Garland Man Pleads Guilty To Bass Tourney Cheating

[Zappa]

http://cbs11tv.com/pets/fish.tale.lead.2.1632321.html

It's a 'heavyweight' fish tale, of sorts! A Garland man pled guilty to attempted theft after trying to pass his bass off as a winner.

Last fall, Robby Rose stuffed a lead weight into a bass during a fishing tournament and this week he learned his punishment.

An investigation by a Texas Parks and Wildlife Department game warden concluded Rose stuffed his fish during the 2009 Bud Light Trail Boss Big Bass Tournament on Lake Ray Hubbard last October 24.

Rose, a competitive bass fisherman, was competing for a $55,000 bass boat tournament grand prize. The boat would be awarded to the angler who caught the biggest fish by weight.

After Rose turned in the fish and went to the polygraph area, officials noticed the bass had nearly sunk to the bottom of the tank. The fish was examined and a lump was found in its belly.

Officials found Rose and told him they intended to cut the bass open. It was then that Rose massaged the fish and removed a one-pound lead weight from it.

Rockwall County District Attorney Kenda Culpepper says the case was taken very seriously. "As far as we were concerned, the case was about a $55,000 bass boat, not a 10-pound fish."

On Tuesday Rose pled guilty to attempted theft over $20,000 but less than $100,000. He was sentenced to five years probation, 15 days in jail and loss of his fishing license for five years.

The lead prosecutor in the case, Alex Imgrund, said plainly, "Cheating is cheating."

I'm surprised that's not a hanging offense in Texas.

 

[twogunwilly]

Glad they caught the prick.

 

[MisterHappy]

http://cbs11tv.com/pets/fish.tale.lead.2.1632321.html



I'm surprised that's not a hanging offense in Texas.

It's not a "hanging offense" under the written law....but he best watch out when he goes into a secluded cove!

 

[Ron Swanson]

Is it normal to have a polygraph area at a fishing tourney?

 

[Zappa]

Is it normal to have a polygraph area at a fishing tourney?

I thought that was rather odd too, but nowadays you can't trust anyone. [sad2]

 

[jkeeley1]

I think there are many people in texas that would rather be hanged than lose their fishing license for 5 years....... it would take me a few minutes to decide

 

[Fixxah]

If he took the boat they could have nailed him good, there is a guy in federal prison for cheating in a bass tourney.

An angler was fishing the Kentucky River a couple of years back and hooked onto a stringer loaded with big largemouth. He called the tournament director and they clipped pieces from the tails of each fish and left them there. The next day when the fish were weighed in and the "winner" was handed the check for over $100k. He had handcuffs on his wrists before he could pocket the check. I think he is in for ten years.

The details may not be 100% accurate as they were told to me by a tournament fisherman.