CTFishTalk.com: Cheating scandal at U.S. Open rocks bass-fishing community - Connecticut General Topics ( CT General Topics ) - A Community Built for Connecticut Fisherman.

DirtyDawg10 · Joined: 27 May 2009 Posts: 2238 Location: Granby, CT

Monday, August 2, 2010 2:16pm PDT

Cheating scandal at U.S. Open rocks bass-fishing community

By: 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.

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

SkeeterRon · Joined: 01 Jun 2007 Posts: 1173 Location: Newington, CT

Doesn't get much lower than that.... What a loser..!
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DirtyDawg10 · Joined: 27 May 2009 Posts: 2238 Location: Granby, CT

I agree...I can't believe he would risk all that for 18oz of weight in his fish. What a dumbass!! If you click the link at the bottom you can see pics of him and the weights he was using.

flippy · Joined: 25 May 2008 Posts: 1150

It is nice to see cheaters get caught, now he has nothing, he is done, oh well sucks for him, local clubs wont even want him to fish, most tournys, the fish that are caught belong to the people holding the tourny and can be examined if something is not right, or somebody assumes that they have been tampered with, when you do get accused of cheating it will crush your name in tourny fishing. Its not worth it!!!

slimecoat · Joined: 09 Nov 2007 Posts: 1576 Location: Newington, CT.

Justice served!

He got what was coming to him for cheating! I have zero tolerance for this crap.

I want to know that when I or we win a tournament, it is because I or we beat the rest of the field fairly, not by cheating.

Because he who cheats to win is only really cheating himself!

What a low life!!
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Old Mud · Joined: 03 May 2007 Posts: 1048 Location: Bath, Maine

in the salt world we would be looking to Keel Haul him !!!!

Ya just can't fix "Dumb Ass" !!!
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Fishface · Joined: 02 Jan 2008 Posts: 308 Location: New Britain

They should Cramed him with the weight, except from a different entry point. What is next have them Bronzed?

Tim

SeaDog1 · Joined: 21 Dec 2009 Posts: 2629

Hi!

When there are large money purses to be won -> You'll always find cheaters!
Like fixing a horse race, title fight, or ball game. Evil or Very Mad

Per old "Mark Twain" even old bull frog jumping competitions were fixed by filling the frog's belly with bird shot. Rolling Eyes

I fish for enjoyment, relaxation, and a great fish dinner! Very Happy

Best regards,
SeaDog1