guys tied the rig up and never had a musky just to give the tourny some bad press??

Just playing devils advocate and trying to look at all of the options before dogging some really good musky guys.

Let me know what you think.

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So you'll dog the "walleye guys" instead??? Just playing "devils advocate" myself. I have no first hand knowledge of the situation, and neither do most others, so I'll reserve judgement myself before accusing anyone of anything. JMO

[Fish_or_Race]

No, I am not trying to put down the walleye guys but this thread has only focused on which one of the tourney guys cheated and not about all of the possibilities.

We are a community that needs to stand together to improve our fisheries. Cheating will not help our sport, nor will guessing who did what without the proof to stand behind it.

Its just an all around bad deal.