Lake Erie Walleye Tournament (Lewt)

Ripjiggen wrote:

That’s not true. Others have kept their fish. Majority do donate but they were not the only ones.

Gotcha. I thought I read they were literally the only team keeping their fish at every single event.

If they’re keeping their fish, they should have their lead levels checked.

TH wrote:

If they’re keeping their fish, they should have their lead levels checked.

I would doubt they actually ate those fish.

Deuces wrote:

Fascinating situation really, I’m with grouse on this one, I hope these two get thru this with the most hope they can.

That’s also why I think it would be in their best interest to come clean on all of it. Find the light, realize what they did was wrong, confess to everything, and one day hopefully regain the trust of their community, one day. That will never happen if taken the easy legal way out. I get it, best not to to avoid further jail time and penalties but there’s more to life than that. This will follow them almost everywhere, what would it be worth to any of you here? Could you live like that, go to the same baitshops you did, same cafes, same bars, and people hate you, I couldn’t.

JMHO

I dunno…my small local lakes and baitshops I’m guessing nobody would recognize them and could care less. Give it a year or so and I’m guessing the same thing will happen with the larger communities and lakes.

Disagree these two are well known around Lake Erie. We are not talking about some small town no name lakes and bait shops.
The Fall Brawl Derby alone has over 10k people registered to fish it. I would be willing to bet that almost all of them know who won and got DQ last year now.

If they wasn’t so cheap they would of used tungsten weights.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/fox8.com/email-alerts/breaking-news-email-alerts/boat-trailer-seized-from-man-accused-of-cheating-in-walleye-tournament/amp/

Got his boat and trailer taken today.

That’s got to suck…

The tournament director Jason Fisher (the guy cutting the fish open) was interviewed about the incident on the Ike Live Podcast. Can be found on Spotify.

So one of them is due in court in November for domestic violence case. Currently restraining order on him from accuser.
The other has multiple poaching cases under his belt.
I am all about innocent till proven guilty but these two are a couple of real d bags.

Ripjiggen wrote:

So one of them is due in court in November for domestic violence case. Currently restraining order on him from accuser.
The other has multiple poaching cases under his belt.
I am all about innocent till proven guilty but these two are a couple of real d bags.

Yep

Beast wrote:

If they wasn’t so cheap they would of used tungsten weights.

that’s what i thought too. i am guessing they have been putting lead in these fish for years and getting away with it all this time so they just kept at it. if they are too cheap to buy tungsten, i imagine they will not be looking for top notch lawyer counsel to save them. there is always rocks too and those couldn’t be found with a metal detector.

eyeguy507 wrote:

that’s what i thought too. i am guessing they have been putting lead in these fish for years and getting away with it all this time so they just kept at it. if they are too cheap to buy tungsten, i imagine they will not be looking for top notch lawyer counsel to save them. there is always rocks too and those couldn’t be found with a metal detector.

At least if they used rocks they could of argued that it’s a natural thing and maybe all the fish they caught ate the rocks

These guys were lucky to get out of that weigh-in without being harmed. They better Thank those police officers who showed up. Some of the guys I use to fish tourneys with would have put a a Beat Down on them
They sound like real upstanding citizens

I would not be shocked to hear if both of them end up getting that beat down at a later time.

I do however wonder how the police or DNR was able to just come take the boat? Because it was used while a crime was committed? They havent been charged with anything have they?

CaptainMusky wrote:

I do however wonder how the police or DNR was able to just come take the boat? Because it was used while a crime was committed? They havent been charged with anything have they?

They had a warrant for it for the investigation. That’s it. It wasn’t repossessed or any thing.

Bearcat89 wrote:

They had a warrant for it for the investigation. That’s it. It wasn’t repossessed or any thing.

Makes sense.

They have been indicted See :

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – Two men who allegedly used lead weights to win the Lake Erie Walleye Trail Tournament were indicted on several charges by a Cuyahoga County Grand Jury Wednesday.

Jacob Runyan, 42, and Chase Cominsky, 35, were each indicted on:

One count of cheating
One count of attempted grand theft
One count of possessing criminal tools
One Count of unlawful ownership of wild animals
Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley said the unlawful ownership of wild animals charge is because of their alleged possession of fish filets on their boat.

CaptainMusky wrote:

I do however wonder how the police or DNR was able to just come take the boat? Because it was used while a crime was committed? They havent been charged with anything have they?

See post above. If that boat was used as part of committing a crime. It will be subject to confiscation. They are going to lose that boat !!!!

Seems like there should some crime about molesting or abusing animals?? I assume he force fed them sinkers? And maybe they were already dead but does it matter?? I mean it’s a weird line to walk as we literally pay for the government’s permission to kill animals… but not willingly torture them.

I was always under the impression these kill tournaments donate the fish to a food shelf. Well, whoever is responsible for processing said fish to give to a food shelf would have found weights in the past right?

Im starting to think these fish in the kill tournaments end up in a grind disposal. Kinda lame.

ganderpike wrote:

I was always under the impression these kill tournaments donate the fish to a food shelf. Well, whoever is responsible for processing said fish to give to a food shelf would have found weights in the past right?

They permit the anglers to keep their fish in these events. Most anglers donate them, but these guys always kept theirs. Of course, now we know why.

Most of the fisherman do, these two guys have been keeping their fish.

ganderpike wrote:

I was always under the impression these kill tournaments donate the fish to a food shelf. Well, whoever is responsible for processing said fish to give to a food shelf would have found weights in the past right?

Im starting to think these fish in the kill tournaments end up in a grind disposal. Kinda lame.

No most of them are legit tournaments and give back to the community quite a bit. It’s an option to donate your catch not mandatory.

Learn something everyday, thanks guys.

Sadly, when fish and game cases go to a criminal court. The cases heard before and after it may be a drive by, a stolen $30,000 vehicle of someone selling meth. The people are going to walk unscathed from the other cases. Hard for a judge to give more than a small fine to these guys. The fraud charges may carry a little consequence. I saw it a few years back with 3 rich guys, 5 limits over on doves. Game warden wanted near the death penalty that they should have got. They all got modest fines. If Clevland or bigger city is in that county. Sure, they have bigger fish to fry, pardon the pun. Best you could hope is their priors mount the case, and the judge is a sportsman.

The two individuals have formally been charged with 5th degree felony charges of cheating, attempted grand theft, and possessing criminal tools as of 10/12/22 by the Cuyahoga County prosecutor’s office in the State of Ohio.

Funny how they can bring charges so fast against these two… but they cannot when a Hunter is involved ?

big_g wrote:

Funny how they can bring charges so fast against these two… but they cannot when a Hunter is involved ?

Not quite sure what you’re referring to as far as hunters… Poaching?

But I don’t think authorities had a choice given how public and viral this became. If they didn’t act there would be more outrage.