Official TOP BASS Statment

[JohnWhyte]

This can happen in any tournament with any organizer. There are no "Best Practices" books, only experience and there are so few available to look back at. If someone has a complaint or is going to accuse someone of any infraction and expect results you have to be prepared to make the complaint official. The rules state that any complaints of accusations must be formal and signed by the person who is making the allegations. If no one is willing to own it then the organizers hands are tied. The old "I don't want trash my buddy" scenario doesn't work if you want action.

[ChrisLawson]

I don't fish TopBass, but I have fished tournaments in eastern Ontario for the past 20 yrs. I will say this, and this is my opinion only guys. No matter what tournament series you decide to fish, if somebody knows something, not rumours, FACTS, and witnessed cheating activity, which it sounds like is the case here, then they owe it to all their competitors and the tournament community as a whole to bring these forward. If it is a fact that somebody knows the truth, its too late to judge in the court of law, but they can be most certainly be judged by their peers for years to come!!

[Sean Palmer]

The take away here is..... If you see or find something wrong(like a makeshift cage) don't touch it. Set up a sting and catch the cheaters red handed! Plain and simple.
Let's learn from other people's mistakes and move on. Evolution 101!!

[Brian Gardy]

I have 2 last question and I would like someone who knows the whole story to answer it for me please Was the accused brought to Teds attention from several anglers before the cages were found like 2 tournaments prior ?????? Sorry I have another what did Top bass do when it was brought to there attention ??? Why wasn,t it dealt with then or at least a lie detector then ????????

[Gerard_Cocks]

I have 2 last question and I would like someone who knows the whole story to answer it for me please Was the accused brought to Teds attention from several anglers before the cages were found like 2 tournaments prior ?????? Sorry I have another what did Top bass do when it was brought to there attention ??? Why wasn,t it dealt with then or at least a lie detector then ????????

Good question. I know that I did and have been told by others that they had as well.

[markTomasin]

curious to know what happened two tournaments before?