Tournament Bass Angler Accused of Cheating

http://www.kcci.com/news/5356289/detail.html

A tournament career down the drain if he’s convicted.

Is there anything more lowly than cheating at fishing?

Why can’t those bass guys be Kind,Thrifty, Wise, Loyal, honest and good looking like us walleye guys.
WHY Slop WHY ????

How could you even live with yourself? People like that really need their name dragged in the mud. If this guy is found guilty he may as well hang it up for good.. What a dumbass.

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Why can’t those bass guys be Kind,Thrifty, Wise, Loyal, honest and good looking like us walleye guys.
WHY Slop WHY ????

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Why must you tease the Slopster like that?!

I would like to know more…

Did they see or video him? Is it possible that one of the marked, tethered fish came loose and it’s a legal catch?

If he is guilty, I hope they throw the book at him….

I’m with you, Kevin. Not saying that the guy is innocent, but I was thinking the same thing. And……. don’t you think that if he took the time to catch and tether the fish, that he’d weigh them all in?

If he is guilty…….. whack him but good!

I heard this spring of this practice. Money brings out the worst in people.

I read on another site that he confessed.

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Is there anything more lowly than cheating at fishing?

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No doubt another Black-eye for Tournaments.

Hey however how about college examines, insider trading, inhancement steriods in sports, congressional lobbyists,
Ahh let me count the ways……..
Yes it is a bummer but hell in America you can Murder some one and be playing golf afterwards….and still sell your autographs for big cash.

Man I have to get on the water……

Here is the latest on the cheat!!!!

http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_75981.asp

to the angler that turned this in

Here is the official press release from then LDWF. It says he did in fact admit it.

“Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) Enforcement Division agents arrested a Missouri man for contest fraud in Natchitoches Parish following the Citgo Bassmaster Central Open on the Red River on Nov. 11, 2005.

“Paul E. Tormanen, 39, of Lee’s Summit, Missouri, allegedly caught several black bass before the tournament and tied them to stumps in the Red River. He then used the black bass at the weigh-in.

“Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (BASS) officials alerted the agents to the possibility of contest fraud after they were contacted by a fisherman who had snagged one of the fish while practicing for the upcoming event. Agents secretly marked the fish and returned them to the stumps where they were found.

“On Nov. 10, Tormanen brought the marked fish to the scales at the Grand Ecore boat launch and had them officially weighed in to count toward the total weight of his catch. After weighing in his next day’s catch, Tormanen was questioned by agents. He admitted to catching several bass before the tournament and tying them to stumps in order to weigh them in during the tournament.

“Tormanen was booked into the Natchitoches Parish Detention Center for contest fraud. He was released after posting a $5,000 bond the same date of the arrest. The penalty for contest fraud is a fine up to $3,000 and imprisonment with or without hard labor for up to one year, or both.

“Agents participating in the case were Lt. Richie McCarthy, Lt. Bill Tyree, Sgt. Chuck Dison, Sgt. Patrick Staggs, Senior Agent Eric Droddy and Senior Agent Billy Shoemaker.”

> The LDWF release states Tormanen weighed in marked fish on day 1, but does not specifically allege he did so on day 2. He had an 8-00 limit on day 1, but weighed only three fish for 3-10 on day 2. He would have finished 82nd in the field of 123 anglers had he not been disqualified (and banned from tournament competition for life) by BASS.

> The release makes no mention of whether Tormanen’s day 1 non-boater knew what had taken place. Competitors interviewed by BassFan (who wished to remain anonymous) said everything they heard pointed to the non-boater having no knowledge of the violation at the time it occurred.

The folling was posted on another site:

Yeppers, Mr.T. is a local ’round here. He has placed high in alot of T’s here on this lake. It has been quite an upset. Lynch mobs are rapidly forming.

Funny thing is, JUSTICE and THE LAW take different paths here. His tethering method consisted of braided line “stringers” that were marked with his name…that’s legal !, He “re-caught the fish with hook and line”, also legal ! The tournament rules that he agreed to were not specific enough to clearly charge him with unsportsmanlike conduct, and some say he will counter with a suit against the T organization and come out smelling like a rose. As I said, JUSTICE and the LAW are 2 different things these days.

He’ll likely beat THE LAW, but he’d better get the he!! outa Dodge with a quickness, cuz these BOYZ ‘ROUND HERE want JUSTICE !

Personally, I feel bad for his kids. They were real proud of Dad and accompanied him at several top finish weigh-ins

Applebee’s, one of his major sponsors has also been slammed locally.

Why would you cheat wat a sham!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Personally, I feel bad for his kids. They were real proud of Dad and accompanied him at several top finish weigh-ins

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Although looking at fines and jail time is disturbing, the above would haunt a guy everytime he looks into his kids eyes….

If he tries to fight this it will show just what kind of sportsman he is. Maybe he hasn’t “broken” the law..but if in fact the above is true, he has broken the “spirit” of the tourney.

This isn’t a black eye on tournements or bass fisherman, this is a black eye for sportsman/woman.

Time for some accountability!

Here’s an article from his Co-Angler from that day. The Co-Angler wanted to remain anonymous, but an interesting read.

http://www.bassfan.com/news_article.asp?id=1534

I have had the opportunity to talk with many of the touring “Pro’s” about this “situation”. I call it a situation from this standpoint; what he did was technically NOT illegal. All are concerned as to the premeditiation as well as motive.
First off was it money?? Not one of the guys I talked to seemed to think it was money motivated at all. Instead, promotion, consistency and the ability to make a name!! This leads to the POTENTIAL for making the “BIG” money. EGO, the driving force, behind any self gratifiying major “Athlete”.
The largest concern, Planning!!!!! This took lots and lots of time!!! Coordination, This could not be a “loner” job!!! Unforutnatley making a name seems to be the quickest way to the golden sanctum of Bass Fishing. Everyone needs PR! (not this type mind you) but promotion is the NEW driving force behind Professional Bass Fishing.
I have had a chance to view other pertinent info regarding Pro Bass Fishing, the Tournaments and the hubub! as submitted to the other forums. I believe you are watching the beginning of the end!! If things do not change quickly for this industry, it will be lost at all levels not just the “Big Boys”
A parting question. If he did not technically CHEAT, Who is going to pay for the Slander Suit that is sure to now arise from this mess??!! This is just the sign of the times and the potential future of tournament fishing!!!! Tournament fishermen inadvertantly give naysayers enough ammo without much thought regardless of the situation. Change is the HERE and NOW. Let us all be proactive it will not be long and this too might be a thing of the past!

I completely disagree BD.

I don’t know about the legality portion of it, but he broke the Sportsmanship and fair competition rules of the tournament. Cheating is not fair competition. There simply is no other way to look at it. Or how do you see it?

I’m trying to make a name for myself, and i’m not doing it by cheating, that’s for sure. I’m not doing it by catching any fish either

I am sorry, my opinion is as yours. I agree with fair chase and the spirit of the catch. Remember we live in such a litigious society, that anything technical is the opportunity for contempt against what is right, fair and ethical, let alone moral. This guy went to great lenghts to usurp the spirit of the rules. He had to study very carefully the wording as well as the content/context aspect,making sure he was left an “OUT”. Did he cash a check?? Was he in contention toward a payout?? Did the authorities hit the “hammer” to soon?? He admitted to manipulating the fish catching aspect of the tournament. That flys into your correct assertion as to fair chase and catch!!! What was the end result? (placement or money) Hard work and sacrifice plus committment yields the opportunity to succeed!! It never ceases to amaze me the lenghts to which someone can expend negative energy hoping for positive results!!

Slopbass,
The one real spiney rule that we all have had to contend with is “JACK-POTTERS” is that fair??? See them putting in the water 7:30 pm see them signing up @ 3:30 am!!?? A boat fishing the area they show up at with not ever seeing that boat there for 3 days. Only to realize that they are screwed if the boat moves in on you!! is that fair??!! Probably NOT but is it also cheating?? Happen twice last year!! Really hard NOT to know who my partner and I are fishing out of the front of the boat. Even heard the conversation take place from about 100 yards away!! The best one last year!!! Watched a boat catch a good limit in a short period of time. A very out of the way spot, tough to navigate really tough to fish right!! 5 minutes later 2 boats come from opposite ends of the river to miraculously end up in the exact some spot!!!!! Then comes the merry-go-round show!!!! all are laughing and carrying on, all are “buds”. Is that cheating??!! I believe that is where you somehow have to take a stand!!! Slop, keep fishing your way and you will be much the better!! Remember: Experience is Knowledge; all the rest is just information!!

Based on the information that was released to Bassfan.com today, I would say there is little doubt what he did was illegal. And since he confessed to it, it won’t leave much room for any kind of slander suit. I just hope they throw the book at him regardless of why he did it.