How you act on the water when no one is looking is the great standard of bass fishing sportsmanship.
But what if someone was looking and in fact, that someone had their video recorder pointed your way, catching you in an unlawful act? That’s what had me queasy this past week. If the rumored video of one of California’s prominent tournament fishermen snagging fish actually shows up on YouTube, it will be the end of a fishing career–pure and simple. And more than that, it will be one of the great disappointments in the sport.
The murmurings are not all that clear. Was this something that occurred during a tournament, or not? I don’t know. But in either case, it’s as illegal as heck. But if it is the former, I can’t think of a group of anglers who would be more outraged than those who regularly compete.
Yet even if this illegal activity was perpetrated outside the bounds of competition, such an ethical breach would be terrible blight on one’s reputation–something that takes so long to cultivate.
I know those big bass in the shallows are extremely tempting, but you have to lay off those “sight fish” if you can’t get them to bite. If you don’t, your career is dead.
As for this latest, allegation, I’m not offering up the name. The evidence needs to be plain before judgment is cast. But if this video is actually YouTube ready, someone must be finding it very hard to sleep these days.
3 Responses to “YouTube could kill a prominent career”
Leave the bed fish alone or at least be mindful of the process that is taking place – a very important process that sustains our sport. If someone is out there blowing it – we should know who it is and let the chips fall where they may fall… lets see it on U Tube…finally, if anyone gets caught cheating in tournaments they should be banned from the sport for life and a list of cheaters should be published or we should handle the problem like the sport of hockey.
I have seen what getting caught cheating will do. It ruins that person’s life.To be banned from fishing tournaments is the absolute single worst thing that could happen to a tournament fisherman. It’s easy to forget WHY we fish tournaments. It’s the competition aspect MORE than catching that we are addicted to. To not have that competitive outlet available anymore is disastrous, it can actually affect your health. I have seen it firsthand. It affects your family, work and friends. JUST DON’T DO IT.
When will this video air, any idea. Thank You