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Fishermen -GONE BAD !!!!!

552 views 7 replies 8 participants last post by  eelball 
#1 ·
Angler busted for weighting bass in tourney

Associated Press ? Sept. 21, 2004

TAVARES, Fla. ? It took Ronnie Lynn Robinson two years to own up to his fish tale.

Robinson admitted Monday to common-law cheating ? a rare crime ? for turning in what looked to be a thawed-out fish with a belly full of lead weights at a 2002 Lake County bass-fishing tournament.

Robinson was charged and stripped of his nearly $2,000 prize at the Harris Chain Bassmasters Big Bass Tournament after tournament director Darren Ratliff gutted the winning fish in his kitchen and found three 8-ounce weights in its stomach.

Robinson, 51, finally admitted guilt in exchange for nine months of court supervision, during which he must stay clear of fishing contests.

Robinson's lawyer, Henry G. Ferro, said Robinson is innocent but agreed to the deal "strictly as a matter of convenience."

According to a deputy's report, Robinson caught the winning 8-pound, 6-ounce fish on Sept. 28, 2002, threw it into the live well of his boat and submitted it more than six hours later.

Tournament officials didn't question the entry at the scene, but Ratliff said it looked pale and flaccid, and, unlike most freshly dead catches, stiff from rigor mortis. The fish also looked too fat for its length, and the artificial worm in its mouth didn't have the punctures usually found on used bait, he said.

Robinson's $1,915.20 prize was nearly enough to cover his $2,000 bail
 
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#2 ·
Some idiots tried something similar back in the big $$$ bluefish tournament that used to be run out of Margate, NJ. They brought 8 fish to the scale that would have taken #1st place out of 150 boats. Fish however were dropping scales and had eyes shadowed over. Clowns maintained fish were caught that day. After judges discussed, they gave the idiots option of leaving in peace or sticking around for the police. They high tailed it out of there!
 
#4 ·
a guy in a fluke tournament did it last year. I nice fish but definately not caught the day of the tournament.Very pale and stiff no slime at all and a rusted hook in its mouth. I could not belive it was not disqualified.I was happy to see he did not take first place he was beat by a couple of other bigger legitimatly caught fish.
 
#6 ·
Every tournament I've fished in there was such a big deduction in overall weight for weighing a dead fish I'm surprised he was still in the money when it was over.It must have been a very slow day.All fish are measured to,the length between an 8.6 oz. and 6.14oz. fish is not astronomical,but should have been cause to check it more closely.It's still pathetic. :(
 
#7 ·
My oh My Bummer, not that he got caught but the fact that contests breed this sort of thing. I worked the deck on an 8 hour party boat out of Wildwood Crest in the 60's. You really did not want to be caught with a "weighted" flounder in the pool. Ron
 
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